Animal Science Journal
Year:2020 | Volume:32 | Issue:125|Papers Count:17

In order to study the effect of Cu supplement on performance of Mahabadi kids, fourteen castrated Mahabadi male kids with average weight of 21± 2 Kg were used in this experiment as a completely random design with 2 treatments and 7 replications (7 kids in each treatments). Treatments included control (without Cu supplement) and Cu treatment (100 mg Cu supplement/d). The kids were fed two times daily (h 6: 00 and 18) during 90 days by a diet contained 70% concentrate and 30% forage. Cu supplement was fed as top dress in Cu treatment. Daily feed intake and Body weight were recorded daily and every 2 weeks respectively. Determination of Blood parameters were done by bleeding in day 90 of trial and nutrient digestibility were done by feacal sampling during days 85-90. At the end of trial the kids were slaughtered and carcass parameters and carcass tissue components were determined. The results showed the use of copper supplement at high levels in diets of Mahabadi kids hadn’ t significant effect on average daily gain (P> 0. 05). Apparent nutrient digestibility and blood metabolite concentration including triglycerides, cholesterol and glucose were not affected by Cu supplement (P> 0. 05). Based on the current experiment results, the use of Cu supplement in the ration of castrated Mahabadi male kids (100 mg Cu supplement/d) had no negative effect on performance and carcass characteristics of Mahabadi male kids and they were capable to endure this level in the ration.

The current experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of zinc different sources, inorganic, organic and hydroxy, in the diet on performance and egg quality of aged laying hen. A total of 288 hy-line W-36 hens, from 65 to 73 weeks of age were used. The study carried out in a completely randomly design, with 6 treatments, 4 replicates, each contains 12 hens. The treatments consisted of: 1-zero level mg/kg of zinc supplementation (control) 2-control+ 70 mg/kg of zinc as zinc sulphate (inorganic source) 3-control+ 70 mg/kg of zinc as zinc-methionine complex (organic source), and treatments 4, 5 and 6 consisted of control diets supplemented with 50, 70 or 90 mg/kg of zinc as zinc chloride hydroxide, respectively. All experimental treatments decreased feed conversion ratio and increased eggshell strength (during experiment), egg weight (8th week), yolk index and haugh unit (6th and 8th weeks) compared to the control group. The zinc organic and hydroxy sources increased significantly (P<0. 05) percentage of eggshell, levels of blood and tibia zinc, blood albumin and antibody titer against Newcastle disease compared to control group. The zinc sulphate only increased blood zinc level. There were no differences in feed intake, production, specific gravity, eggshell thickness and shape index of egg due to supplementation with zinc. The results of this study suggest that 50 mg/kg zinc hydroxyl source can be a replacement for 70 mg/kg zinc sulphate or complex of zinc-methionine in aged laying hen diet.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of oak acorn and sex on abdominal fat and mRNA expression of pancreatic lipase gene in broiler chicken. A total of 264 one-day old boilers of male and female for Cobb 500 strain were assigned in a completely randomized design to 3 experimental groups each with 4 replicates (22 broilers per replication). In the first treatment (control), the broiler chicks were fed with early and end-of-corn diets (without oak), while in the other two treatments, the diets contained 15 or 20% oak acorn. In order to determine the effect of treatments on lipase gene expression at the age of 21 and 42 days from each treatment, 6 broilers were slaughtered and sampled from their pancreatic tissue. Gene expression data were analyzed using SAS and REST softwares. The results showed that the expression of the pancreatic lipase gene was significantly higher in 15 and 20% oak acorn treatments relative to control group (P<0. 05) on day 21, however, there was no significant difference in expression of lipase gene on day 42 (P>0. 05). In addition, relative weight of abdominal fat was significantly increased in both treatments of oak acorn on day 42 (P<0. 05).

