Thermal acclimation during embryogenesis; effect on pre and post hatch performance of commercial broiler chickens; a review

This work reviews the effect of thermal acclimation (TA) during embryogenesis on the pre and post hatch performance of broiler chickens. Genetic selection and improvements for faster growth and breast muscle production has rendered commercial broiler chickens more susceptible to heat stress. Chickens do not have sweat glands thereby resulting to other methods of stress adaptation such as conduction, convection, radiation, panting, and reduction of feed intake during high temperature periods. This leads to several physiological changes which negatively affect production and welfare performance especially in tropic and humid regions. Epigenetic thermal acclimation during embryogenesis is a strategy that could enhance embryonic development and the adaptive responses of broiler chickens to post hatch environmental stimuli. Epigenetic thermal acclimation involves the exposure of embryos to a certain higher temperature for certain duration of time from embryonic age (EA) 10 or 11 during which the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis are developed enough to withstand thermal exposure. The available literature revealed that the exposure of embryos to thermal challenge could improve embryonic development, hatchability, and post hatch growth as well as the adaptive response of broiler chickens to post hatch environmental stimuli however, exposure to extreme higher temperature or for a longer duration could negatively affect development. It is therefore concluded that exposure of embryos to a certain higher temperature within a certain embryonic period for a certain duration could be a potential strategy to improve the pre and post hatch performance of broiler chickens

Egg quality characteristics of sussex chickens reared under the housing conditions of Cukurova University farm

This work was conducted to evaluate the egg quality characteristic of Sussex multi-purpose chickens reared under the housing conditions of the Cukurova University Farm. A total of 81 Sussex chickens from the Poultry and Research Unit of Cukurova University were used in this study. The external and internal egg-quality paraemeters were determined using 30 eggs on both the 28th and 33rd weeks of egg production cycle. The egg quality parameters measured were the Haugh unit, breaking strength, yolk color, shell thickness, egg weight, shape index, shell weight, albumen index, yolk index, and albumen pH. The egg weight, albumen index, yolk index and Haught unit were 57.89±3.99g, 9.44±2.07, 43.22±3.57 and 84.85±8.87 respectively. The shape index, shell thickness, shell weight, shell breaking strength and albumen pH were %75.32±2.11, 0.338±27.84mm, 5.903±0.645g, 3.825±1.065 kg/cm2 and 7.84±0.18 respectively. The yolk color, L, a, b and E values were 55.85±7.02, 13.91±3.33, 47.18±7.90 and 74.99±5.96 respectively. It was concluded that the external and internal egg-quality parameters of Sussex chickens reared under the housing conditions of the Cukurova University Farm were between the normal range

The Effect of Breeding Flock Age on Fattening Performance and Carcass Characteristics in Broiler

In this study conducted to investigate the effect of breeding flock age on the fattening performance and carcass characteristics of broilers, Ross-308 chicks obtained from the eggs of breeding in three different age groups; young (30 weeks old), middle (47 weeks old), and old (59 weeks old) were used. For this purpose, three different treatment groups and three replications in each treatment group were formed depending on the breeder age in the experiment. In the study, 30 chicks in each replication, 90 chicks in each treatment group and 270 chicks in total were used. At the initial and the end of the experiment, the differences observed between the treatment groups in terms of live weight were found to be significant. It was determined that chick live weights per trial increased with increasing flock age (P0.05). As a result, although chicks obtained from old flocks had higher live weight at the beginning of the experiment, the effect of flock age on fattening performance and carcass parameters was eliminated at the end of the experiment and showed similar values with the chicks obtained from medium and young flocks

