Effects of Inclusion of N-Carbamylglutamate in the Non-Protein Diet on Growth and Slaughter Performance, Meat Quality, Nitrogen Metabolism and Antioxidant of Holstein Bulls

The objectives of this experiment were to investigate the effects of N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) on growth and slaughter performance, meat quality, nitrogen utilization, plasma antioxidant and amino acids of Holstein bulls. In this case, 24 Holstein bulls (490 ± 29.0 kg of body weights and 540 ± 6.1 d of age) were blocked by body weights and age and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: (1) CON group: bulls were fed the control diet, (2) CON + NCG group: bulls were fed the control diet with 40 mg/kg BW NCG, (3) Urea group: bulls were fed the urea diet, and (4) Urea + NCG group: bulls were fed the urea diet with 40 mg/kg BW NCG. Feeding NCG significantly improved ADG, FCR, DM and CP digestibility, carcass weight, slaughter weight, DOP, eye muscle area, shear force (p = 0.001) and reduced L* of color, drip loss and cooking loss. Concurrently, feeding the urea diet induced a decreased ADG, carcass weight and slaughter weight, DOP, eye muscle area and shear force. NCG decreased contents of fecal N and urinary N, plasma urea in bulls and ammonia but increased N retention and utilization, plasma NO, plasma Arg, Leu, Ile and Tyr. On the other hand, feeding the urea diet increased urinary N, plasma urea and ammonia. Thus the study efficiently demonstrates that beef benefited from being fed a NCG product in the urea diet by enhancing its growth and slaughter performance, meat quality, nitrogen metabolism and plasma amino acids.

How Housing Conditions Determine the Welfare of Pigs

Humans who care for pigs prefer an environment that not only allows the pigs to express their natural behaviors but also limits the development of aggression and stereotypes. Most of the behavioral and health problems encountered by pigs in barren, conventional conditions are solved by alternative housing systems. However, it is not known whether these systems are advantageous in terms of the performance of pigs. In this work, we review the effects of housing systems on pigs’ behaviors and performance, which are among the major indicators of the welfare of these animals. Research results point out that outdoor systems are more ideal for sows and fatteners than buildings. Nonetheless, outdoor housing is associated with two major effects in both groups: increased activity due to environmental exploration and higher space allowance, and increased incidence of injuries compared to indoor systems. Sows are more active when housed in groups, but they experience an increased frequency of injuries. According to the literature, group-housed sows give birth to healthy piglets with good daily weight gains. The difference in the fattening and slaughter performance of pigs raised indoors vs. outdoors remains unclear, and the results reported so far are inconsistent. Outdoor systems seem to be associated with a higher incidence of osteochondrosis and lesions of elbow and hock joints, whereas indoor systems cause a greater degree of body soiling in pigs. Based on the reviewed literature, it may be concluded that outdoor housing helps to solve behavioral issues in pigs but leads to other problems in pig production.

Meat Productivity of the Ross 308 - Cross Roosters by the Adding in to a Diet of Organic Acids and their Salts

The article presents the results of studies conducted on the inclusion of Presan and Selko pH feed additives produced on the basis of organic acids in the feeding diets of Ross-308 cross broiler chickens. Organic acids and their salts are used in poultry farming as an alternative to feed antibiotics, and also has the ability to prevent the development of intestinal bacterial infection, increase the resistance of the body, thereby improving the absorption of feed nutrients and increasing poultry productivity. The largest preslaughter weight was in the groups of cockerels getting the T6 diet without antibiotics adding, which is 1.92% more than the groups getting the T1-control diet. In addition, the output of the pectoral and femoral muscles was higher by chickens getting a T6 diet by 0.5 and 0.3%, in contrast to groups getting a standard diet. Thus, it has been experimentally proven that the tested feed additives Presan and Selko pH do not reduce the slaughter performance of broilers.

Effects of Feeding Fermented Mulberry Leaf Powder on Growth Performance, Slaughter Performance, and Meat Quality in Chicken Broilers

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding fermented mulberry leaf powder (FMLP) on growth performance, slaughter performance, and meat quality of broilers. A total of 360 1-day-old chickens were randomly divided into 5 groups. The control group was fed basal diet (CON), 3% FMLP, 6% FMLP, 9% FMLP, and 3% unfermented mulberry leaf powder. The (MLP) group was fed basal diet supplemented with 3%, 6%, 9% fermented mulberry leaf powder, and 3% MLP, respectively. The experiment lasted for 56 days, with 1–28 days as the starter phase and 29–56 days as the grower phase. The results on the growth performance showed that diets supplemented with 3% FMLP significantly increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of broilers, enhanced the activity of intestinal amylase and digestibility of dry matter and crude protein, improved the average daily gain (ADG), and decreased the feed to gain ratio (F/G) (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group diet, the 3% FMLP group diet significantly increased the breast muscle yield (p < 0.05), reduced the abdominal fat ratio (0.1 < p < 0.05), and improved the slaughter performance of broilers. The 3% MLP group diet increased the shear force of breast muscle (p < 0.05) and thigh muscle of broilers compared to the control group, and adding FMLP could reverse the above results. Additionally, relative to the control group, FMLP supplementation improved the contents of inosine monophosphate (IMP), total amino acids (TAA), essential amino acids (EAA), and delicious amino acids (DAA) in breast and thigh muscle, and improved polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and essential fatty acids (EFA) in breast muscle; the 6% and 9% FMLP groups showed preferably such effects (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of FMLP can improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and then improve the growth performance of broilers; it also has a positive effect on improving slaughter performance and meat quality.

Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Organically Reared Broiler Chickens Depending on Sex

Given the growing interest of consumers in naturally produced meat, we decided to examine the muscles of Ross 308 broiler chickens kept in an ecological system, with the division into two research groups depending on sex. All the analyses were carried out using the appropriate methods recommended by the AOAC and in accordance with the Polish standards (PN), which are described in detail in the relevant section of the publication. The aim of the experiment was to investigate the effect of sex on the growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality, as well as the fatty acid profile and histological parameters, of the pectoral muscles from organic broiler chickens. A total of 60 one-day-old Ross 308 chickens (half males and half females) were divided into two groups, according to the sex, and reared under organic conditions (Org.) until 82 days of age (ten birds, i.e., five males and five females in each of three pens; replications for experimental groups). Compared with the female group, the male group had a higher final BW and carcass weight (p < 0.05). The males had a better growth and slaughter performance than the females. The meat quality traits and fatty acids content were also affected by sex. The meat from females showed a significantly higher (p < 0.05) protein, dry matter, fiber diameter and shear force and a significantly lower (p < 0.05) fat level than the male group. In this research, the suitability of these fast-growing broilers for natural and organic production systems has been researched with regard to the performance, meat quality and histological characteristics of the muscles.

Combined Supplementation of Probiotics and Enzymes Improves Performance and Regulates Rumen Microbiota in Fattening Goats

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of growth performance, slaughter performance, serum biochemical, immune and antioxidant indexes and rumen microflora fed with a basal diet (CON group), added B. subtilis and B. licheniformis (PRO group), supplemented with B. subtilis, B. licheniformis and enzyme preparations (COM group) on fattening goats.Methods: 39 male goats were randomly divided into 4 groups with 13 individuals in each group for feed period of 80 d. Goats were fed as follows: CON diet, PRO diet with B. subtilis and B. licheniformis, and COM diet with B. subtilis, B. licheniformis and compound enzymes.Results: ADFI of COM group significantly increased compared with CON group and PRO group (P < 0.01), as well as COM group and PRO group dramatically promoted ADG versus with CON group (P < 0.05). As a consequence, the body weight of fattening goats in the COM group was predominantly higher than that in the CON group (P < 0.01). In addition, the PRO group and COM group enhanced the TNF-α (P < 0.05) and IL-10 content (P < 0.01) in the serum. No differences were observed in serum biochemical and antioxidant indexes of three groups (P > 0.05). Likewise, the GR values of PRO group and COM group were noteworthy improved in comparison with CON group (P < 0.01). The VFA contents in rumen fluid were insignificantly different (P > 0.05). COM group also enriched the relative abundance of Proteobacteria compared with CON group and PRO group (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, the relative abundance of Actinobacteria decreased of PRO group and COM group in rumen fluid microorganisms (P < 0.05). Apparently, COM group significantly enriched nitrogen metabolism, glycolysis and TCA cycle (P < 0.05), whereas nucleotides biosynthesis was notably reduced (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The combined feed of probiotics and enzymes had more profound effects than probiotics feed. Consequently, supplementation with B. subtilis and B. licheniformis and enzymes in the basal diet of fattening goats, which could improve growth performance, slaughter performance, immunity and accommodate rumen microbiota.

A preliminary study on selected utility traits and mineral composition of meat in King pigeons managed under extensive system in Poland

The study was conducted on King pigeons managed by a private breeder in Poland. The studied population consisted of three years old parent pigeon pairs of the King breed and the their offspring obtained during the breeding season (March-November). The aims of the research involved an evaluation of the reproductive performance of King pigeons, analysis of growth rate, survival, slaughter performance and mineral composition of squab meat. In the analyzed breeding season, an average of 8.7 eggs was obtained per female. The fertilization rate and hatching rate of chicks from fertilized eggs were 80.0% and 75.8%, respectively. The highest weight gain in pigeons was observed between the date of hatching and 4 weeks of age. Pigeons slaughtered at 6 weeks of age were characterized by higher slaughter performance (66.1%) than 4 week-old pigeons (60.4%). Meat of this pigeon breed is a rich source of valuable minerals such as potassium (4060 mg per kg), magnesium (296 mg per kg), iron (52 mg per kg), zinc (9 mg per kg) and silicon (30 mg per kg).

Slaughter yield and chemical composition of Siberian sturgeon reared in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS)

Sturgeon fish species are food fish of commercial significance in many countries. Sturgeon farming in Serbia is a relatively new branch of aquaculture, and sturgeon farming has been developing in the last several years. The objective of this study was to examine morpho-physiological and slaughter characteristics and proximate composition of one-year-old sturgeons produced in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). Sturgeons were cultured in a RAS system nearby Novi Sad and were fed with commercial feed. Moisture content in fillets ranged from 75.63 to 77.91%, protein content from 18.06 to 18.89% and lipid content from 2.37 to 4.38%. The slaughter performance results are in agreement with those reported by various authors for different strains of sturgeons. Sturgeon species have potential to become an attractive fish in our aquaculture in terms of overall proximate composition and slaughter performance.