Production analysis of broiler farming in central Punjab,Pakistan

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study examined the analysis of personal and production performance of broiler farming in 10 cities of central Punjab (Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Okara,...     

Effects of steam-treated rice straw feeding on growth,digestibility, and plasma volatile fatty acids of goats under different housing systems

In order to use rice straw as forage in livestock feeding, the effects of steam-treated rice straw (at 15.5 kgf/cm² for 120 s) feeding on growth performance, plasma volatile fatty acid profile, and nutrient digestibility of goats were determined. Twenty male goats (18.69?±?0.34 kg) were used in an 84-day trial. The goats were divided into four groups of five goats each to receive steam-treated (STRS) or untreated (UTRS) rice straw diet under closed house (CH) and open house (OH) systems. The results revealed that the goats fed with STRS had significantly higher dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility; similarly, the average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio were higher for STRS groups under both CH and OH systems than those for UTRS. The plasma protein and insulin in STRS and cholesterol in UTRS groups was higher (P?P?>?0.05) at 30 days. The plasma amylase, lipase, T₃, T₄ and glucagon at 30 and 60 days were not different (P?>?0.05) among the groups. The plasma acetate, propionate, butyrate, and total volatile fatty acid were higher (P?P?>?0.05) on these parameters. It could be concluded that steam treatment of rice straw at 15.5 kgf/cm² for 120 s increased apparent nutrient digestibility, hence increased the growth and feed efficiency of growing goats.     

Responses of energy balance, physiology, and production for transition dairy cows fed with a low-energy prepartum diet during hot season

Twenty multiparous Chinese Holstein dairy cows calving in hot summer (S group), were compared with 20 similar control cows calving in cool autumn (C group). Diets were the same for both groups; prepartum diets had relatively low energy density. Average temperature–humidity index was 76.5 and 53.0 in summer and autumn, respectively. S group cows had significantly higher rectal temperatures (39.6 vs. 39.0 °C) and respiration rates (79.0 vs. 31.3 breaths/min) than C group, and consumed less feed (prepartum 8.0 vs. 12.3 kg/day, postpartum 16.3 vs. 21.2 kg/day). Calculated energy balance (EB) was ?7.98 vs. ?5.15 Mcal/day for S group prepartum and postpartum, respectively. In contrast, EB was 1.36 vs. ?2.03 Mcal/day for C group prepartum and postpartum, respectively. S group produced significantly less milk than C group by 15.4 % (5.2 kg/day) and 26.8 % (10.2 kg/d) for milk yield and energy-corrected milk, respectively. Percentages of milk fat (3.28 vs. 4.29 %), protein (3.08 vs. 3.33 %), and solids-not-fat (8.46 vs. 8.78 %) were significantly lower for S group. Milk urea nitrogen (19.54 vs. 13.31 mg/dL) was significantly higher in S group. Significantly lower feed efficiency was observed in S group (1.56 vs. 1.66). During the entire transition period, S group had significantly lower circulating glucose levels. S group had significantly higher levels of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) prepartum, but after 14 days in milk, NEFA was significantly lower. We conclude that increasing dietary energy density during transition period (especially prepartum) is necessary to minimize adverse effects of hot season.     

Post-vaccination antibodies profile against Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus in sheep and goats of Punjab,Pakistan

A total of 70 sheep and 330 goats were selected randomly. All the animals were kept under same housing and management conditions. Serum samples were collected from all the animals and tested for the presence of antibodies against Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus using competitive ELISA (cELISA). All the animals were found negative showing percentage inhibition (PI) values <50. The animals were vaccinated against PPR with Nig/75/1 strain vaccine of PPR Serum samples were collected from randomly selected 12 sheep and 30 goats at 10, 30 and 45 days post-vaccination. The samples were subjected to cELISA to determine the presence of antibodies against PPRV. The samples with PI >50 were considered as sero-positive. The sheep found positive at 10, 30 and 45 days post-vaccination were 1(8.3%), 7(58.3%) and 12(100%) respectively. In case of goats 3(10.0%), 29(96.6%) and 27(90.0%) animals gave positive results at 10, 30 and 45 days post-vaccination respectively. Mean PI values in sheep at 10, 30 and 45 days post-vaccination were recorded as 37, 65 and 91 respectively, whereas in goats these values were 43, 78 and 86 respectively.     

Protective immune responses induced by in ovo immunization with recombinant adenoviruses expressing spike (S1) glycoprotein of infectious bronchitis virus fused/co-administered with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes tremendous economic losses associated with production inefficiencies and mortality in poultry industry worldwide. In the present report, the recombinant adenoviruses expressing chicken granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and S1 gene of nephropathogenic IBV were constructed and characterized. Then, the immunological efficacy and protection against homologous IBV challenge were assessed in specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens. The results showed that the chickens vaccinated in ovo with rAd-S1, rAd-GM-S1 (GM-CSF fused with S1 using glycine linkers) and rAd-GM-CSF plus rAd-S1 (co-administered) developed specific anti-IBV HI antibodies. Moreover, the fusion of the GM-CSF markedly increased spleen cell proliferation and IFN-γ production while mild increased in IL-4 production, which demonstrated the enhancement of cell-mediated immune responses. Following challenge with IBV, the chickens in the group vaccinated with rAd-S1 fused or co-administered with GM-CSF had fewer nephropathic lesions and showed 100% protection as compared to that of rAd-S1 alone which showed 70% protection. It indicated that the single dose in ovo vaccination of the GM-CSF fused or co-administered with S1 of IBV could enhance significantly the humoral, cellular immune responses and provide complete protection against nephropathogenic IBV challenge. This finding may provide basic information for effective in ovo vaccines design against IBV.