Kanatlı Hayvan Rasyonlarında Moringa oleifera Kullanımı

Diğer hayvancılık kollarında olduğu gibi kanatlı hayvan yetiştiriciliğinde de işletmelerin masraflarının en önemli kısmını yem masrafları oluşturmaktadır. Özellikle, gelişmekte olan pek çok ülkede önemi artan, bulunması zorlaşan ve pahalı hale gelen yem masrafları birçok küçük ölçekli kümes hayvancılığı işletmesinin kapanmasına ve kümes hayvanı üretiminin toplam maliyetinin artmasına neden olmaktadır. Bu durum, kanatlı ürünleri olan tavuk eti ile yumurta fiyatlarının artmasına, gelişmekte olan ve az gelişmiş pek çok ülkede birincil hayvansal protein kaynağı olan kanatlı eti ve ürünlerinin tüketiminin ve alım gücünün düşmesine, yetersiz ve dengesiz beslenme gibi pek çok olumsuz duruma yol açmaktadır. Yem masraflarını düşürmek, dolayısıyla kanatlılardan elde edilen ürünlerin maliyetini azaltmak için alternatif bir yem madde arayışı çok önemlidir. Anavatanı Asya olan Moringa oleifera, besin maddeleri açısından oldukça zengin olan ve soya fasulyesi, mısır gibi geleneksel hayvan rasyonunda kullanılabilen yem maddelerinin bir kısmının yerini alabilecek bitkilerden biridir. Afrika ve Asya’da Moringa oleifera’nın kanatlı performansı ve ekonomik verimlilik üzerindeki etkisini araştıran pek çok araştırma yapılmıştır. Belirli bir oranda Moringa tohumlarının veya yapraklarının rasyona dahil edilmesinin, üretim performansını, et kalitesini, hayvan sağlığını ve refahını artırdığını, ancak daha yüksek miktarlarda kullanıldığında ise hayvanın yaşamını zorlaştırıp, üretim parametrelerinin azalmasına yol açtığı bildirilmiştir. Yapılan çalışmalarda; kanatlı rasyonlarına %5-10 arasında Moringa ilavesinin performansı olumlu etkilediğini gösterirken, rasyona %10’un üzerinde Moringa ilave edildiğinde ise hayvanların performansının kötüleştiğini belirtmişlerdir. Bu derleme, alternatif bir yem maddesi olan Moringa oleifera’nın yapraklarının ve tohumlarının kanatlı hayvanların performansı üzerindeki etkisini belirlemek amacıyla hazırlanmıştır

Effect of moringa oleifera utilization on meat quality in japanese quails

Moringa oleifera, with its many parts, is a plant rich in nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Many studies on Moringa Oleifera have been conducted to examine the effects of moringa added to the ration on performance and welfare parameters, but studies on the effects on meat quality have been limited. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Moringa Oleifera utilization on meat quality in Japanese quail diets. In the study, no moringa powder was added to the ration in the control group, 2% moringa powder was added to the ration in Moringa-1 group, 4% moringa powder was added to the ration in Moringa-2 group and 6% moringa powder was added to the ration in Moringa-3 group. Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) was performed to determine meat quality. TPA analysis, which gives information about the textural properties of meat; variables related to hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness and resilience were analyzed. When the effects of the addition of Moringa oleifera powder to the ration on meat quality between the groups were examined, it was determined that hardness 0.69 springiness 0.09 cohesiveness 0,73 gumminess 0.83 chewiness 0.81 and resilience values were 0.36. As a result of the statistical analysis, the variables related to TPA were found to be insignificant at 0.05 level of significance, although the values found between group were different(P>0.05). As a result, the addition of Moringa oleifera powder to the ration between 2% and 6% had no effect on meat quality

Comparison of Dry and Wet De-Feathering Methods on the Quality Characteristics and Shelf Life of Broiler Carcasses

In poultry slaughterhouses, carcasses can be contaminated with microorganisms at various points during the slaughtering processes, affecting some quality characteristics and shelf life of chicken meat. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of different de-feathering methods on the meat quality characteristics and shelf life of broiler chickens. Forty male broilers 42 days of age (Ross 308) were used in the experiment. After slaughtering, they divided into 2 groups and first group was de-feathered by simple dry plucking method (DPM) and the other was a classic wet method (CWM). 5 fillets and 5 drumsticks from each treatment group were analyzed 0, 3, 5, and 7th days of storage time. The water holding capacity (WHC), color, pH and Warner-Bratzler shear force value (W-BSFV) were analyzed for meat quality characteristics of the raw meat samples. Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total psychrophilic bacteria, numbers of microorganisms assessed critically for food safety such as coliform bacteria, E. coli, Enterococcus spp. Campylobacter spp. also, the presence of Salmonella spp. in carcasses was determined. The results indicated that the skin colors of the fillets and drumsticks were yellower and the meat color of the drumsticks was darker in the DPM group than CWM. On the other hand, no significant effects of the plucking method were detected on the WHC and W-BSFV of the samples. The pH value of the fillets was higher in CWM group (P<0.01), but there were no differences between the pH values of drumsticks of two groups. The microorganism levels, however, were influenced significantly (P<0.01) by the plucking methods and the storage time. The shelf life of the carcasses was shortened, due to the high microbial load in DPM group. It is concluded that simple DPM may be used by low capacity farms which produce the broilers for consumers who prefer yellow-skinned chicken meat at the expense of reduction in the shelf life due to increased microbial load

