Iranian Journal of Animal Science
Year:2016 | Volume:46 | Issue:4|Papers Count:15

The effects of wet-feeding of five levels of corn steep liquor (CSL) on broilers performance and relative internal organ weights were examined. Three hundreds 1-d old broilers (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to one of the six dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 5 replications of 10 chicks per pen. The dietary treatments were: 1. Dry-fed control, no add water nor CSL in feed, 2. Wet-fed control, add water in feed, 3. Wet-fed, 10% CSL in feed, 4. Wet-fed, 20% CSL in feed, 5. Wet-fed, 30% CSL in feed, and 6. Wet-fed, 40% CSL in feed. The body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly affected by dietary levels of CSL inclusion, in 1-42 d growing period (P<0.05). The response to increasing dietary levels of CSL was in linear and quadratic manners (P<0.05). Using of CSL levels higher than 10% declined the growth performance. Increase in dietary CSL levels beyond 10 % caused a significant decrease in relative weights of liver, bursa Fabricius, and gizzard (P<0.05). The results of present study suggest 10% CSL as an optimum level of CSL dietary supplementation in wet feeding of broilers.

This research was conducted to study polymorphism of intron 44 of ACACA gene and its association with milk traits in Mahabadi goats. Blood samples were taken from 81 Mahabadi goats. DNA was extracted from blood using salting out method. 897 base pair fragment of intron 44 ACACA gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction. SSCP method was used to investigate the amplified DNA fragment polymorphism. Amplified products were sequenced in both directions. Finally, seven different patterns were obtained and sequences compared with each other also with Capra hircus ACACA gene sequence on NCBI (NC_022311). Seven novel SNPs were identified which were NC_022311: nucleotide 154503 (T/G), 154518 (A/G), 154577 (A/G), 154640 (C/T), 154712 (A/C), 154928 (C/T), 154956 (C/T). Then a mixed animal model was used by SAS9.1 analysis system to evaluate the association of these SNPs with milk traits. In this model, variables of age of dam, genotypes and mount of recording were considered as fixed effects. There were significant association of SNP2 (P=0.05), SNP3 (P=0.05) and SNP5 (P<0.01) with milk yield. SNPs 1 (P=0.017), 6 (P=0.017) and 7 (P<0.01) had also significant effect on milk fat-percentage.

In order to investigate the effect of adding Fennel powder (Foeniculum vulgare) in starter diet on performance, immunity system and biometric parameters of Holstein calves, 30 Holstein calves (15 males and 15 females) with birth weight of 40±0.5 kg were used in a completely randomized design. Experimental diets were: 1. starter without Fennel powder (control), 2. starter containing 0.4% Fennel powder and 3) starter with 0.8% of the Fennel powder. Average dry matter intake of calves increased by adding Fennel powder (P<0.05). Average daily gain of calves was highest with 0.4% of the Fennel powder (P<0.05). The average of weaning age and milk intake were lower in calves fed with fennel powder than control group (P<0.05). Effect of experimental diets on average fecal consistency in the period before weaning, after weaning and the total period were significant (P<0.05) only for two weeks after weaning. Blood eosinophil of calves were affected by the experimental diets (P<0.05). Thus, adding 0.4% Fennel powder in starter diet improves performance of Holstein dairy calves and reduces weaning age and eosinophils.

This study was conducted to determine regression equations for the prediction metabolizable energy value corrected for zero nitrogen retention (AMEn) in 12 wheat cultivars (mahdavi, chamran, sabalan, sepahan, sivand, alamoot, sholeh, neishaboor, pishtaz, bahar, shiraz and shahpasand) Cultured in Alborz province of Iran. Chromic oxide marker bioassay was used to determine wheat cultivars nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) content for adult roosters. The experimental diets were composed of 40% of test sample and the remaining 60% was a combination of other ingredients held constant across diets. AMEn value of the test samples were calculated and related to their chemical composition by regression analysis with SPSS software. The result of multiple regression equations was shown that CF and Starch are the best factors for prediction of AMEn. The equation for prediction of AMEn based on chemical composition was:AMEnwheat (Kcal/Kg of DM) = 69 STA - 1028 CF.

