In vivo prediction of abdominal fat and breast muscle in broiler chicken using live body measurements based on machine learning.

The purpose of this study was to predict the carcass characteristics of broilers using support vector regression (SVR) and artificial neural network (ANN) model methods. Data were obtained from 176 yellow feather broilers aged 100-day-old (90 males and 86 females). The input variables were live body measurements, including external measurements and B-ultrasound measurements. The predictors of the model were the weight of abdominal fat and breast muscle in male and female broilers, respectively. After descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, the datasets were randomly divided into train set and test set according to the ratio of 7:3 to establish the model. The results of this study demonstrated that it is feasible to use machine learning methods to predict carcass characteristics of broilers based on live body measurements. Compared with the ANN method, the SVR method achieved better prediction results, for predicting breast muscle (male: R2 = 0.950; female: R2 = 0.955) and abdominal fat (male: R2 = 0.802; female: R2 = 0.944) in the test set. Consequently, the SVR method can be considered to predict breast muscle and abdominal fat of broiler chickens, except for abdominal fat in male broilers. However, further revaluation of the SVR method is suggested.

The relationship of spectral sensitivity with growth and reproductive response in avian breeders (Gallus gallus).

A previous study demonstrated that birds that are exposed to light at night develop advanced reproductive systems. However, spectrum might also affect the photoperiodic response of birds. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of spectral composition on the growth and reproductive physiology of female breeders, using pure light-emitting diode spectra. A total of 1,000 newly hatched female avian breeders (Gallus gallus) were equally allocated to white-, red-, yellow-, green- and blue-light treated groups. We found that blue-light treated birds had a greater and faster weight gain than did red- and yellow-light treated birds (P = 0.02 and 0.05). The red light expedited the sexual maturation of the chicks, whose age at sexual maturity was 7 and 14 days earlier than that of the green- and blue-light treated birds, respectively. The accumulative egg production of the red-light treated birds was 9 and 8 eggs more than that of the blue- and green-light treated birds. The peak lay rate of the red-light treated groups was significantly greater than the blue-light treated birds (P = 0.028). In conclusion, exposure to short-wavelength light appears to promote growth of female breeder birds, whereas exposure to long-wavelength light appears to accelerate reproductive performance.

[Nitrate contents in autumn vegetables and assessment of nitrate intake in Shanghai].

To analyze and assess the nitrate contents in Autumn vegetables and nitrate intake in Shanghai resident 25 groups and 439 various vegetables were collected and analyzed from the green houses and outdoors in Songjiang, Fengxian, Jinshan and Pudong of Shanghai during Sep.-Nov., 2009. Nitrate contents were analyzed by UV-spectrophotometer. The results showed that the prevalence of severe contamination was 41.46%, the prevalence of heavy and medium contamination was 30.53%, the prevalence of mild contamination was 28.02%; the content of nitrate in vegetables was in the following descent order: leafy vegetables, root and stem vegetables, melons, egg plants, beans, the nitrate contents in different species differed greatly; the nitrate contents in leafy, root and stem vegetables with green-house planting were less than that of outdoor planting in Fengxian and Songjiang except Pudong and Jinshan. According to the assessment of nitrate intake, the average daily intake of local resident is 445.22 mg which exceeds ADI 38.42%, so limited standard and control are urgently needed.