Comparison of performance and intestinal characteristics of broiler chickens fed on diets containing whole,rolled or ground barley

1. In two experiments, no consistent differences in weight gain or food intake appeared between broiler chickens given diets based on whole or rolled barley, but food: gain ratio and gizzard weight as a percentage of live weight were reduced (P<0.05) when barley was rolled. Grit addition did not affect performance or intestinal characteristics.

2. In a third experiment, whole barley diets gave significandy higher weight gain than ground barley diets; this was attributable to the significandy higher food consumption. Gizzard weight as a percentage of live weight increased (P< 0.05) when whole barley was fed, while foodrgain ratio was not significandy (P>0.05) affected by the form of barley.

3. The number of particles in the intestinal contents with sizes larger than 2.4 mm was not significantly (P<0.05) different between broiler chickens fed on whole barley and those fed ground barley, but the number of particles with sizes between 2.4 and 0.7 mm was lower (P< 0.05) when diets with whole barley were fed.

4. Enzyme addition increased (P< 0.05) weight gain and the DM of intestinal contents, and decreased (P<0.05) intestinal viscosity, food:gain ratio and pancreas weight as a percentage of live weight regardless of form of the barley.     

Growth performance,carcass traits,meat chemical composition and blood serum metabolites of broiler chicken fed on diets containing flaxseed oil

1. This study evaluated the effects of diets with partial and total substitution of soya bean oil (SO) with flaxseed (linseed) oil (FO) on broiler chicken performance, carcass traits, meat chemical composition and blood serum metabolites.

2. A total of 448 one-d-old Cobb 500 broiler chicken were used. They were allotted among 4 treatments with 8 replications, using a completely randomised design, for 35 d. Four diets were compared: T1 = 100% SO (3%, 1–7 d; 4%, 8–21 d; and 5%, 22–35 d); T2 = 50% SO + 50% FO; T3 = 25% SO + 75% FO and T4 = 100% FO.

3. No significant differences were observed in body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and blood serum metabolites (total triglycerides, TRI; total cholesterol, CHO; high-density lipoprotein, HDL; low-density lipoprotein, LDL; glucose, GLU; albumin, ALB; globulin, GLO; and total proteins, TPs). Significant effects were observed for TRI, CHO, HDL, GLU, HDL, LDL, ALB and GLO with regard to the day of collection.

4. Carcass traits did not show significant differences for the treatments. No significant differences were observed for breast and drumstick chemical compositions, with the exception of drumstick fat concentration (quadratic effect).

5. In conclusion, the partial or total substitution of SO with FO did not affect growth performance, carcass traits, meat chemical composition or blood serum profile in broiler chicken. Therefore, FO can be an alternative to SO in the diet formulation for broiler chicken.     

Haematology, blood biochemistry and tissue histopathology of lambs maintained on diets containing an insect controlling protein (Cry1Ac) in Bt-cottonseed

This experiment assessed the effect of feeding genetically modified cottonseed (Bt) containing an insect controlling protein (Cry1Ac) on haematology, blood biochemistry and histopathology of lambs. Haemato-biochemicals were estimated at periodic intervals, and histopathology at termination of experiment. Thirty three weaner lambs were fed a composite feed mixture (CFM) ad libitum individually, in three groups for 123 days. The isonitrogenous CFM had roughage (Perl Millet Stover) and concentrate ratio of 350:650. Diet fed to control lambs contained groundnut oil meal as protein source while other two groups received diet containing either whole cottonseed (N-Bt) or Bt-cottonseed (Bt-CS). Daily feed intake and average daily gain were similar among lambs of three groups. Lambs fed N-Bt diet had higher (p < 0.05) serum protein and globulin compared to control and Bt diets, while albumin content was higher (p = 0.018) in Bt diet fed lambs. Serum urea and creatinin content, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and serum glutamate pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) activities were not different among lamb groups, while urea and creatinin content and ALP activities increased linearly (p < 0.001) with increased feeding period. Blood haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hc), white blood cells (WBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) ranged from 11.1% to 11.2%, 31.8% to 32.8%, 7.0 to 8.3 (× 10(3) /μl), 19.1 to 22.5 fl and 33.2% to 35.5%, respectively, were similar among lamb groups. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (p = 0.008) and red blood cell counts (p = 0.006) were higher in Bt diet fed lambs. Control and N-Bt diet fed lambs had mild fatty infiltration in liver and/or micro-calculi in renal cortex, and such lesions were not seen in Bt diet fed lambs. Growth, haemato-biochemical and histopathology did not change by Bt-CS feeding in growing lamb. However, before recommending the use of Bt-CS in routine feed formulations prolonged feeding experiments of Bt-cotton seed require.     

Milk production performance of Friesian-Holstein cows fed diets containing Medicago sativa, Centrosema pubescens, or groundnut haulms (Arachis hypogaea)

To investigate the effect of feeding dairy cows diets containing lucerne hay, centrosema hay, and groundnut haulms (crop residue) on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield, and milk composition, nine multiparous Friesian-Holstein cows in their mid-lactation stage were used in a 3?×?3 crossover design replicated three times. Dairy cows fed lucerne hay had significantly (p?<?0.001) higher DMI than dairy cows fed centrosema hay. DMI for cows fed groundnut haulms and lucerne hay was not significantly different. Daily milk yield for dairy cows fed diet containing lucerne hay was significantly (p?<?0.01) higher than that for dairy cows fed diets containing groundnut haulms or centrosema hay. Milk composition and body condition scores of the cows were not significantly affected by either lucerne hay, groundnut haulms, or centrosema hay. Overall, the results in this study indicated that feeding dairy cows diets containing lucerne hay increased milk yield.