Journal of Animal Production
Year:2017 | Volume:19 | Issue:3 |Papers Count:16

The aim of this research was to recognize genetic polymorphism in intron place of BMP15 gene and its association with growth and reproduction traits in Lori-Bakhtiari sheep breed using sequencing method. Blood samples of 80 ewes and 20 rams of Lori-Bakhtiari sheep from breeding station of Shahrekord were collected. DNA was extracted from whole blood and their quality was evaluated using 1% agarose gel electrophoresis. A fragment with the size of 356 bp from extracted DNA was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a pair of specific primers. The PCR products were sequenced. Sequencing result was compared with the registered gene sequence in NCBI database using Blast program. Results showed only a deletion mutation (D75A) in this gene; Adenine with 41. 2% frequency was deleted in 75 nucleotide. This mutation did not effect on reproduction and growth traits. However, it is recommended to study the association of polymorphisms in other segments of this gene with reproduction and growth traits in future studies.

The objective of this study was to estimate and compare the sensitivity of economic efficiency to change in productive and reproductive performance as well as involuntary culling rate of dairy herds. For this purpose, a bio-economic model developed in DairyVIP software was used to analysis the registered information in the annual performance of dairy farms covered by Isfahan Vahdat cooperation. The net annual profit obtained 23310×1000 IRR when the average annual of milk yield, pregnancy rate and annual involuntary culling rate were 11588 kg, 8. 6% and 18. 1%, respectively. The annual profit was 1353×1000 IRR per 1 kg change in the daily milk yield. While for every 1% change in the conception and involuntary culling rate, the annual profit varied by 564 and 321×1000 IRR, respectively. The breakeven of daily milk yield and pregnancy rate was too changeable to stay the annual interest, so that an increase in daily milk yield by 5 kg could tolerate a decrease in pregnancy rates up to 8. 1%. Whereas pregnancy rate should be increased as much as 26. 6% of basic conditions to compensate the economic losses due to a decline in daily milk yield by 5 kg. Our finding can help the farmers to identify the economic value of important traits in cattle annual profitability and make the optimal management decisions to improve economic benefit.

The aim was to evaluate effects of in vitro fermentation of different forages co-incubated with different types of non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC) on gas production, digestibility, microbial biomass, medium pH and ammonia concentration. A completely randomized design with factorial arrangement (9 treatments and 3 replicates) were used wherein wheat straw, alfalfa hay and corn silage constituted main forage sources and starch, sucrose and pectin were components of NFC. 0. 2 g of each forage samples incubated with 0. 3 g of each NFC component for 24 h and gas production, apparent and true digestibility, microbial biomass, pH and ammonia concentration measured. Forage and NFC sources, alone but not in combination, had a significant effect on gas production, digestibility as well as ammonia concentration (p<0. 05). The estimated microbial biomass was lower for wheat straw samples (0. 14 vs. 0. 16 g /g DM digested for other forage samples), but was not affected by NFC and its interaction with forage sources (p<0. 05). Also, NFC sources affected medium pH significantly with the lowest values for sucrose while the highest for pectin. Results showed that previously known effects of NFC sources in vivo are also consistently observed in vitro while it was not affected by co-incubation with different forage sources.

In this study, effect of lycopene and corn supplementation on quantity of colostrum and concentrations of IgG in blood and colostrum in pregnant ewes was investigated. A total of 40 multiparous single-bearing ewes (body weight 68± 8. 4 kg) during last month of gestation were fed with one of the four experimental diets including basal diet (CON), basal diet + 0. 1 g/d lycopen (LYC), 300 g/d corn (COR), 0. 1 g/d lycopen + 300 g/d corn (LYC+COR). Quantity of colostrum production was determined at 6 h post-partum using oxytocin injection method. The IgG concentration in colostrum at 6 and 12 h post-partum as well as at 14 and oneday pre-partum was determined. Quantity of colostrum at 6 h post-partum in COR, and LYC+COR was higher (p<0. 05) than that in CON and LYC. Blood IgG concentration in CON was significantly lower than COR, LYC, and LYC+CORN. Ewes in LYC+COR had higher (p<0. 05) colostrum IgG concentration than ewes in CON. In conclusion, lycopene and corn supplementation during late gestation increased serum IgG concentrations and improved colostrum quantity and quality in pregnant ewes.

