Phenotypic characterization of four indigenous naked neck chicken ecotypes in Pakistan

A study was conducted to characterize four phenotypes (black, white with black tips, light brown and dark brown) of naked neck chickens [n=320; 80(40♂, 40♀)] for qualitative and quantitative traits at 20 weeks of age. Qualitative phenotypic characterization was based on head appearance, comb type, wattle size, plumage pattern, shank color, spurs prevalence and number of toes. Quantitative phenotypic characterization was based on neck length, keel length, shank length, drum stick length, body length, wing span and circumference. Males and females of all phenotype had plain head and single comb. Plain feather pattern was predominantly most frequent on breast, wing bow, wing bar, wing bay, saddle and tail followed by stippled, penciled and laced. Males had most frequent yellow shanks followed by grey, off-white and green. White black, light and dark brown phenotypes expressed maximum yellow shank coloration whereas grey shanks were most frequent in black birds. Morpho-metric measurements were significantly higher in males than females. Light and dark brown phenotypes had higher values of quantitative traits than those of black and white black. All males and females of naked neck phenotypes possessed four toes, normal spurs and tuft feathers on the ventral portion of the neck above crop. The phenotypic variation observed in indigenous naked neck chickens could provide valuable basic information to develop effective utilization and conservation programs.

Third Backcross Generation Indonesian Indigenous Chicken Kampong Broiler-Type (Kambro) SOX5 Gene Polymorphism

The comb is an accessory organ on the head of chicken which is influenced by testosterone hormone and can be used as an indicator of chicken’s fertility. Comb shape is related to climate adaptation and associated with a dominant mutation in chicken chromosome 1. Therefore this research was aimed to study the association between Pea-comb shape and SOX5 gene polymorphism in the population of progenies (BC-III Kambro) derived from a crossbreed between females Pelung and males second backcross generation Kampong Broiler-Type (BC-II Kambro). Chicken (Gallus gallus) SOX5 gene was acquired from NCBI GenBank with the Ref. Seq. 418195. Primers used to amplify the SOX5 gene are (F):5’-AGGTAGCCATGGTGACAAGC-3’,(R):5’-GATCTGTGAGGCAGCCAGTT-3’. Progenies showed 100% Pea-comb shape, while parental generation composed of Pea-comb shape and Single-comb shape. PCR-RFLP and endonuclease restriction enzyme HindIII were unable to determine the genotype of the female parent with Pea-comb. The result of SOX5 gene polymorphism showed the comb shape uniformity between progenies and parental of Kambro backcross generation. This study concluded that the genotype of Pea-comb shape female Pelung was undetermined and there was no polymorphism of the SOX5 gene between pea and single comb. PCR-RFLP using endonuclease restriction enzyme HindIII produced both target products and non-target/artifact products. The sequencing procedure was required to provide nucleotide sequences.

EFFECT OF DIET ON THE REPRODUCTIVE PARAMETERS OF WHITE LEGHORN COCKS

Seventy-two Single Comb White Leghorn (SCWL) roosters were fed for 24 28-day periods with 13 and 15 percent crude protein diets containing soybean meal (SBM) and cottonseed meal (CSM) ratios of 100:0, 50:50 and 0:100 la each protein diet to determine the look-term effects of protein levels and cottonseed meal on the reproductive traits. The statistical analyses of the data indicated no Henicabt differences among the protein levels for each ratio of SBM:CSM in mean body weight, daily feed consumption, semen volume, fertility, batchability, percent dead embryo at 18 and 21 days of Incubation, percent chicks pipped, semen concentrations, testicular Weight, hematocrit and testosterone level. The reproductive traits of the roosters were not affected by either feeding the two protein levels in the diet or the sources of the vegetable protein for 24 28-day periods.

Morphobiometry and Growth Performances of Improved Genetic Types of Chickens (Gallus Gallus) Raised in Cameroon

From July to November 2019, a study has been carried out in the locality of Ngaoundéré in order to contribute to a better knowledge of exotic hens. For this purpose, 190 improved strain chicks of one day-old with an average weight of 35.49±3.78g were distributed according to the type of feather. They were fed an iso-energetic and iso-proteic feed. Data on phenotype characteristics, growth performance, biometric data and carcass were determined. The main results show that three types of feathering were recorded with 16.4% of hens with bare necks and with feathered pits, 78.1% of hens with feathered pits and 5.5% of hens with normal feathers. The majority of hens were recorded with a single comb (75.3%), round mumps (71.2%), white pits (76.4%), black beaks (47.9%) and brown eyes (75.3%). In terms of zootechnical performance, the highest live weight (1758.00±322.20g) was recorded with naked-necked hens and feathered pits. The highest weekly average weight gain was recorded with yellow eyed hens (111.77±16.63g) followed by bare-necked and feathered pits (107.83±20.06g). Hens expressing the Na and Pti genes showed the best growth performance although carcass yield was not significantly affected by feather type. It was concluded that there is a very high phenotypic diversity in the so-called improved hens. However, despite their great potential, responsible management of this genetic resource should be encouraged in order to avoid genetic erosion of local poultry resources.

Mechanism of molecular interaction of acrylate-polyethylene glycol acrylate copolymers with calcium silicate hydrate surfaces

Simulations of a series of single comb copolymers on C-S-H model surfaces of different composition reveal adsorption mechanisms and conformations in atomic detail to better understand the role in cement hydration and design interfacial properties.

A low insertion loss low-pass filter based on single comb-shaped spoof surface plasmon polaritons

This paper presents a low insertion loss low-pass filter based on the spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) with single comb-shape. Compared with traditional ones, the proposed filter provides lower insertion loss and return loss by optimizing the structural parameters of the mode conversion and SSPP parts. According to the measurement results, the average insertion loss of the fabricated filter is 0.41 dB and the return loss of which at the near-zero-hertz band is <−25.9 dB. The S parameter comparison result between the unoptimized and optimized filters demonstrates that the optimized filter provides lower insertion loss and return loss, smaller size, and better out-of-band rejection. The dispersion comparison result reveals the reasons behind the improved performances. The better performances of the optimized filter proves that breaking the regularity of traditional SSPP filters is beneficial to the filter's performances.