Animal Science Journal
Year:2020 | Volume:33 | Issue:128|Papers Count:16

This study was conducted to determination of the effects of supplementation of alfalfa with fresh whey and bacterial additive before ensiling on the dry matter, organic matter and crude protein degradability’ s by nylon bags. Experimental treatments included the levels of 0, 30, 60, and 90 g fresh whey per kg of fresh alfalfa were added to the alfalfa silage with and without bacterial additive (3 × 10 8 cfu per g fresh alfalfa). Degradability of silage determined using in situ technique with 4 replications (2 replications per sheep) at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours incubation. The data were analyzed in a factorial based (2×4) on a completely randomized design. The highest dry matter degradability was observed for alfalfa silage treatment with 60 g fresh whey, which was observed for 2, 4, 12, 72 and 96 hours of rumen incubation (p<0. 05). The parameter of fraction a of DM in treatments with bacterial additive was not significantly different to compared with control, but in treatments with whey at three different levels (30, 60 and 90 g fresh whey), the significant increase was observed (p<0. 05). After 48 h incubation the highest crude protein degradability was for treatment including 90 g whey and bacterial additive and lowest amount was for treatment including 60 g whey and bacterial additive (p<0. 05). The results showed that the addition of whey at different levels increased rapidly degradable, slow degradable fractions and effective degradability of dry matter.

The aim of the current research was to evaluate a comparison of the effects of ASRI1, ASRI2 and Optifeed (commercial growth promoter) and prebiotic lactose (0 and 1 kg/ton of diet) on performance and small intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 750 Arian chicks were used in a completely randomized designed as 3*2 factorial including six treatments, five replicates and 25 birds per each pen (mixed of male and female). Diets was formulated for three periods of 0-14 d, 14-28 d and 28-42 d. The result showed that herbal growth promoters and prebiotics could not effects on body weight and feed intake. FCR and the weight of burs fubresius were significantly decreased in ASRI2 compared to other two growth promoter. Prebiotic reduced the carcass percentage, neck and back and increased the abdominal fat. The main effects of growth promoter, prebiotic and their interaction on the relative weight and length of intestine tracts and morphological were not significant. There was not difference between ASRI1, ASRI2 and Optifeed, so commercial imported growth promoter can be substituted by ASRI1 and ASRI2 products.

In order to investigate the effect of various levels of Poultry by-product meal(PBM) on the performance of Baluchi male lambs, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 4 experimental diets containing (0, 2. 5, 5 and 7. 5 percentage) doses of Poultry by-product meal residues and 6 replicates (Lamb) in each treatment. The fattening was a 90-day feeding period preceded by a 14-day adaptation period. Different levels of Poultry by-product meal had no significant effect on daily lamb weight, average daily intake of dry matter and feed conversion ratio. Significantly (P <0. 05) higher Blood urea nitrogen in control diet than other treatment, but there was no significant difference in plasma glucose in experimental diets (P <0. 05). The protein and protein portions of A, B, B1, B2, B3 and C in this experiment were 11. 8, 8. 23, 22. 21, 19. 1, and 81. 3%, respectively. The results of current study showed that Poultry by-product meal 7. 5% can be used in lamb ̓ ̕ s finishing diets without adverse effect on performance.

Corn and its byproducts are of the most important products used in livestock and poultry nutrition to supply energy. In order to investigate the effect of different levels of corn germ (high-oil content) on performance and immunological indices of broiler chickens, an experiment were conducted in a completely randomized design with 5 experimental groups, 5 replicates and 30 birds per each experimental unit from 14 to 42 days of age. Experimental groups were included birds received levels of zero (control), 5, 10, 15 and 20 percentage of corn germ in diet., Birds received 10% corn germ in diet showed highest live body weight compared to others on days 21 and 28. On day 42, effects of corn germ level on live body weight, production index and feed cost per kilogram of live body weight was significant (P<0. 05). Lowest production index was observed in group received 20% corn germ (P<0. 05). There were no significant differences in feed intake and intestinal morphological indices including villus length, villus width, crypt depth, villus length to crypt depth ratio between experimental groups. Also, Effects of different levels of corn germ on antibody titers against sheep red blood cell (SRBC), IgM, IgG and white blood cells differentiations were not significant. Based on the obtained result about feed cost per kilogram of live body weight, corn germ can be included in broiler diets up to level of 10 percent during days 15 to 42.

