Ostrich (Struthio camelus) production in Egypt.

This review discusses the historical, developmental and practices of ostrich farming in Egypt. In the early 20th century, ostrich farming was very important for production of ostrich feathers and documents were produced to perfect the art of procuring the plumes from the birds and subsequently processing them. Pharaohs used ostrich feathers for adornment. Of 43 provinces, 12 were featured in 2003-2004 as farming ostriches: Alexandria, Al-Behera, Al-Dakahlia, Al-Wadi Al-Gadid, Aswan, Cairo, El-Sharkia, Geiza, Ismailia, Kafr-El-Sheikh, Matrouh and Nubaria. Abattoirs and tanneries specialising in ostrich handling are limited to two. Egypt has numerous strengths and opportunities to develop its ostrich sector. Rising meat prices suggest that fresh ostrich meat is unaffordable to many locals. Funds may be allocated to local advertising campaigns to promote ostrich meat; provision of incentives to farmers; and improving the capacity of abattoirs.

Fat-tailed sheep traits as affected by docking.

The literature mostly indicates that docking fat-tailed lambs initially reduces growth but that post-weaning growth and feed conversion efficiency then increase. The amount of fat deposited, the total separable lean meat to fat ratio and the meat quality all increase, while the percentage of bone in the carcase either decreases or does not change in the carcases of the docked lambs. Wool growth and characteristics are, in general, not affected and reproductive traits in ewes and lambs are improved by docking. The rectal temperature, respiration rate and pulse rate are decreased following docking. The concentrations of immunoreactive beta-endorphin and cortisol in the plasma and the incidence of foot stamping and restlessness, as indicators of stress, increase after docking. Other constituents of the blood are not significantly altered following docking or by the methods of docking. Docking of fat-tailed sheep using rubber rings at one day of age can be recommended.

Growth performance and reproductive traits at first parity of New Zealand white female rabbits as affected by heat stress and its alleviation under Egyptian conditions.

Exposing growing and adult New Zealand White (NZW) female rabbits to severe heat stress (temperature-humidity index = 28.9) during summer adversely affected their growth and reproductive traits. The traits that declined significantly (p < 0.01) were the live body weight, daily weight gain and feed intake of growing rabbits, and the litter size and litter weight at weaning (p < 0.05) and the pre-weaning weight gain of pups (p < 0.01) for adult females. The conception rate declined considerably with heat stress. The declines in the values of the digestibility coefficients due to heat stress were 7.9% (p < 0.05) for dry matter (DM), 8.1% (p < 0.05) for crude protein (CP) and 1.0% for crude fibre (CF). The traits that increased significantly (p < 0.01) due to heat stress were water intake, water/feed ratio and rectal temperature in growing rabbits and pre-weaning mortality for adult females. Alleviation of heat stress in the growing and adult female NZW rabbits was more efficient with drinking cool water (10-15 degrees C; between 10:00 and 17:00) than with supplementation with palm oil (as a source of energy) or natural clay (as a natural enhancer to growth and milk production). Supplying the animals with cool drinking water gave the highest body weight and weight gain, conception rate, litter size and weight and digestibility coefficients for DM and CP and the lowest rectal temperature, respiration rate and pre-weaning mortality. The loss in rabbit production pertaining to heat stress estimated from the percentages of decline in conception rate x pre-weaning mortality x litter weight at weaning was 73.0%. The provision of cool water restored 11/12 of heat loss.

Productive, physiological and biochemical changes in imported and locally born Friesian and Holstein lactating cows under hot summer conditions of Egypt.

Twenty each of healthy lactating Friesian and Holstein cows were studied. They were of similar age and body weight, nonpregnant in their third lactation and 80-100 days post partum. The investigation was carried out for 8 weeks on two farms at the same time during the hot summer season in Egypt. The first farm was in Demietta (North east of the Nile Delta, 31 degrees 40' N) on 20 Friesian cows and the second was in Fakous (East of the Nile Delta, 30 degrees 40' N) on 20 Holstein cows. On each of the two farms, 10 cows were newly imported and 10 were born in Egypt. The average daily milk yield and total milk production in the third lactation of the newly imported cows were significantly higher than those of the locally born cows for both Friesians and Holsteins. At the same time, the T4, T3, urea-N, haematological values and AST enzyme activity in the newly imported cows were significantly lower than those in the locally born ones in both breeds, while the locally born cows showed significantly lower values for rectal temperature and respiration rate, as well as for AST and Alk-P enzyme activities, than the newly imported cows of either breed. Holstein cows surpassed the Friesians in milk production, as well as thyroid hormone secretion and cholesterol, haemoglobin, packed cell volume and erythrocyte count values. The opposite was found for serum total protein, urea-N and creatinine concentrations, leukocyte count and AST, ALT and Alk-P enzyme activities.

