scholarly journals Behavioural responses, traumatic injuries and live weight losses in ostrich (<i>Struthio camelus</i>) chicks transported by road during hot-dry conditions

2011 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 636-648
Author(s):  
N. S. Minka ◽  
J. O. Ayo

Abstract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of six-hour road transportation on behavioural activities, live weight and traumatic injuries of 40 (20 males and 20 females) ostrich chicks age 3.5 months. The average weight of the birds was 27.7 kg. Four separate journeys were conducted and each vehicle was loaded with 10 ostriches. The behavioural events, environmental data, live weights and traumatic injuries were recorded before, during and after transportation. The result showed that the most stressful behaviours exhibited by the chicks during transportation were hyperventilation (66.7±21.2 %), wing fluffing (65±12.0 %), and prolonged standing (60±15.3 %). The most frequent behaviours per hour of the journey were beak opening (5.9±1.8 bouts), elimination (5.3±2.3 bouts) and pecking (5.6±2.8 bouts). The chicks spent 27.0±11.8, 18.2±1.0, and 17.5±0.1 min per hour of the journey, standing, restless and lying down, respectively. 15.0±2.3 % of the chicks sustained mild injuries during handling and loading. The birds lost 6.5±1.4 % of their live weight after transportation. The relationships between the journey period, temperature humidity index (THI) and stressful behaviours of wing fluffing, pecking, hyperventilation (beak opening) and lying down recorded during the transportation was positive and significant (P<0.01), while behaviours of standing, elimination and restlessness were negatively and significantly (P<0.01) correlated. Student's t-test and Pearson’s correlation test were employed in the statistical analysis. The results suggest that THI of 33–40 °C constitutes moderate risk, while that of 47 °C and above may result in severe stressful behaviours, and this may be considered as recommended ranges and limits of thermal load values in transported chicks. In conclusion, six hours road transportation during hot-dry conditions and the introduction of ostrich chicks into a new environment post-transportation induce behavioural stress.

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 261
Author(s):  
Julio Cezar Heker Junior ◽  
Mikael Neumann ◽  
Robson Kyoshi Ueno ◽  
Margarete Kimie Falbo ◽  
Sandra Galbeiro ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to evaluate the associative effect of monensin sodium to virginiamycin and/or essential oils on performance, consumption of nutrients and dry matter, apparent digestibility, feeding behavior and carcass characteristics of feedlot finished steers. The experiment lasted 106 days with 10 days of adaptation and 96-day trial, and had 32 crosses angus steers, average age 12 months and average weight of 376 kg, divided into 16 stalls, the weighing took place every 21 days and at the end of the experiment. The treatments consisted of the combination of the following additives to the diet included: Monensin sodium, 200 mg day-1 (MO); Monensin sodium, a dose of 200 mg day-1 + essential oil dose of 1.5g day-1 (MO+EO); Monensin sodium, a dose of 200 mg day-1 + virginiamycin, 200 mg day-1 (MO+VI); Monensin sodium, 200 mg day-1 + essential oil dose of 1.5g day-1 + virginiamycin day, 200 mg day-1 (MO+EO+VI), each treatment had four repetitions, where each repetitions consisted of a bay with two animals. The MO+VI association in relation to MO only increase in average daily gain (ADG) of 24.44%, 22.35%, 21.10% and 17.31% in weighing 42, 63, 84 and 96 days, similar the combination of MO+EO+VI which provided an improvement of 21.94%, 13.59%, 15.45% and 14.75% respectively in the same weightings. The daily carcass gain and carcass overall gain were higher in associations MO+VI and MO+EO+VI and provided an average gain of 16.67 kg more compared to MO and MO+EO. In the parameters feed efficiency, dry matter intake and nutrient expressed in kg day-1 and percentage of live weight were not observed differences (P > 0.05) between treatments. Data on apparent digestibility, feeding behavior and carcass characteristics did not show statistical difference between treatment, except for fat thickness which was higher when associated with any of the additives to the MO, and farm weight was higher in associations containing VI. Associating MO+VI or MO+EO+VI proved to be best in this work compared to MO+EO or only MO in the diets of steers in termination.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Doroshenko ◽  
S. O. Kostenko ◽  
P. V. Korol ◽  
A. M. Chepiha ◽  
O. V. Sydorenko ◽  
...  

