Protein and energy metabolism in two lines of chickens selected for growth on high or low protein diets

1. Genetic adaptation was investigated in broilers selected for seven generations on a normal (A) or a low (B) protein diet.

2. Protein and energy metabolism were studied in males from these selected lines fed on a diet of intermediate protein content.

3. All selected birds retained more nitrogen than those studied 10 years previously.

4. There was no difference in nitrogen retention between groups, although relative growth rate of group B birds was higher.

5. Heat productions relative to gross energy intake were 0.38 (group B) and 045 (group A). Energy retentions relative to gross energy intake were 0.39 (group B) and 0.35 (group A); the difference being primarily due to higher fat retention in group B.

6. Using a common maintenance requirement for metabolisable energy, group B utilised metabolisable energy for growth (0.78) better than did group A (0.71).

7. At 53 d of age plasma glucose (10%) and insulin (50%) were higher in group B than in group A.     

Gene expression profile of IGF1 and MSTN mRNA and their correlation with carcass traits in different breeds of geese at 70 d of age

1. The expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) and myostatin (MSTN) mRNA in breast and leg muscle was quantified in 70-d-old Taihu and Wanxi geese by using a Multiplex Competitive Fluorescent–PCR method and the correlations between mRNA levels and carcass traits were analysed.

2. IGF1 mRNA expression in breast muscle in Taihu geese was significantly higher than that in Wanxi geese and the MSTN mRNA level in leg muscle in Taihu geese was significantly higher than that in Wanxi geese.

3. There was no significant difference in breast muscle MSTN or leg muscle IGF1 mRNA expression between the two breeds.

4. Within the same breed, the IGF1 mRNA expression in leg muscle of male geese was significantly higher than that in female geese, and MSTN mRNA expression in leg muscle was significantly higher than that in breast muscle.

5. There was no difference in the IGF1 mRNA expression between tissues.

6. There was a positive correlation between IGF1 mRNA and MSTN mRNA and a negative correlation between IGF1 mRNA expression of breast muscle and leg muscle ratio.

7. In Wanxi geese, MSTN mRNA expression in leg muscle was negatively associated with body weight and leg muscle weight.     

Effect of age and sex on the chemical composition of edible offal and blood from broilers

1. The effects of age and sex on the proximate composition and inorganic constituents in edible offal and whole blood from a commercial British broiler chicken strain were studied.

2. Although the protein content of all tissues varied with age, the only statistically significant effect was on the level of protein in the gizzard.

3. The moisture content of the gizzard was significantly affected by age and blood by age and sex.

4. The fat content of the gizzard was significantly affected by age, as was the effect of sex on the fat content of blood.

5. The ash contents of heart and gizzard were significantly affected by age.

6. The phosphorus contents of the gizzard, heart and liver were significantly affected by age, as were the chloride content of heart and the calcium content of the liver. Blood potassium was significantly affected by sex. Fluctuations in the contents of other elements are discussed.

7. The variability in organ composition is discussed with respect to the degree of trimming and preparation of the samples.     

Visceral receptors and their afferents in the caudal mesenteric nerve of the duck

1. The behaviour and reactivities of visceral receptors to different mechanical and chemical stimuli in single unit preparations from the caudal mesenteric nerve of adult ducks were studied to examine the physiological roles of such receptors.

2. In total, 83 single unit activities were recorded from the caudal mesenteric nerve.

3. Receptors were grouped according to their locations in different layers of the rectum as (i) over the branching points of the blood vessel or in the serosal layer, (ii) in the muscle layer or (iii) in the mucous membrane of the rectum.

4. All the receptors, both spontaneous and non‐spontaneous, responded to mechanical probing. Receptors of the muscle layer responded to distension also and showed a slowly‐adapting nature. Most of the receptors of the other two groups were of the rapidly‐adapting type.

5. Conduction velocity ranged from 0.76 to 34.6 m/s.

6. Sympathetic afferent fibres from the hind gut ascend along the intestinal nerve and join the caudal mesenteric nerve via the colonic ganglion.     

The occurrence of giant fibres in different muscles of two chicken genotypes

1. The occurrence of Giant Fibres (GF) in three muscles (Pectoralis major (PM), Iliotibialis lateralis and Semimembranosus) with different types of energy metabolism was studied in slow- and fast-growing chicken strains.

2. A total of 20 one-day-old Leghorn chicks (slow-growing) and 20 broiler (Ross 508) chicks (fast-growing) were reared to 100 and 45 d, respectively.

