Comparison of three different diets for organic broilers: effects on performance and body condition

1. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of 100% organic feed for organic broilers by comparing it with 80% organic feed (situation at the time of the experiment; 2004) and 95% organic feed (alternative). 2. Diets were optimised for nutritional value, allowing a maximum 10% increase in feed price when using 100% organic feedstuffs. This could only be achieved at the expense of the methionine content. 3. The birds were reared from 0 to 3 weeks of age in a broiler house in three groups of 500 broilers each on either an 80, a 95 or a 100% organic starter diet. At 3 weeks of age, they were transferred to 15 pens with an outdoor run. Each treatment group of 500 birds was divided into 5 groups of 95 and given an 80, a 95 or a 100% organic finisher diet. 4. Broilers receiving 100% organic feed reached a lower body weight and grew more slowly than those receiving 95% organic feed, mainly because of a lower feed intake. 5. Broilers on 95 or 100% organic feed had a higher incidence of breast blisters than broilers receiving 80% organic feed. 6. The cost price for meat from broilers that received 80% organic feed was euro1.83 per kg live weight. The cost prices for broilers that received 95 and 100% organic feed were euro1.84 (+0.8%) and euro1.93 (+5.4%) per kg live weight, respectively. 7. In conclusion, 95% organic feed led to a better performance than 100% organic feed in this study. Probably, the lower methionine content in the 100% organic feed negatively affected performance. The results for 95% organic feed were similar to 80% organic feed, except for a higher incidence of breast blisters.     

姜黄素对肉鸡生产性能及肉品质的影响

将120只1日龄肉仔鸡随机分成4组,每组30只,后3组(试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组)分别喂添加150、200、250mg/kg姜黄素的日粮,对照组饲喂基础日粮。试验期6周。研究结果表明:在肉仔鸡日粮中添加适量姜黄素能提高肉仔鸡活重、全净膛重、屠宰率及胸肌、腿肌的增重,降低料肉比,并且添加适量姜黄素能显著降低肉鸡腹脂、肝脂沉积。提高了生产性能和改善了鸡肉品质,在3个试验组中,综合效果以添加姜黄素200mg/kg组最好。     

Impact of feeding 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid and DL-methionine supplemented maize-soybean-rapeseed meal diets on growth performance and carcase quality of broilers

1. This experiment was conducted to compare the effectiveness of DL-2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid (HMTBA) and DL-methionine (DLM) on growth performance and carcase quality of broilers in a 2 x 3 x 2 factorial experimental design including two methionine (Met) sources, three equimolar levels of Met supplementation and two sexes. 2. No difference was observed between the two Met sources in growth performance and muscle deposition from 10 to 49 d. With increasing Met levels, average daily gain was increased in the starter, grower and overall phases, average daily feed intake was increased in the starter phase, and feed:gain ratio was decreased in the grower and overall phases. Met supplementation increased breast muscle content and decreased abdominal fat content. Broilers given HMTBA had breast and thigh muscle coloration that was characterised as superior to those fed DLM. 3. These results indicated that Met supplementation improved growth performance and carcase quality irrespective of the Met sources. Compared to DLM, HMTBA has the same molar bioefficacy for improving the growth performance and carcase quality; however, HMTBA-fed birds had superior meat colour to DLM-fed birds.     

Effect of electrical and gaseous stunning on the carcase and meat quality of broilers

1. The aim of the experiment was to investigate the effect of gaseous stunning methods on the carcase and meat quality of broilers (dead weight 1.0 to 2.3 kg) in comparison with electrical stunning.

2. Two replicates of broilers (age 54 and 59 d respectively) were stunned in carbon dioxide, in argon or by electric current, and the carcases were plucked either by a mechanical plucker or by hand.

3. Carcase and meat quality were evaluated to determine the effect of these stunning treatments and plucking methods. The quality factors measured included pH at 20 min post‐mortem, ultimate pH, texture and colour of the pectoralis major muscle, and the incidence of carcase appearance defects, cooking loss, broken bones and bruises in the breast and leg muscles.

4. Stunning method had a significant effect on pH at 20 min, ultimate pH, texture and colour of breast meat. Plucking method had a significant effect on the cooking loss and texture.

5. Argon stunning resulted in fewer muscle haemorrhages, a more rapid early post‐mortem fall in pH and more tender breast meat than in the electrically stunned broilers; carbon dioxide stunned broilers had intermediate values for pH decline and meat tenderness but were not significantly different from argon stunning regarding muscle haemorrhages.

6. Appearance defects occurred to a similar extent in all the stunning methods and mechanical plucking resulted in 4 times as many defects compared with hand plucking; the incidence of broken bones was higher in mechanically plucked broilers than in hand plucked carcases.

7. Gaseous stunning of broilers produced relatively better quality carcases and meat than electrical stunning, and therefore may have commercial advantages.     

日粮锌水平对肉仔鸡组织锌浓度及其生产性能与免疫机能的影响

180只1日龄艾维茵肉仔鸡随机分为1个对照组和5个试验组,公母各半,每组30只。对照组饲喂锌水平为22.61mg/kg的基础日粮;试验组分别在基础日粮中添加25、65、145、305和625mg/kg的锌,锌源为硫酸锌,研究日粮锌水平对组织锌浓度及其生产性能与免疫机能的影响。结果表明,肉仔鸡采食含锌22.61mg/kg的基础日粮时,生产性能无明显变化,但肝脏与胫骨的锌浓度显著降低,体液免疫与细胞免疫机能呈不同程度的下降,提示日粮临界缺锌;日粮锌水平在47.61～87.61mg/kg范围内时,肉仔鸡肝脏与胫骨的锌浓度相对稳定,生产性能、免疫机能也均较高,提示日粮锌适宜;日粮锌水平为167.61mg/kg时,肉仔鸡免疫机能较高,但肝脏与胫骨的锌浓度发生了相应的异常变化,生产性能也呈下降的趋势,提示日粮临界锌过量;日粮锌水平高于327.61mg/kg时,肉仔鸡肝脏与胫骨的锌浓度发生显著的异常变化,生产性能、免疫机能也均显著下降,提示日粮锌过量。     

不同能量蛋白质水平和抗生素日粮对肉用仔鸡生产性能和胴体品质的影响

肉鸡日粮中能量和蛋白质水平直接影响其生产性能。抗生素具有促进生长、防治疾病和改善饲料效率的作用 ,但不同营养水平、饲养条件下抗生素的作用效果有所不同 ,其中能量和蛋白质水平可能是影响其作用效果的主要因素。为探讨肉鸡生产中合理的能量、蛋白质和抗生素供给水平 ,本试验在肉鸡生长的前期、中期、后期分别设计高、低 2个能量蛋白质水平和 4种抗生素处理 ,研究肉鸡日粮适宜的能量、蛋白质水平和抗生素组合。1　材料与方法1 1　试验设计与分组　试验设计见表 1。表 1　试验因子及试验设计处理能量蛋白质水平抗生素添加水平1高能高蛋…     

Withdrawal of zinc oxide-containing diets from mature, female domestic fowl: effects on laying performance and the weights of selected tissues

1. Two hundred and sixteen laying hens of two strains were given diets containing ZnO to provide 0, 0.5, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 2.00, 3.00 or 4.00 g added Zn/kg. These diets were given ad libitum for 5 consecutive 28-d periods. All hens subsequently received the control diet with no added ZnO for 5 weeks. 2. Four hens from each treatment were killed 0, 1 and 5 weeks after substitution of the ZnO-supplemented diets by the control diet. 3. The adverse effects of the ZnO-containing diets on body weight, food intake, egg production, pancreas, gizzard, oviduct and ovary weights/kg body weight were reversed by removal of the ZnO from the diets. 4. Five weeks after withdrawal egg production of the group which had received the diet with the highest concentration of added ZnO was only 50% of that of the control birds. 5. The beneficial effect of the added ZnO on internal egg quality was not maintained after withdrawal of the ZnO-containing diets.     

