Comparison of meat quality and fatty acid profile in slow-growing chicken genotypes fed diets supplemented with Origanum vulgare or Melissa officinalis leaves under the organic system under the organic system

This study was conducted to compare the meat quality and selected fatty acids profile of two different slow-growing broiler genotypes (Hubbard S757; S757 and Hubbard Grey Barred JA; GB-JA) fed diets supplemented with dry oregano (Origanum vulgare L., OV; 10 g/kg basal diets) or lemon balm leaves (Melissa officinalis L., MO; 10 g/kg basal diets) under organic housing system. It is concluded that slow-growing genotypes had no effect on L* parameter of the breast, thigh and abdominal fat meat quality. Two hundred and forty chicks were allocated randomly into 4 experimental groups according to a 2x2 factorial arrange-ment. Birds were raised until 98 days in order to achieve an acceptable market live weight. The b* colours of breast and thigh meat were significant different among genotypes and also a* colour of breast meat of GB-JA increased (P<0.05). Slow-growing female broilers produced a higher dry matter content and lower fat content of breast meat as compared with males. There were the higher concentrations of linoleic (C18:2n-6) acid and the lower concentrations of linolenic acid (C18:3n-3) in genotypes fed with supplemented dry oregano or lemon balm leaves diet. Sex affected total unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) composition, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and linoleic acid, were higher in slow growing males breast meat as compared with females breast meat. These results suggested that the slow-growing genotypes might had influenced the colour of breast and thigh meat, although overall meat quality was not affected under the organic system. Key words: , , ,

Dietary effects of Ca-zeolite supplementation on some blood and tibial bone characteristics of broilers

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of differing amounts of natural Ca-zeolite on bone and some blood parameters. A total of 240 day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were assigned to four treatments with three replicates, each containing 20 day-old chicks of mixed sex. A clinoptilolite+mordenite type of zeolite was added in the broiler diets at levels of 0 g/kg, 10 g/kg, 30 g/kg, and 50 g/kg. Stocking density was 14 broilers/m2. During the six-week trial, blood parameters and bone characteristics were monitored. The inclusion of Ca-zeolite, at various levels, did not have any significant effect on the concentration of blood serum biochemical parameters; serum glucose, cholesterol, total protein, uric acid; concentrations of Ca, P, Na, K, Cl, and on tibial bone characteristics (tibia weight, ash, volume, specific gravity, and Ca and P contents) in the two sexes and mixed-sex between the groups at 21 and 42 days of age.Keywords: Clinoptilolite+mordenite, serum biochemistry, tibia parameter

EFFECT OF EGGSHELL COLOR ON THE EGG CHARACTERISTICS AND HATCHABILITY OF GUINEA FOWL (NUMIDA MELEAGRIS) EGGS

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine the effects of eggshell color of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) eggs on eggshell quality and hatchery results. The highest mean grey value (MGV), integrated density (ID), lightness (L*) and Hue angle (H*) values were obtained in eggs with lighter eggshell color. The effects of color difference (DE*) value levels on egg characteristics were evaluated. Eggshell color presented different (p0.05). In conclusion, under the conditions of the present study, eggshell color influenced eggshell thickness and weight loss, but not hatching parameters of guinea fowl eggs. Further studies on this subject should be carried out

Impacts of Breeder Age, Storage Time and Setter Ventilation Program on Incubation and Post-Hatch Performance of Broilers

ABSTRACT The impacts of breeder age (32 and 55 weeks), egg storage time (2-12 days), setter ventilation program (control-test) on incubation and post-hatch performance of broilers were investigated in this study. Young (Y) and old (O) breeders’ hatching eggs were incubated in two different setters operated by two different ventilation programs as control (C) and test (T). Incubation took place after a short (S) and long (L) time of storage in this study. According to the trial design, eight treatment groups were as YSC, YST, YLC, YLT, OSC, OST, OLC and OLT. In total 9600 eggs and 6400 chicks were used. Early stage embryonic mortality (ED) rates were lower and accordingly hatchability of fertile eggs (HF) were higher (p<0.05) in YS than the other treatment groups. In contrast, incubation performance in eggs hatched in C and T programs were found to be similar. However, interaction between treatments were significant (p<0.05) and ED and HF were significantly (p<0.05) improved at OC. Liveability in growing period was affected (p<0.05) by breeder age but it wasn’t affected by storage time and incubation program. Higher post-hatch performance was achieved in chicks of OST but differences between groups weren’t significant except for chick weights in comparison by breeder age. However, interactions between treatments were significant (p<0.05) and reached the highest post-hatch performance in YST (p<0.05). In conclusion, the long time storage of old breeders’ eggs improved incubation and post-hatch performance when they were incubated at test program

Impacts of Breeder Age, Storage Time and Setter Ventilation Program on Incubation and Post-Hatch Performance of Broilers

