Carcass characteristics and meat quality of broilers fed with different levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product.

Fermented products and components of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been widely used in animal nutrition to promote the development and quality of broilers. This study aims to evaluate different levels of inclusion (0, 250, 750, 1,500 g/t) of S. cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) in broiler feed to gauge its effect on carcass characteristics and cuts beyond the quality of breast meat. For analyses of carcass yield, cuts, and meat quality, 16 broilers per treatment were slaughtered. The meat quality analyses were performed 24 h after slaughter and evaluated color, pH, water holding capacity, cooking loss, and shear force. Lipid oxidation was determined in frozen breast samples stored at -20°C for 45 d. The results indicate that different levels of inclusion of SCFP provided no changes in carcass yield, color, water holding capacity, cooking loss, and shear force; however, inclusion of 1,500 g/t of SCFP increased leg yield and reduced pH. The inclusion of 750 g/t of SCFP decreased the lipid oxidation of breast meat (P < 0.05). This study concluded that inclusion of SCFP may improve leg yield and the lipid oxidation of breast meat.

Perceptions of pregnancy complications in Haiti.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of perceived pregnancy complications and associated factors. METHODS: During a census, 450 women identified themselves as pregnant and 388 were interviewed postpartum. RESULTS: Complications were reported by 58.6%. Bleeding post-delivery was the most frequent complication (42.5%), followed by great pain (33.8%), bleeding during pregnancy (20.1%), and fever post-delivery (11.6%). Prenatal care at either a dispensary or a clinic was associated with reports of bleeding during pregnancy (odds ratio [OR] 9.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.71-48.00 and OR 7.58; 95% CI, 1.53-37.48, respectively). Women who visited a doctor were less likely to report bleeding during pregnancy (OR 0.20; 95% CI, 0.08-0.55) or fever post-delivery (P=0.015). Herb use was associated with reported bleeding during pregnancy (OR 2.22; 95% CI, 1.12-4.40) and great pain (OR 1.94; 95% CI, 1.05-3.58). CONCLUSION: The perceived pregnancy complication rate in Haiti is high and is associated with access to health care. The association between use of herbs and pregnancy complications warrants investigation.

Maternal mortality and the consequences on infant and child survival in rural Haiti.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the odds of death of children when a woman of reproductive age dies from maternal or non maternal causes in rural Haiti. METHODS: Deaths among reproductive aged women between 1997 and 1999 in and around Jeremie, Haiti were classified as maternal or non maternal and matched to female, non-deceasesd controls based on village, age, and parity. Information regarding the health and survival of all of the offspring under 12 years old of the identified women was extracted from the Haitian Health Foundation (HHF) Health Information System (HIS). Additional demographic information was obtained through interviews with the mothers for controls and with family members for cases. Two analyses on child death were conducted; 1) the odds of death for each individual child after a mother's death and 2) the odds of one of the children in a family dying after the mother's death. FINDINGS: If a family experiences a maternal death, that family has a 55.0% increased odds of experiencing the loss of a child less than 12, whereas when a non maternal death occurs, no increased odds exists. When children of cases were compared to children of controls, mean weight z-scores were the same for the periods corresponding to before and after the maternal deaths. After a maternal death, dosage of BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) TB (tuberculosis) immunization for the surviving child is significantly lower, as are dosage of measles immunization and the first dose of vitamin A. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a maternal death significantly effects the survival of children in a family in a greater way than a non maternal death.