Effect of less intensive rearing conditions on litter characteristics, growth performance, carcase injuries and meat quality of broilers

1. The objective was to compare the effect of two litter types (wheat straw and wood shavings) and two different rearing conditions (Treated and Control) on welfare indicators, broiler performance, carcase injuries, particularly hock and foot pad dermatitis (FPD), litter characteristics and meat quality. 2. Treated conditions were characterised by a low stocking density (11 birds/m(2)), short photoperiod (16 h light: 8 h dark) and a large amount of litter (3 to 4.5 kg/m(2), respectively, for wheat straw or wood shavings). Control conditions were a high stocking density (14 birds/m(2)), long photoperiod (23 h light:1 h dark) and small amount of litter (2.3 to 3 kg/m(2), respectively, for wheat straw or wood shavings). In addition, the effects of two widely used litter materials, wheat straw and wood shavings, were investigated. 3. The combined effects of lower stocking density, greater amount of litter material and a photoperiod similar to the natural one, reduced the occurrence of FPD in Treated groups keeping the FPD score under the European threshold. 4. Improved rearing conditions led to faster growth rate associated with inferior feed efficiency, whereas litter type exerted negligible effects on broiler performance. 5. Litter moisture content, nitrogen and ammonia released by the litter were lower in Treated groups than Control groups. The use of wood shavings resulted in lower moisture and nitrogen concentrations in the litter.     

Comparison of the effects of feeding diets supplemented with zinc oxide or zinc acetate on the performance and tissue mineral content of mature female fowls

An experiment is reported in which zinc, as acetate or oxide, was fed to laying hens for 10 weeks at concentrations equivalent to 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 g added Zn/kg diet. Both concentration and form of Zn additive significantly reduced food, water and Zn intakes, egg production and body weight, the acetate having a greater detrimental effect than the oxide at equivalent added Zn inclusion. Zinc acetate depressed the fresh weight/kg body weight of the kidneys, ovary and oviduct to a greater extent than the corresponding oxide treatments. Concentration, but not form of additive, significantly reduced liver and pancreas weights and liver lipid concentration, while spleen and gizzard weights showed increases. Overall, the additives significantly increased the Zn and Fe concentrations of the liver, kidneys, pancreas and gizzard. Zinc concentrations of liver, pancreas and gizzard and Fe concentrations of liver were consistently higher for the acetate-fed birds. Liver, pancreas and gizzard Cu concentrations significantly declined as inclusion rate of Zn increased.     

日粮中添加半胱胺对艾维茵肉用仔鸡生产性能的影响

半胱胺（Cystimine,简称CS）对动物的作用近年来研究较多,它可以作用于体内的生长抑素（SS）,并间接影响与生长相关的激素水平,从而促进动物的生长,改善其生产性能。韩正康（1992）、王艳玲等（1993）届彩梅等（2002）的研究表明,CS能促进鸡、兔等动物的生长,提高饲料转化率,并使血液中SS含量明显降低,生长激素（GH）水平显著升高。但由于半胱胺的化学结构中含有非常     

不同种类有机酸对肉鸡生长性能、养分利用率和肠道微生态的影响研究

本试验研究不同种类有机酸对肉鸡生长性能、养分利用率和肠道微生态的影响。将240只1日龄艾维茵肉鸡随机分为4个处理（对照组、1．5％柠檬酸组、1．5％延胡索酸组、0．2％复合酸化剂组），每个处理6个重复，每个重复10只鸡。在试验第17～20d和38～41d分别进行代谢试验在试验第21d和42d进行屠宰试验。结果表明：肉鸡日粮中添加1．s％柠檬酸、1．5％延胡索酸和0．2％复合酸化荆不同程度改善肉鸡生产性能；提高前期阶段饲粮能量和养分的利用；对42日龄盲肠内容物的pH值有一定影响，同时，柠檬酸和复合酸化剂能显著促进肉鸡42日龄直肠乳酸杆菌的增殖；综合分析所有参数，0．2％复合酸化剂的作用效果最优。     

