Animal Science Journal
Year:2014 | Volume:- | Issue:101|Papers Count:12

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of treated and untreated low swelling bentonite and zeolite on performance of Arian male broiler chicks. The chicks were allocated by randomized experimental design to 4 treatments for 42 days. Each of treatments had 4 pens and 7 chicks in each pen. The treatments were basal diet (control group), a diet with 1% treated bentonite (cu-b), a diet with 1% untreated bentonite (b) and a diet with 1% zeolite (z). Diets were isocaloric, isonitrogenus and corn -soybean meal based. Weekly and total period body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, mortality percentage and production index were determined. The results showed that weight gain, feed conversion ratio, mortality percent and production index were better in untreated bentonite treatment in total period. Percent of mortality in untreated bentonite and zeolite treatments were significantly less than control and treated bentonite groups (p<0.05), but differences between the other factors was not significant (p>0.05).

In order to study of calve fattening status, determination and improvement of their Technical efficiency (TE) and Offering of proper model for calve fattening farms of Guilan province this research were done. In phase 1, questionnaires were compeleted in 70 farms that were selected by randomized sampling method classified with proportionate appointment and having equal or more than 20 calve, and information were acquired. By using Statistical Production Frontier method, TE were estimated and effects of different factors on mean of TE through one-way analysis of variance and Duncan test were evaluated. Linear and Transcendental production functions were estimated through Ordinary least square (OLS) method, and using of SPSS 12.0 for Windows software. After determination of TE in 70 farms, in second phase, farms were ranked and first 20 farms with high TE Randomizely divided in two standard and experimental groups. In experimental group scientific method of fattening were used, and in standard group fattening were done by current method. Finally, Average of TE in two groups were compared with each other by using of t test. In phase one, Average TE were 47.02%. Average daily gain were 701 grams. Average fattening length were 144.5 days. Average daily crude protein intake were 940 grams. Average daily metabolizable energy intake were 17.36 Mcal. Average active number of calf in farms were 27 calve. The most Coefficient of correlation was between TE and total calf gain in fattening period (0.843).TE and daily gain were not significantly affected by zone (p>0.05). In second phase, average TE in experimental group (0.60) were more than standard group (0.33) and significantly different with each other (p<0.025).On the basis of results of this research, we can improved TE by Correct education of farmer and better management in calve fattening farms of Guilan province.

The aim of this study was to investigate genetic diversity in Mazandaranian native cattle in compared to Holstein breed, using Inter microsatellite (ISSR) markers. A total of 175 animals, including 71 Mazandaranian and 104 cattle of Holstein breed were screened. The extraction of DNA samples were carried out using modified salting out method. (AG) 9C was used as ISSR primer in PCR reaction. Analyzing of banding patterns showed 30 (93.75%) and 24 (75%) polymorphic bands in native and Holstein herds, respectively. Genetic variation indices, including observed number of alleles, effective number of alleles, Shannon index and Nei’s gene diversity in indigenous cattle were higher than in Holstein. Lower level of diversity in Holstein cattle may be of the consequence of applying intensive selection programs and artificial insemination; however native cattle have been less affected by artificial selection. Knowledge of genetic diversity in indigenous breeds provides important information for management of native resources in order to avoid inbreeding depression and maintain genetic variability.

This experiment was carried out in order to study the effects of adding the Thymus plant on dry matter intake, apparent digestibility of total rations, milk production and milk compositions of Mahabadi goat’s in a repeated 3×3 Latin square change over design. Six Mahabadi goats with same lactation number (2), days in milk (7 days) and body weight of (60±6 kg), received 3 experimental diets consist of basal rations (including alfalfa hay, corn silage, barley grain and soybean meal) plus 0 (control group), 25 and 50 grams per day of Thymus plant in 3 periods of 21 days (14 day for adaptation and 7 days for data collection). The results showed that using Thymus plant in the diets had not significantly effect on intake of DM, CP, NDF, ADF and EE. Average daily feed intake for control and other groups were 2.496, 2.464 and 2.430 kg/day respectively. For the control (0g/day), 25 and 50 g/d Thymus group apparent digestibility of DM were 71.87, 72.30 and 70.15%, digestibility of crude protein 69.68, 70, 66 and 70.53%, and digestibility of NDF were 51.33, 56.14 and 51.19 respectively that were not significantly different between the groups. Milk production and milk composition also were not significantly affected by the experimental groups. Milk production for the experimental groups was 1.740, 1.812 and 1.812 kg per day respectively.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of thyme essence on the performance traits, mortality, pH and changing of intestinal bacterial population of broiler chicks. A total number of 500 one day old Ross-308 male broiler chickens were allocated randomly to 4 treatments. Replicates were 5 for each treatment with 25 chicks per each unit using a CRD statistical plan. Duration of experiment was 42 days and diets were similar with respect of Energy, Protein and other nutrients for all treatments. Treatments including plane water without thyme essence as control group and levels of 0.1, 0.15 and 0.2 percent of drinking thyme essence as experimental groups. Performance traits were included daily feed intake, gain and feed conversion ratio at the whole of experimental period. The gut pH at the ileum area was measured, also the selected intestinal bacterial population including Coli form, G- (gram negative bacteria) and Lactobacillus (lactic acid bacteria), counted and determined via gut samples at the age of 21 and 42 days. According to the results, the highest feed intake belonged to treatment of 0.2% (87.29 g/day) and lowest to control group (84.99 g/day) (p<0.05). The highest daily gain belonged to treatments 0.2 and 0.15% respectively (52 and 51.30 g/day), and lowest to control group (48.11 g/day) (p<0.05). The lowest feed conversion ratio belonged to treatment 0.15% (1.67) and then to treatments 0.2 and 0.1% respectively (1.70 and 1.71), and highest to control group (1.77) (p<0.05). The lowest mortality percentage belonged to treatment 0.1% (p<0.05). Gut pH of thyme essence treatments were significantly (p<0.05) lower than control group at both 21 and 42 days of age. The results of counting the intestinal bacterial populations at both ages showed that the lowest Coli forms and gram negative bacteria, in contrast, the highest Lactobacillus number were belonged to thyme essence treatments (p<0.05).