Effects of diet supplementation and body cooling on Friesian calves reared in high ambient temperatures in the eastern desert of Egypt.

Four groups of 10 Friesian male calves were fed on rice straw ad libitum and concentrate for 2 months. The first group was fed in winter. The other 3 groups (1, 2 and 3) were fed in summer. Group 1 was fed the same diet as the winter group, Group 2 was fed on the same diet as Group 1 but it was supplemented with urea and a minerals and vitamins mixture and Group 3 animals were fed on the same diet as Group 1 and cooled by sprinkling and drinking cool water. The results showed that high ambient summer temperatures induced highly significant decreases in weight gain and feed efficiency and deleterious effects on thyroid, liver and kidney functions. The diet supplemented with urea, minerals and vitamins improved liveweight gain and restored some blood components, but the effects of high ambient temperature were not completely alleviated since the calves still had increases in transaminase enzyme activities, rectal temperature and respiration rate. Cooling the animals during summer led to improved body liveweight gain, feed efficiency and certain body functions. In addition, the cooling treatment reduced the heat load and aided the animals to reach a steady physiological state, confirming that the cooling treatment was more effective than diet supplementation in removing heat load during the summer.

Typical repeat breeding and its improvement in buffaloes.

Propagation problems in buffaloes are often not easily recognizable, particularly lacking are studies on the repeat breeding syndrome. In the present study repeat breeder buffaloes were inseminated 3 or more times within the same lactation period. The incidence of typical repeat breeders was 8.33% in the lactation herd. These animals had a longer lactation period and a higher number of services per conception than normal buffaloes. The correlation coefficients were significant between the number of services per conception and each of weight at birth and weight at first service. Repeat breeders significantly (P < 0.05) surpassed normal buffaloes in creatinine values and had contrary values in the serum albumin concentration, glucose, inorganic phosphate, and zinc. Progesterone in urine (efficacious progesterone) was significantly lower on the 10th day post estrus, whereas the non-efficacious progesterone was significantly higher in repeat breeders. Supplying the repeat breeders with sodium phosphate for 1 month 40 g/head/day in the diet and 500 ppm zinc acetate in the drinking water improved the conception rate by 80%.

[Histologic and histochemical studies of the prenatal development of the wool follicle in Egyptian fat-tailed sheep]. / Histologische und histochemische Untersuchungen der pränatalen Entwicklung der Wollfollikel bei ägyptischen Fettschwanzschafen.

Thickness of epidermis, diameter and density of follicles as well as the ratio of secondary to primary follicles went up with significance (P less than 0.01) along with development. Medium concentrations of neutral and acid mucopolysaccharides were histochemically recorded from the corium, while high levels were present in basal stratum and hair pivots. High concentrations of alkaline phosphatase were recorded from basal stratum, hair pivots, and papillae and moderate concentrations from sweat and sebaceous glands, with the latter containing also glycogen and lipids.

Prenatal development of adenohypophyseal cell types, ovary, and uterus of dromedary camel.

The somatotrophic and thyrotrophic cells were originally developed in the adenohypophysis from undifferentiated chromophobic cells at the foetal age of 4-8 weeks. The follicle-stimulating hormone cells appeared at a foetal age of 24-28 weeks. Prolactin and luteinizing hormone cells were first seen at of foetal age levels of 32-36 and 40 weeks. The germinal epithelium of flattened and cuboidal cells in the ovary was changed to cubical and columnar types, 24-28 weeks of foetal age. The sex cords appeared at 8-12 weeks of foetal age. The primary and secondary follicles were observed at 8-12 and 20-24 weeks of foetal age, respectively. Follicular cavity was noticed at 32-36 weeks, while large follicles encapsulated by follicular sheath were seen in the 40th week of foetal age. Some ovarian follicles degenerated during or after their development. Surface epithelium in the uterus changed from cubical to columnar type at 8-12 weeks of foetal age. The endometrium was clearly distinguished from the myometrium at 16-20 weeks of foetal age. The uterine glands appeared at 16-20 weeks as short and straight tubular glands, and they began to branch in the 40th week of foetal age.

Photoperiod and thermal effects on the productive and reproductive performance of Ross Tented egg-type and Hubbard broiler chicks living under subtropical conditions.