Effect of graded levels of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and their combinations on the performance and immune response of broilers

1. The effects of dietary aflatoxin (AF, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg), ochratoxin (OA, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg) or combinations of these on body weight gain, feed efficiency, organ weights and immune response were studied in broilers. 2. Significant growth depression, reduced food consumption and poor food conversion efficiency were recorded in broilers fed a diet containing the greater concentrations of AF (1 and 2 mg/kg) and OA (2 and 4 mg/kg). 3. The combination of 2 mg/kg AF and 4 mg/kg OA exerted the maximum adverse effect on growth, feed intake and feed efficiency, indicating a synergistic effect on performance. 4. AF at 2 mg/kg in the diet caused a significant increase in the relative weight of liver, whereas the relative weight of kidney was significantly increased at 4 mg/kg of OA. A significant decrease in the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius was noted at the highest concentration of AF (2 mg/kg) and combinations of 1 and 2 mg/kg AF and 2 and 4 mg/kg OA. 5. Cell mediated immunity (CMI), in terms of mean skin thickness (MST) sensitive to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), was significantly reduced in chicks given the combination of 2 mg/kg AF and 4 mg/kg OA. Haemagglutination (HA) titre against sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) peaked at 42 d of age. At 42 and 47 d of age, a significant decrease in HA titres was recorded in chicks given 4 mg/kg OA or a combination of AF (1 or 2 mg/kg) and OA (2 or 4 mg/kg). 6. AF at a dietary concentration of 1 mg/kg or more and OA at 2 mg/kg or more, either alone or in combination, caused severe reductions in growth and immune response.     

日粮中添加茶多酚对青脚麻鸡生长性能、胴体品质和血脂的影响

本文研究了在基础日粮中添加0.02%、0.04%和0.06%水平的茶多酚对青脚麻鸡生长性能、胴体品质和血脂的影响。试验选用15日龄健康青脚麻鸡160只,随机分为4个处理组,每组4个重复,每个重复4只鸡。试验期42 d。试验结果表明:在饲粮中添加一定浓度水平的茶多酚能有效提高青脚麻鸡生产性能(P<0.05),但饲料转化率不和日粮中茶多酚添加量成正比;茶多酚对青脚麻鸡胴体品质的影响效果在不同性别间和部位间差异不同,可以有效降低胸、腿肌剪切力,显著提高青脚麻鸡肉的嫩度(P<0.01);随茶多酚添加浓度增加能有效降低青脚麻鸡的腹脂率(P<0.05),同时对青脚麻鸡与脂肪代谢有关的血液生化指标TC、TG、HDL-C、LDL-C和GLU影响在其43日龄左右的生长中期效果显著。要达到显著效果,茶多酚的添加量不少于0.04%为宜。     

Effects of graded levels of Fusarium toxin contaminated maize in diets for female weaned piglets.

A dose response study was carried out with piglets to examine the effects of increasing amounts of Fusarium toxins in the diet on performance, clinical serum characteristics, organ weights and residues of zearalenone (ZON) and deoxynivalenol (DON) and their metabolites in body fluids and tissues. For this purpose, Fusarium toxin contaminated maize (1.2 mg ZON and 8.6 mg DON per kg maize) was incorporated into a maize based diet for piglets at 0, 6, 12.5, 25 and 50% at the expense of control maize. The experimental diets were tested on 100 female piglets allotted to 20 boxes (five animals per box) covering a body weight range of 12.4 +/- 2.2 kg to 32.5 +/- 5.6 kg. Voluntary feed intake and, consequently, body weight gain of the animals receiving the highest proportion of Fusarium toxin contaminated maize were significantly decreased while the feed conversion ratio was not affected by the treatment. The mean weight of the uterus related to the body weight of the animals of the same group was increased by almost 100% as compared to the control. For this group, significantly decreased values of total serum protein were determined, while the serum activity of the liver enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase and the serum concentration of the follicle stimulating hormone were decreased for all treatment groups receiving 6% contaminated maize or more in the diet. Serum concentrations of immuneglobulins were not consistently altered by the treatment. Corresponding to the dietary exposure, increasing concentrations of ZON and alpha-zearalenol were detected in the bile fluid, liver and in pooled urine samples. The metabolite beta-zearalenol was detected only in bile fluid. The total concentration of ZON plus its metabolites in bile fluid correlated well with the diet contamination (r = 0.844). DON was found in serum, bile fluid and pooled urine samples while de-epoxy-DON was detected only in urine. The serum concentration of DON correlated well with the respective toxin intake 3-4 h prior to slaughtering (r = 0.957). For all mentioned analyses of residues it has to be noted that toxin residues were detectable even if negligible concentrations were present in the diet.     

