growth patterns of italian local chicken populations

ABSTRACT Predictions of growth are important factors that contribute to the profitability of an operation in poultry production. Modern commercial hybrids have a higher body growth in comparison with the local purebreds. However a niche market for meat and egg poultry production needs to be established using local purebreds to promote biodiversity. The aim of this study was to model the growth response of male and female chickens belonging to 5 local Italian populations: a commercial slow-growing hybrid (Berlanda, B), the Padovana pure breed [2 plumage varieties: silver, argentata (PA) and chamois, camosciata (PC)], and their crosses PC×B and PC×PA. A total of 398 one-day-old birds were reared until 180 d of age under indoor conditions. The linear and 3 nonlinear models (logistic, Gompertz, and Richards) were compared to study the growth patterns of these chicken populations. Significant (

A note on the effect of pre-slaughter transport duration on nutrient composition and fatty acid profile of broiler breast meat

WOS: 000294933400008The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of pre-slaughter transport duration, as a stress factor, on nutrient and fatty acid composition of broiler breast meat. The study was conducted on 48 breast muscles obtained from Ross broilers slaughtered at the average weight of 1.8 or 2.6 kg, 36 and 46 days old, respectively. Transport duration was 1.5 or 3 h. Heavier broilers transported for longer duration had the higher protein content, while lighter broilers gave similar results. Lower moisture but higher lipid content was observed for the long transported broilers. Fatty acid composition was significantly influenced by body weight and transport duration: a lower content of PUFA was obtained for heavier broilers. Ratios of PUFA/SFA was lower in heavier broilers. A decrease in MUFA and a lower n-3/n-6 ratio was evidenced in the meat from broilers transported for longer duration.Abalioglu Yem; Soya ve Tekstil Sanayi A.SSupported by Abalioglu Yem, Soya ve Tekstil Sanayi A.

The low-temperature phase of Kac-Ising models

We analyse the low temperature phase of ferromagnetic Kac-Ising models in dimensions $d\geq 2$. We show that if the range of interactions is \g^{-1}, then two disjoint translation invariant Gibbs states exist, if the inverse temperature \b satisfies \b -1\geq \g^\k where \k=\frac {d(1-\e)}{(2d+1)(d+1)}, for any \e>0. The prove involves the blocking procedure usual for Kac models and also a contour representation for the resulting long-range (almost) continuous spin system which is suitable for the use of a variant of the Peierls argument.Comment: 19pp, Plain Te

A note on the effect of pre-slaughter transport duration on nutrient composition and fatty acid profile of broiler breast meat.

WOS: 00029493340000

Genetic characterization of local Italian breeds of chickens undergoing in situ conservation

The objectives of this study were to determine genetic variation and to analyze population structure of 6 Italian local chicken breeds involved in a conservation program. Twenty microsatellite markers were investigated in 337 birds belonging to 6 breeds: Ermellinata di Rovigo, Robusta Maculata, Robusta Lionata, Pepoi, Padovana, and Polverara; a commercial layer cross was used as reference. One hundred twelve alleles were detected in the overall population, with a mean number of 5.6 +/- 2.1 alleles per locus. For the local breeds, the observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from a minimum of 0.240 to a maximum of 0.413 and from 0.243 to 0.463 for the Pepoi and Polverara breeds, respectively. Deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed in 5 breeds and in the commercial cross. The overall population heterozygote deficiency was 0.427, the average inbreeding coefficient was 0.097, and the heterozygote deficiency due to breed subdivisions was 0.437. Reynolds' distances were used to draw an unrooted neighbor-joining tree, which topology gave information on the genetic origin of these breeds and confirmed their known history. The estimated molecular kinship within a breed ranged from 0.559 to 0.769, evidencing high coancestry. Structure analysis was performed to detect the presence of population substructures. Inferred clusters corresponded to the different breeds, without presence of admixture. The exception was the Polverara breed, for which a more complex genetic structure was found. The results supported the decision of safeguarding these breeds as an important reservoir of genetic diversity and confirmed the usefulness of microsatellite markers to characterize and to monitor genetic variability in local chicken breeds

genetic variation and population structure of italian native sheep breeds undergoing in situ conservation

The genetic variability and presence of population substructures in 4 native Northern Italian sheep breeds, Alpagota, Brogna, Foza, and Lamon, un- dergoing in situ conservation, and 1 widespread Italian breed, Bergamasca, were studied by investigating 19 microsatellite markers. The breeds showed considerable genetic variability in terms of number of alleles and heterozygosity, with the exception of Alpagota, which was the least variable (0.607). Nevertheless, a signifi- cant deficit of heterozygotes was observed in each breed due to rather increased levels of inbreeding or to the presence of population substructures, probably caused by increased genetic variation in the founder popula- tions. The analyses evidenced clear genetic differentia- tion (FST = 0.085), reduced levels of admixture, and presence of private alleles among the breeds, confirm- ing their genetic uniqueness. In particular, according to Reynolds genetic distances, Alpagota was the most differentiated, perhaps because it had been bred mostly in a rather isolated area. Loss of any of the investi- gated breeds would result in a loss of genetic diversity ranging from 0.5 to 1.6% of the total observed gene diversity. Results supported the decision to safeguard these breeds as important reservoirs of genetic diver- sity and suggested breeding and mating practices to maintain variability and to overcome within-breed sub- structures

Comparing profitability of Burlina and Holstein Friesian cattle breeds

Aim of this study was to compare profitability of Burlina and Holstein Friesian cows in northern Italy. Cow's profitability was calculated for each breed, with consideration of economic incentive programs and alternative milk pricing scenarios. The difference in annual profitability between Burlina and Holstein Friesian ranged from −€719 to −€274 per cow per year. In a low-input management level with a cow's incentive payment and a specific cheese market strategy the low milk yield of Burlina can be compensate respect to Holstein Friesian

Recurrence of non-hydropic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL): a literature review

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL) is typically defined as the acute onset (less than 3 days) of a perceptive hearing loss of more than 30dB over at least three contiguous frequencies on pure tone audiometry. The exact incidence of SSNHL is uncertain, since many patients have a rapid and spontaneous resolution of symptoms and therefore don’t reach medical attention. Estimate of incidence ranges from 5 to 20 per 100.000 individuals, and bilateral involvement is very rare; it increases in the older patients (>65 yo)(77 per 100.000) the in younger population (<18 yo)(11 per 100.000) [3]. The true incidence of paediatric SSNHL is not established in literature; 40% of examined child with SSNHL, showed anatomic abnormaliti

Sub-clinical effects of chronic noise exposure on vestibular system

Aim: to investigate the effect of chronic noise exposure on vestibular function of subjects without clinical evidence of vestibular disorders and with documented cochlear damage from noise. Subjects and methods: 25 patients with chronic noise- induced hearing loss (NIHL) and without vestibular complaints (group A) and 25 matched controls with sensorineural hearing loss without noise exposure (group B), underwent audiological and vestibular test including caloric and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials tests (cVEMPs). Results: In subjects chronically exposed to noise, similarly to that of the auditory threshold, an increase in the evocation threshold of VEMPs has been documented, statistically significant (p<0,05) and independent of the performance of the auditory threshold. p1-n1 amplitude values showed a significant difference between group A and group B. No significant difference for p1-n1 latencies between the two groups was found. Conclusion: We have documented the possibility of vestibular lesion, along with cochlear damage, related to chronic acoustic trauma