The consequences of chimerization and its possible influence on the productivity of chimera offspring remain poorly understood. The objects of research were ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) of the Shanma (Shan partridge duck) and Shaoxing breeds kept at the Zhuji Guowei Poultry Development Co, Ltd, P.R.China. The study was conducted in the poultry genetics laboratory of the Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences on a duck farm of Zhejiang Generation Biological Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (Zhejiang Province, PRC). To create chimeras of ducks, the method described by Aige-Gil, Simkiss, 1991; M.T. Tagirov, 2010 was used. Blastodiscs have been isolated from freshly hatched fertilized eggs using a filter paper ring. Shanma duck embryos have been used as recipients, and Shaoxing duck embryos, homozygous for plumage color gene allele (wild type), have been used as donors. Busulfan (SigmaAldrich, United States) have been used as a chemical agent that suppresses a division of primary germ cells (PGC) of recipient embryos. A hole in an eggshell (window) of recipients (Shanma breed) have been made between a blunt and sharp ends of eggs. (This reduced a distance between an injector and an embryo needle). The recipients havebeen incubated for 8–10 hours at a temperature of 38 °C. After recipient eggs incubation for 8 hours, the windows were opened in them. Busulfan was injected into the subgerminal cavity of the embryo with a micropipette (1.5–3 μl of liquid). After busulfan injection, the empty cavity was filled with culture medium (RPMI-1640) supplemented with antibiotics (ampicillin, streptomycin), the hole was closed by plastic wrap and adhesive tape. The eggs have been incubated at a reduced temperature (+32 °C) for 24 hours with the aim of prolong the duration of busulfan action on the PGC (primary germ cells). More than 50% of embryos have been died in the first 2–3 days (after an incubation start). Head and neck disorders have been observed in the 1.2% of embryos. Busulfan injection at a concentration of 300 ng per egg have been leads to 95.0–96.3% mortality of duck embryos, concentration of 150 ng per egg, a mortality rate of 33.3–75.3% have been observed, concentration to 75 ng led to 18.75–38.5% of embryonic mortality. Analysis of the age of puberty (laying of the first egg) indicates that the chimeras matured later. If in the control group the average age of puberty was 139 ± 9 days, in the group of chimeras - 148 ± 13 days. Thus, we can attest that in our experiment, the chimeras matured later than the control animals, which may be due to the effect of busulfan in the sterilization of recipient embryos. The average weight of ducks in the control group was lower, and the group itself was more consolidated. Thus, in the control ducks weighed 1422.40 ± 57.00 g, the chimeras 1608.80 ± 94.76 g. The advantage of live weight chimeras over the control group may be due to the fact that the control group consisted of recipients served by Shanma animals. Egg production of ducks for the entire study period was 87.5 ± 0.05 % (control) 79.5±0.12 % (busulfan). The weight of eggs of ducks of two groups for the entire period was 70.62±0.199 g (control) and 71.15±0.157 g (p˂0.001). The eggs morphometric parameters of the studied ducks groups were: the average values of egg length were 6.056±0.0564 cm (control) and 6.269±0.1341cm (busulfan); egg breadth were 4.520±0.0053 cm (control) and 4.529±0.004 cm (busulfan). There were no statistical intergroup differences in the morphometric parameters of the eggs of the studied groups. In fact, we obtained results similar to the previous ones, which concerned the egg production of daughters of drake chimeras.


2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1643-1648
Author(s):  
Lucas Alberto Teixeira de Rezende ◽  
Júlio César Teixeira ◽  
Antônio Ricardo Evangelista ◽  
Juan Ramón Olalquiaga Pérez ◽  
Joel Augusto Muniz ◽  
...  

