EVALUATION OF GROWTH PERFORMANCE, BIOMASS YIELD AND NUTRITIVE QUALITY OF TREE LUCERNE (CHAMAECYTISUS PALMENSIS) FODDER UNDER DIFFERENT HARVESTING MANAGEMENT IN LEMO DISTRICT SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

The development of short-season hybrids has made corn (Zea mays L.) silage (CS) production possible in cooler areas. This work aimed at determining biomass yield and nutritive quality of short-season corn CS hybrids. Six corn hybrids were grown in three years at four locations within the Canadian prairies with four field replications. Hybrids were harvested before occurrence of frost at a target dry matter (DM) content of 300 to 400 g kg−1. Corn heat units (CHU) from seeding to harvesting (CHUseed-harv) and water supply were recorded. Samples were analysed for nutrient content; i.e., DM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), crude protein (CP), starch, and in vitro DM and NDF digestibilities (48 h incubation). Then, CHUseed-harv, water supply, whole plant DM, CHU rating of the hybrid, and cob percentage were assessed as predictors of nutrient content. Location, hybrid, and year affected nutrient composition and yield. Overall, CP and NDF were positively correlated (r = 0.48, p < 0.01), but both were negatively correlated with DM yield (r = −0.63, −0.28, p < 0.01) and starch (both r = 0.71, p < 0.01). Within and among locations, CHUseed-harv differently affected nutrient composition and DM yield. However, DM yield was the most predictable factor (R2 = 0.86) with CHUseed-harv being the strongest contributor (48%) to the overall variability, followed by water supply (23%). Whole plant DM and CHUseed-harv were also good predictors of starch (R2 = 0.54). This work showed the high variability of biomass yield and nutritive quality of short-season CS hybrids grown in Northern areas.

Download Full-text

Effect of Palm Kernel Protein on Growth Performance and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

Tavukçuluk Araştırma Dergisi ◽

10.34233/jpr.707532 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 41-47

Author(s):

Nur Shahirah SHAHİDAN ◽

Teck LOH ◽

Mohamed ALSHELMANİ ◽

Chong HAU ◽

Fu LEE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Palm Kernel ◽

Kernel Protein

Download Full-text

Desirable effects of dietary 4-O-methyl-glucuronoarabinoxylan from the Echinacea plant on growth performance, thigh meat quality and development of small intestine in female Partridge-Shank broilers

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an18416 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 288

Author(s):

Qing-Chang Ren ◽

Jing-Jing Xuan ◽

Chuan-Yan Che ◽

Xin-Chao Yan ◽

Zhong-Ze Hu

Keyword(s):

Small Intestine ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Dietary Supplementation ◽

Bodyweight Gain ◽

Lower Percentage ◽

Feed Ratio ◽

Muscle Ph ◽

Access To Water

In this trial we aimed to assess the effects of dietary supplementation of 4-O-methyl-glucuronoarabinoxylan (4OMG) on growth performance, thigh meat quality and small intestine development of female Partridge-Shank broilers. A total of 240 1-day-old female Partridge-Shank broilers were randomly distributed to four groups with three replicates of 20 within each group. Groups received either 0, 15, 20 or 25 g 4OMG/kg DM of diet. During the whole experiment of 60 days, broilers had ad libitum access to water and feed. At pen level, feed intake was recorded daily and broilers were weighed at the start and end of the experiment. For each group, three pens with a total of 20 broilers were randomly selected to determine the thigh meat quality and the small intestine development of broilers. Broilers fed diets with higher 4OMG had greater final liveweight (P = 0.004), daily bodyweight gain (P = 0.004) and gain-to-feed ratio (P < 0.001), muscle pH values (P = 0.031) and redness (P = 0.001), duodenal weight index (P = 0.042), jejunal (P = 0.043) and ileal length (P = 0.049), duodenal (P < 0.001) and ileal villus height (P = 0.008), but lower percentage of dead birds (P < 0.001), drip loss (P = 0.042) and shear force value (P = 0.043) of the thigh muscles. These results indicate that increasing dietary supplementation of 4OMG may improve growth performance and meat quality of female Partridge-Shank broilers through better development of small intestine.

Download Full-text

Effects of Dietary Energy on Growth Performance, Rumen Fermentation and Bacterial Community, and Meat Quality of Holstein-Friesians Bulls Slaughtered at Different Ages

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani9121123 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1123 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Haibo Wang ◽

Hang Li ◽

Fei Wu ◽

Xinjun Qiu ◽

Zhantao Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Community ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Energy Levels ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Rumen Fermentation ◽

Dietary Energy ◽

Different Ages ◽

Slaughter Age

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary energy levels on growth performance, rumen fermentation and bacterial community, and meat quality of Holstein-Friesians bulls slaughtered at different ages. Thirty-six Holstein-Friesians bulls (17 months of age) were divided into a 3 × 3 factorial experiment with three energy levels (LE, ME and HE; metabolizable energy is 10.12, 10.90 and 11.68 MJ/kg, respectively) of diets, and three slaughter ages (20, 23 and 26 months). Results indicated that bulls fed with ME and HE diets had higher dry matter intake, average daily gain, and dressing percentage at 23 or 26 months of age. The ME and HE diets also reduced bacterial diversity, altered relative abundances of bacteria and produced lower concentrations of acetate, but higher butyrate and valerate concentrations in rumen fluid. Increasing in dietary energy and slaughter age increased the intramuscular fat (IMF) and water holding capacity. In summary, Holstein-Friesians bulls fed with ME and HE diets, slaughtered at 23 and 26 months of age could be a good choice to produce beef with high IMF. Slaughter age may have less influence than dietary energy in altering fermentation by increasing amylolytic bacteria and decreasing cellulolytic bacteria, and thus, further affecting meat quality.

Download Full-text