PHENOTYPIC TRAITS IN ZAGORJE TURKEY

Production of turkeys in the region of Hrvatsko zagorje began in second half of 16th century, when there was a little influence of other turkey breeds from other region. Recently, interest for protection and preservation of autochthonous poultry breeds in Croatia is growing and in that sense this investigation was set to determine the phenotypic traits of Zagorje turkey. One hundred 10-month old turkeys (5 males and 20 females of four strains (bronze, black, grey and pale) were measured, while egg production data were collected by a poll among the breeders. Average body weight of bronze, black, grey and pale strain males were 7.08, 6.88, 6.10 and 6.09 kg, respectively, while in females the average values were 4.02, 4.07, 3.63, and 3.68 kg. Generally, according to body measures of male birds, other than body weight, of all of the strains of Zagorje turkey, the black one is the biggest, as it had the highest values for body length, length of sternum, length of drumstick, length of shank, depth of chest and head measures. At the same time, the bronze strain had the highest value for carcass width. Body measures mentioned previously were not so different in females. Number of reared chicks was lowest in the pale strain. From the body measures assessed it is possible to conclude that Zagorje turkeys are rather uniform within the strain but differences in most of the breed traits are present between the strains, especially in males of bronze and black strain, when compared to gray and pale strain

Influence of rapeseed meal on productivity and health of broiler chicks

Research was focussed on investigating the influence of different quantities (0, 10, 20 and 30%) of rapeseed meal (RM), 00-cultivar Silvia on production results, as well as on the morphological and pathohistological changes in the internal organs of chicks during the course of the experiment, measured on the 21st and 42nd days of the 42-day experiment. The experiment involved 120 chicks divided into four groups: a control group (C) and three experimental groups (E1-3). It was found that chicks in Groups C, E1 and E2 realised significantly (P < 0.05) higher gains than those in Group E3, both after the test period and at the end of the experiment. No significant differences with regard to feed conversion were found between groups of chicks. Throughout the experiment chicks in Groups E1-3 were found to have a significantly (P < 0.05) heavier liver. Compared to Groups E1-3, Group C chicks had a significantly (P < 0.05) heavier gizzard after 21 days, but following the finisher diet Group E3 had a significantly (P < 0.05) lighter gizzard. Compared with birds in Group C, those in Groups E2-3 had significantly heavier (P < 0.05) unevacuated intestines when fed the starter diet, and those in Groups E1-2 showed a similar result when fed the finisher diet. Chicks in Group E3 had a significantly lower grill weight than those in Groups C, E1 and E2, both in the first half of the experiment and at the end. The starter diet did not result in any differences in the quantity of abdominal fat among groups, but following the finisher diet Groups E2-3 showed significantly less abdominal fat in comparison to Groups C and E1 (P < 0.05). Group C showed a significantly higher carcass yield than Groups E1-3 (P < 0.05) in the first half of the experiment and at the end. Groups E1-3 manifested a slight to medium hypertrophy of thyroid epithelial tissue as well as slight thymus hypertrophy and slight atrophy of the cloacal bursa follicles

The effect of ochratoxin a in feed on the blood content of lipids and proteins in chickens

lstražen je utjecaj ohratoksina A u hrani na koncentraciju ukupnih masti, ukupnih bjelančevina i albumina, te na koncentraciju alfa1, alfa2, beta i gama-globulina u krvnoj plazmi pilića. Pilići kontrolne skupine hranjeni su komercijalnim starterom, II skupine istim starterom u koji je primiješano 0,5 ppm ohratoksina A, a koncentracija ohratoksina A u hrani III skupine pilića iznosila je 5,0 ppm. Koncentracija ohratoksina A od 0,5 ppm djelovala je nakon 56 dana pokusa na povećanje, a koncentracija od 5,0 ppm ohratoksina A na smanjenje sadržaja ukupnih lipida, ukupnih proteina te albumina u krvnoj plazmi pokusnih pilića. Koncentracija ohratoksina A od 5,0 ppm djelovala je na smanjenje sadržaja alfa1, alfa2; beta i gama-globulina u krvnoj plazmi pilića kroz cijeli pokusni period.The effect of ochratoxin A in the feed on the concentration of total lipids, total proteins and albumin, and on the concentration of alpha1, alpha2, beta and gamma globulins in the blood plasma of chickens was investigated. The chickens of the control group were fed with a commercial feed, the chickens of the second group received the same feed mixed with 0.5 ppm ochratoxin A and those of the third the same feed with 5.0 ppm ochratoxin A. After 56 days the concentration of 0.5 ppm ochratoxin A provoked a higher content of total lipids and total proteins in blood plasma. The concentration of 5.0 ppm ochratoxin A in feed reduced the content of total lipids, total proteins and albumin. The concentration of 5.0 ppm ochratoxin A reduced the content of alpha1, alpha2, beta and gamma globulins in the blood plasma of chickens

