Accurate assessment of body weights using morphometric measurements in Landlly pigs.

The aim of the study was to evaluate 16 novel morphometric traits of Landlly piglets at weaning (6 weeks) and post weaning (8 weeks) stage and to predict corresponding body weight from the measurements. A total of 279 Landlly piglets (n = 279, 75% Landrace + 25% Ghurrah crosses) were enrolled in this study. Body length, heart girth, paunch girth, height at wither, height at back, rump width, thigh circumference, neck circumference, and body depth had high correlation coefficients (0.8-0.97) with body weight at both the stages. Stepwise regression showed that body length and heart girth contributed most in prediction of both body weights while height at wither for body weight at 6 weeks and neck circumference for body weight at 8 weeks was the next highest contributing trait. Akaike's information criterion, Bayesian information criteria, adjusted R2, concordance correlation coefficient, bias correction factor, modeling efficiency, and coefficient of model determination were used to determine the most appropriate model for the prediction of body weight. Model containing body length and heart girth was fitted best to data for prediction of body weight at both weaning and post weaning stage with adjusted R2 values of 0.94 and 0.96, respectively. Hence, 2 different models were proposed for accurately predicting body weight in Landlly pigs at 6 and 8 weeks.

Effect of Zinc Nanoparticles on Milk Yield, Milk Composition and Somatic Cell Count in Early-Lactating Barbari Does.

Nano minerals have better bioavailability, efficient utilization, smaller dose rate, and stable interactions within the biological system. Efficacy of dietary supplementation of nano zinc particles on milk yield, milk composition, and somatic cell count was studied in periparturient Barbari does. Twenty-four Barbari goats (mean body weight 35 ± 1.5 kg) of about 4 months of pregnancy were divided into four groups (Gr I, Gr II, Gr III, and Gr IV) of six animals each. All the does were fed a common basal diet (containing 38.96 mg Zn/kg DM) of concentrate pellet and Bengal gram (Cicer arietinum) straw. No zinc was supplemented in does of Gr I (control group), while Gr II, Gr III, and Gr IV does were supplemented with 20 ppm inorganic zinc oxide, 10 ppm of nano zinc, and 20 ppm of nano zinc respectively. The experimental feeding was done for 75 days (30 days before kidding to 45 days after kidding). Results showed that yield and composition of milk in different groups of lactating does were not significantly (P < 0.05) affected by zinc supplementation. The percentages of solid-nonfat, fat, protein, lactose, and total solid were comparable (P > 0.05) among different groups of lactating does. The milk mineral levels of Zn, Cu, Na, Ca, and K were statistically similar (P > 0.05) in all the groups of goats. There was significantly (P < 0.05) lower somatic cell count (SCC) in zinc-supplemented groups (Gr II, Gr III, and Gr IV) as compared with the control (Gr I) group of does. SCC was lowest in Gr IV followed by Gr III, Gr II, and Gr I. The present study concluded that supplementation of inorganic zinc @ 20 ppm and nano zinc @ 10 and 20 ppm had no significant effect on milk yield/composition but reduced milk somatic cell count. The efficacy of nano zinc was found to be better as compared with normal inorganic form.