The aim of present study was to determine the optimal time of fish oil inclusion in broiler feed formulation to access acceptable omega-3 fatty acids enrichment in chicken meat. At a completely randomized design, 600 one-day old chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to 6 groups and 4 replicates for each. The control group fed a diet containing 5% corn oil and in experimental groups the fish oil was substituted for corn oil from 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 weeks of age. At the end of the experimental period, profile of fatty acids of whole carcasses was measured. Concentration of linolenic acid and arachidonic acid decreased as duration of fish oil consumption increased in the diet. Although, the concentration of omega-3 fatty acids increased (P<0.01), but concentration of poly-unsaturated fatty acids decreased because of decreasing in the concentration of omega-6 fatty acids. As a consequence, n-6 to n-3 ratio and unsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio in whole carcass decreased with increases in duration of fish oil consumption. According to results of this research, inclusion of fish oil to broiler chicken diet for three compared to two weeks leads to higher increase in n-3 fatty acids contents of chicken carcass. The fish oil consumption for two weeks was found to be the minimum required time to increase omega-3 fatty acids contents of broiler meat.

In this study, palatability percentage and preference index of plant species that are being grazed by Marghoz breed goats was measured in two different phenological stages (vegetative growth and flowering) in mountainous rangelands of Kurdistan. The palatability and preference index of 30 species in both of phenological stages were investigated using free grazing system and the method of time consumption. One way ANOVA and post-hoc tests were used to compare the palatability and also preference index between the species in each phenological stage separately. In addition, paired sample t-test was applied to compare the palatability and preference index of each species between the two phenological stages. The results showed that Tragopogon montanua and Poterium sanguisorba had the highest preference value at the vegetative stage with an average of 2.66 and 2.25, respectively. While, in the flowering stage, Lathyrus satives and Cherophyllum macrospermum had the highest preference value of 3.16 and 2.39, respectively. In addition, there was a significant variation of preference values between the two stages. Some species showed increasing, decreasing or constant preference values between the two stages. There was a significant variation of palatability between species in each phenological stage and between the two phenological stages. As the goat grazed flowering stems of toxic species such as Ephorbia heliscopia and invasive species such as Hultemia persica,so they can be used as a biological measure to control toxic and invasive species in the rangelands.

The inbreeding effects on pre-weaning growth traits and lamb survival from birth to weaning for Iran-black sheep were estimated from 5716 data for birth weight (BW), and lamb survival (LS) and 4801 data for weaning weight (WW), per-weaning average daily gain (PADG) and kleiber ratio (KR), respectively. Data were collected by Sheep Breeding Station of Abbasabad, located in Khorasan Razavi province, north-eastern of Iran, over the period from 1984 to 2011. Genetic parameters were estimated with univariate animal models using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures. The 55 percent of population was inbred. The mean of inbreeding coefficients in population and inbreed animals were 4.19 and 7.59, respectively. Minimum and maximum level of inbreeding coefficient for inbred animals was 0.02 and 34.7%, respectively. Inbreeding trend per year and per generation was 0.34 and 1.33 percent (p<0.05). The estimates of inbreeding depression per 1 percent of increase of inbreeding coefficient were 9, 29, 0.34 g for BW, WW PADGand -0.03 percent for LS respectively, (p<0.05). The estimation of inbreeding depression per increasing of inbreeding coefficient for KR was not significant (p>0.05).

