Responses of immature pullets to repeated cycles of gradual increases and abrupt decreases in photoperiod

1. Growing pullets were reared on constant 8, 11 or 14 h photoperiods or given 12 daily increments of 30 min followed by an abrupt 6 h decrease in photoperiod in 14 d cycles from 2 d of age to sexual maturity.

2. Birds on the experimental lighting programme matured earlier than constant 8‐h controls, later than 11‐h controls but at the same age and body weight as constant 14‐h controls.

3. Weight of the first egg was correlated with age at first egg.

4. It is assumed that potential advances in maturity for the experimental birds from the 30 min increments in photoperiod were cancelled by the retarding influences of 6 h decreases in photoperiod, resulting in their maturity being similar to that of birds reared on a constant daylength equal to the longest photoperiod reached during the cycle.     

高产蛋鸡的饲养管理技术

蛋鸡能否高产直接影响着鸡场的经济效益。笔者根据多年的饲养实践和体会,认为蛋鸡要高产应采取以下几方面的技术措施。     

高温季节蛋鸡的饲养管理措施

夏季天气高温湿热,是一年中蛋鸡饲养管理较为困难的季节。湿度、温度、光照、噪音、有害气体等环境因素和饲料中营养,成分的缺乏、饲料配比不平衡、饮水质量,以及给料方式的改变,饲养密度过大,采食过少等因素极易造成蛋鸡的生产性能下降。如何防止由于夏季热应激引起的蛋鸡减产或死亡,相当一部分养殖户对此没有足够认识,缺乏有效措施。     

Effects of exogenous melatonin and photoperiod on sexual maturation in pullets

Hy‐Line Gray commercial pullets were maintained under 8‐h photoperiods, 16‐h photoperiods and 16‐h photoperiods supplemented with a diet containing 20 or 200 mg/kg melatonin (MEL) to investigate the role of MEL in sexual development. A total of 256 Hy‐Line Gray commercial pullets were placed, four birds to a cage, in four similar light‐proof rooms (8‐h photoperiod) at 6 weeks of age. At 70 day, three rooms containing a total of 192 birds were transferred to a 16‐h photoperiod, whereas 64 birds were maintained under the 8‐h photoperiod. Diets containing MEL at 20 and 200 mg/kg were fed to birds in two of the rooms under 16‐h photoperiods. Birds maintained under an 8‐h photoperiod matured 11.25 day later than those maintained under a 16‐h photoperiod (p < 0.05). The group of birds receiving 20 mg/kg MEL matured 1.19 day later than those maintained under the 16‐h photoperiod and 10.06 day earlier than those maintained under the 8‐h photoperiod. The group of birds receiving 200 mg/kg MEL matured 3.13 day later than those maintained under a 16‐h photoperiod and 8.12 day earlier than those maintained under an 8‐h photoperiod. The average body weight of birds maintained under the 8‐h photoperiod was greater than that of birds maintained under the 16‐h photoperiod (p < 0.05) and was similar between the different MEL groups. The abdominal fat weight was lower in 16L:8D group compared with 8L:16D group (p < 0.05). The concentrations of follicle‐stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, oestrogen and insulin did not differ significantly among the groups. The melatonin concentration in 200 mg/kg melatonin group was higher than that observed in the other groups; however, this concentration did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). These data suggest that the birds did not perceive the final 8‐h photoperiod as being part of the night when they were given the MEL diets; continuously high plasma MEL was not observed in birds that responded as if they were in constant darkness. However, the later maturity of the groups administered MEL diets compared with the groups maintained under a constant 16‐h photoperiod clearly indicated that MEL has some influence on the sexual maturity of pullets.     

Effect of constant and of changing photoperiod on plasma LH and FSH concentrations and age at first egg in layer strains of domestic pullets

1. ISA Brown pullets were transferred from 8 to 14 h or from 14 to 8 h photoperiods at 35 or 56 d of age. Controls were maintained on constant 8 or 14 h photoperiods from day 1. 2. Blood samples were obtained immediately before each daylength change and subsequently at 7 d intervals until 1st egg in the treated groups and at 70 d of age and then at 14 d intervals until 1st egg in the constant photoperiod controls. Plasma luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations were determined using homologous radioimmunoassays. 3. Prior to 16 weeks, LH was consistently higher in birds on constant 14 h photoperiods than in those on constant 8 h, but was down-regulated as birds approached maturity so that LH concentrations in the 2 groups were similar during the final 10 d before the first egg was laid. FSH concentrations rose steadily with age but with a tendency for concentrations to be higher in the 8 h than in the 14 h treatment. Birds on constant 8 h daylengths matured 18.3 d later than those on constant 14 h photoperiods. 4. A 6 h increment in photoperiod given at 35 d or 56 d, resulted in an increase in LH within 7 d in both cases. FSH concentration did not respond to an increase in photoperiod at 35 d but rose following the same increase at 56 d. This was associated with a 3-week advance in sexual maturity, whilst age at 1st egg in birds photostimulated at 35 d was similar to the age with a constant 14 h photoperiod. 5. LH concentration fell when photoperiod was reduced from 14 to 8 h at either 35 or 56 d and remained below the constant 8 h controls for many weeks before rising to a concentration not significantly different from other groups in the final 10 d before 1st egg. FSH concentrations in birds exposed to a decreased daylength at 35 d, although more oscillatory, were similar to the constant 8 h photoperiod controls. In birds exposed to the same decrease at 56 d, FSH concentration initially tumbled but was similar in the 2 groups during the latter stages of rearing; neither differed significantly from the constant daylength controls during the 60 d before 1st egg. Sexual maturity in both groups given a reduction in photoperiod was delayed by about 2 weeks compared with constant 8 h controls. 6. Change in FSH concentration following an increase in daylength was a better predictor of age at 1st egg than change in LH. However, FSH concentrations after 14 weeks of age were rather similar in short day and long day controls and in the 2 groups given reductions in photoperiod at 35 d and 56 d, despite differences of nearly 5 weeks in mean age at 1st egg amongst these 4 treatments.     