This work was carried out to evaluate the effect of supplements based on non-protein nitrogen (NPN) as: urea, amirea and multinutritional block, on live weight gain and cost analysis for cattle kept in pastures. During a period of 104 days(April to July 2004), 40 crossbreed bulls, uncastrated and initial average weight of 379kg, were allocated into 4 paddocks with Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, in continuous pasture system receiving, in troughs, the following treatments: mineral salt (control), protein supplement containing amirea, protein supplement containing urea and multinutritional block. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with repetition within the block. Results of availability bromatological composition of pasture, supplement consumption and daily weight gain of animals were evaluated in two experimental sub-periods: 0 to 45 and 45 to 90 days. In the first sub-period, there was no effect of treatments (P>0.05) on daily weight gain but in the second sub-period, the multinutritional block showed smaller (P<0.05) weight gain than the ones which were similar among themselves, being: 0.60; 0.59; 0.61 and 0.22kg/animal/day, respectively, for the treatments with mineral salt, amirea, urea and multinutritional block. Before these edafoclimatic conditions, the period and duration of the experiment, the supplementation with mineral salt provided the higher profit.


Author(s):  
Lucian IONITA ◽  
Elena POPESCU-MICLOSANU ◽  
George NICA ◽  
Cornel Octavian PANA

The purposes of determining the influence of the light and sexing on growth performance and slaughter results atyoung quails from Balotesti population, was organized an experiment on 150 quails, betwen age of 28 and 70 days. The chicks were divided into two groups (control and experimental), and growth and slaughter performance were determined separately by sex. Have studied 2 lighting programs, a program of continous lighting with photoperiod duration of 16 hours (16 L + 8 N, control group) and a program with lighting with asymetric hours intervals with photoperiod duration of 16 hours (10L+2N+6L+6N, experimental group).Males and females from the experimental group were recorded average performance of growth high during the period 28 - 70 days. Live weight at age of 70 days was higher with 7.54 %, average weight gain was higher with 14.86 % and feed conversion rate was lower with 13.51 % at males from experimental group compared to males from the control group. Also, the live weight at the age of 70 days was higher with 18.09 %; average weight gain was higher with 35.12 %, while feed conversion rate was reduced with 30.08 % on females from the experimental group compared to females from the control group.The results of the slaughter at 70 days were superior in the caseof females from the both groups versus males. The average weight of the carcase was higher with 17.53 % in case of the females than that of males from the experimental group, and the carcase yield was 65.37 % at the females and 65.56 % for males. Also, the average weight of the carcase was higher with 5.08 % in case of females compared to that males from the control group, and the carcase yield was 64.20 % to females 66.70 % on males.Superior results recorded in the case of females and males from the experimental group recommended the program of lighting with asymmetric hours intervals in the growth of youth quail. Also, the higher slaughter results recorded in the case of females of the two groups recommended them in the meat production through a broiler of quail that combine advantages in the production of both males and females. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-161
Author(s):  
Eliete Souza Santana ◽  
José Neto Cassiano de Camargo ◽  
Michele Laboissière ◽  
Roberto Moraes Jardim Filho

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of two types of incubation and two types of feeding on the performance of chickens and intestinal development of chicks during the pre-starter phase (1 to 7 days of age). One-year-old male Ross® chicks were used. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design, in a 2x2 factorial design, with two types of feed processing (bran and micropelleted) and two types of incubation machines (single and multiple stage), totaling four treatments, with four treatment repetitions each. Twelve birds per experimental unit were used, totaling 192 animals. Performance evaluations were conducted, such as mean weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, bowel weight and size, and percentage of intestine in relation to live weight. Histomorphometric tests on the height of the villi and depth of the duodenal crypts were also performed. The two incubation machines did not influence any of the analyzed variables. Even though both had the same composition, the micropelleted feed resulted in positive gains for the performance variables: average weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion when compared to the meal, but was unable to significantly influence the morphometric measurements of the duodenum of chicks in the pre-starter phase.