3. A small percentage of GF was seen in pre rigor muscle samples even at 3 min post mortem in both genotypes and in all muscle types studied.

4. From 3 min to 24 h post mortem GF increased both in Leghorn and broiler chickens but to a different extent according to muscle type and genotype.

5. The highest GF 24 h post mortem value was found in the PM muscles belonging to the fast-growing broiler line.

6. It was concluded that every type of muscle can develop GF, but this phenomenon is more evident in the PM especially in animals selected for increased growth rate.     

Changes in free amino acid concentrations in the blood,brain and muscle of heat-exposed chicks

1. An experiment was conducted to analyse the changes in free amino acid concentrations in the blood, brain and muscle of chicks in response to 15 or 30 min exposure to high ambient temperature (HT).

2. Food intake and body weight were not affected, while rectal temperature was significantly increased by short-term HT exposure.

3. Several free amino acid concentrations increased in the blood, brain and muscle even with short-term HT, whereas levels of a few amino acids declined significantly. As well as the nonessential amino acids, essential amino acids also significantly increased with exposure to HT.

4. 3-Methylhistidine, a marker of proteolysis, significantly declined in the muscle of HT chicks, implying a reduction of protein breakdown under HT.

5. These results indicate that alteration of protein metabolism may occur in chicks even with short-term heat exposure.     

The effects of restricted feeding on adrenal cortical activity in the immature domestic fowl

1. The effect of reducing food intake to 75% of the ad libitum intake was determined from hatching to 8 weeks in young Light Sussex chickens.

2. Restricted birds were lighter throughout the experiment.

3. Relative adrenal weight tended to be greater in restricted birds but the difference decreased with time.

4. There was no depletion of adrenal cholesterol: from week 5 there was a significantly greater amount in the adrenals of restricted birds.

5. After 1 week of restriction plasma corticosterone concentration was 73% greater than in controls. It decreased progressively, falling within the normal range at 5 weeks.

6. Restricted birds were hypoglycaemic from weeks 2 to 7 and hyper‐lipacidaemic throughout. A negative correlation between plasma glucose and free fatty acids was found.     

Evaluation of bone strength,keel bone status,plumage condition and egg quality of two layer lines kept in small group housing systems

1. The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of large (54 or 60) and small (36 or 40) group sizes and tiers of the small group housing system “Eurovent German” on tibia and humerus bone breaking strength, keel bone status, plumage condition and egg quality for two commercial layer lines, Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL) and Lohmann Brown (LB), at the same stocking density (890 or 830 cm²/bird).

2. In 4 consecutive trials, 4752 hens were recorded for keel bone status. Evaluation of plumage condition was made for 1440 hens and bone breaking strength was recorded for 1200 hens. A total of 4962 eggs were analysed for internal and external egg quality traits. Analyses involved 30 small group compartments per trial.

3. The layer line had a much more pronounced influence on humerus breaking strength than on tibia breaking strength.

4. Plumage condition, particularly on the neck, was positively correlated with humerus breaking strength in both layer lines.

5. An average of 34% of LB and 23% of LSL hens showed keel bone deformities, with higher proportions of slight deformities.

6. Slight keel bone deformities, rather than moderate to severe, increased significantly during the laying period.

7. Stocking density had no influence on bone breaking strength, keel bone status and egg quality traits.

8. LB layers had a 1.4-fold higher humerus, but only a 1.06-fold higher tibia breaking strength compared to LSL layers.

9. Tibia breaking strength was significantly affected by the interaction of group size and layer line. LSL layers in small groups had lower tibia breaking strengths than those of the large groups.     

Cross performance as influenced by selection in pure lines

1. The resultant genetic gains in cross performance due to the individual, dam family and sire family (IDS) method of index selection for increased part‐period egg number in their parent lines are described.

2. A randombred control population of known pedigree was used to measure the environmental trends.

3. Selection in pure lines resulted in concomitant improvement in the crosses for the selected as well as the correlated traits.

4. Cross performance was comparatively more than expected on the basis of mid‐parent values, indicating involvement of non‐additive gene action in the expression of cross performance.

5. Crosses responded better to independent culling level selection for egg weight than their parents.

6. Heterosis appeared to increase in later generations as compared with initial generations of selection.     

Neuromusgular studies of turkeys with trienbolone acetate‐induced and naturally occurring “leg weakness”

1. In vivo sciatic nerve gastrocnemius muscle preparations were made from 14‐ to 18‐week‐old normal turkeys and from those with naturally occurring or trienbolone acetate (TA)‐induced “leg weakness”.