This research was conducted to compare the immune system status, microbial population, blood parameters and performance traits of five common broiler strains in Iran. For this purpose, fertile eggs were prepared from broiler breeder flocks with 31 to 33 weeks of age including Arbor Acres, Arian, Ross 308, Cobb and Hubbard and a total of 260 one-day old broiler chick were raised in the same production condition for 49 days in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments (broiler strains), 4 replicates and 13 birds in each replication. The performance traits, microbial population, white blood cell counts, humoral immune system status, aspartate aminotransferase enzyme activity and immune system organ weights were measured. The results showed that the difference was not significant in the mean of live body weight, feed conversion ratio and production index among different experimental treatments. The highest and lowest feed intake were related to Ross 308 and Arian, respectively (P<0. 05). The difference was not significant in total white blood cells, lymphocyte, heterophil, eosinophil, monocyte and heterophile/lymphocyte ratio among different treatments at 21 and 42 days of age. The injection of sheep red blood cell had no significant effect on antibody production titer. The effect of strain was not significant on relative weights of immune system organs including spleen and bursa of Fabricius at 21 and 42 days of age. The activity of aspartate aminotransferase enzyme did not show any significant difference among different experimental strains. The different experimental treatments had no significant effect on lactobacillus and Escerichia coli population and blood triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein concentrations at the end of experimental period. In general, the results of this examination showed that production index, immune system and microbial population of these strains were almost the same in identical production conditions so that broiler producers can raise each of these strains according to the quality of their one-day old chicks.

The genetic divergence could define as a mechanism which two or more breeds within the same species with a common ancestor could differently evolutionary separated in genome structure. Molecular genetics may provide proper tools for estimation of the level of diversity and mutational events on this breed over time. Accordingly, the main objective of the present report was to evaluate and compare the candidate gene polymorphisms for two meat and dairy type of goat breeds using candidate gene polymorphism approach. For this purpose, in overall, 30 goat individuals for two meat and dairy goat breed were chosen for genotyping of six candidate genes (Calpastatin, Myostatin, Insulin growth like hormone, Leptin, Pituitary-specific transcription factor and SCD genes using PCR-RFLP techniques. Molecular descriptive Statistics such as genotype and allele frequencies observed and expected heterozygosity, Minor allele frequency, and Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium was calculated and compared using POPGENE software between populations. The Chi-square test was used for significant differences between the two populations for screened genes. The observed results interesting showed significant genotype and allele frequency pattern between the two studied breeds. Obtained outputs may insight to the understanding of Genetic divergence between well-known breeds due to domestication and artificial selection as well as geographical isolation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of fortification of diets with probiotic and prebiotic with fermented soybean meal on performance, intestinal morphology and Salmonella population in broiler chickens exposed to Salmonella typhimurium. A total of 450 Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated into 5 experimental treatments with 6 replicates of chicks each using a completely randomized design. Experimental treatments included: 1) basal diet (corn and soybean meal) without exposure to salmonella (negative control), 2) basal diet and exposed to Salmonella (positive control), 3) basal diet plus 0. 02% probiotic, 4) basal diet plus 0. 2% prebiotic and 5) diet containing fermented soybean meal. All chicks except negative control were orally challenged with Salmonella typhimurium at the end of 3 d of rearing. The results showed that in compared to positive control group, feeding diets containing probiotic, prebiotic and fermented soybean meal significantly improved performance parameters in challenged chicks (P <0. 05). At d 7 and 14 post-challenge, the percentage of contamination in probiotic, prebiotic, and fermented soybean meal treatments were less than positive control treatment. Villus height and villus height ratio to crypt depth in duodenum and jejunum of positive control group were lower compared with other challenged groups (P<0. 05). In general, the results indicated that the use of fermented soybean meal, probiotic and prebiotic in diet could improve the growth performance, intestinal morphology and reduce colonization of salmonella in broiler chickens exposed to Salmonella typhimurium. Therefore, fermented soybean meal due to having a similar role to probiotics and prebiotics in controlling salmonella contamination, could be considered as a functional protein source in broiler chickens feeding.