The objectives of this study were to estimate heritability and genetic, environmental and phenotypic correlations between retained placenta (RP) and metritis (MET) and also identification of risk factors associated with these traits in the first three parities of Iranian Holsteins. In the present investigation, data on RP and MET in Holstein dairy cows which were collected from 2008 to 2017 in 17 large dairy herds were used. Data across the first, second and third parties included records on 63039, 46265 and 30031 cows, respectively. A multivariate analysis under threshold models was considered for genetics evaluation. Multivariate Logistic regression models were used to identify the risk factors associated with MET and RP. The most important risk factor associated with RP and MET were stillbirth and Retained Placenta, respectively. Posterior means for heritability of RP were 0. 06, 0. 03, and 0. 05 and those of MET were 0. 03, 0. 2, and 0. 03 in the first, second, and third parity, respectively. Posterior means of genetic correlations across parities were moderate to high for RP (0. 41-0. 73) and MET (0. 34-0. 9). Genetic and phenotypic correlations between RP and / or between MET across the parities were lower than unity which implying RP and/or MET may be considered as distinct traits in different parities which is required to be considered in genetic evaluation of these traits in the Iranian Holstein cows.

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding rosemary, chavil and mixture of rosemary-chavil on growth and blood metabolites of suckling Holstein calves. Thirty two newborn calves from primiparous cows with an initial body weight of 36. 24± 3. 04 kg and thirty two newborn calves from multiparous dairy cows with an initial body weight of 37. 38± 3. 36 kg were used at 4 days to 60 days of age in a complete randomized design with a 2×4 factorial arrangement. Calves were fed with experimental diets including: 1-control diet, 2-control diet + 5% Chavil, 3-control diet +5% rosemary, 4-control diet + 2. 5% chavil+ 2. 5% rosemary. Results showed that dry matter intake (DMI) and weight gain were recorded bi-weekly and blood samples were collected on 30-days intervals entire the study. Glucose, Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Beta-HydroxyButyricAcid (BHBA), Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) concentration was measured. The addition of chavil and mixture of rosemary-chavil to the diet improved dry matter intake (P<0. 01), average daily gain (ADG) (P<0. 05) and final body weigh (P<0. 01). Blood glucose and insulin increased (P<0. 05) in calves fed chavil and mixture of rosemary-chavil. Blood Alanine amino transferase (ALT) decreased (P<0. 05) with addition of chavil to diet. Experimental treatments had no effect on blood Antioxidant defense. It was concluded that adding chavil to diet had favorable effects on growth performance of suckling Holstein calves from primiparous cows and multiparous dairy cows.

The aim of this experimentwas to investiagatethe effects of different levels of valine on performance, carcass traits and quality and insulin like growth factor-1(IGF-1) and insulin genes expression in male Ross 308 broiler ckickens. Present study performed using 250 one day male broiler chicks Ross 308 in completiy randomized design including 25 pen, 5 treatments and 5 replicates each (10 chicks in each replicate) with 5 levels of valine (100, 105, 110, 115, 120 percent of Ross starin requirments). At day 42 of age, one chick from each replicate slaughtered to determine the carcass traits, meat quality, serum IGF-1 and insulin and IGF-1 genes expressions. The improved body weight gain and decreased feed conversion ratio during starter, grower and finisher periods were observed by consumption of 110% valine level. Consumption of 110% valine caused the increased carcass, breast and thigh and lowered abdominal fat at 42 days of age. The IGF-1 and insulin genes expression of breast muscle and liver increased by 115% valine. At day 42 of age, consumption of 110% valine improved the protein, dry matter, crude fat and ash content of meat. In conclusion, consumption of 10% higher than Ross valine requirements increases the IGF-I and Insuline genes expressions through up-reguletion of mTOR and promotion of S6k1 phosphorylation signaling mRNA translettion and protein synthesis and hence improves the performance and carcass quality and decreases the abdominal fat in Ross 308 broiler chickens.