Bıldırcınlarda değişik yaşlardaki canlı ağırlığa göre seleksiyonun verimliliği

TEZ2908Tez (Yüksek Lisans) -- Çukurova Üniversitesi, Adana, 1998.Kaynakça (s. 67-73) var.v, 73 s. ; 30 cm.

Effects of Propolis and Thyme Essential Oil as a Biofumigants on Growth Performance Parameters of Hatching Eggs

This research was conducted to determine the effects of propolis and thyme essential oil on growth performance parameters which could be an alternative to chemicals used at disinfection. Two thousand and one hundred sixty unwashed, non broken-cracked, normal sized, (uninfected with feces and pad) clean hatching eggs from 39 wk aged of Ross 308 were divided into seven treatment groups, disinfected by dipping method with 2 doses (10% and 20%) of Propolis (P1-P2), 2 doses (8 and 16 ml/L) of Thyme essential oil (Origanum onites L., T1-T2), ethyl and isopropyl alcohol (Negative Control), Formaldehyde (Positive Control) and untreated group (Control). Best chick weights obtained from isopropyl alcohol group as 45.816gr and T2 group as 45,697gr. At the end of incubation period, 630 chicks were taken into fattening program about 5 weeks. The overall mortality rate has been detected as 4.13% and highest loss was 0.42% at P group at second week. 5th live weight values were obtained as T2 (2468.51gr), P1 (2453.24gr), P2 (2445.12gr), T1 (2367.44gr), P (2359.45gr), E (2340.06gr) and formaldehyde (2298.10gr) respectively (P<0.05). The best results at feed conversion ratios were 1.420 at T1 and 1.429 at T2 group. Significant differences between application groups were found in inedible viscera, heart (female), gizzard, right leg, back and carcass weight values (P<0.05). In the light of foundings obtained from study; it is concluded that T1 (8ml/L) and P1 (10% concentration) doses can be used at disinfection of hatching eggs by dipping method as an alternative to formaldehyde without affecting incubation and growth performance negatively by decreasing microbial load

Atak-S Yerli Yumurtacı Hibritlerde Farklı Yetiştirme Sisteminin Verim Özelliklerine Etkisi

Bu araştırma, ATAK-S yerli ticari yumurtacı hibritlerinde farklı yetiştirme sistemlerinin verim performansı ve yumurta kalitesi üzerine etkilerini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma da 2 farklı yetiştirme sistemi uygulanmış, birinci grup yer sistemi ve ikinci grup ise kafes sisteminden oluşturulmuştur. Araştırmada %5 ve %50 cinsel olgunluk yaşı ve cinsel olgunluk ağırlığı, yumurta verimi, yumurta ağırlığı, yem tüketimi ve yemden yararlanma değerleri ile yumurta iç ve dış kaliteleri belirlenmiştir. Yer ve kafes sisteminde yumurta verimi sırasıyla %77.19 ve 67.16, yumurta ağırlığı 59.89 ve 59.53 g, yem tüketimi 124.83 ve 122.02 g, yemden yararlanma 2.44 ve 3,28 olarak tespit edilmiş ve yumurta ağırlığı hariç diğer özellikler arasında farklılık önemli bulunmuştur. Yumurta kalitesinden kırılma direnci, kabuk kalınlığı, kabuk ağırlığı ve pH değerleri bakımından en yüksek değerler kafes sisteminde yetiştirilen gruptan elde edilmiştir. Ak indeksi, sarı indeksi, şekil indeksi, E değeri bakımından gruplar arasında bir farklılık görülmemiştir. Sonuç olarak, Atak-S yerli ticari yumurtacı hibritlerin yerde yetiştirilmesinin özellikle verim performans değerleri bakımından daha uygun olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır