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- Somatic cell count and an Animal Needs Index to evaluate animal welfare in
dairy cattle on farms constructed to the standards of the Agriculture and
Rural Development Support Institution
Abstract: In this research, welfare measurements were made on 14 modern dairy cattle farms (Type 1) with similar enterprise scales and built without any support from any institution, and on eight modern dairy cattle farms (Type 2), which were built with the support of the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (ARDSI), in the province of Konya, Turkey. Welfare levels of dairy cattle farms were measured using the Animal Needs Index (ANI) 35L/2000 method. Milk samples were taken from each of these enterprises and somatic cell counts were obtained. Collected data and calculated ANI scores were compared. While there was a substantial difference between the two enterprise types in terms of the scores obtained for stockmanship (welfare measurement) and the general ANI scores, there was no relationship between the enterprise types in terms of somatic cell count. According to the ANI 35L/2000 welfare measurement method, suitable welfare conditions were provided in these enterprises. However, when examining categories that determine the overall ANI welfare score, deficiencies in some welfare criteria such as flooring, stockmanship, and light-air conditions were noted.
- Effect of pineapple peel addition on sorghum ensilage
Abstract: Silage mixed with forage and byproducts is an alternative nutritional strategy for ruminant production. This study aimed to characterize chemical-nutritional aspects, fermentative profile, and digestibility of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) silage with different contents of pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr.) peel inclusion at 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80% of fresh matter. The experimental design was completely randomized with five replicates per treatment. Mixed feeds were ensiled in experimental silos for 65 days, subsequently opened, and samples were analysed. The increase in the proportions of pineapple peel caused a linear increase in dry matter, crude protein, mineral matter, ether extract, soluble carbohydrate, cellulose, lignin, and in vitro digestibility of dry matter in sorghum silage. The mean concentrations of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) had a negative quadratic relationship with the inclusion of pineapple peel, reducing from 0% to 40% (-2.56% for NDF and -3.14% for ADF) followed by stabilization at subsequent contents. Silage pH was not influenced, however, acetic and propionic acids increased linearly, while butyric acid decreased linearly with pineapple peel inclusion. The highest losses in gases and effluents were obtained in silage with 0% pineapple peel inclusion (1.77% of dry matter and 4.06 kg t-1 of dry matter), which resulted in lower dry matter recovery (93.56%). Adding pineapple peel to sorghum benefits composition, fermentation, in vitro digestibility, and decreases silage losses. An inclusion of 40-80% sorghum can be recommended.
- Effect of a probiotic blend in broiler chicken diets and its effect on
growth performance, carcass traits, and haematological profile
Abstract: The study aimed to assess the effect of different dietary levels of a probiotic blend (Probio Enzyme®) during the first 14 days of age (DOA) or up to 42 DOA, on growth performance, carcass and digestive tract traits, and haematological profiles of broiler chicks. A total of 540, one-day-old broiler chicks were randomized assigned to nine treatments: four dietary probiotic blend levels (250, 500, 750, and 1,000 g/ton) within two feeding periods (0-14 and 0-42 d, respectively), whereas the ninth treatment was a control diet without any dietary probiotic supplementation. The feed intake (FI) was found to be higher in broilers fed 1,000 g/ton of probiotic blend when fed during the first 14 d; however, BW gain and feed efficiency were not influenced by the treatments. Carcasses (deplumed and full) from broilers fed 250 g/ton of probiotic blend (0-14 DOA) were heavier than the other groups; the same was observed for leg portions. Broiler duodenum, jejunum and ileum weights, and ileum percentage were greater when fed diets without any supplementation. The haematological profile of broilers was not affected by the dietary treatments.
- Effect of combination magnetic technology and encapsulated probiotics in
the drinking water on blood profile and immunity of laying hens
Abstract: This study aimed to determine the health status of laying hens using a combination of magnetic technology and probiotics in drinking water. A total of two hundred and eighty-eight (288), 57-week-old ISA Brown laying hens were assigned to six treatments with nine replicates in drinking water. Statistical data analysis followed a completely randomized design with treatments including water as control, magnetic technology (MT), 0.6% probiotic (PRO), 0.6% probiotic and magnetic technology (PRO+MT), 0.6% encapsulated probiotic (EPRO), and 0.6% encapsulated probiotic and magnetic technology (EPRO+MT). The laying hens received treatments for six weeks (42 d). The encapsulated probiotic was used to improve probiotic durability from intestinal damage. The health status consisted of blood and immunity profiles, including leukocytes, erythrocytes, haemoglobin, and haematocrit, CD8+, CD4+, malondialdehyde, and B cells. The water quality was improved by the use of magnetic technology. Magnetic technology effectively decreased the CD8+, CD4+, malondialdehyde, and B cells in the blood of laying hens compared to treatments without magnetic technology. The combination of magnetic and encapsulation technology showed maximum results in improving blood profile and immune response.