The aim of this study was investigated the effect of synchronization with different PMSG dosages and time of hormone injection and its effect on changes in steroid hormones (E2 and P4) in Farahani ewes breed. Seventy Farahani ewes used in this study. Treatment included: T1: injection of 400 IU PMSG 24h before CIDR removal, T2: injection of 500 IU PMSG 24h before CIDR removal, T3: injection of 600 IU PMSG 24h before CIDR removal, T4: injection of 400 IU PMSG in CIDR removal time, T5: injection of 500 IU PMSG in CIDR removal time, T6: injection of 600 IU PMSG in CIDR removal time, Control: no injection in CIDR removal time. After withdrawal CIDR, estrous percentage, pregnancy rate and parturition assessed. The results of this experiment showed that the conception rate was similar in all groups and there was no significant effect in lamb weight among all treatments. The number of lamb per ewe was significant between T2 and others groups (P˂ 0. 05). The progesterone levels were significantly (P<0. 01) increased from day 0 to day 50. Higher progesterone levels were recorded in all groups of ewes and non-significant between groups. In general, administration 500 IU of PMSG 24 hours before CIDR removal improved estrous percentage, pregnancy rate and parturition in ewes.

The genetic difference in micro-environmental sensitivities are measurable through the heterogeneity of the residual variance between animals and it can be seemed that these differences could be inherited. The objective of current study was to estimate the genetic variance components and heritability of micro-environmental sensitivities for milk yield and somatic cell score (SCS) traits in the first lactation of Iranian Holstein cows. Data included the 1, 466, 498 and 875, 416 test day records for milk yield and somatic cell score, respectively, that were collected by the Animal Breeding Center and Promotion of Animal Products of Iran from 1987 to 2015. The GLM procedure of SAS software was used to determine the fixed effects which were fitted in the statistical model of analysis. Estimation of variance components and genetic parameters of micro-environmental sensitivity was performed using ASReml software, applying the double hierarchical generalized linear model (DHGLM). Heritability of micro-environmental sensitivity for milk yield (0. 00201± 0. 00014) and somatic cell score (0. 00188± 0. 00018) was lower compared with the heritability of milk yield (0. 16± 0. 08) and somatic cell score (0. 034± 0. 007). However, the genetic coefficient variation (GCV) for residual variance of the mentioned traits was estimated to be 0. 18 and 0. 16, respectively, which indicating a substantial potential for selection responses in both traits. The results of this study indicate that heterogeneity of residual variation in milk yield and somatic cell score of Iranian Holstein cows was partly under genetic control and therefore uniformity of these traits could be improved by selection for residual variance.

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of using ginger powder compared with flavophospholipol antibiotic on growth performance, jejunal morphology and ileal microbial population and antibody titer against sheep red blood cells in broiler chickens. Two hundred one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used in a completely randomized design with five treatments, and four replicate (10 birds per replicate) for 42 days. The experimental treatments were included: 1) basal diet without any additives (as control), 2) basal diet supplemented with 0. 04 % Flavophospholipol, 3) basal diet contained 0. 3% ginger powder, 4) basal diet contained 0. 6% ginger powder, and 5) basal diet contained 0. 9% ginger powder. According to the results, no significant differences were observed between different dietary treatments regarding the growth performance (daily weight gain, daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio), and carcass characteristics (relative weight of the breast, thighs, heart, gizzard, liver, proventriculus, and abdominal fat) of the broiler chickens. The colony count of lactobacilli in the ileum of the birds fed with different levels of ginger powder were significantly higher than the control and antibiotic groups (p<0. 01). The villi length and villi length to crypt depth ratio in the jejunum of the birds fed with ginger powder were significantly higher than the control and antibiotic groups (p<0. 01). Antibody titer against sheep red blood in the serum of the birds fed with ginger powder and antibiotic were significantly higher in comparison to the control (p<0. 01).