<div><p>ABSTRACT The impacts of breeder age (32 and 55 weeks), egg storage time (2-12 days), setter ventilation program (control-test) on incubation and post-hatch performance of broilers were investigated in this study. Young (Y) and old (O) breeders’ hatching eggs were incubated in two different setters operated by two different ventilation programs as control (C) and test (T). Incubation took place after a short (S) and long (L) time of storage in this study. According to the trial design, eight treatment groups were as YSC, YST, YLC, YLT, OSC, OST, OLC and OLT. In total 9600 eggs and 6400 chicks were used. Early stage embryonic mortality (ED) rates were lower and accordingly hatchability of fertile eggs (HF) were higher (p<0.05) in YS than the other treatment groups. In contrast, incubation performance in eggs hatched in C and T programs were found to be similar. However, interaction between treatments were significant (p<0.05) and ED and HF were significantly (p<0.05) improved at OC. Liveability in growing period was affected (p<0.05) by breeder age but it wasn’t affected by storage time and incubation program. Higher post-hatch performance was achieved in chicks of OST but differences between groups weren’t significant except for chick weights in comparison by breeder age. However, interactions between treatments were significant (p<0.05) and reached the highest post-hatch performance in YST (p<0.05). In conclusion, the long time storage of old breeders’ eggs improved incubation and post-hatch performance when they were incubated at test program.</p></div

Analysis of growth curves of Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) fed diets containing dry oregano (origanum vulgare L.) in an organic system [Análisis de curvas de crecimiento de aves de Guinea (Numidea meleagris) con dietas que contienen orégano seco (origanum vulgare L.) en un sistema orgánico]

In this study, 240 day-old guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) keets were utilized. They were divided into four treatment groups each containing 20 chicks and were randomly distributed into 12 mobile coops placed in a 100-m2 grazing area. Guinea fowl chicks were randomly allocated to 4 treatment diets containing 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% dry oregano leaf (DOL) supplements. Nonlinear Gompertz and logistic growth models were used to estimate the mean age-body weight. The growth curve parameters for these models and the following characteristics for fowl were estimated: ß0, the asymptotic weight parameter; ß1, the scaling parameter; ß2, the instantaneous per week growth rate; weight at age of inflection point (WIP); maximum weight gain at inflection point (MWG); and age at the inflection point (AIP). The goodness of fit (GF) for the models was assessed using the following variables: coefficients of determination (r2), mean square error (MSE), adjusted determination coefficient (ADR2), Akaike’s information criteria (AIC), chi-square test (Chi.Sq2) and residual standard deviation (RSD). The different nonlinear function results of the individual data indicated that supplementation of diets with DOL had no significant effects on growth curve parameters when compared with the control diet. Greater correlation values were estimated among ß0, ß1, ß2, WIP, MWG and AIP in the Gompertz equation, and similar results were estimated in the logistic equation, but there was no significant correlation between ß2-ß1 and ß2-MWG. According to the results obtained from the GF, high r2 and ADR2 were estimated in Gompertz and logistic equations (above 0.96). © 2018, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Facultad de Agronomia e Ingenieria Forestal. All rights reserved.This study was supported by the Research Fund of Cumhuriyet University (Project No: ENF–006)

Effect of cage tier and age on performance, egg quality and stress parameters of laying hens

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of cage tier and age on performance characteristics of layer hybrids, egg quality and some stress parameters. Ninety laying hens (hybrid ATAK-S) of similar bodyweights were used in the experiment. They were housed in three-tier conventional battery cages (bottom, middle and top) with 600 cm2/per bird. The experiment was conducted on hens from the age of 18 weeks to 42 weeks. Layers at the age of 18 weeks were randomly allocated to conventional three-tier battery cages with five replicates of six hens per treatment in a completely randomized design. In the bottom, middle and top tiers, 5% age of yield was observed as 151, 146 and 156 days, respectively; 50% age of yield was 162.4, 158.6 and 161.8 days; 5% yield age bodyweight (BW) as 1597.8, 1460.5 and 1599.2 g; 50% yield age BW as 1708.7, 1666.4 and 1671.7 g, respectively. The effects of cage tiers on week 42 BW, feed conversion ratio (FCR), tonic immobility (TI), egg weight (EW), egg yield (EY), and most external and internal quality traits of the hens’ eggs were found to be insignificant. Except for shape index (SI) and albumen pH, internal and external quality traits of eggs were significantly affected by age of the hens. In addition, there were significant effects of age on the FCR, EY, EW and oviposition time. The effects of cage tier on tonic immobility (TI) in week 42 and viability were found to be insignificant, but TI in week 30 was found to be significant. It can be concluded that cage tier did not have significant effects on egg yield, egg quality and indicators of stress parameters studied in the experiment. However, these parameters were affected by the age of the hens at the beginning of the laying period.Keywords: Cage tiers, layer hybrids, hybrids age, egg qualit

Analysis of growth curves of Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) fed diets containing dry oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) in an organic system