In order to determine the effects of hydraulic press pressure in the complete feed blocks (CFBs) machinery, with the pressure dwell time and forage particle size on durability, particles abscission and storage of blocks using a completely randomized design (12 treatments and 10 replications) with factorial arrangement current experiment was conducted. The factors were two levels of 200 and 220 bar hydraulic pressures in CFB machinery, three levels of 5, 17 and 30 sec dwell time along with two particle sizes (alfalfa hay and wheat straw) of short (average 10 mm) and long (average 30 mm) using forage to concentrate ratio of 45: 55. Complete feed blocks with long or short particles with press pressure of 220 bar and dwell time of 30 sec had higher durability and CFBs with long or short particles with press pressure of 220 bar and dwell time of 17 sec had minimum and maximum of particles abscission, respectively (p<0. 05). There was a linear relationship between the durability and density of CFBs (p=0. 001, r=0. 74). With increasing the hydraulic pressure, the evaporation percent of moisture in the blocks containing long particles increased (p<0. 05), resulted in non-proliferation of mold colonies after 35 days of storage; but corresponding parameter in the blocks containing short particles decreased and hence the number of visible mold colonies increased (p<0. 05). It can be concluded that, in term of durability percentage and storage capability of CFBs, blocks manufacturing with an average 10 and 30 mm under mentioned conditions of pressure and dwell time was not suitable and it seems blocks under conditions of an average forage particle size of more than 10 and less than 30 mm, but hydraulic pressure of 220 bar and dwell time of 5 seconds could be optimum.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of commercial bacterial probiotic on milk yield and composition, blood metabolites and enzyme activities in lactating ewes based on a completely randomized design (two treatments and eight replicates each). The ewes were kept in the individual pens and fed a diet based on alfalfa hay (60%) and concentrates (40%) with or without probiotic. Milk production of the individual ewes was measured and sampled weekly for 12 weeks and blood samples were obtained at four, eight and twelve weeks of lactation before and six hours after feeding. Data were analyzed by repeated measurements procedure. No significant differences were observed due to the addition of probiotic in milk production and chemical composition, but it was changed pattern of milk production during lactation period. The probiotic increased (p<0. 01) alanine amino transferase and alkaline phosphatase activities both before and after feeding at four, eight and twelve weeks, respectively. Aspartate transaminase activity was also higher before feeding at eight weeks (p<0. 05) and before and after feeding at twelve week (p<0. 01) in experimental treatment. Overall, the probiotic has no significant effect on the production and chemical composition of milk of ewes, but could change the pattern of milk production and some parameters of blood plasma in Mehraban ewes during lactation period.