In this study, the genetic parameters of body weight traits including body weights at birth, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days were investigated in Japanese quail. For this aim, two Japanese white and wild quail populations and two types of pure and cross mating methods were used. The data were analysed with different animal models and restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures, using ASREML software. Six different animal models were implemented and were compared by likelihood ratio test. All models consisted of the direct additive genetic effect, but differed in combinations of maternal additive genetic, maternal environmental and covariance between direct and maternal additive genetic effects. Body weights of female quails were higher than male quail from birth to 35 days of age. The effect of mating method on body weight traits was significant and the highest and lowest weights of all ages was observed in offspring of wild male and female quails and offspring of male and female white quails, respectively. Also, the hatch had a significant effect on body weights. The model including direct additive genetic, maternal additive genetic and environmental maternal effects was considered as the most appropriate model for genetic evaluation of birth weight. Based on this model, the direct heritability (h 2 a), maternal heritability (h 2 m), and the ratio of maternal environmental variance to phenotypic variance (c 2 ) of birth weight were estimated 0. 13± 0. 01, 0. 48± 0. 01 and 0. 06± 0. 01, respectively. For other body weight traits, a simple model that included the direct additive genetic effect was selected as the appropriate model. Direct heritability for body weight traits from 7 to 35 days was ranged from 0. 29 to 0. 39. The results of this study showed that maternal effects were significant only on birth weight of Japanese quails, and at older ages, the bird's genes play a major role to determine the weight traits.

Inbreeding control in native chicken breeding stations is of great importance due to closed population and increased inbreeding. Therefore, preventing inbreeding depression at the stations is a fundamental strategy to increase productivity. The aim of this study was to estimate the amount of inbreeding coefficient in Mazandaran native fowls and its impact on important economic traits. In this research, data were collected from 1990 to 2018 (26 generations) from the Mazandaran native fowls breeding station. Estimation of inbreeding coefficient was done by CFC program and the genetic parameters were estimated by using WOMBAT software. Results of the pedigree analysis showed that 59075 (73 percent) of all chickens were inbred. The mean individual and maternal inbreeding coefficient was estimated to be 4. 3 and 3. 6 percent, respectively. Inbreeding depression per 1 percent increase of individual inbreeding for BW1, BW8, BW12, ASM, WSM, EN, EW1 and MEW was 0. 02,-1. 32,-2. 04, 0. 31,-0. 11,-0. 18, 0. 03 and-0. 03, respectively. The results of this study showed that the inbreeding rate was low in the closed population of Mazandaran native chicken station. This is because of implementing appropriate mating designs. In these populations, the absence of inbred birds is almost impossible, but it is possible to have a suitable mating design for reducing the probable undesirable effects of inbreeding.

In order to investigate the effects of different levels of iron nano-oxide (INO) on performance, egg quality parameters and the antioxidant status of laying hens, 96 Bovens layer hens at the production peak (28 weeks) were used. The experiment was done for 8 weeks in a completely randomized design with 3 treatments, 4 replicates and 8 birds in each replicate. Hens were fed with experimental diets containing 0, 50 and 100 mg iron nanooxide/ kg of diet. The results were revealed that the iron nanooxid had no effect on performance indices including egg percentage, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake, and FCR and total protein. In the first 28 days, the level of 100 ppm of INO increased the egg shape and eggshell strength as compare to control. In the second 28 days, the INO increased the haugh unit and eggshell relative weight. The other egg quality traits such as yolk color, egg shape, yolk index, haugh unit, and the relative weight of albumen and yolk and eggshell thickness, egg strength, specific gravity were not altered by the levels of INO. The blood concentration of HDL, iron, zinc were increased with increasing the levels of INO. The antibody titer against Newcastle disease and Influenza were increased with increasing the levels of dietary INO. Dietary supplementation of INO decreased the serum concentration of cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, and ALT compared to control. The yolk and serum concentration of MDA was increased by the addition of iron nanoparticles. Therefore, the addition of iron oxide supplementation can improve performance indices, some qualitative characteristics of egg and immune response and decrease the serum lipid in laying hens.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different sources of starch and fatty acids on performance, blood metabolites and rumen fermentation of Qezel ewes during transition period. 20 pregnant Qezel ewes with average age of 3 years and average body weight of 65 ± 2 kg from 30 days to the expected time of parturition until 30 days after parturition in a completely randomized design and implemented with 2×2 factorial method. Treatments included: 1) Corn-based diet + Saturated fatty acids (palmitic acid supplement (Roomi Fat) ® ); 2) Corn-based diet + unsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3 fish oil) (Persia fat) ® ); 3) Barley-based diet + Saturated fatty acids (palmitic acid supplement) and 4) Barley-based diet + unsaturated fatty acids (supplement omega-3 fish oil). The results showed that feed intake and daily weight gain of pregnant ewes were not affected by the source of starch and type of supplementary fat and their interactions. After parturition, weight loss in barley contain diets more than corn contain diets (P <0. 05). Before parturition, only NEFA are significantly affected by the interaction between the source of starch and the source of fatty acids. The levels of NEFA in barley and saturated fatty acids were higher than other treatments (P <0. 05). The concentration of ruminal fluid volatile fatty acids, ammonia nitrogen and protozoa numbers were influenced by the interactions of starch and fatty acids source, but there was no significant difference between rumen pH. Results of this study show that interaction of starch and fatty acids source, can affect the ewes metabolism in transition period.