Effect of age and body weight at photostimulation on the sexual maturation of broiler breeder pullets transferred from 8L:16D to 16L:8D

1. In two trials, broiler breeders were grown to a mean body weight of 2.0 to 2.2 kg at 20 weeks on 8L:16D and transferred to 16L:8D at various ages between 69 and 175 d of age at mean body weights varying between 1.0 and 2.7 kg. Other groups were grown to have a mean 20-week body weight 0.87, 1.15, 1.25 or 1.37 of the normal birds and photostimulated simultaneously with the normal weight birds. Controls were held on 8L:16D in each weight group. In a third trial, broiler breeders were transferred from 8L:16D to 16L:8D at 45 (ad libitum fed), 75 or 90 d (mild feed control), when the mean body weight of each group had reached 2.1 kg. Controls weighing 2.0 kg at 20 weeks were held on 8L:16D or 16L:8D. 2. In trial 1, photostimulating normal weight birds at 69, 76, 83 or 97 d delayed maturity and widened the spread of individual maturities, whilst transferring to 16L:8D at 111 or 125 d advanced maturity. Increasing the mean 20-week body weight to 2.8 kg advanced maturity in birds transferred to 16L:8D at 97, 111 or 125 d. Birds photostimulated at 69, 76 and 83 d matured at a similar age to controls held on 8L:16D. 3. In trial 2, transferring normal weight birds to 16L:8D at 91, 112, 133, 147, 161 or 175 d advanced maturity. Reducing the 20-week mean body weight to 1.91 kg delayed maturity in birds photostimulated at 91 or 112 d, but advanced it in birds photostimulated at 112, 133, 147, 161 or 175 d. Sexual maturity was similar for birds with a 20-week mean body weight of 2.54 or 2.74 kg, with advances for all groups photostimulated between 91 and 175 d. 4. In trial 3, birds maintained on 16L:8D matured later than birds held on 8L:16D, but maturity was advanced when birds were transferred to 16L:8D at 45, 75 or 90 d at a common body weight of 2.1 kg.     

Effect of timing and size of photoperiod change on plasma FSH concentration and the correlation between FSH and age at first egg in pullets.

1. ISA Brown pullets were transferred at 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 or 20.3 weeks of age from an 8 h photoperiod to an 8, 10, 13 or 16 h photoperiod. Plasma follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) concentration was measured at transfer at 7 and 14 d afterwards, and age at first egg (AFE) was recorded. 2. Plasma FSH concentration in pullets reared on constant 8 h photoperiods generally increased with age but with a trough at 12 weeks. Plasma FSH increased during the first 14 d of photostimulation to a significantly higher concentration, compared with constant 8 h controls, when the photoperiod was increased to 13 or 16 h at 9, 12 or 15 weeks; but for the increase from 8 h to 10 h photoperiods FSH was only significantly higher than controls when the change was made at 12 weeks. 3. The change in plasma FSH concentration 14 d after photostimulation was significantly correlated with mean AFE (reported in Lewis et al., 1997) and appears to be a better predictor of gonadal development than concurrent changes in plasma LH concentration previously reported (Lewis et al., 1994).     

Mineral and vitamin supplementation of a whole wheat diet for developing pullets

1. Light hybrid pullets kept in floor pens or in cages received one of five dietary treatments: a conventional developer diet (controls) or whole wheat unsupplemented (B) or supplemented with minerals (C), minerals and vitamins (D), or minerals and B vitamins only (E). The control diet was fed from 8 to 20 weeks and other diets from either 8 or 12 to 20 weeks of age. All groups received the same layers’ diet from 20 to 68 weeks of age.

2. Controls grew best and matured first: maturation was delayed by about 2.lb5 d with each 100 g reduction in body weight at 20 weeks. Body weights at 20 weeks, taking controls as 100, were 50, 70, 78 and 73 for B, C, D and E applied from 8 weeks and 72, 87, 87 and 86 when applied from 12 weeks. Lower‐leg length was increased by mineral but not by vitamin supplementation. Birds in floor pens grew faster than those in cages.