To evaluate the effect of different levels of wild pistachio leaves on liver enzymes, blood parameters and performance indicators of broiler chickens, 192 one-day old Ross 308 broiler chickens in the completely randomized design per experimental units were used, including four treatments, four replicates and twelve chicks (both sexes). The experimental treatments included rations containing levels of 0 (control), 1, 2, and 3 percent of wild pistachio leaf powder. The results of this experiment showed that effect of wild pistachio leaf on feed intake and daily gain significantly reduced compared to control treatment in the initial period (p˂ 0. 05), but feed intake and daily gain were not significant in the growth period and total period. The feed conversion ratio was not significantly affected (p>0. 05). The effect of experimental treatments was not significant on AST and ALT, but the ALP enzyme was significantly reduced by the experimental treatments (p˂ 0. 05). The amount of glucose, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol of serum were not significantly affected. The effect of experimental treatments on triglyceride and LDL cholesterol serum reduction was significant (p˂ 0. 05). According to the results, wild pistachio leaf can be used as an additive plant with reducing feature on liver enzymes and triglyceride and LDL cholesterol in poultry diets.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of chromium-methionine (Cr-Met) supplementation on the blood and immune parameters of broiler under acute stress. A total of one hundred twenty-six broilers were allocated to three treatments and three replicates (14 birds per replicate) in a completely randomized design. Treatments were: (1) negative control, i. e. basal diet without stress and Cr-Met, (2) positive control: basal diet with stress and without Cr-Met, (3) basal diet with stress and supplemented with 1000 ppb Cr-Met. Stress was induced from day 18 by addition of 1. 5 mg dexamethasone per kg of the diet for one week followed by a withdrawal period until day 46. Blood samples were collected on day 25 and 46 of age. Results showed that stress increased blood glucose and lipid concentrations of serum (p<0. 05). The addition of Cr-Met decreased cholesterol, TG, LDL and VLDL on day 25 of age (p<0. 05). However, broilers fed Cr-Met had higher TG, LDL, VLDL and less HDL compared to other treatments on day 46 (p<0. 05). Administration of dexamethasone significantly elevated concentrations of white blood cell (WBC), heterophil (H), and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (p<0. 05), while these parameters decreased by Cr-Met supplementation on day 25 (p<0. 05). In conclusion, supplemental Cr-Met improved broiler response to physiological stress during the acute stress period. However, broilers did not benefit from feeding Cr-Met supplementation after dexamethasone induced stress.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of mannan-oligosaccharide prebiotic on performance, egg quality, immune response, intestine ileum microflora and nutrient digestibility in laying hens fed various levels of crude protein. A total of 150 Hy-Line W-36 laying hens were assigned to a 2×3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Experimental diets consisted of three levels of crude protein (recommended level for strain, 90 and 95% of recommended level) and two levels of mannan-oligosaccharides (0 and 0. 1% of diet). Reduction of crude protein to 10% of basal diet resulted in decrease of egg weight, egg production, egg mass and feed conversion ratio (p<0. 01). Supplementation of mannan-oligosaccharide into the diet improved egg production and egg mass (p<0. 05). Newcastle antibody titer, primary and second antibody response against sheep red blood cell increased by supplementation of mannan-oligosaccharides (p<0. 05). Reduction of crude protein to 5% reduced blood serum triglycerides concentration (p<0. 05). Reduction of crude protein to 5 and 10% of diet caused increases in digestibility coefficients of organic matter and Reduction of crude protein to 10% caused decline of crude fat digestibility (p<0. 05). Dietary supplementation mannan-oligosaccharides increased crude fat digestibility and decreased ileal E. coli count (p<0. 05). So, supplementation of mannan-oligosaccharide at levels of 0. 1% of diet improved immune parameters and intestinal ileum microflora. Similarly, crude protein at levels of 15. 68% of diet did not reduced performance parameters of laying hens from age 47 to 57 weeks.