2. Preparations from leg weakness cases displayed neither accelerated muscle fatigue nor decreased nerve conduction velocities as compared with control preparations.

3. The muscles of the TA‐treated turkeys but not of those with naturally occurring leg weakness were hyperexcitable relative to those of controls.

4. Post‐tetanic potentiation of preparations from both naturally occurring and experimentally‐induced cases of leg weakness was less than that of control preparations, both before and after partial neuromuscular blockade, significantly so at the lower pulse frequencies used.

5. It is tentatively suggested that the last finding might be of significance in explaining the clinical signs of leg weakness and might be associated with a disordered calcium metabolism.     

Effects of method of processing and chilling of Turkey carcasses on processing losses,water absorption and yields

1. The effects of wet or dry plucking, wet or dry evisceration procedures and method of chilling on processing losses and water uptake during chilling were studied using 19‐week‐old female large white turkeys.

2. Dry plucking increased weight loss due to plucking and eviscerating, and reduced chilled carcass yield.

3. Dry eviscerating increased carcass water uptake during chilling.

4. Pre‐chilling with running water increased carcass water uptake compared with chilling in ice and water alone.

5. Water uptake during chilling appeared to be increased by longer eviscerating time.     

A mathematical representation of the Ovulatory cycle of the domestic hen

1. The ovulatory cycle of the domestic hen (Gallus domesticus) was postulated to be the result of the interaction of two independent systems.

2. A circadian system was postulated to control the restriction of ovulation to an 8‐h period of the day under conventional 14 h light: 10 h dark regimes.

3. The final phase of follicular maturation was postulated to commence after ovulation of the preceding ovum in the hierarchy.

4. Ovulation was postulated to occur when a mature follicle was present in the ovary during the appropriate phase of the circadian‐linked system.

5. The predicted times of oviposition were within the standard error of the observed times of oviposition under 21‐, 24‐ and 28‐h photoschedules.

6. It was concluded that this hypothesis for the control of the ovulatory cycle of the hen is consistent with current knowledge.     

Plasma disposition and tissue residue of Moxifloxacin in Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) following different routes of administration

1. The disposition kinetics and the plasma availability of moxifloxacin were investigated in Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) following different routes of administration at 5 mg/kg body weight.

2. Tissue residue profiles (liver, kidney, lung and muscle) and plasma were also studied after multiple intramuscular and oral administrations of 5 mg/kg body weight, once daily for 5 consecutive days.

3. Following intravenous injection, plasma concentration–time curves were best described by a two-compartment open model.

4. After intramuscular and oral administration of moxifloxacin, the peak plasma concentrations (C_max) were 2.14 and 1.94 μg/ml and were obtained at 1.40 and 1.87 h (T_max), post administration, respectively.

5. The systemic bioavailabilities following intramuscular and oral administration, respectively, of moxifloxacin were 92.48 and 87.94%.

6. Tissue concentrations following i.m. and p.o. administration were highest in liver and kidney, respectively, and decreased in the following order: plasma, lung and muscle. No moxifloxacin residues were detected in tissues and plasma after 120 h after i.m. or oral administration.     

Effects of high inclusion rates of salseed meal in the diet of chicks

1. Starter diets containing either maize or salseed meal to replace the maize were fed to chicks over a period of 2 weeks.

2. Growth rate, food intake, food utilisation and proportion of dietary nitrogen retained were much poorer in chicks receiving salseed meal.

3. The chicks receiving salseed meal developed pathological lesions in liver and kidney.

4. The red blood cell count, white blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume of the chicks receiving salseed meal were lower than those of chicks receiving maize.

5. The apparent metabolisable energy value of salseed meal was determined as 6.83 MJ/kg.     

Plumage loss in medium‐bodied hybrid hens: The effect of beak trimming and cage design

1. Plumage loss was assessed by visual scoring in 288, 78‐week‐old hens, housed as groups of four in battery cages, which differed in the design of the cage front and the position of the nipple drinkers.

2. Half the hens had undergone beak trimming at 18 weeks, but in many cases regrowth had occurred.

3. Plumage damage and loss was significantly reduced in beak‐trimmed birds compared with birds with normal beaks. Tier and cage design had no effect.