Effect of feeding olive by-products on certain blood parameters and serum enzyme activities of fattening rabbits

The effect of feeding different levels (10 and 20%) of dehydrated olive cake pulp on certain blood parameters and on the catalytic activity of serum enzymes was studied in fattening rabbits. A total of 60 rabbits were divided into a control group (C) and two experimental groups (E1, E2), each comprising 10 males and 10 females. Rabbits of Group C received no dehydrated olive cake pulp in their diet, while rabbits of Group E1and Group E2were fed 10% and 20% dehydrated olive cake pulp, respectively. After Day 56 of the experiment, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture and certain blood parameters as well as the catalytic activity of serum enzymes were determined. Following the experimental feeding period no significant differences were found between Group C and Groups E1and E2in red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) count, haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit value. Similarly, after 56 days of experimental fattening no significant differences were found between the control group and the experimental groups in the catalytic activity of the serum enzymes alkaline phosphatase (AP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). However, Group E2 rabbits manifested a significantly higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity in the serum than did rabbits of Group E1. The results indicate that the inclusion of dehydrated olive cake pulp in the diet at the rate of 10% or 20% caused no changes in the investigated blood parameters and serum enzyme activities of fattening rabbits

Measuring the ratio of the gas and dust emission radii of protoplanetary disks in the Lupus star-forming region

We perform a comprehensive demographic study of the CO extent relative to dust of the disk population in the Lupus clouds, in order to find indications of dust evolution and possible correlations with other properties. We increase up to 42 the number of disks of the region with measured CO and dust sizes ($R_{\mathrm{CO}}$, $R_{\mathrm{dust}}$) from observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The sizes are obtained from modeling the ${^{12}}$CO $J = 2-1$ line emission and continuum emission at $\sim 0.89$ mm with an empirical function (Nuker profile or Gaussian function). The CO emission is more extended than the dust continuum, with a $R_{68\%}^{\mathrm{CO}}$/$R_{68\%}^{\mathrm{dust}}$ median value of 2.5, for the entire population and for a sub-sample with high completeness. 6 disks, around $15\%$ of the Lupus disk population have a size ratio above 4. Based on thermo-chemical modeling, this value can only be explained if the disk has undergone grain growth and radial drift. These disks do not have unusual properties in terms of stellar mass ($M_{\star}$), disk mass ($M_{\mathrm{disk}}$), CO and dust sizes ($R_{\mathrm{CO}}$, $R_{\mathrm{dust}}$), and mass accretion. We search for correlations between the size ratio and $M_{\star}$, $M_{\mathrm{disk}}$, $R_{\mathrm{CO}}$ and $R_{\mathrm{dust}}$: only a weak monotonic anti-correlation with the $R_{\mathrm{dust}}$ is found. The lack of strong correlations is remarkable and suggests that the bulk of the population may be in a similar evolutionary stage, independent of the stellar and disk properties. These results should be further investigated, since the optical depth difference between CO and dust continuum may play a role in the inferred size ratios. Lastly, the CO emission for the majority of the disks is consistent with optically thick emission and an average CO temperature of around 30 K.Comment: Accepted for publication on A&A, 14 pages of main text with 5 figures, and 11 pages of appendices A, B, C, D, E and F with 13 figure