To investigate the effect of different levels of Allium ampeloprasum powder (AP) and flavophospholipol (FP) on growth performance, blood metabolites and small intestine morphology of broilers, an experiment was conducted on 200, day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) in a completely randomized design with five treatments, four replicates and ten chicks per each. The treatments consisted of corn-soybean meal as basal diet (BD), BD+0. 02% flavophospholipol, BD+0. 5% AP, BD+075% AP and BD+1% AP. The results showed that feed intake (FI) increased by FP treatment over all periods (p<0. 01). Addition of FP, increased WG in starter phase (p<0. 05). In grower and whole period, the best WG and FCR was observed for FP, 1 and 0. 75% AP (p<0. 01) treatments. Blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol were decreased by AP significantly (p<0. 05). Heterophil to lymphocyte ratio decreased significantly by 1% AP compared to control group (p<0. 05). Villi height and villi height to crypt depth ratio increased by FP and AP supplementation (p<0. 05). Based on results, 0. 75 and 1% AP had positive effect on growth performance, immunity and small intestine health of broilers and with regards to restriction on the use of antibiotic in broiler ration, AP can be used to improve growth performance and immunity of broilers.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different level of garlic powder on the performance, egg quality traits and blood parameters in commercial laying hens. A total of one hundred and twenty eight 58-wk-old Lohmann lite (LSL) hens were allotted into four dietary treatment groups replicated four times with eight hens per replicate in a completely randomized design. Experimental diets included of control diet (no supplemented garlic powder) and three levels of garlic powder, (1, 2 and 3% of diet). Laying performance traits and egg quality parameters were recorded by replicate at 61 and 63 wk-old. Blood and egg yolk parameters were measured at the end of the trial. Results indicated that egg production percent, egg mass, feed intake and feed conversion rate were not affected by experimental treatments. However, egg weight was increased by 3% garlic powder compared with the control diet (p<0. 05). Haugh unit of eggs increased by 4. 25 units, at 3% garlic powder over the control diet (p<0. 05). Garlic powder supplementation of laying hen diets at 3% level lead to decreases in serum and egg yolk cholesterol (p<0. 05). Blood parameters including high density lipoproteins, triglyceride and liver aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were not affected by treatments. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of garlic powder improved egg weight and albumen quality of eggs and has also lowering effect on cholesterol content of egg yolk.

The effect of different dietary levels of nucleotide supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics, immune system status, small intestine morphology and ileal microbial population of broiler chickens was evaluated using 308 one-day-old mixed-sex Ross 308 broilers in a completely randomized design with four treatments and seven replicates of eleven chicks in each, up to 42 days of age. Experimental treatments included a corn-soybean meal basal diet (control), and the basal diet containing 0. 05, 0. 1 and 0. 2 percent nucleotide supplementation. The results showed that feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio of the broilers were not significantly affected by experimental treatments. Results of humeral immune system response at 35 days of age showed that the blood serum IgM concentration in 0. 2% nucleotide group was higher than 0. 05% group (p< 0. 05). Also, Serum IgG concentration in this age in 0. 05% nucleotide group was higher than 0. 2% group (p< 0. 05). At 42 days of age, serum IgG concentration in 0. 1% nucleotide treatment was lower than control group (p<0. 05). The cellular immune system response of chicks fed diet supplemented with 0. 1% nucleotide at 48 hours after Phytohemagglutinin-P injection was higher than control treatment (p<0. 05). On the basis of current experiment results, supplementation of broiler diets with nucleotide improves cellular immune system response but has no significant effect on other parameters of broiler chickens.

The effects of the herbal extracts (Rosemary officinalis L., Salvia officinalis), propolis, virginiamycin antibiotic and the herbal coccidiostat were studied on broiler chickens challenged with two E. coli strains (O78K80 & O2K12). A total of 476 female cobb 500 broilers was allocated in a completely randomized design considering seven treatments with four replicates and 17 birds per each for 42 days. Negative and positive control groups received a basal diet with no supplementation. The two herbal groups received a basal diet with 1 mL of ethanol herbal extracts (Rosemarinus officinalis & Salvia officinalis) / L drinking water, respectively. The virginiamycin (10%), the herbal coccidiostat and the ethanol extract of propolis groups fed the basal diet plus 150, 200 and 500 mg/kg diet, respectively. All groups except negative control challenged with two E. coli strains (O78K80 & O2K12) in 14 d of rearing period. Herbal extract decreased the intestinal population of E. coli and Salmonella compared to the positive control (p<0. 05). In the rearing period, feed conversion ratio and feed intake in chickens received herbal extracts and herbal coccidiostat were significantly lower than control groups (p<0. 05). Birds that received rosemary and propolis had the lowest relative weight of the breast compared to other treatments (p<0. 05). Herbal extracts decreased the cholesterol and increased HDL levels of serum (p<0. 05). It could be concluded that the herbal extracts can be used as an alternative to antibiotics as growth promoters in broiler chicks.

This experiment was carried out to study the effect of vitamin premix (VP) reduce/withdraw of finisher wheat based diet on growth performance, carcass efficiency, tibia bone ash, and humoral immune response of broiler chickens. Three hundred and fifty, one day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used in a complete randomized design (CRD) experiment with seven treatments of five replicates and ten birds each. The dietary treatments were T1 (control), fed the basal diet containing 2. 5g VP/kg of diet; T2, T3 and T4, the reduce dietary VP levels to 1. 25 g/kg of diet from 25, 31 and 37 d of ages respectively; T5, T6 and T7, the complete withdrawal dietary VP from 25, 31 and 37 d of ages respectively. The results showed reduced dietary VP levels to 1. 25 g/kg of diet from 25 d of age did not impair effects on growth performance. The complete withdrawal dietary VP from 25 d significantly decreased growth performance (p<0. 05). The reduced/withdraw dietary VP levels from 25, 31 and 37 d of ages had not significant effects on carcass efficiency, tibia bone ash, and humoral immune response to SRBC injection. It is concluded that it is possible to reduce the vitamin supplements in finisher broiler wheat based diets.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of varying levels of digestible protein (DP) and dietary electrolyte balances (DEB) during the finisher period on performance, blood parameters and small intestine histology of broiler chickens exposed to heat stress. A total of 500 mixed sex chickens (Ross 308) were used in a completely randomized design as a 2×5 factorial arrangement with two levels of DP (16. 5% and 19%) and five levels of DEB (150, 200, 250, 300 and 350 meq/kg of diet) with five replicates of 10 birds each during the finisher period. The chicks were exposed to heat stress of 32± 2° C for eight hours/day during 28-42 days of age. Increasing DP levels did not have a significant effect on weight gain under heat stress during the finisher period. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of chickens fed 16. 5% DP diet was significantly more than 19% DP fed birds (p<0. 05). The highest weight gains and lowest FCR were observed in chickens fed 200 mEq/kg of diet EBD which were significantly different only with 300 and 150 mEq/kg EBD treatments. The highest weight gain was observed in broilers fed diet containing 16. 5% DP and 200 mEq EBD. Broilers fed diet containing 19% DP in compare to those fed 16. 5% DP had lower plasma triglycerides and higher total protein, creatinine, and uric acid contents. Increasing digestible protein from 16. 5% to 19% had no significant effect (p>0. 05) on small intestine morphology. Diet containing 250 mEq/kg of diet EBD significantly (p<0. 05) increased villi surface of small intestine in chickens suffering heat stress. It is concluded that feeding of broiler chickens exposed to heat stress during the finishing period with diet containing 16. 5% digestible protein and 200 mEq/kg dietary electrolyte balances is recommendable.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant effect of coenzyme Q10 on ram semen quality after the freezing-thawing process. Five Ghezel rams were used for sperm collection twice a week in five replicates. This experiment consisted of 5 treatments, coenzyme Q10 at four levels (0. 5, 1, 2 and 2. 5 μ mol) and control group (without antioxidant). In this study, motility, viability, membrane integrity, abnormality parameters of sperm, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity were measured following freeze-thawing. The results showed that the total motility in samples with 0. 5 and 1 μ M of coenzyme Q10 antioxidant was significantly higher than the control group (p<0. 05). Samples with 0. 5 μ M Coenzyme Q10 had the lowest percentage of abnormal sperm and lipid peroxidation level compared to the control group (p<0. 05). Viability, plasma membrane integrity and total motility were better in all treated groups compared to the control group (p<0. 05). The VCL, VSL and VAP parameters were improved in groups receiving 0. 5, 1 and 2 μ M coenzyme Q10 compared with the other groups (p<0. 05). The group receiving 2. 5 μ M coenzyme Q10 had the best impact on the superoxide dismutase activity than other groups. The results of this study showed that adding 0. 5 and 1 μ M Coenzyme Q10 improved some of the sperm parameters after the freezing-cracking process.