Organic diets with alfalfa silage for laying hens: Egg quality

Laying hens were fed with organic diets containing chopped, extruded or pelleted alfalfa silage and the quality of the eggs was evaluated. Four groups were conformed: a control group (A) fed with a complete feed mixture (CFM) and three silage groups (B, C and D) fed with a supplementary feed mixture (SFM). The SFM was formulated based on an assumed ingestion of 20 % silage and rapeseed oil was used as energy source. Before ensiling, the alfalfa was chopped (B) and additionally extruded (C). One half of the extruded silage was pelleted together with the SFM to produce the pelletized silage (D). Eggs from hens fed with silage (B, C and D) contained 2.4 times more n-3 fatty acids than A. The thermally treated silage (C and D) produced higher concentrations of saturated fatty acids. B and C (high rapeseed oil intakes) showed the highest monounsaturated fatty acids. In spite of the high fat intake, their cholesterol levels were similar to A (A: 12.4; B: 12.3; C: 12.6 mg/g yolk; p > 0.05) due to the anti-cholesterolemic effect of the alfalfa. D consumed the lowest amount of fat but the highest amount of silage, corresponding to the lowest cholesterol level. The fat consumed was essential in the absorption of carotenoids. Thus, yolks from the silage groups showed decreasing values for the intensity of red and yellow colour as the intake in terms of the amount of fat/silage decreased

Veränderungen der Fleischqualität durch den Einsatz von Luzernesilage in der ökologischen Broilermast

In a feeding trial broilers were fed with chopped, extruded and pelletized silage from young harvested alfalfa. The broilers consumed up to 30 % of silage of their total dry matter intake. In comparison to the control group that was fed with a complete feed mixture, the meat of the silage groups showed a higher percentage of poly unsaturated fatty acids, a reduced cholesterol content and an intensive yellow colour. The sensory characteristics were not influenced. With regard to the human nutrition these changes in meat quality are desirable. Alfalfa silage can be used deliberately to produce broiler meat with positive and healthy properties, and consequently as a marketing argument

Effect of peas and pea products in diets for broiler chickens with consideration of the intestinal microbiota

In addition to the whole white-flowered pea, pea protein concentrates and pea hulls can be utilized in animal nutrition. In particular, fermentable carbohydrates and fibers in peas and pea products seem to contribute to intestinal health and health maintenance in poultry, due to their prebiotic effect on the intestinal microbiota. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different proportions of peas (P), pea protein concentrate (PPC) and pea hulls (PH) in complete feed mixtures for broilers on growth and slaughter performance as well as intestinal microbiota. Twenty diets with varying proportions of peas and pea products were fed to male broilers from d 1 to 34. Short-chain fatty acid analysis and 16S sequencing were used to examine the ileal and cecal microbiota for selected feeding groups. Overall, the attained fattening performances were at a high level. The use of peas and pea products did not affect body weight on d 34 or slaughter performance. The use of pea hulls up to 6% resulted in the highest overall feed intake and overall feed conversion ratio (P < 0.001). Microbiota composition and ileal bacterial metabolites were unchanged. Microbiota changes in the cecum were found between dietary treatments for several subdominant microbial genera that preferentially ferment carbohydrates. This study has shown that peas and pea products are well-suited as feedstuffs for feeding broilers when used appropriately. Furthermore, the intestinal microbiota responded with an increased abundance of nonpathogenic genera that may help maintain intestinal microbial homeostasis

Untersuchungen zur Mast schwerer Schweine (Langmast) fuer die Dauerwurstwarenherstellung unter besonderer Beruecksichtigung von genetischer Herkunft, Fuetterungsintensitaet und Wirtschaftlichkeit

Fleischbetonte Reinzuchttiere (Landrasse, Pietrain) sind fuer die Langmast (bis 150 kg) nur bedingt geeignet. Zwei- und Dreirassenkreuzungen (Duroc x Dt.Landrasse, Pietrain x (Duroc x Dt.Landrasse, Dt.Edelschwein x Dt.Landrasse, BHZP) wiesen eine gute Langmasteignung auf. Zwischen den Herkuenften bestanden z.T. erhebliche Unterschiede im Verfettungsgrad und im Fettsaeuremuster. Ein Wirtschaftlichkeitsvergleich zwischen restriktiver und ad libitum -Fuetterung ergab fuer die erstgenannte Methode einen knappen VorteilAvailable from: Gesamthochschule Kassel. Universitaetsbibliothek / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Possibilities of 'on-farm conservation' of the old and endangered turkey breed 'old-fashioned bronce turkey' with respect to fattening performance and meat quality in comparison to the Kelly hybrid turkey 'broad breast bronce' (BBB)

In response to the German national management plan for the conservation and sustainable use of animal genetic resources, the aim of this thesis was to evaluate the possibilities of on-farm conservation using experimental data and an economic analysis of the old and endangered turkey breed 'old-fashioned bronce turkey'. The endangered breed was compared with the high yield breed 'Kelly' (BBB) under the same housing conditions. The comparison was mainly based on performance and meat quality criteria. The 'old-fashioned bronce turkey' had a significantly lower body weight gain, a lower slaughter weight and a lower percentage of dressed weight than the conventional 'Kelly' (BBB) turkeys. The meat quality of the breast showed different results (e.g. smaller surface area of the muscle fibre for the old breed, darker meat colour, preference in a sensory test). Even though the special meat quality could support marketing, the body weight is too low for a reasonably priced sale. Thus the 'old-fashioned bronce turkey' seems not to be suitable for on-farm conservation. Instead it is suggested to maintain the endangered turkey breed in small animal husbandry or zoos