Genetic parameters were estimated for somatic cell score (SCS) in dairy cattle of Iran using test day records. The records of first lactation were extracted from the database of National Animal Breeding Center for cows calved between 2001 and 2010. Data included 222923 test-day records, obtained from 29668 animals distributed in 100 different herds. Estimates were carried out through Gibbs sampling procedures and using a random regression test-day model. Lactation curve were described in the model with orthogonal Legendre polynomials on days in milk. In order to correct for heterogeneity effect of residual variance, lactation period (5 to 365 days in milk) was classified into 10 groups with unequal distances. According to the results, residual variance was highest at the beginning and it was steady and decreased slowly from the second months to the end of lactation. Low residual and permanent environment variances and high genetic variance were lead to increase of heritability at the end of lactation. The lowest and the highest of heritability were at days 68 (0.031) and 365 (0.098), respectively. Genetic correlations between individual test-day records were high for adjacent tests and decreased as the interval between tests increased. Daily breeding values and genetic curve across lactation were produced for all animals using predicted regression coefficients. Estimation of genetic and phenotypic trends for SCS were -0.0025 and -0.1075, respectively (P<0.01). The results show a desirable improvement for somatic cell score at genetic and phenotypic levels.

Camel is a resistant species to drought and cold weather and produces milk and meat in harshest environmental condition. Camel population in Iran has been decreasing during last decades, and genetic studies are quite necessary for considering the conservation and productivity of this species. In this study growth hormone gene influencing growth, milk production and reproduction was considered. The blood samples were collected from 25 Bactrian (Ardebil province) and 50 dromedary camels (Yazd province (n=15), Toroud Camel Research Station (n=20) and Semnan province (n=15)), and DNA was extracted. Using sequencing and alignment method, seven mutations were detected in GH gene. Two of them were substitution mutation and changed amino acid sequence of growth hormone protein. The results of genetic distance analysis showed that the genetic distance between Bactrian and one-humped camel was the highest. Within dromedary camels, the camels of Yazd and Semnan provinces showed biggest genetic distance and camels of the Toroud camel research station were Intermediate of two populations.

The present study was carried out to compare different random regression models to estimate variance components of lamb's average birth weight per lambing (ABWLL) in Mehraban sheep. The data were 5,559 ABWLL records of 2,244 Mehraban ewes. The random regression models consisted of namely, flock-year-season of lambing as fixed effect, a fixed regression to fit average trajectory of the population and two random regressions to fit random additive genetic and permanent environmental effects. The models had linear and quadratic B-Spline or quadratic or cubic Legendre functions, all with heterogeneous residual variances. Variance components were estimated using Average Information algorithm of Restricted Maximum Likelihood (AI-REML). According to Akaike and Bayesian information criteria, the model BS212 with quadratic, linear and quadratic B-Spline functions for fixed regression and random regressions of additive genetic and permanent environment was considered as the best model to fit the data. Using the BS212 model, the highest and lowest heritabilities for ABWLL were estimated for 12 months of age (0.74) and 31 to 66 months of the ewe age (0.03), respectively and coefficients of permanent environment were close to 0 in all ages. The estimated values in middle ages were more accurate than initial or final ages. The results of the present study showed that the records obtained on initial lambings probably could have higher importance for breeding programs.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of using rice bran, combo multi-enzyme and probiotic (protexin) in diet on performance, egg traits, biochemical parameters and blood cells of commercial laying hens. This experiment carried out using 384 Hi-line (W36) laying hens in a completely randomized design as factorial (2´2´2) arrangement with two levels of rice bran (0 and 10%), two levels of combo multi-enzyme (0 and 0.05%) and two levels of protexin (0 and 0.005%) in 8 treatments, 4 replicates and 12 birds per replicate for 12 weeks (65-76 weeks). Using 10% rice bran in diets improved the egg weight, egg production percentage and egg mass, feed conversion ratio, egg yolk color index and blood HDL of laying hens (P<0.05), whereas did not have any significant effects on the amounts of feed intake and immune cells (P>0.05). Combo multi-enzyme in diets did not have any significant effects on performance, egg quality traits and blood parameters of laying hens (P>0.05). Using protexin in laying hens diets without having any significant effects on egg quality traits and blood parameters (P>0.05), improved the feed conversion ratio (P<0.05). In using rice bran with combo multi-enzyme and protexin, performance, egg traits and blood HDL improved (P<0.05), whereas did have any significant effects on the amounts of feed intake and immune cells (P>0.05). The overall results indicated that in laying using 10% rice bran with 0.05% of combo multi-enzyme and 0.005% of probiotic can improve the performance, egg traits and blood HDL.