Effects of on-farm diets for organic pig production on performance and carcass quality

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of a restriction to home-grown feedstuffs and abstinence from supplementation with synthetic amino acids (AA), as ideal objectives in organic pig production according to the IFOAM standards, on growth performance and carcass characteristics. One hundred individually housed pigs were allocated to four dietary treatments and fed from growing through finishing to compare three organic barley/wheat-based diets with an isocaloric conventional diet supplemented with synthetic AA. Protein sources in the organic treatments were either faba beans, supplemented with potato protein to the same AA level as the control diet, peas and lupines, or faba beans and lupines, both without further supplementation, leading to a lower level of limited AA. Supplementation of organic diets with potato protein resulted in the same performance as supplementing the conventional diet with synthetic AA, although crude protein levels differed markedly. Pigs fed the organic diets without AA supplementation grew more slowly (P < .05) and had a decreased feed intake in the grower period (P < .05) but nearly the same feed efficiency (P > .05) as pigs fed conventional or organic diets with AA supplementation. Carcass characteristics differed in percentage of lean meat and longissimus area, being lower in the treatments without AA supplementation (P < .05). However, the intramuscular fat was higher without AA supplementation (2.9% fat) than with supplementation (1.2% fat) (P < .01). The data show that the exclusion of AA supplementation resulted in a reduction in pig performance but in an increase in intramuscular fat content; the latter is an important aspect of eating quality characteristics.     

天门冬氨酸镁添加水平对肉仔鸡生长性能及肉品质的影响

试验研究天门冬氨酸镁(MgAsp)添加水平对肉仔鸡生长性能及肉品质的影响。选用240只22日龄的艾维茵肉仔鸡,随机分成5组,每组6个重复,每个重复8只鸡。试验期为3周。分别添加MgAsp使镁的添加水平分别为0、0.06%、0.12%、0.20%、0.30%。结果表明,饲料中添加镁对肉仔鸡的日平均增重和料重比无显著影响(P>0.05);0.20%镁能显著改善肉质,提高胸肌蛋白和腿肌蛋白含量;降低脂肪、总胆固醇、甘油三酯和低密度脂蛋白含量(P<0.05),对腿肌脂肪含量影响不显著(P>0.05)。研究结果表明,日粮中添加天门冬氨酸镁对肉仔鸡的生产性能无显著影响;添加0.20%镁水平可以显著提高鸡肉肉品质。     

谷氨酰胺对AA肉鸡屠宰性能及肉品质性状的影响

本文旨在研究日粮中添加谷氨酰胺(Gln)对AA肉鸡屠宰性能及肉品质性状的影响。选择28日龄健康的爱拨益加(AA)肉鸡120只(♀),随机分成4组,每组30只,A组为对照组,饲喂基础日粮,B、C和D组为试验组,分别饲喂在基础日粮中添加0.4%、0.7%和1.0%Gln的日粮,试验期14 d,试验结束每组随机抽取10只肉鸡屠宰测定屠宰性能及肉品质性状指标。结果表明:日粮中添加Gln对AA肉鸡的屠宰率、半净膛率、全净膛率、胸肌率、腿肌率和皮下脂肪厚无显著影响,有提高熟肉率、宰后肌肉pH值的趋势,D组腹脂率显著降低(P<0.05),B组和C组胸肌滴水损失显著降低(P<0.05),C组和D组腿肌滴水损失显著降低(P<0.05)。结果提示在AA肉鸡日粮中添加Gln对屠宰性能和肉品质性状有改善作用。     

