EJPAU, 2003, Volume 6, Issue 2
Animal Husbandry

Standard DJ feed mixture for laying hens (ISA Brown) was supplemented with organic or inorganic forms of selenium and zinc. The organic forms consisted Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast enriched with Se (Y-Se) and Zn (Y-Zn). The inorganic forms were sodium selenite (Na-Se) and zinc oxide (ZnO). The concentrations of elements in the experimental feed were (mg·kg^-1): selenium 1.414 (Y-Se) and 1.393 (Na-Se); zinc 79.3 (Y-Zn) and 78.9 (ZnO). After 6 days of feeding treatment, for the next 5 days there were collected droppings and eggs to determine Se and Zn concentrations with the use of ICP method. It was stated that in hens availability of elements (as apparent absorption) was respectively (%): Y-Se 63.65, Y-Zn 38.5, Na-Se 61.12 and ZnO 35.41. In eggs content of Y-Se hens the increase of Se was proved if compared to Na-Se eggs (p<0.05).

Single plant supplements were added to the ration fed to Ross 308 broiler cockerels. The chickens were held in four feeding groups until their 42 days of age. The birds of all the groups were fed on the same standard mixes. Group I represented the control group which received mixes without the supplement. The birds of group II received a feed supplement of 1% dried fine echinacea herb (Echinacea purpurea), group III received 0.3% of crushed raw garlic (Allium sativum). The chickens in group IV were twice a week provided with raw ginger (Zingiber officinale) water extract (5.5 g·cm^-3) to drink. Chemical composition and physicochemical properties of breast muscle were analysed while fresh as well as on 4-month storage at –18°C

The studies were carried out on 98 carcasses obtained from pure-bred Polish Landrace (PL) hogs, from crosses of (PL x Polish Large White) sows with Pietrain boars, as well as from crossbreds of Dutch breeds (Landrace x Large White) x Large White. The pigs were slaughtered as soon as they reached 103 kg of body weight, and during the slaughter blood samples were collected for DNA analysis in order to identify individuals carrying the stress-sensitivity gene (RYR1). The carcasses were dissected immediately after cooling. Samples of LD muscle from the right carcass, at the area of the 1st to 4th lumbar vertebra, were collected for pork quality evaluation, i.e. sensory analysis of raw meat, as well as pH₁, pH_k, and electric conductivity measurements. Moreover, drip loss, water-binding and meat plasticity were determined, and drip index as well as colour parameters were obtained. Basic chemical composition was also assayed and the content of water-soluble protein was determ

In the experiment involved 186 milk samples obtained from cow udder quarters at different state of mastitis. Milk derived from infected udder quarters was characterised by a statistically significant higher total protein percentage share and a higher pH value (p£ 0.05) by a lower lactose (p£ 0.01) and casein content (p£ 0.05) than milk of healthy quarters. The content of solids not fat indicated the upward tendency and the content of total solids and vitamin C was reduced. The clinical mastitis caused reduction of milk yield by 33.63% and its components – by 24.11 to 52.20%. Mastitis was most often induced by the strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Different cows reaction to mastitis was observed.

Chitosan is the simplest form of chitin, found in carapaces of crabs, prawns, and krill. Due to its chemical and physical properties and biological activity, chitosan is widely applied in, i.a., medicine, animal care, and agriculture. Chitosan effects on poultry health and production have been studied to a limited degree only. The present study was thus aimed at elucidating chitosan effects on the utility and reproduction-related characteristics of quail. The experiment involved the quail aged 5 weeks which were divided into two groups, each consisting of 36 females and 12 males. The birds belonging to Group I (control) were fed a standard feed mix for laying quail, while the feed offered to Group II (experimental) was enriched with 5.2 ml chitosan added to 1.2 kg feed. Compared to the control, the experimental quail showed a lower daily feed consumption, lower number of eggs laid, and a higher feed consumption per egg. However, the experimental quail demonstrated a higher survival rate and

Modified fish meal (MFM) produced from liquid wastes obtained during commercial fish processing (with the addition of wheat bran) contains 25% of total protein and 24.5% of crude fat. The fattening pigs were fed MFM (10% of the content of mixture) from 30 kg to ca. 80 kg body weight, and next in the fattening phase from 80 to 100 kg, MFM was substituted for meat meal (group II) or extracted soybean meal (group III). The control group (I) was fed a mixture containing 5% of meat meal. The pigs when they reached about 100 kg were slaughtered and dissected (8 fatteners from each group). The samples of loin ( muscle longissimus) were taken for sensory and physicochemical assessment, including the analysis of dry matter, protein, fat and cholesterol content and also of fatty acids profile. The results show that MFM in groups II and III did neither reduce physicochemical properties nor sensory characteristics of loin pork as compared with group I. However, the MFM groups exhibite

