Effect of essential oil combination on performance, milk composition, blood parameters and pregnancy rate in early lactating dairy cows during heat exposure

The objective of this study was to determine effect of an essential oil combination (EOC), which contained cinnamaldehyde and diallyl disulfide on performance, milk composition, blood parameters and pregnancy rate of early lactating dairy cows during heat exposure. Twenty five Holstein cows (days in milk= 37.4±3.09) were assigned to one of two treatment groups: a Control (n=12) and EOC fed (n=13). Cows were fed a total mixed ration comprising concentrate and silage of common vetch with triticale. The concentrate differed only in the supplementation of EOC at 25 mg/kg concentrate (as fed basis). The experiment lasted 11 weeks. Dry matter intake (DMI) and milk production were measured daily while milk samples were taken twice a week. Blood samples were collected weekly, and ultrasonography was performed at 29 d and 42 d post TAI to determine pregnancy rate. Average of ambient temperature, relative humidity and temperature-humidity index (THI) were 25.9°C, 73.4% and 76.8, respectively. The EOC supplementation had no effect (P> 0.05) on performance, milk composition and pregnancy rate. The EOC, however, increased (P< 0.01) insulin concentration, and tended to decrease (P= 0.074) serum total cholesterol concentration, and increase (P= 0.097) NEFA concentration. In conclusion, EOC supplementation in diets of early lactating dairy cows during heat exposure did not affect milk yield and composition, and pregnancy rate. The increase of insulin and reduction of total cholesterol observed in EOC group needs to be confirmed with further research

Effect of wet feeding and dietary supplemental ascorbic acid on performance of heat-stressed broiler chicks

[No abstract available

Effect of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid inclusion in broiler breeder's diet on laying performance, egg quality, and yolk fatty acids composition

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different dietary oil sources (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid) in female broiler breeders' diets on laying performance, egg quality and yolk fatty acids composition. Ross-308 breeders (220; 25 weeks old) were used in this experiment for 6 weeks. Birds were placed in a complete randomized design with 4 dietary treatments (containing 2% soybean oil, 2% sunflower oil, 2% flaxseed oil, and 2% fish oil) and 5 replications containing 1 male + 10 females in each pen having a similar body weight (3,424 g) and egg production (86%). Results indicated that different sources of dietary oil had no significant effect on body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and egg production but had a significant effect on egg weight. Also feeding the diets containing 2% of different fatty acids had a significant effect on some egg quality parameters and egg yolk fatty acids composition. It was concluded that inclusion of 2% flaxseed oil can improve laying performance, egg quality, and egg yolk fatty acids composition parameters in broiler breeders. © 2018 Indian Council of Agricultural Research. All rights reserved.Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştirma Kurumu: 114O749 British Association for Psychopharmacology: ZF2013D12We acknowledge TÜBITAK (Project no: 114O749) and BAP (Project no: ZF2013D12) centers for providing financial support for this research study

Ascorbic acid: a limiting nutrient affecting performance and physiological response of broiler chicks under heat stress

Birds are normally able to synthesize adequate amounts of ascorbic acid (AA). However, there are many indications that under stress they cannot produce enough AA for their metabolic needs. In particular, heat stress has been implicated in increasing birds’ demand for AA (Scott, 1975; Sykes, 1978; Coates, 1984). These reports suggest that conditions may exist in which endogenous AA synthesis of birds is not adequate to meet the physiological needs for optimum performance and that during such conditions exogenous supplementation with AA could be beneficial. This study was conducted to determine if dietary supplemental AA would alleviate heat-induced deterioration in performance and metabolism of broiler chicks and also to characterize the changes in body temperature, thyroid weight and blood components as affected by supplemental AA and/or heating.</jats:p

Effects of dietary wood charcoal on performance and fatness of broiler chicks

PubMedID: 10188032[No abstract available

Effect of inorganic and organic trace minerals in diet on laying performance, egg quality and yolk mineral contents in broiler breeder hens

Two hundred and twenty (20 male and 200 female) 39 weeks old Ross-308 broiler breeder hens were used in this experiment. Birds were placed in a complete randomized design with 4 dietary treatments (A: 100% inorganic, B: 50% organic + 50% inorganic, C: 50% organic, and D: 100% organic source of trace minerals) and 5 replications containing 1 male + 10 females in each having similar body weight and egg production. Results indicated that inclusion of organic and inorganic trace minerals in broiler breeders’ diet did not have a significant effect on body weight change, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and egg production. However, the diets containing organic and/ or inorganic trace minerals had a significant effect on some egg quality parameters such as albumin weight (%), egg shell weight, yolk weight, yolk index, shell strength, shell thickness, and yolk colour. Inclusion of organic and inorganic trace minerals in broiler breeders’ diet also affected yolk trace minerals content. It was concluded that egg quality and yolk trace minerals content in broiler breeders can be affected by source of trace minerals in diet. © 2019 Indian Council of Agricultural Research. All rights reserved