To identify body weight and phenotypic diversity of camel populations in the southern region of Kerman province, morphological characteristics and body measurements of 285 heads of camels (255 females and 30 males) belonging to 4 different camel ecotypes from 12 regions of the Jaz-eMurian was measured. The ecotypes involved Native, Roudbari, Zahedani and Pakistani camel populations. The biometric traits included length of the body, length of the neck, length of hind and fore leg, heart and barrel girth, chest and barrel depth, height at the withers, height of hip, height of the hump and body weight were studied. Data were analyzed with GLM and CORR procedures via SAS 9. 1 program. For Roudbari camels, the average length of neck, hind and foreleg were greater than other camel ecotypes. Alternatively, for the Pakistani camels, and as compared to other ecotypes, the length of body (152. 23 ± 1. 37), heart girth (200. 29 ± 2. 42) and barrel girth (237. 29 ± 0. 69) were significantly greater (p<0. 01). Also, Phenotypic measurements and body weight were significantly influenced by the type of camel and age groups. The average for traits such as body length, length of hind and fore leg, chest girth and depth, barrel depth, height at the withers and body weight in female camels’ population were lower as compared to male camels. Positive correlation was observed between the height at the hump and height at the withers (r = 0. 41), the height at the hump and height at hip (r = 0. 45), the chest depth and the abdominal circumference (r = 0. 43). Body weight had a positive and significant correlation with each of the traits studied excluding neck length. Consistently, the highest correlation value was calculated for body weight and thoracic girth (r = 0. 81), followed by the its correlation with abdominal circumference (r = 0. 65). However, the length of the neck showed negative correlations with the heart girth, the height at the withers and the body weight. The average live body weight in Pakistani camel ecotypes was significantly higher than other ecotypes (p<0. 01). The results of present study showed that there were phenotypic diversities between different camel ecotypes, and Pakistani camels show significantly different traits as compared to other camel ecotypes in the southern region of Kerman province.

The aim of this research was to study the effect of diet type and residual feed intake on the blood and performance parameters in Kermanian male lambs. The first experiment was performed in a completely randomized design it involved two diet types: High-concentrated and High forage on the 40 lambs with average 3. 5 months of age and body weight 16± 1. 5 kg for 42 days. Feed intake and body weight was measured and residual feed intake was calculated on based this data. The lambs consuming each of the diet types based on RFI value were considered in two groups RFI: low and high RFI. The effect of diet type and RFI on the blood and performance parameters in Kermanian male lambs were studied in the form of factorial (2×2). According to the results, High-concentrated diet reduced dry matter intake, improved final weight, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio (P<0. 01). The high percentage of concentrate in the diet caused increase in glucose, triglyceride, insulin, ghrelin and insulin_like factor in lamb’ s blood plasma but in urea blood, concentration decrease (P<0. 01). The Low RFI groups had less feed intake and improved feed conversion ratio (P<0. 01). The concentration of glucose, urea, ghrelin, and insulin_like growth factor was lower in the blood plasma of low efficiency group than high efficiency animal (P<0. 01). Overall, the results of this study showed that RFI factor can be effective in selection of livestock with lower feed intake and better feed conversion ratio in Kermanian lambs.