3. Mortality was nearly 30% in pullets receiving diet B from 8 to 20 weeks of age: feeding the diet from 12 weeks, or supplementing it with minerals (C), reduced mortality to 4% or less, but vitamins had no beneficial effect.

4. Conventionally fed birds laid more eggs than other groups.     

Model for predicting egg output and metabolisable energy intake of laying pullets.

1. The data compiled by Marsden and Morris (1987) to examine the relationships between environmental temperature and the long-term, adapted responses of laying pullets were divided at random into two subsets of 99 and 113 observations. The first subset was used to estimate regression coefficients for an econometric model, and the second subset to validate the model. 2. Equations to predict inputs (costs) and outputs (returns) were estimated with a three-stage least-squares regression model. Three stage least-squares estimation is a technique which corrects for the simultaneity of variables within the model and correlation across equations of the model. This results in more efficient estimates of the regression coefficients. 3. The final output and output equations were: MEI = 253.86-190.31EM+5.766EM2-0.546EM3 + 0.7034T-0.004388T3 + 695.08BW-120.23BW2 + 397.37ME-13.132ME2-1.06MEXT; R2 = 0.86; EO = 119 + 0.025MEI -0.0000045MEI2-1.462T-0.0791T2-135.3BW + 38.31BW2-1.483T X BW + 0.0288T2 X BW + 0.673 delta BW; R2 = 0.59 where MEI = daily metabolisable energy intake (kJ/bird d), T = environmental temperature (degree C), EO = egg output (g/bird d), BW = body weight, and ME = metabolisable energy concentration (kJ/g). The values for R2 indicate very good fits considering that the data were recorded over a 26-year period in 14 different laboratories. 4. This statistical model can serve as the basis for an econometric model of egg production to determine the environmental temperature that maximises profits from laying pullets of different body weights.     

Nitrogen maintenance requirements and potential for nitrogen retention of pullets in growth phase

Experiments were conducted to estimate daily N maintenance requirements (NMRs) and the genetic potential for daily N retention (NR_maxT) of pullets in growth phase. Three nitrogen balance trials were conducted, and a total of 48 Hy‐line W‐36 pullets were used in each trial in age periods (starter: 14–28, grower: 56–70 and developer: 98–112 days). The treatments consisted of six graded levels of nitrogen in the diets (L1 = 8, L2 = 16, L3 = 24, L4 = 32, L5 = 40 and L6 = 48 g N/kg of feed), formulated using the dilution technique. The regression analyses between nitrogen intake and nitrogen excretion were performed to fit the exponential function and to determine the NMR. The daily NMRs that were estimated at 294, 331 and 355 mg/BW_kg^0.67 for the initial, grower and developer periods, respectively, were applied for further calculation of NR_maxT as the threshold value of the function between N intake and daily N balance. The NR_maxT was estimated by a statistical procedure following several iteration steps by the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm until the sum of the squares of the residual was minimized. The NR_maxT was estimated at 3,200, 2,633 and 1,826 mg/BW_kg^0.67 for starter, grower and developer periods respectively. The determined model parameters were the precondition for modelling of the amino acid requirement based on an exponential N‐utilization model and depended on performance and dietary amino acid efficiency. This procedure will be further developed and applied in the subsequent study.     

蚕业生产环境湿度控制原理与方法

湿度是蚕业生产过程中的一个重要环境条件。本文分析了影响蚕业生产环境湿度变化的主要因素及其重要性,把蚕业生产过程中的温湿度调节归纳为六种模式,阐述了多种湿度调控设备的工作原理和性能特点,提出了通过合理配置温湿度调节设备来达到目的湿度的方法。     

蚕用兽药的现状与应用

本文综述了我国目前蚕用兽药的种类和特点,认为消毒剂是养蚕必备的蚕用兽药,抗菌剂是辅助用蚕用兽药。同时,介绍了鉴别蚕用兽药的途径。     

秋种春养全龄薄膜覆盖二回育技术标准表的制定与应用

嘉兴市秀洲区是嘉兴市重点蚕区之一,2002年蚕种饲养量12.92万张,茧款收入5683.82万元,蚕桑生产是该区农民的一项重要副业收入之一.随着经济的发展,省工省力养蚕技术的使用成必然趋势,由该区制定并获奖的春种春养二回育已推广多年并深入人心.如小蚕二回育已达100%,大蚕二回育、三回育已达95%以上.     

Comparison of nutritive values of groundnut oil cake and Niger oil cake for laying pullets

1. The nutritive value of Niger oil cake (Guizotia abyssinica, Cass.) as a protein supplement for layers’ diets has been assessed.

2. Replacing groundnut oil cake (GNC) by Niger oil cake (NC) on an isonitrogenous basis, did not affect egg production, egg weight or the amount of food required per dozen eggs.

3. The percentage retention of nitrogen from diets containing 30% GNC or 30% NC was similar.

4. The ME value of NC used was 3025 kcal/kg.

5. It is concluded that NC can replace GNC in layers’ diets.