Wooden breast lesions in broiler chickens in the UK

A new condition causing significant economic losses due to lesions in the pectoralis major muscle of commercial broiler chickens has been recently reported in Finland. The condition has been named wooden breast and is characterized by its gross and histological appearance. Between October 2014 and April 2015, samples from 5 pectoralis major muscles downgraded in the slaughterhouse were submitted to the Veterinary Pathology Service of the University of Nottingham for histological examination. All the five studied samples showed moderate or severe multifocal polyphasic muscular degeneration and necrosis. All cases showed variable degree of interstitial fibrosis and/or presence of adipose tissue within interstitium, as well as formation of small nodular follicle-like aggregates of lymphocytes adjacent to small blood vessels. These lesions are compatible to wooden breast and overlap with another recently reported condition known as white striping. The present communication provides evidence that wooden breast lesions are present in broiler chickens in the UK and discusses its similarities with white striping. Larger studies assessing the prevalence of wooden breast are needed to determine the relative economic importance of this condition in this country

Characterization and Consumer Acceptance of White Striping in Broiler Breast Fillets

White striping is an emerging issue in the broiler meat industry which causes concerns among the producers. The condition is characterized by the occurrence of white striations, parallel to the direction of muscle fibers, mainly in broiler breast fillets and thighs. Fillets can be categorized as NORM (normal or no striping), MOD (moderate) and SEV (severe) depending on the degree of white striping. As a result of few previous research studies on the condition, there is no information available on the impact of white striping on the consumer acceptance and various meat quality attributes. Our hypothesis was that the occurrence of the condition could be associated with tissue changes in meat and the physical appearance of the striations on the meat may affect the purchase intent of the product. The present study was intended to determine the consumer acceptance, meat quality and pathological changes associated with different degrees of white striping. The effects of growth rate, strain, gender, and dietary vitamin E level on the occurrence of condition were also evaluated. The results from the present study showed that MOD and SEV degrees of white striping reduced (P \u3c 0.05) the consumer acceptance of the broiler breast fillets due to its marbled or fatty appearance. However, the condition did not show (P \u3e 0.05) any effect on cooked meat quality attributes, mainly tenderness. Serologic profile and the histopathological findings indicated chronic myopathic tissue changes associated with higher degrees of white striping. These tissue changes were also manifested as increase in fat (P \u3c 0.05) and decrease (P \u3c 0.05) in protein contents as the degree of white striping increased from NORM to SEV. The occurrence of MOD and SEV degrees was closely associated (P \u3c 0.05) with heavier birds or increased growth rate in broilers. Nonetheless, the incidence of the condition showed neither any strain/gender predilection nor relation to dietary vitamin E level. In conclusion, white striping is a growth associated myopathic condition seen in fast growing broiler birds which can affect the consumer acceptance and proximate composition of broiler breast fillets

Development of trawls for medium sized trawlers for Veraval, north-west coast of India

Comparative fishing experiments with 25 m bulged belly and 25 m six seam trawls were carried out to study the relative efficiency of the gear. Bulged belly trawl was found more efficient than the other at depths below 40 m. The tension and horizontal opening were more in bulged belly and six seam trawl respectively. Bulged belly caught more of prawns and lobsters but there was no significant difference in the catch of sciaenids, cephalopods and ribbon fishes in the two nets

A new large mesh trawl for dermersal fishery

A new large mesh demersal trawl of 32 m head rope length is found more efficient for the exploitation of demersal fishes off Veraval. Increased catch with a proportionate increase of demersal fishes was obtained when compared to a standard bottom trawl of 32 m head rope length with small meshes, suggesting the possibility of increasing the mesh size of trawl nets in the forepart. This increases the mouth area of net which enhances the fishing power by covering a large area per tow. The net is simple in construction, easy to repair and maintain and fewer in the number of meshes

A new high opening trawl for Veraval waters

The newly developed 25m high opening trawl possesses the properties of a high rising bottom trawl and a semi-pelagic trawl. The new gear is effective for the capture of demersal and semi-pelagic fishes. The net offered more horizontal opening and less resistance with significantly high catch of ribbon fish when compared with bulged belly trawl

On the comparative efficiency of "V" shaped and rectangular flat otter boards for trawling off Veraval, north west coast of India

