Influence of rapeseed meal on productivity and health of broiler chicks.

Research was focussed on investigating the influence of different quantities (0, 10, 20 and 30%) of rapeseed meal (RM), 00-cultivar Silvia on production results, as well as on the morphological and pathohistological changes in the internal organs of chicks during the course of the experiment, measured on the 21st and 42nd days of the 42-day experiment. The experiment involved 120 chicks divided into four groups: a control group (C) and three experimental groups (E1-3). It was found that chicks in Groups C, E1 and E2 realised significantly (P < 0.05) higher gains than those in Group E3, both after the test period and at the end of the experiment. No significant differences with regard to feed conversion were found between groups of chicks. Throughout the experiment chicks in Groups E1-3 were found to have a significantly (P < 0.05) heavier liver. Compared to Groups E1-3, Group C chicks had a significantly (P < 0.05) heavier gizzard after 21 days, but following the finisher diet Group E3 had a significantly (P < 0.05) lighter gizzard. Compared with birds in Group C, those in Groups E2-3 had significantly heavier (P < 0.05) unevacuated intestines when fed the starter diet, and those in Groups E1-2 showed a similar result when fed the finisher diet. Chicks in Group E3 had a significantly lower grill weight than those in Groups C, E1 and E2, both in the first half of the experiment and at the end. The starter diet did not result in any differences in the quantity of abdominal fat among groups, but following the finisher diet Groups E2-3 showed significantly less abdominal fat in comparison to Groups C and E1 (P < 0.05). Group C showed a significantly higher carcass yield than Groups E1-3 (P < 0.05) in the first half of the experiment and at the end. Groups E1-3 manifested a slight to medium hypertrophy of thyroid epithelial tissue as well as slight thymus hypertrophy and slight atrophy of the cloacal bursa follicles.

The effect of different quantities and compositions of pelleted diets on immune response of mares during the production of anti-tetanus sera.

Research was carried out into the effect that different quantities and compositions of concentrated portions of meal had on certain haematological properties and on the immune response of mares in the course of hyper-immune antitetanus sera production. The experiment involved 24 Nonius and Lipizzaner cross-bred mares divided into two groups of 12 animals each, a control group and a trial group. The experiment lasted 12 months, with haematological and immunological tests being carried out every 30 days. During the course of the experiment each mare was subjected to 11 immunisation cycles, and in that period no mare fell ill. Leukocyte and haematocrit counts revealed no differences between the control and the test groups throughout the entire duration of the experiment. Following the second immunisation cycle the leukocyte count increased in both groups of mares, remaining significantly higher than the normal physiological value in horses throughout the experiment. The concentrated portion of meal, differing both in quality and quantity, had no influence on leucocyte count and haematocrit level in the mares throughout the experiment. However, the immunodiffusion titre in the test group did show a slightly higher value of ID-titre than in the control group, indicating that the quantitatively and qualitatively differing portions of meal had a more positive effect on immune response and anti-tetanus anti-body titre in the test group than it did in the control group.

Effect of feeding olive by-products on certain blood parameters and serum enzyme activities of fattening rabbits.

The effect of feeding different levels (10 and 20%) of dehydrated olive cake pulp on certain blood parameters and on the catalytic activity of serum enzymes was studied in fattening rabbits. A total of 60 rabbits were divided into a control group (C) and two experimental groups (E1, E2), each comprising 10 males and 10 females. Rabbits of Group C received no dehydrated olive cake pulp in their diet, while rabbits of Group E1 and Group E2 were fed 10% and 20% dehydrated olive cake pulp, respectively. After Day 56 of the experiment, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture and certain blood parameters as well as the catalytic activity of serum enzymes were determined. Following the experimental feeding period no significant differences were found between Group C and Groups E1 and E2 in red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) count, haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit value. Similarly, after 56 days of experimental fattening no significant differences were found between the control group and the experimental groups in the catalytic activity of the serum enzymes alkaline phosphatase (AP), aspartate amino-transferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). However, Group E2 rabbits manifested a significantly higher alanine amino-transferase (ALT) activity in the serum than did rabbits of Group E1. The results indicate that the inclusion of dehydrated olive cake pulp in the diet at the rate of 10% or 20% caused no changes in the investigated blood parameters and serum enzyme activities of fattening rabbits.

Plasma proteins and haematological parameters in fattening pigs fed different sources of dietary zinc.