This study aimed to investigate the nutritive value and in vitro digestibility of the silage from five varieties of sorghum involving (ICRISAT623×R165, ICRISAT632×R165, ICRISAT625×165, ICRISAT520×166 and speed feed) in a completely randomized design with five replicates. The dry matter(DM) and crude protein(CP) yield of the sorghum varieties were determined and then were ensiled in plastic buckets. The difference between sorghum varieties was significant in terms of DM and CP content before ensiling. ICRISAT520 ×R166 had the highest DM and CP yield and Speed Feed cultivar had the lowest yield. The results showed that silage cultivars had a significant difference in chemical composition (P <0. 05). ICRISAT625 ×R165 had the highest content of fat, water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), and metabolism energy (ME) and Speed Feed had the highest amount of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N). There was a significant difference between 5 cultivars in estimating of dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and metabolizable energy (ME). DMD and OMD in silage of ICRISAT625×625 (57. 71% and 54. 17%) and ICRISAT625×623 (56. 30% and 55. 04%) were higher than the rest of the cultivars. The highest ME was observed in ICRISAT625×165(7/8 MJ/Kg) and ICRISAT623 ×R165 (7/6 MJ/Kg). Generally, in terms of fresh consumption ICRISAT520×166 is recommended for cultivating in Golestan province due to higher DM and CP production than other cultivars (18487 and 1400 kg ha-1 respectively), but ICRISAT625 × R165 variety of sorghum silage is superior to other cultivars in terms of ME.

Reproductive traits are considered to be as functional traits in the dairy breeding industry due to their great impact on the profitability. Due to low heritability of reproductive traits, genetic progress in these traits is slow. Therefore, genomic selection may be considered as an effective method for increasing genetic improvement for these traits. The accuracy of genomic selection depends on the several factors such as heritability of traits, statistical method for calculating SNP marker effects in reference population and number of individuals in the reference population. The present study was aimed to compare the accuracy and bias of genomic predictions for low heritability traits using SS-GBLUP and MS-GBLUP methods under different strategies applying simulated data. For this purpose, a genome containing 1000, 2000 and 5000 single-nucleotide polymorphism with two alleles (SNP) with length of one cM was simulated. The numbers of individuals in reference population were considered to be 1000, 1500 and 2000, respectively. The mean accuracies were estimated as 0. 244 and 0. 399 under above methods, respectively. Also, with an increase in the numbers of individual in the reference population, from 1000 to 2000 the mean accuracy of genomic prediction under above methods were increased from 0. 209 to 0. 294 and from 0. 348 to 0. 460, respectively. The averages for regression coefficient under above methods were estimated to be 1. 2 and 0. 94, respectively. Our results indicated that SS-GBLUP method along with an increase in the numbers of individuals' reference population, is suggested to increase the accuracy of selection for low-heritability reproduction traits.

A number of bacillus species have been recognized as effective and beneficial probiotics. However, some of the bacillus species are known to carry virulence genes which are the main cause of disease, hence, it is essential to evaluate their safety before considering them as probiotic. To date, in our country no studies have been performed on the genotypic virulence determinants of Bacillus species recognized as probiotics. In this study we aimed to assess the safety of indigenous bacillus species isolated from broiler chicken (Bacillus subtilis and B. leichniformis) and honey bee (B. subtilis and B. megaterium) samples. The selected bacillus species were identified based on biochemical and molecular, and evaluated for their probiotic properties such as acid and bile resistance, antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus agalactiae, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli, and antibiotic susceptibility pattern. The hemolytic activity, DNase, lecithinase, lipase, gelatinase, and coagulase activity were also studied. The presence of virulence genes, including hbl, Nhe, cytK, bceT, lipA, ces, was analyzed by molecular methods in a PCR reaction. According to results, all 11 Bacillus species showed considerable resistance to acid and bile, and appeared sensitive to all tested antibiotics. Seven isolates were beta hemolytic and lecitinase positive, one isolate was DNase positive, four isolates were cytK positive, while TA0044 and TA0046 were LipA positive. Only two isolates of poultry origin lacked all tested virulence genes and were classified as safe probiotic.