In egg-type pullets, the body weight was significantly higher under constant 20 L:4 D and 10 L:14 D up their 72nd day of age (d), followed by 20 L:4 D, than in the control (10 L:14 D). The latter variant positively affected the liveweight gain and earlier sexual maturity. Constant 20 L:4 D also increased earlier sexual maturity, plasma corticoid content of the blood, and egg number significantly over the control. Egg number was also ensured and stimulated by 10 L:14 D up to the 72nd d and their 20 L:4 D. In the treatment 20 L:4 D changed to 10 L:14 D maturity and egg number decreased significantly. Reduction of the 20 L:4 D d in steps of 2 h/week to 10 L:14 D on the 49th day resulted in a significant increase in egg number and liveweight. Reversing this light regime reduced both features. Under elevated temperature (3 to 5 K above normal) this reduction was postponed to the 11th d and following. The elevated temperature increased significantly the carcass traits, except the flack, neck, and abdominal fat. The combination of the light and temperature regime did not yield any significant differences for the carcass weight at conventional temperatures and for the body weight.

Growth and reproductive performance of Shorthorn crosses and native cattle as affected by two levels of feeding.

6 male and 5 female calves each of Shorthorn X Domiatti crosses and 3 female calves each of the Domiatti breed were fed either the norm (100% allowance) or a lower ratio (80% allowance) between their 28th and 72nd weeks of age. The growth of all animals differed significantly with regard to the different allowance levels but not with regard to the breeds. In the female animals no differences were found in the age and live weight at puberty, the first conception, and calving between the two feeding levels. In the male animals there were no differences in the age at puberty with both feeding levels, though there were significant differences in the live weight at puberty. The semen volume, sperm motion, and sperm concentration were not significantly affected.

Flushing treatments of subtropical ewes bred three times each within two years.

389 Ossimi ewes were given 45 days of flushing treatment with different protein levels (100%, 125%, and 150%) and different sources of protein (plant protein, fish meal, and urea) during a period of two years three weeks each before a mating season and with three breedings during that time. At high protein levels and application of plant protein higher live weight increases were achieved during the flushing period. The reproduction performance was not influenced. The conception rate improved with increasing protein treatments. Plant protein treatments gave better results in the conception rate, twinnings and lambings. September proved a better month for mating than did January and May. There was no significant influence of the age and the live weight of the ewes on the daily body weight gain and the reproductive performance of the ewes. Only the rate of twinning increased significantly with increasing live weight.

Fresh, dried, and sterilized manure of chicks, sheep, and cattle as feedstuff for growing chicks.

The ration of growing chicks was supplemented by chick, sheep, and cattle excreta in fresh, dried (45-50 degrees C) and sterilized (90 degrees C, 30 mins.) form with 4%, compared with a control ration. The development of the live weight was better in all supplemented ration groups than in the control group. It decreased in this order: fresh - dried - sterilized - (control). Chick excreta were most favourable, least favourable were those of cattle. Feed conversion (food consumption/unit live weight (increase) showed the same trend as the development of the live weight, the rations with fresh excreta being most favourable. 10 data are presented from the results of slaughtering. Slaughtering results were between 70 and 76%, and gave most favourable values in supplementation with fresh excreta and dried excreta from chicks and sheep. A marked influence was found on the length of the intestine (cm/100 g live weight). The mortality rate varied between 0 and 5% in the groups; it was 5% in the control group.

Preliminary study on using fermented skim milk in poultry rations.

80 (4 X 20) four-month-old cockerels were fed the following rations for six weeks: Group 1 = corn and green berseem, group 2 = corn, green berseem, and skim milk, groups 3 and 4 = corn, green berseem, and fermented skim milk. Feeding was ad libitum in groups 1 to 3, and 80% of the group 3 standard in group 4. The live weight increased in all groups during the experimental period. In group 4 it was higher at the end of the experiment than that of groups 1 to 3. But the difference was statistically not significant. The amount of starch units required per unit of live weight increase during the experimental period was 9.76 (group 1) 11.00 (group 2), 10.72 (group 3), and 9.66 (group 4). The visceral fat weights were higher in groups 2 and 3 (not significant). 40 (2 x 20) four-week-old ducklings were fed a commercial ration (group 5) or 65% of this ration supplemented with 35 ml of fermented skim milk (group 6). There were no significant differences in the live weight gains. The amount of starch units required per unit of live weight increase was 2.89 (group 5) and 3.61 (group 6).

Partial and complete castration of fat-tailed sheep in northern Iraq.

30 (3 X 10) male Karadi lambs aged 6 to 10 months were left uncastrated (group I), were partially castrated (group 2) and completely castrated (group 3) and kept for 14 weeks under experimental conditions. During the experimental period, the partially castrated animals surpassed the animals of groups 1 and 3 in live body weight. The total gain weight was highest in group I. There were highly significant differences between the three groups in some body dimensions investigated. The TDN units required per unit increase of live weight were 10.70 (group I), 12.35 (group 2), and 13.01 (group 3). The mortality rate was 20% in group 3, and zero per cent in the other two groups.