V shaped all steel boards, with their inherent stability to tide over obstacles and mud, interchangeability of starboard and portside boards are found to be superior to conventional flat rectangular boards for bottom trawling. These are cheaper in construction, offer less resistance and give longer service. Comparative trials with the two types of boards showed significant difference in tension between the boards but not in catch or horizontal opening

Listeria monocytogenes Survival on Peaches and Nectarines under Conditions Simulating Commercial Stone-Fruit Packinghouse Operations

Recent recalls of stone fruit due to potential Listeria contamination and associated foodborne outbreaks highlight the risk for pathogen transmission through stone-fruit consumption. Particularly, surface contamination of fruits increases the risk for cross-contamination of produce during processing and storage. This highlights the need for quality control in stone fruits intended for consumption. To develop effective food safety practices, it is essential to determine the critical factors during stone-fruit processing that influence Listeria survival. Therefore, this study evaluated the ability of Listeria to survive on peaches and nectarines under simulated stone-fruit loading and staging, waxing and fungicide application and storage conditions. The results of our study indicate that current stone-fruit handling conditions do not favor Listeria growth. However, once fruit is contaminated, Listeria can survive on the fruit surface in significant numbers under current processing conditions. Therefore, there is a need to develop and implement preventive controls at the stone-fruit packinghouse to prevent Listeria contamination and deter pathogen persistence

Shark long line gear of India

Sharks are mainly harvested with long lines which is less expensive compared to other methods of fishing. Though this is a common gear operated along the coast, the gear in every region has its own peculiarities in construction and rigging. This communication furnishes detailed description of the gear operated in different centres. Suggestions are also offered to improve the gear and methods for enhancing production

Studies on the effect of colour of webbing on the efficiency of gill nets for hilsa and pomfret off Veraval

Influence of colour of webbing on the catch of gill nets for commercially important hilsa (Hilsa toli and Hilsa ilisha) and pomfret (Pampus argenteus and Parastromateus niger) has been studied in the coastal waters off Veraval. Among the colours tested yellow and white are recommended for hilsa and pomfret gear. Influence of fishing depth, surface water temperature and turbidity on catch are also discussed

Quantum blue reduces the severity of Woody Breast myopathy via modulation of oxygen homeostasis-related genes in broiler chickens

The incidence of woody breast (WB) is increasing on a global scale representing a significant welfare problem and economic burden to the poultry industry and for which there is no effective treatment due to its unknown etiology. In this study, using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) coupled with iSTAT portable clinical analyzer, we provide evidence that the circulatory-and breast muscle-oxygen homeostasis is dysregulated (low oxygen and hemoglobin levels) in chickens with WB myopathy compared to healthy counterparts. Molecular analysis showed that blood hemoglobin subunit Mu (HBM), Zeta (HBZ), and hephaestin (HEPH) expression were significantly down regulated, however the expression of the subunit rho of hemoglobin beta (HBBR) was upregulated in chicken with WB compared to healthy counterparts. The breast muscle HBBR, HBE, HBZ, and hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase 2 (PHD2) mRNA abundances were significantly down regulated in WB compared to normal birds. The expression of HIF-1α at mRNA and protein levels was significantly induced in breasts of WB-affected compared to unaffected birds confirming a local hypoxic status. The phosphorylated levels of the upstream mediators AKT at Ser473 site, mTOR at Ser2481 site, and PI3K P85 at Tyr458 site, as well as their mRNA levels were significantly increased in breasts of WB-affected birds. In attempt to identify a nutritional strategy to reduce WB incidence, male broiler chicks were randomly distributed into 48 floor pens and subjected to six treatments: a nutrient adequate control group (PC), the PC supplemented with 0.3% myo-inositol, a negative control deficient in available P and Ca , the NC fed with quantum blue (QB) at 500, 1,000 or 2,000 FTU/kg of feed. Although QB-enriched diets did not affect growth performances (FCR and FE), it did reduce the severity of WB by 5% compared to the PC diet. This effect is mediated by reversing the expression profile of oxygen homeostasis-related genes; i.e. significant down regulation of HBBR and upregulation of HBM, HBZ, and HEPH in blood, as well as a significant upregulation of HBA1, HBBR, HBE, HBZ, and PHD2 in breast muscle compared to the positive control