In this experiment compared the effects of L-Lysine-hydrochloride (Lys-HCl) and Biolys Sulfate (BioLys) on broiler chickens performance, carcass parameters and meat quality. In a completely randomized design, 200 Ross-308 broiler chickens were allocated to 5 dietary treatments with 5 replicates and 8 birds in each. Supplementary lysine was obtained from LysHCl and Biolys. Dietary treatments including: 1-100% from Lys-HCl (control or basal diet), 2- 75% from Lys-HCl and 25% from BioLys, 3-50% from Lys-HCl and 50% from BioLys, 4-25% from Lys-HCl and 75% from BioLys and 5-100% from BioLys. The results showed that from 1-42d, broiler chickens fed the 100-diet had higher feed intake and body weight gain as compared to control group (P < 0. 05). Dietary treatments had no significant effect on carcass parameters and breast and thigh meat dry matter and crude fat percentages (P > 0. 05). Breast meat drip loss of broiler chickens fed diets containing 25, 50 and 75 percentage BioLys was lower than that of control group (P < 0. 05). In conclusion, BioLys compared to Lys-HCl had better effect on broiler chickens performance and meat quality but carcass parameters did not affect by dietary treatments. With regard to the results of the current experiment and cheaper price, BioLys (with 50 or 100 percent substitution level) can be use as better and economic source of Lys in broiler chickens diet.

In order to determine, the effects using of different levels of Prosopis farcta fruit in pellet and mash diets, on performance, blood biochemical parameters, immune response and meat oxidative stability of broiler chickens, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design. In this experiment 560 Ross-308 (mixed sex) broiler chickens were used with 7 treatments, 4 replicates (20 chickens per replicate) in starter (1 to 10 days old), grower (11 to 24 days old) and finisher (25 to 42 days old) periods. Treatments were included: control diet (mash without Prosopis farcta fruit), pelleted and mashed diets containing levels of 3, 6 and 9% Prosopis farcta fruit. The results of study showed, using of Prosopis farcta fruit in pelleted and mashed diets had no a significant difference on FCR, blood biochemical parameters (cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL), immune response, water holding capacity and the amount production of MDA at different storage times of breast muscle in broiler chickens. Therefore, expeimental treatments caused a significant difference on the feed intake and body weight of the birds in total period. Due to different holding times of breast muscle in the freezer, the amount of pH was not significantly affected by experimental treatments at 24 hours after freezing (P<0. 05). The use of pelleted and mashed diets containing different levels of Prosopis farcta fruit, statistically caused a significant difference on the amount production of free N breast muscle at 0, 24 and 48 hours after freezing. Adding different levels of Prosopis farcta fruit to pellet diets improved the performance and decreased cholesterol and triglyceride of broiler chickens. Using of Prosopis farcta fruit in diets at different storage times (24 and 48 hours) preventes oxidation and decrease free N and oxidative stability of the breast.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of addition of nitroglycerin (NG) slow release drug on prevention of ascites syndrome in broiler chickens. A total of 500 male broiler chicks at 7 day of age were used in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments, 5 replicates and 20 chicks per each replication. The experimental treatments included: 1) positive control group (without induction of ascites and without addition of NG); 2) negative control group (induction of ascites without adding NG), and treatments 3, 4 and 5, including induction of ascites with 5, 10 and 20 mg NG /kg diet, respectively. In order to induce cold stress, the rearing house temperature was fixed at 15 o C from 15 until 42 day of age. The humeral and cellular immune responses as well as blood serum enzyme concentrations were evaluated. The results showed that cold stress significantly reduced the relative weights of spleen and thymus (P<0. 05) but had no significant effect on relative weight of bursa of Fabricius gland. The utilization of NG significantly increased the relative weights of spleen and thymus (P<0. 05). The immunoglobulin M response and cutaneous basophilic sensitivity decreased as a result of cold stress, and significantly increased by using NG (P<0. 05). The concentration of aspartae amino transferase and lactate dehydrogenase enzymes increased as a result of cold stress and addition of 20 mg NG/kg diet significantly decreased the mentioned enzymes concentration (P<0. 05). The lipid peroxidation index improved near meaningfully as a result of dietary NG (P= 0. 06). In general, the results of this study showed that using 20 mg NG/kg diet in cold stress condition led to improvement in immune and enzymatic responses of broiler chickens.