日粮中添加大蒜粉对肉仔鸡生产性能和肉质的影响

选用240只长沙黄肉鸡,随机分为4组,对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组在基础日粮中分别添加杆菌肽锌(20mg/kg)、1.5%和2%的大蒜粉,比较试验鸡的生产性能和肉质.研究结果表明:①日粮中添加1.5%和2.0%的大蒜粉可显著提高肉鸡的日增重、饲料效率和成活率(P＜0.05)及改善肉鸡的屠宰率和肉品质.②大蒜粉可替代抗生素杆菌肽锌对肉鸡起促生长和提高饲料效率的作用.     

甘氨酸两种衍生物替代抗生素饲喂肉仔鸡效果的初步研究

选用1日龄肉仔鸡180只,随机分为5个处理组,每个处理设3个重复,每个重复12只鸡.对照组日粮为基础日粮 抗生素,试验1组日粮为基础日粮 0.55g/kg甘氨酸水杨醛席夫碱,试验2组日粮为基础日粮 1.1g/kg甘氨酸水杨醛席夫碱,试验3组日粮为基础日粮 037g/kg甘氨酸水杨醛铜配合物,试验4组日粮为基础日粮 0.74g/kg甘氨酸水杨醛铜配合物,试验期42d.研究甘氨酸水杨醛席夫碱及其与铜的配合物对内仔鸡生长性能、胴体品质及部分免疫器官的影响.结果表明与对照组相比,在42日龄时,各试验组平均日增重分别提高了8.53%(P＜0.05)、2.57%、7.00%(P＜0.05)、1.75%;试验各组的胸肌率分别提高12.93%(P＜0.05)、4.23%、4.80%,2.79%;试验各组腿肌率分别提高13.09%(P＜0.05)、10.79%(P＜0.05)、11.34%(P＜0.05)和6.94%;试验各组脾脏指数分别提高54.92%(P＜0.05)、26.49%、34.44%、2.03%;试验各组法氏囊指数分别提高83.3%(P＜0.05)、36.90%、71.43%(P＜0.05)、21.43%;各试验组的腹脂率分别降低18.69%、17.76%、33.64%(P＜0.05)、42.52%(P＜0.05);试验各组滴水损失分别降低27.05%(P＜0.05)、18.18%、11.97%、7.32%.综合而言,以添加O.55 g/kg的甘氨酸水杨醛席夫碱,0.37g/kg的甘氨酸水杨醛铜配合物的效果较好.     

胆囊收缩素主动免疫对猪生长性能、胴体品质影响研究

试验采用单因子设计,选用健康无病、体格健壮体重约28kg的DLY三元杂交生长肥育阉割猪15头,随机分配到3个处理中,每个处理5个重复,每个重复1头猪。处理1、2和3的猪分别用由0μg、250μg和500μgCCK-8与人血清白蛋白交联后形成抗原进行臀部肌肉多4点注射免疫,免疫的时间分别为试验第1、29、43和59d。试验期74d。结果表明:250μg、500μgCCK-8的CCK-HAS使动物体内产生了较高滴度的CCK抗体,试验43d后达到显著水平(P<0.05);同时抗体有效的中和了血液中的CCK-8,使得试验43d血液中的CCK-8显著降低(P<0.05)。其中250μg处理显著提高全期采食量、日增重,幅度为11.96%、14.62%(P<0.05);而500μg处理对生产性能没有影响。250μg、500μg处理对眼肌面积、4点平均膘厚及部分肉质指标滴水损失、大理石纹、肌肉pH、色度计L值和a值没有影响。