In this study, 240 day-old guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) keets were utilized. They were divided into four treatment groups each containing 20 chicks and were randomly distributed into 12 mobile coops placed in a 100-m2 grazing area. Guinea fowl chicks were randomly allocated to 4 treatment diets containing 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% dry oregano leaf (DOL) supplements. Nonlinear Gompertz and logistic growth models were used to estimate the mean age-body weight. The growth curve parameters for these models and the following characteristics for fowl were estimated: β0, the asymptotic weight parameter; β the scaling parameter; β2, the instantaneous per week growth rate; weight at age of inflection point (WIP); maximum weight gain at inflection point (MWG); and age at the inflection point (AIP). The goodness of fit (GF) for the models was assessed using the following variables: coefficients of determination (r2), mean square error (MSE), adjusted determination coefficient (ADR2), Akaike's information criteria (AIC), chi-square test (Chi.Sq2) and residual standard deviation (RSD). The different nonlinear function results of the individual data indicated that supplementation of diets with DOL had no significant effects on growth curve parameters when compared with the control diet. Greater correlation values were estimated among β0, β1, β2, WIP, MWG and AIP in the Gompertz equation, and similar results were estimated in the logistic equation, but there was no significant correlation between β2-β1 and β2-MWG. According to the results obtained from the GF, high r2 and ADR2 were estimated in Gompertz and logistic equations (above 0.96).En este estudio, se utilizaron las gallinas de Guinea (Numidea meleagris) de 240 días de vida. Se dividieron en cuatro grupos de tratamiento cada uno con 20 pollitos y fueron distribuidos al azar en 12 gallineros móviles colocadas en todos y cada uno de los 100 m2 de área de pastoreo. Gallinas de Guinea fueron asignadas al azar a 4 tratamientos (dietas) que contengan 0%, 5%, 10% y 15% de suplemento de hojas de orégano seco (DOL). Modelos no lineales de Gompertz y modelos logísticos fueron utilizados para estimar la edad media-peso vivo. El parámetro de curva de crecimiento de estos modelos y sus características para la gallina β0 es el parámetro de peso asintótico, β1 es el parámetro de escala, β2 es la tasa de crecimiento instantáneo por semana, el peso a la edad del punto de inflexión (WIP), el aumento de peso máximo en el punto de inflexión (MWG), la edad en el punto de inflexión (AIP). La bondad de ajuste (GF) de los modelos evaluados usando Coeficientes de Determinación (r2), El error cuadrático medio (MSE), el coeficiente de determinación ajustado (ADR2), los criterios de información de Akaike (AIC), la prueba de Pearson (ChiSq2) y la desviación estándar residual (RSD). Los diferentes resultados de las funciones no lineales de los datos individuales indicaron que la suplementación de dietas con DOL no tuvo efectos significativos en los parámetros de la curva de crecimiento en comparación con la dieta de control. Se estimaron valores de correlación más altos entre β0, β1, β2, WIP, MWG y AIP en la ecuación de Gompertz y un resultado similar estimado en la ecuación logística, pero no hay correlación significativa entre β2-β1 y β2-MWG. De acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos de GF, r2 alta y ADR2 se estimaron en la ecuación de Gompertz y logística por encima de 0,96

Effects of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) root extract on egg production performance and egg quality of laying hens

This study was conducted to determine the effect of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) root extract (PGRE) on egg production and egg quality characteristics of hens at the beginning of their laying period (20 weeks old). Four groups of commercial hens (Atak-S; Turkish native hybrid) were fed with diets containing 0 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg and 150 mg PGRE/kg. Experimental results indicated that dietary PGRE had no effect on feed intake, feed efficiency, egg mass (EM) or egg production parameters. Over 12 weeks, hen-day egg production (HDP) of the groups was 73.5%, 74.8%, 69.2% and 79.0%, respectively. The effect of different levels of PGRE on egg weight, shape index (SI), specific gravity, shell thickness, Haugh Unit (HU), yolk index (YI) and albumen index (AI) was not statistically significant during the entire experiment. Egg yolk colour was conspicuously lower in the 100 mg and 150 mg PGRE/kg groups than in the control. The L*, a* and b*, hue (H) and chroma (C*) values for eggshell colour were not significantly different among the groups, except for the colour difference (ΔE*, (L2+a2+b2)½), where values in PGRE groups were higher than in the control group. The trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and total phenolics concentration of PGRE were 598 ± 1.841 mmol trolox/kg, 15.45 ± 0.457 mmol TEAC/kg and 1.02 ± 0.03 g gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/kg, respectively. Serum glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride concentration were similar in the PGRE supplemented groups and the control. In conclusion, the dietary supplementation with PGRE did not affect the productivity performance traits and egg quality of hens at the beginning of the laying period.Keywords: Herb extract, egg yield, egg traits, egg shell colour, biochemical parameters, antioxidant activit