This experiment was conducted to examine the effects of in ovo injection of thyme and savory extracts as organic and nano silver inorganic matters. A total of 891 fertilized eggs were used under completely randomized design (CRD) with 11 treatments by 3 replications and 27 eggs in each. Treatments including: 1 (control no injection); 2 (control 1cc physiologic serum; 3 (30ppm nanosilver); 4 (45ppm nanosilver); 5 (60ppm nanosilver); 6 (100ppm thyme); 7 (150ppm thyme); 8 (175ppm thyme); 9 (100ppm savory); 10 (150ppm savory); 11 (150ppm savory). On the 17th days on incubation the eggs were candled then injected in air sac. Cholesterol and glucose levels of 150 mg of savory were significantly increased at 14 day of age and the level of glucose affected by savory and thyme levels at 21 of age (p<0.05). Results of this research have shown that effects of in ovo injection of thyme and savory extracts have been better than nano silver, in measured parameters.

This study aims to investigate the technical efficiency of production factors in the industrial fattening calves’ farms in Markazi province with emphasis on risk management. For this purpose, technical efficiency was determined using Corrected Ordinary Least Squares (COLS) method and Timmer measure, and also relationship of studied variables were examined by statistical tests. Meanwhile, coefficient of variation measure was applied for risk measurement. The necessary data was completed through completion of questionnaire with direct interview from 102 farms in three capacity groups included small, medium and large from 7 townships of Markazi province, which were selected by appropriate stratified sampling method in the year 2012. The results showed that the mean technical efficiency for all studied farms was equal to 49.2 percent, which indicates that the farms have a moderate technical efficiency and they don’t optimally utilize production inputs. Khomein, Komijan and Zarand townships had the highest mean technical efficiency between all townships of the province, respectively. Meanwhile, there was 55 percent difference in technical efficiency between the highest and lowest technically efficient farms. The estimation of production function revealed that the highest production elasticity was belonged to labour, feed and active capacity inputs, respectively. The results also indicated that there was not significant relationship between active capacity of farms and technical efficiency (p>0.05). On the other hand, the study of coefficient of variation in price and live weight in the end of fattening indicated that the price risk was more as compared to production risk. Meanwhile, there was no significant relationship between livestock insurance and net income per head of fattening calves with technical efficiency, which are shown that the livestock insurance is not necessarily effective for risk management.

This study was conducted to investigate the comparative effects of prebiotic, probiotic and different levels of peppermint on the growth performance and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 192 one-d-old male broiler chicks (ROSS 308) were randomly allocated to 6 treatment groups, with 4 replicates (8 birds per replicate) in a randomized block design. Experimental treatments consisted of the basal diet without any additives (control diet), and the basal diet supplemented with prebiotic, probiotic or three levels of peppermint (10, 15 and 25 g/kg). The results showed that the feeding different levels of peppermint significantly reduced feed intake during the whole experimental period (P<0.05). In the finisher period, the highest body weight gain was observed in the chicks fed diet supplemented with different levels of peppermint and the best feed conversion ratio were found in the chicks fed diets containing 15 and 25 g/kg peppermint (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in serum levels of glucose, total protein and HDL-cholesterol among dietary treatments. However, all experimental diets decreased the serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels compared with control diet (P<0.05). Additionally, LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the birds fed different levels of peppermint compared with control birds (P<0.05). The results of the present study suggest that different levels of peppermint could promote growth and health benefits compared with control diets and from an economic perspective, the level of 15g/kg of peppermint can be considered as an alternative to antibiotic growth-promoters in broiler production.

A total of 448 Ross 308 seven-day old male broiler chickens were randomly distributed in seven treatments of four replicates with 16 chicks/ pen and effects of physical sizes and levels of clinoptilolite were examined. The chicks given clinoptilolite (1.5% with particle size of 0.4-0.8 mm), showed a significant increase in body weight gain than control group that did not received clinoptilolite during 22-42 and 7-42 days of age (P<0.01). Adding clinoptilolite to the diet caused a significant improvement in feed conversion ratio during 22-42 and 7-42 days of age (P<0.01). Broilers were fed with clinoptilolite (1.5% with particle size of 0.4-0.8 mm) had lower feed conversion ratio compared to other groups. Broilers were fed with clinoptilolite (1.5% with particle size of 0.4-0.8 mm) had better protein efficiency ratio compared to control group in periods of 22-42 and 7-42 days of age (P<0.01). The effect of clinoptilolite on digestive enzymes activities (trypsin and chymotrypsin) were significant (P<0.01). So that the activities of trypsin and chymotrypsin were higher in broilers fed clinoptilolite (1.5% with particle size of 0.4-0.8 mm) than control group. The lowest and the highest amount of tibia ash were obtained in broilers were fed with control and treatment including clinoptilolite (1.5% with particle size of 0.4- 0.8 mm) respectively in day of 42 (P<0.05). Broilers were fed with clinoptilolite (1.5% with particle size of 0.4-0.8 mm) had higher amount of carcass, breast and gizzard percentage comperd to control group in day of 42. Different treatments hadn’t significant effect on liver, thigh and abdominal percentage (P>0.05). Therefore, it can be concluded that the supplementation of diet with clinoptilolite has positive effects on broilers performance.