This experiment was carried out to study the effects of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) as tannin source and different level of forage: concentrate ratio on digestibility, blood parameters, ruminal fermentation, milk yield and milk composition in milking ewes. Therefore, eight Lori milking ewes were alocated to factorial experiment base on the 4´4 replicated Latin square design. Four total mixed ration diets were formulated with two level of concentrate and two level of intake forage which consisted of forage: concentrate ratios of 35:65 high concentrate without sainfoin (HC), 65:35 low concentrate without sainfoin (LC), 35:65 high concentrate with sainfoin (HCS) and 65:35 low concentrate with sainfoin (LCS). Total phenols, total and condensed tannin among treatments were significantly different (P<0.05). Digestibility of DM and OM in the HCS treatment were higher compared to the other treatments (P<0.05). The ruminal pH and NH3-N values in HCS and HC diets were lower than those fed HC diet. The concentration of ruminal VFAs in ewes received low concentrate diet were higher (P<0.05). The acetate to propionate ratio was lower in HC and HCS treatments. The results showed milk yield in HC and HCS treatments was greater than other treatments (P<0.05). Level of concentrate effect were significant on milk fat, lactose, SNF and protein (P<0.05). In total, adding to sainfoin as a tannins source to diet with high concentrate ratio (65%) increased organic matter and fiber digestibility, and also increased ruminal propionate and finally, increased milk yield and protein.

Traditional dairy farm can be one of the main entities of milk production in the country. Regarding livestock feed limitations and the rise in price and shortage of necessary inputs in Iran, the policy of boosting the efficiency of stock units, could be one of the good policies to reduce the costs, produces more benefits and increases the competitiveness among the units. Taking in to account the importance of this issue, this study attempted to assess the efficiency of Mazandaran traditional dairy farms, using fuzzy data envelopment analysis. The data were collected using interviews and 64 questionnaires with random sampling in 2014. The data indicates the difference of dairy farmer's efficiency for different amounts of α in 3 categories. The results indicated that the efficiency of the second group (from 6 to 10 cattle) is more than the other two groups and the efficiency of the first dairy farm (less than 6 cattle) is less than others and the efficiency of the third group (more than 10 cattle) is average. These results indicate that more efficient use of available inputs in the second group in comparison with the other two groups. Taking into account that financial problems for using inputs and low price of milk are main reasons for non-efficiency of milk production in these farms, allocating subsidies to produced milk and guaranteed purchase of milk is suggested to the planners.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of using different levels of royal jelly in semen extender on viatal characteristics of goat sperm after freezing. Semen was collected from four adult bucks twice a week and samples pooled together. Sperm samples (six repeats) containing royal jelly in four levels (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2%) had been frozen. After semen samples freezing – were thawed and examined in terms of mobility, survival and integrity of the membrane. Average total motility and survival at 1% royal jelly were higher than other treatment and control groups (P<0.05). A significant difference in terms of linearity motility of sperm and plasma membrane integrity was not observed between the treated groups and control group. A significant reduction was observed in the rate of other parameters velocity in Diluent contain royal jelly with the control group (P<0.05). Therefore, the use of royal jelly in goat semen diluent can improve some sperm parameters after freezing process.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementing diets of milking cows monensin supplementation alone or in combination with Methafix (a commercial product containing malate and fumarate) on nutrient digestibility, milk production and composition and milk fatty acids profile. Using four multiparous Holstein milking cows (657±12 kg of live weight; 133±41days in milk) in a Latin square design. The cows were randomly assigned to one of the four dietary treatments. The first treatments was the control diet (C), second was control diet supplemented with 24 mg of monensin/kg of DM (M), the third was control diet supplemented with 5 g of Methafix/kg DM (ME) and the fourth treatment was C diet supplemented with 24 mg of monensin in combination with 5 g of Methafix/kg DM (MM). Dietary supplementation with Monensin alone or in combination with Metafix significantly decreased dry matter intake (P<0.05), while the intake of crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC) were not affected. The digestibility of organic matter (OM) and CP were significantly lower in M and MM-fed cows than the other cow (P<0.05). Total tract apparent digestibility of NDF and NFC were lowest in the cows fed with MM diet. Dietary treatments had no effect on fat and energy corrected milk production, milk fat, protein and lactose concentrations, utilization efficiency of N and NEL (P>0.05). Utilization efficiency of dry matter for milk production was higher in monensin and Methafix-supplemented cows than in control cows (P<0.05). Supplementing milking cow rations with monensin alone or in combination with Methafix significantly (P<0.05) increased milk fat concentration of conjugated linoleic acid (cis9, trans11). In conclusion, the results of this study showed that supplementing mid-lactating cows with monensin or Methafix would increase milk yield, but had no effect on milk components. Dietary supplementation of milking cows with monensin and Methafix alone or together had no effect on majority of milk fatty acids, but elevated milk concentration of conjugated linoleic acid (cis-9, trans 11).