Effects of providing dietary wood (oak) charcoal to broiler chicks and laying hens

Three experiments were carried out to determine whether dietary wood (oak) charcoal applied during entire or phase feeding period would affect growth performance, abdominal fat weight, carcass weight, carcass yield, carcass composition and nutrient excretion of broilers and to determine whether dietary wood charcoal supplementation would affect laying performance and egg quality of laying hens. In the first experiment, different inclusion levels (0, 25, 50 and 100 g/kg feed) of wood charcoal in the diet were examined for a 6-week-period using broiler chicks of initial age 1 week. Dietary wood charcoal significantly increased feed intake (P 0.05) affect body weight gain, feed intake, carcass weight and carcass yield, but increased (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio, carcass ash content, fat excretion, while reducing (P < 0.05) mineral excretion in a dose dependent manner. In the second experiment, a phase application of dietary wood charcoal for a 6-week-period broiler chicks of initial age 1 week was assessed. During the first 28 days of age wood charcoal improved feed conversion ratio significantly (P < 0.05). At 49 days of age, the groups receiving charcoal in the starter and/or finisher diets showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher body weight gain and carcass weight than the control group receiving no charcoal. In the third experiment, different levels (0, 10, 20 and 40 g/kg feed) of wood charcoal supplementation to a layer diet were examined for a 7-week-period using laying hens of initial age 34 weeks. Dietary charcoal supplementation did not have a significant effect on any parameters related to performance and egg quality, but significantly reduced number of cracked eggs and the reduction was dose dependent (P < 0.01). These data demonstrate that wood charcoal inclusion to the diet could be of value in improving broiler performance during the first 28 days of fattening period. In later ages, the positive effects of wood charcoal are limited. However, in laying hens dietary supplementation of wood charcoal reduces number of cracked eggs. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.Fundamental Research Fund of Shandong UniversityThe authors are grateful to Çukurova University Research Fund for their financial support

Determination of protein degradability of some subtropical protein sources by in situ technique

To determine and to compare the ruminal crude protein (CP) degradability of some sub-tropical protein sources, chickling vetch (Lathyrus sativum), bitter vetch (Vicia ervilla), lentil screenings, fish meal (FM), corn gluten meal (CGM), soybean meal (SBM), formaldehyde treated soybean meal (FT-SBM), four cannulated yearling Awassi male lambs were used. Crude protein of chickling vetch, bitter vetch and lentil screening were degraded more rapidly and more than 70% of FT-SBM and CGM crude protein remained undegraded even after 24 hours incubation. Formaldehyde treatment decreased CP degradability of SBM (P<0.05). It is concluded that legume seeds tested in this study are primary sources for rapidly degradable protein in the rumen. It is also concluded that formaldehyde treatment may have a potential to decrease rumen degradability of high quality vegetable protein sources

Determination of nitrogen degradability of some different protein sources by <i>in situ</i> techniques

The rate and extent of protein degradation in the rumen is very crucial, as it determines the availability of nitrogen to microorganisms and amino acids in the small intestine to the host animals. The protein consumed by the animal should be partly degradable in the rumen, as peptides and amino acids derived from proteolysis are thought to stimulate microbial growth and rumen fermentation under certain conditions. It is, therefore, very important to determine the degradability of different feed ingredients which are grown and used in different regions of the world. The present study was undertaken to assess the degradation characteristics of different protein sources grown and used in Turkey.</jats:p

Effect of dietary supplemental yucca schidigera powder on fattening performance of male lambs

To determine the effect of Yucca schidigera powder on fattening performance of growing male lambs in two consecutive experiments, 30 lambs (Assaf, in the first experiment, lie de France x Awassi crossbred in the second experiment), weaned at 70-80 days, were equally divided in two groups with three replicates each. Lambs in both the groups were fed isocaloric and isonitrogenic diets and, the diet in treatment group was supplemented with 150ppm Yucca schidigera. The diets had 90% concentrate and 10% alfalfa, straw, containing 2.45 µcal ME/kg and 160g CP/kg. There was no significant (P>0.05) effect of Yucca schidigera powder on fattening performance of lambs under our feeding regime with a diet containing high level (90%) of concentrate. © GSP, India