1989 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. T. Whittemore ◽  
H. Yang

ABSTRACTThe physical and chemical composition of sows was determined at first mating (no. = 6), weaning the first litter (12) and 14 days after weaning the fourth litter (24). The sows were from 108 Large White/Landrace Fl hybrid gilts allocated in a factorial arrangement according to two levels of subcutaneous fatness at parturition (12 v. 22 mm P2), two levels of lactation feeding (3 v. 7 kg) and two sizes of sucking litter (six v. 10). Treatments significantly influenced the composition of dissected carcass fat and chemical lipid, but not composition of dissected lean and chemical protein. The final body protein mass of well fed sows at the termination of parity 4 was 41 kg, and the total content of gross energy (GE) in excess of 3000 MJ, with an average of 12·4 MJ GE per kg live weight; equivalent values for the less well fed sows were 33 kg and 9·4 MJ GE per kg live weight respectively. The weights of chemical lipid and protein could be predicted from the equations: lipid (kg) = -20·4 (s.e. 4·5) + 0·21 (s.e. 0·02) live weight + 1·5 (s.e. 0·2) P2; protein (kg) = -2·3 (s.e. 1·6) + 0·19 (s.e. 0·01) live weight - 0·22 (s.e. 0·07) P2. On average, sows lost 9 kg lipid and 3 kg protein in the course of the 28-day lactation; these being proportionately about 0·16 and 0·37 of the live-weight losses respectively. Maternal energy requirement for maintenance was estimated as 0·50 MJ digestible energy (DE) per kg M0·75, while the efficiency of use of DE for energy retention was 0·28.


2019 ◽  
Vol 157 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 636-642
Author(s):  
T. S. Magalhães ◽  
G. G. P. Carvalho ◽  
E. M. Santos ◽  
J. E. Freitas Júnior ◽  
D. S. Pina ◽  
...  

AbstractThe current study was carried out to examine the effect of cottonseed processing and chitosan supplementation on lamb performance, digestibility and nitrogen digestion. Eighty uncastrated Santa Inês lambs (23 ± 2.2 kg average weight, 4 months old) were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement that consisted of two cottonseed processing forms (whole or ground) and two chitosan levels (0 or 136 mg/kg live weight). Higher dry matter and organic matter apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) was achieved with the diets containing the whole cottonseed. Ether extract ADC was higher in the animals fed the chitosan-containing diet. There was an interaction effect on the ADC of neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and protein, which increased with chitosan inclusion associated with the whole cottonseed. The lambs that received the treatment containing the whole cottonseed showed higher microbial protein synthesis. Chitosan addition increased nitrogen retention. The animals fed chitosan-containing diets showed higher microbial protein synthesis. There was an interaction effect on microbial protein synthesis. Whole cottonseed associated with chitosan in lamb diets increases ether extract ADC and microbial protein synthesis.


2010 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Suchý ◽  
Eva Straková ◽  
Ivan Herzig ◽  
Ladislav Steinhauser ◽  
Josef Vopálenský ◽  
...  