In the present study, native fungi producing phytase from soil and other environmental samples (Includes: soil around the root of leguminous plants, Cows and goats excrement, Chicken floor, Vermicompost, Mineral phosphorus mine, Sewage water, Plants and fruits infected with fungi and Samples prepared from research centers of the country)were isolated and incubated for 5 days at 28 ° C on SDA(Saburad Dextrose Agar). Then a phytase screening medium (PSM) was used to identify and isolate fungi capable of producing phytase enzyme. Morphological characteristics of fungal strains were studied using optical microscopy. Samples which produced clear halo were chosen for enzymatic activity assay based on the release of a phosphorus nanomol in one minute. Based on the amount of enzyme and amount of biomass production, were evaluated by the respective isolates. The optimum pH and temperature for maximum production of enzyme through the selected isolates were 5. 5 and 30 ° C, respectively. Finally, the isolates were identified as Fusariumoxysporum and Aspergillus Niger using Genetic analyzer system. The maximum amount of enzyme production was recorded as 130. 11 and 125. 27 enzymatic units for Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus Niger, respectively. The results showed that from five to seven days during enzyme culture are the most suitable time for enzyme extraction and purification. The results of morphological studies were completely consistent with the molecular identification results

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of herbal growth promoter Orex® on performance and immune responses of broiler chickens. The Orex® solution was a combination of alcoholic extract of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) colt’ s-foot (Tussilago farfara), cherry blossom (Prunus yedoensis) and brown algae (Sargassum sp. ). A total of six hundred day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were used in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments, 5 replicates and 30 birds in each replicate. The experimental treatments included 1) group received drinking water without additive (control), 2) group received drinking water containing Orex® (1: 30, v/v), 3) group received drinking water containing Orex® (1: 60, v/v), and 4) group received drinking water containing commercial herbal solution (Bioherbal® , 1: 1000, v/v). The performance traits were recorded weekly. The cellular and humoral immune responses were evaluated by injection of phytohaemagglutinin-phosphate (PHAP) and sheep red blood cell (SRBC) on 15 and 35 days of age, respectively. The multiple attribute decision making method was used to select the best treatment and make decision about using herbal growth promoter Orex® . Based on scoring through this method, treatments 1 to 4 obtained scores 0. 1305, 0. 7418, 0. 8278 and 0. 6421, respectively. According to the obtained results, the utilization of herbal growth promoter Orex® is recommended as an approach for improvement of productive and immunity traits of broiler chickens.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lamb weaning age on subsequent productive and reproductive performance of Lori-Bakhtiari ewes. 103 heads of lactating ewes with an average age of 3. 5 years were allocated to one of three treatments as: 1. weaned early 2. weaned as in traditional sheep rearing or 3-weaned late. Rams were introduced at 60 days postpartum and were remained with ewes for 3 months. Ewes that became pregnant were remained in trial. Again, rams introduced to ewes at breeding season and were remained with ewes for 6 months. The proportion of ewes that exhibit estrus, interval from lambing to first estrus and to conception, lambing interval, conception rate and number of lambs' birth per ewes exposed to the rams were recorded. Gain rate of ewes was higher for treatments 1 and 2 in first month after weaning than other months (p<0. 05). Percentage of estrus and conception rate after first parturition were significantly higher (p<0. 05) for ewes in treatment 1 than treatments 2 and 3. After first parturition, ewes in group 1, returned to estrus and conception earlier compared to 2 and 3 groups (p<0. 01). Average of 3 lambing interval was lower (p<0. 01) for group 1 ewes than groups 2 and 3. In second parturition, the number of lambs born per ewe exposed to the ram was higher (p<0. 05) for group 1 ewes than 2 and 3 groups. It was concluded that ewe's performance were improved by weaning their lambs at 60 days of age.