4. This finding supports the idea that feather pecking is the important factor in causing plumage damage, rather than abrasion.

5. A comparison between 64 birds in which beak regrowth had occurred, and 64 in which it remained truncated, showed that both groups had similar plumage scores.

6. It appears to be the beak‐trimming procedure which is important; subsequent regrowth being irrelevant.     

An update on approaches to controlling coccidia in poultry using botanical extracts

1. This paper reviews the use of botanical extracts in the control of coccidial infection in poultry.

2. Some plants and their respective volatile oils and extracts have the potential to alleviate coccidiosis and reduce its severity.

3. Most plant bioactives improve some, but not all, aspects of coccidiosis with variable effectiveness against different species of Eimeria.

4. Difficulties in comparing research findings have arisen from the use of different experimental models, different active components and infectious dose of Eimeria.

5. Current knowledge of their potential anti-coccidial effects may provide guidance for the use of botanical extracts in the control of the coccidiosis.     

Selection for high specific gravity of eggs in a flock of Australorp hens

1. A realised heritability of 0.23 was obtained in an Australorp flock (S) selected for five generations for high egg specific gravity.

2. A comparison with an unselected control flock (C) over 50 weeks of lay in the final generation indicated a number of statistically significant correlated responses in commercially important traits in the S line in addition to the direct response of + 0.004 in specific gravity.

3. With an increase in specific gravity, there was a decrease of 3.4 in the percentage of soft‐shelled eggs laid.

4. The weight and albumen height of eggs measured within 1 hour of lay declined by 1.8 g and 2.1 Haugh units respectively.

5. There were reductions in the weight and albumen height losses of eggs stored over a 10‐d period (C 0.74, S 0.62 g and C 17.9, S 15.0 Haugh units respectively), so that at the end of this period the albumen heights in both lines were the same.

6. Average body weight and daily food intake were less by 0.28 kg and 7.5 g respectively.

7. Although there was no change in egg production, the average age at first egg was reduced by 11.3 d.     

Carcass characteristics,composition, physico-chemical,microbial and sensory quality of emu meat

1. In order to investigate whether emu meat is a potential red meat alternative, this work was carried out with the objective of studying the carcass characteristics, proximate composition, physico-chemical and microbial characteristics and sensory attributes of emu meat.

2. Carcass characteristics clearly indicate that emus are a significant source of lean meat, fat, skin and edible by-products and these findings confirm earlier reports.

3. Proximate composition of emu meat indicated higher protein and ash content and lower fat, total lipids and cholesterol content than meat from other meat animals.

4. The pH, water holding capacity, collagen content and solubility, protein extractability, muscle fibre diameter and Warner–Bratzler shear force values of emu meat are similar to the earlier reports for meats from other food animals.

5. Emu meat is dark, cherry red in colour with significantly higher myoglobin content and the myoglobin is more prone to oxidation as evidenced by higher initial metmyoglobin percentage. The initial thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values and free fatty acids percentage in emu meat were higher than those in meats from other species.

6. Sensory evaluation of cooked emu meat curry revealed highly acceptable scores relative to goat meat curry, the most preferred meat in India.

7. The study shows the potential of emu meat as a new source of low fat, quality meat proteins. However, more studies are required to elucidate the effect of age, sex, muscles, pre-slaughter and post-slaughter factors on different carcass and meat quality characteristics.     

Caegal growth in the domestic fowl following surgical manipulation

1. Some effects of removing increasing proportions of the left caecum on the remaining caecal tissue and on the right caecum were studied in young chicks during a period of 35 d. The chicks were 22 d old when the operations were carried out.

2. No differences were detected between the gains in weight of the control and experimental groups of birds.

3. A marked negative linear relationship was observed between the dry weight of the amount of caecal tissue removed when the birds were 22 d old and the weight of the left caecum at the end of the experiment.

4. The average growth rate of the left caecum (g dry tissue/week) was found to be dependent on the estimated weight of caecal tissue remaining after surgery.

5. No evidence was obtained to indicate that the growth of the right caecum responded to the removal of the left caecal tissue.

6. The morphology and histology of the operated caeca were found to be similar to the equivalent regions of the unoperated caeca. Surgical interference was not followed by any major changes in mucosal architecture.

7. In birds which had experienced unilateral caecectomy, the discharge of caecal faeces usually stopped for about 2 d. When caecal defaecation was resumed, the pattern of defaecation appeared to be the same as that observed in sham‐operated birds with both caeca intact.