The main objective of this experimental study was to determine how diets containing lupin meal affect the performance indicators, carcass value, and chemical composition of breast and thigh muscles in broiler chickens. The diets tested in experimental groups E1 and E2 differed as follows: in group E1, one third of nitrogen-containing substances (NSs) from extracted soybean meal was replaced with NSs from lupin meal; in group E2, two thirds were replaced compared to the control group. The replacement of soybean meal with lupin meal in experimental diets failed to produce any significant effect on the average live weight of chickens on Day 42 of the fattening period compared to the control group. The replacement of soybean meal with lupin meal resulted in decreased average weight of carcass and breast muscles and in decreased yield of breast muscles. Differences between the control group (C) and group E2 were significant (P &#x2AAC 0.01). Chickens in group E2 also showed a significant increase (P &#x2AAC 0.01) in the yield of the heart and stomach compared to the control group. The differences in weight and yield of thigh muscles between the control group and the experimental groups (E1 and E2) were not significantly affected. As far as chemical composition is concerned, chickens receiving the lupin-containing feed showed a significant (P &#x2AAC 0.01) increase in the ash content in breast muscles. On the contrary, in thigh muscles in group E2, the ash content decreased significantly (P &#x2AAC 0.01). The content of calcium showed an increasing trend in both breast and thigh muscles in both experimental groups. In contrast, the content of magnesium in chicken muscles in both experimental groups decreased. These differences were significant (P &#x2AAC 0.01) only in thigh muscles. Our results show that lupin seed is a suitable substitute for NSs contained in soybean extracted meal. It is considered optimal to replace up to one third of NSs contained in soybean meal with lupin seed. Higher inclusion rate of lupin meal in diets may reduce the growth intensity of chickens, particularly the yield of breast muscles. Due to substantial inter-varietal differences, it is necessary to optimize individual nutrients, particularly amino acids when formulating lupin-containing diets.


1975 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Campbell ◽  
M. R. Taverner ◽  
P. D. Mullaney

SUMMARYFifty-four pigs weaned at 3 weeks of age were allocated at an average weight of 5·4 kg to two experiments to examine the effects of diets having digestible energy (DE) concentrations ranging from 2910 to 3940 kcal/kg.In the first experiment pig growth performance and the dry-matter digestibility of the experimental diets were measured between 3 and 8 weeks of age. The composition of the carcass at 8 weeks of age was correlated with the composition of various carcass joints.In the second experiment pig growth performance was measured over the live-weight range 5-4 to 20 kg.The findings were:1. Growth rate was linearly related to DE intake.2. The optimum DE level for maximum growth was 3640 kcal/kg.3. The efficiency of utilization of DE for growth did not vary in the first experiment but was poorest at a DE concentration of 3245 kcal/kg in the second.4. The DE content of the diet had no significant effect on carcass characteristics at 8 weeks of age in the first experiment or at 20 kg live weight in the second.5. The proportion of fat and lean in the 8-week carcass was significantly (P < 0·01) correlated with that of the shoulder joint.


2008 ◽  
Vol 52 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 269-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Bartoň ◽  
V. Kudrna ◽  
D. Bureš ◽  
R. Zahrádková ◽  
V. Teslík

A total of thirty-four Czech Fleckvieh (CF), Charolais (CH) and Charolais × Czech Fleckvieh (CH × CF) bulls with an average weight of 284 kg were included in the experiment and fed ad libitum two mixed diets: MS (based on maize silage) and LCS (based on legume-cereal and lucerne silages) with different concentrations of dietary energy until slaughter at the target live weight of 600 kg. The CF bulls consumed more dry matter (DM) of feed daily than the CH bulls (<i>P</i> < 0.05) and gained weight less efficiently than the CH × CF and CH animals (<i>P</i> < 0.01) during the entire experiment. The killing-out percentage was lower in the CF than in the CH × CF and CH (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The CH bulls received a higher score for carcass conformation and a lower score for carcass fatness (<i>P</i> < 0.01) than the CF bulls, had lower proportions of kidney and cod fat (<i>P</i> < 0.01) than the CH × CF and CF bulls, and produced the highest percentage of high-priced meat (<i>P</i> < 0.05) and the lowest percentage of separable fat (<i>P</i> < 0.001). The bulls on the MS diet were younger than the others at the end of the experiment (<i>P</i> < 0.01), gained weight more rapidly (<i>P</i> < 0.001), consumed less DM (<i>P</i> < 0.001) daily, utilized nutrients more efficiently over the entire experimental period (<i>P</i> < 0.001), and had a higher proportion of internal fat than the LCS bulls. It can be concluded that purebred CH bulls were superior to the other breed groups in most of the traits observed. The intensive diet based on maize silage increased average daily gains, reduced the time needed to achieve the target slaughter weight, and improved the feed efficiency of bulls.


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