Egg yolk and white proteins from hens kept in eight conservation flocks in Poland were separated with horizontal polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The analyses were done on 100-120-egg samples from each of the following breeds: Green-Legged Partridge, ZKF and ZK11, Yellow-Legged Partridge, Z33, Polbar, PB, Leghorn, H22 and G99, Rhode Island Red, RD2, and Sussex, S66. After estimating phenotype frequency based on 30-35 bands on the electrophoregrams, the following were identified: gene frequencies of fast-migrating prealbumins, Pa-F, and transferrins, TF, in egg yolk, as well as ovalbumins Ov-A, ovoglobulins, G3, G4, G2, and conalbumins, Co, in the white of egg. Similarity and Nei's genetic distances were calcula-ted according to gene frequency (GF) and procedures used in analysing DNA polymorphism, based on frequencies of particular protein bands (BF) and band sharing (BS). Application of GF and BF in the evaluation of genetic distances gave similar results. The shortest distances were n

The aim of the study was to assess an effect of incubation temperature (36.4, 36.7, and 37.1°C) on hatching performance of emu. The fewest dead embryos (13.7%) were found in group I with the lowest incubation temperature. Raising the temperature by 0.3°C and 0.7°C in, respectively, group II and III reduced the hatchability indices, primarily due to an increased rate (by approx. 12%) of dead embryos in both groups. Temperature significantly influenced the duration of incubation period, as well as duration of hatching. Incubation at the highest temperature took the shortest time (49.9 days), whereas that at the lowest temperature lasted longest (51.5 days). A reversed pattern was found in the case of hatching duration, which at the higher temperature expanded by 282 minutes in group II and by 406 minutes in group III, as compared with group I.

The studies were carried out on 40 female Pharaoh quails. In the fifth week of age, the quails were weighed and randomly assigned to 5 feeding groups. In the group I, control, the females were fed on standard feed formed for adult quail feeding. The experimental groups II and III received the standard mixture with oligosaccharides added, which had been extracted from pea seed, in the quantities and duration, respectively: 0.4 g · kg^-1 of mixture for 3 weeks, 0.4 g · kg^-1 for the entire period of the experiment, i.e. 4 months. In the groups IV and V, the addition of oligosaccharides was 3 g per kg of feed, with the group IV fed this way for 3 weeks and the group V for 4 months.

The study described was aimed at evaluating the extent of gastro-intestinal helminth infestation in the roe deer, fallow deer, and red deer in Western Pomerania; infestation prevalence and intensity as well as the species composition of the helminth fauna were determined. Within March 1999 – July 2000, a total of 199 animals (86 roe deer, 68 red deer, and 25 fallow deer) were examined. The animals were obtained from 9 north-western Poland’s forest districts. The following nematode species were found to be present in the alimentary tracts examined: Spiculopteragia boehmi, S. mathevossiani, Spiculopteragia asymmetrica, Ostertagia kolchida, O. leptospicularis, Haemonchus contortus, Chabertia ovina, Oesophagostomum venulosum, Nematodirus sp., Trichocephalus ovis, Capillaria bovis, Trichostrongylus axei, and Trichostrongylus sp. As shown by biopsies, the infestation prevalence amounted to 73.53; 96.51; and 92.0% in red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer, respectively. The paras

The studies were aimed to establish a connection between polymorphism of egg-yolk and egg-white proteins and selected performance traits of laying hens. Data on performance of the studied breeds of hens were collected from breeding records. The following traits were measured in the analysed hens: body weight at 8, 18, and 20 days of age, age of sexual maturity, initial egg-laying rate, mean egg weight at 33 weeks of age, number of eggs with a complete eggshell, number of eggs with a broken eggshell, number of eggs without an eggshell or with a soft one, and a mean eggshell strength at 33 weeks of age.

The objective of the study was to determine relationships between the fattening traits and the slaughter traits and chemical composition of meat in fatteners, hybrids after boars of high-meat breeds. The study was carried out on 80 fatteners (40 gilts and 40 barrows) fed with rationed mixture.

The aim of the present investigation was the evaluation of mercury distribution in the chicken tissues in the course of chronic mercury poisoning and the changes of mercury concentrations in the tissues after the administration of antidotum in the form of MESNA preparation.

The blue dun colour shade is not a selection criterion in Polish Konik horse breeding, hence it has been possible to undertake the analysis of its inheritance on the example of this population. The material consisted of Polish Konik horses registered in the Studbook.

Slurry often contains many pathogenic microorganisms, which are dangerous to human and animal health. The aim of study was to estimate the elimination rate of indicators and pathogenic bacteria – Escherichia coli, fecal streptococci D-group and Salmonella senftenberg W₇₇₅ in peat soil according to soil storage temperature and slurry addition. The elimination rate of fecal bacteria was more effective in 20°C than in 4°C. The slowest reduction of the fecal bacteria was observed in soil with slurry. The salmonellas were eliminated more slowly in comparison to another group of investigated microorganisms. The fastest reduction of streptococci was estimated in 20^oC, however E.coli in 4°C. To minimize the hazard for environment, slurry should be subjected to monitoring investigation before use on arable land.