- Genetic diversity and population structure of Turkish Aseel
chickens
Abstract: This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity, maternal origin, and population structure of Turkish Aseel chickens. The research was conducted on Aseel roosters and chicks older than one year. DNA was extracted from 96 Turkish Aseel feather samples collected from various regions of Türkiye for the study. Sample DNAs were amplified using specific primers for the D-loop region of the chicken mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The sequences were produced using the amplified DNA samples. The mtDNA D-loop regions were compared with the sequences of the same genetic area from other chicken breeds. Turkish Aseel chickens provided 34 haplotypes and 18 genuine polymorphisms across 41 distinct regions that were particular to the breed. According to the findings of the phylogenetic tree, Turkish Aseel chickens tend to establish clusters of haplogroups among themselves. Although most Turkish Aseel samples clustered individually into three clades, at least one sample has been discovered with five distinct clades. According to the phylogenetic tree and the Median Joining Network, it can be concluded that while many of the haplogroups of Turkish Aseel cluster among themselves, they have diverse maternal origins and lack breed-specific maternal lineages. This research is the first extensive study to examine genetic variability in Turkish Aseel chickens. Considering the lack of similar data on other Aseel varieties raised in different counties, the current work is a pioneering study with data on the genetic characterization of the Aseel breed.
- Carcass traits and meat quality of steers fed palm kernel cake as a
replacement for grain sorghum
Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of replacing grain sorghum (GS) with palm kernel cake (PKC) on the performance, carcass traits and meat quality of feedlot steers fed high-grain diets. Forty male ¹/4 Holstein * ¹/4 Nellore steers with an initial weight of 331.1 ± 36.2 kg, at 24 ± 2 months of age, were housed in group stalls (10 cattle/stall) where they received diets containing 0, 80, 160, or 240 g/kg PKC on a dietary dry matter basis. After 126 days, the animals were slaughtered and their carcass and meat evaluated. The replacement of GS with PKC did not influence empty body weight, carcass weight, carcass length, or carcass yield. However, the thickness of subcutaneous fat in the carcass decreased with the replacement of GS with PKC. The meat pH increased linearly, whereas there were no changes in cooking loss, shear force, lightness (L*), and fat or cholesterol contents in the meat of the steers. Partial replacement (41,57%) of GS with PKC is recommended, with an inclusion of up to 240 g/kg PKC in high-grain diets for steers.
- The impact of multi-species bacteria as a probiotic on productive
performance and egg quality of laying Japanese quail
Abstract: This study investigated the effect of individual and/ or a mixture multi-species bacteria as a probiotic (Pediococcus acidilactici (T1), Enterococcus faecium (m74) + Pediococcus acidilactici (T2), and Bacillus licheniformis + B. subtilis (T3)) supplementation at different levels on productive performance and egg quality characteristics in laying Japanese quail. At 42 d, 350 chicks were chosen with nearly similar live body weight and divided into ten groups of 35 chicks/group. Chicks were fed the basal diet as a control group (L0) or basal diet supplemented with three levels L1 (1.25), L2 (1.75), and L3 (2.25) g/kg diet, respectively. The bacteria-supplemented diets (T1 and T2) had an average feed intake that was the lowest and similar to control group. Better feed conversion was obtained in T1 birds in the first and third month and in the second month in T2. Age at sexual maturity was gradually decreased by dietary supplementation of T3 and Li. Probiotics increased egg production (EP) and egg mass (EM). EP, egg weight (EW), and EM increased gradually due to T3 and L2 supplementation. Bacteria-supplemented diets markedly increased absolute albumen and yolk weight as well as absolute and relative eggshell weight. In conclusion, the mixture of E. faecium (m74) + P. acidilactici and B. licheniformis + B. subtilis improved feed conversion ratio (FCR), egg production, and egg quality traits of laying Japanese quail.
- Physico-chemical characteristics of meat after dietary supplementation of
lambs with essential oils and calcium malate
Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a mixture of essential oils (EO), calcium malate (CM), or their combination (EO + CM) on the physico-chemical characteristics of lamb meat. A total of 36, two-month-old, 20 ± 3 kg live weight, male lambs were allocated to individual cages and randomly distributed into four treatment groups: 1, basal diet (BD); 2, BD + 150 g of EO ton-1; 3, BD + 2.5 kg of CM ton-1; and 4: BD + 150 g EO + 2.5 kg CM ton-1. Feed and fresh water were available ad libitum to the lambs during the 56-day experiment. There was no difference in the chemical composition of the lamb meat although collagen was higher in the EO + CM treatment. The percentage of omega-3 and eicosapentaenoic acid was higher in the OE + CM group, but there were no differences in the total percentage of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids. The shear strength of raw meat was higher in the BD group, but the shear strength of cooked meat was lower in the EO group than in the BD or CM groups. There was no difference in water retention in raw meat or in water loss in cooked meat between groups. The colour of the meat was not affected by treatment. The EO and EO + CM groups had an increase in meat tenderness and the concentration of some unsaturated fatty acids, but this did not affect the colour or chemical composition of the lamb meat.
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