The effect of varying amounts of sources of dietary zinc on some blood parameters and the plasma protein ratios of fattening pigs was studied. During a 30-day pre-trial period, 42 pigs were depleted of Zn and divided into three groups of 14 animals each. During the 105-day experimental fattening period two experimental groups (T1-2) were repleted with dietary Zn in the form of inorganic salt (ZnSO4) or metallo-organic chelate (zinc methionate, ZnMET), while the control group (C) received no extra Zn. The supplements contained 84.3 and 40.9 mg Zn/kg diet, respectively. The nutritional effects of Zn were evaluated on the basis of red blood cell (RBC) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC) and thrombocyte count, plasma total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations, and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio. During the parakeratosis period (days 28-56) both the basic feed (group C) and the diet enriched with 40.9 mg Zn/kg (as ZnMET) fed to group T2 pigs resulted in a lower red blood cell (RBC) count, Hb concentration and PCV than in group T1 fed a diet containing 84.3 mg Zn/kg (as ZnSO4). Dietary Zn of organic and inorganic origin had no effect on MCV and on the WBC and thrombocyte counts of fattening pigs. At the start of the parakeratosis period (day 28), group C pigs had significantly lower, and by its end (day 56) significantly higher plasma total protein and globulin concentrations than pigs of group T1. At the same time, no significant differences were observed in albumin concentration between group C and the two experimental groups. Throughout the trial, feed containing sufficient, and insufficient, quantities of Zn from various sources had no influence on blood plasma alpha and beta globulin concentrations. In the second part of the experiment (day 56) dietary Zn deficiency resulted in a significantly higher level of gamma globulin in group C pigs than in pigs given sufficient Zn of inorganic origin. While inorganic Zn increased some of the blood parameters, namely RBC count, Hb and possibly PCV, organic Zn seemed to be responsible for raising the proportion of plasma globulins.

Olive by-products in pig fattening.

The utilisation in pig fattening of diets with various proportions of dried olive cake, i.e., olive by-product resulting from centrifugal separation, was investigated in 60 Swedish Landrace x Large White crossbreds (30 castrates and 30 gilts). The pigs were divided into three equal groups (10 + 10): two experimental groups, fed with a fodder mix containing 50 g/kg and 80 g/kg respectively of dried olive cake, and a control group, fed with the same mix but minus the cake. The experiment last 90 days. For the first 45 days the pigs were given the starter, and for the second 45 days the finisher, mix. Throughout the whole period, pigs in both experimental groups achieved greater average body mass and mass gain than the control animals. Concurrently, castrates in all three groups, became heavier and demonstrated greater mass gain than did the gilts. While supplied respectively with the finisher mix throughout the whole test period, pigs fed mixes with 50 g/kg of dried olive cake demonstrated significantly greater feed consumption than those fed without the cake and than those fed mixes with 80 g/kg of cake. While supplied with the starter mix, pigs fed mixes with 50 g/kg of dried olive cake achieved the lowest feed conversion rate, whereas those supplied with the finisher mix achieved the highest. Throughout the entire period no significant differences were observed in feed conversion rate among pig groups.

Haematologic values of Hyla rabbits fed different levels of by-product arising from the propagation of Pleurotus pulmonarius.

The nutritive influence of different levels of by-product arising from the propagation of the mushroom Pleurotus pulmonarius on the red and white blood cell count of rabbits was studied in the course of fattening. The experiment was carried out on 4 groups of male Hyla rabbits, a control group (C) and 3 experimental groups (E1, E2, E3), with 15 rabbits per group. The control group was fed a standard fodder and the three experimental groups were fed the standard mix with 10%, 20% or 30% dried by-product added, respectively. At the end of the 9th week of the experiment, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture, and the red blood cell (RBC) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), haemoglobin, haematocrit, thrombocyte count, white blood cell (WBC) count and the differential WBC were determined. The different levels of byproduct interwoven by mycelium added to the feed did not change the RBC count but significantly increased the MCV, MCH, haemoglobin concentration and the haematocrit value. The different diets had no influence on either the WBC count or the differential WBC count, but the number of thrombocytes decreased significantly.

Duration of anestrus in Pramenka and Romanov ewes in Yugoslavia.

Jugular plasma progesterone was determined for two groups of native Yugoslavian ewes (Pramenka, Groups 1 and 2) and for a group of Romanov ewes (Group 3) from the end of January to late October in 1988. Ewes were pregnant until the end of March (pregnancy progesterone concentrations, 2.84 to 33 ng/mL). From the end of March to the beginning of July, progesterone concentration decreased (0 to .15 ng/mL). From early July to late October, progesterone concentrations increased. Progesterone concentrations were at their nadir near the summer solstice and increased significantly by early July in all three groups. The duration of anestrus was similar in Pramenka and Romanov ewes. In nonpregnant Pramenka ewes, the pattern of changes in plasma progesterone was similar to those seen in pregnant ewes except for an earlier decline with very low concentrations observed after mid-March.