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The output of poultry products by poultry enterprises in the world was mainly determined by feeding techniques and poultry productivity. The productivity of poultry is characterised by the rate of egg-laying or the number of eggs produced per hen a year and affected by the availability and diversity of feed materials (especially protein). In recent years, researchers have focused on legumes of various species as promising sources of protein for livestock production, such as beans, peas, lupine, alfalfa etc.; therefore, in Latvia more attention is paid to the production of protein crops or legumes. The aim of the research was to identify the impact of domestically sourced legume seeds included in diets for laying hens on the economic performance of egg production. Two kinds of protein crops were examined by the research: peas 'Bruno' and dried alfalfa pellets. Feeding laying hens with peas or dried alfalfa pellets made it possible to produce eggs with a heavier weight (55.28-67.07%), which in turn makes it possible to increase revenues (10.3-12.9%) from the sales of eggs with the same feed consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lower price on poultry meat, compared with other meats (beef, pork etc.), affects the increasing demand for poultry meat. The productivity and production cost of broiler chickens are directly related to the amount of feed fed, the proportion of crude protein in the feed, and the biological value and price of the feed. The EU produces only 30% of the protein crops used for feed; thus, the large import of protein feed crops contribute to agricultural instability and production cost increases. To reduce the consumption of imported protein feeds and the production cost of poultry meat, it is necessary to assess opportunities to use a domestic protein crop as faba beans. The research aim is to identify economic gains from the production of broiler chicken meat if using domestic faba beans in broiler chicken diets. Specific research tasks are as follows: 1) to identify the effect of the use of faba beans on the cost of broiler chicken feed; 2) to assess changes in broiler chicken productivity due to faba bean diets. It is economically efficient to replace soybean protein with domestically produced faba beans in the feed ration for broiler chickens; it provides an adequate amount of crude protein and reduces the feed conversion ratio and production costs. A faba bean ration in the broiler chicken diet provides the broilers with necessary nutrients, thereby contributing to their growth and increases in their live weight, reducing feed costs and resulting in increases in economic return. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal nutrition is directly related with the need to maintain the animal's physiological functions and health, thereby, ensuring a certain level of productivity. However, the quality of food of animal origin is closely related with proper animal nutrition and the choice of feed. It is known that feeding apple pomace to food-producing animals contributes to the functions of their digestive system and increases the level of their productivity. Currently in Latvia, there are only a few studies on the efficiency of use of apple pomace as a feed rich in fibres and natural bioactive substances in livestock farming. Accordingly, the research aim is to determine the efficiency of use of apple pomace in the red deer feed ration in a winter period. The research found that it was efficient to use apple pomace as a valuable source of natural vitamins and minerals available in Latvia in the nutrition of red deer, thus, turning apple pomace into a valuable raw material for the production of high-quality and healthy meat. The daily consumption of feed per red deer in the experimental group amounted to 8.5 kg, i.e. 0.5 kg or 6.25% less than that of feed per red deer in the control group, while the cost of feed for the experimental group decreased by 1.5%. The carcass weight (by 2.49 kg or 4.07% on average) and the amount of muscle tissue (by 8.06%; p<0.05) in the experimental group were greater than in the control group. Feeding apple pomace resulted in higher quality meat -- the contents of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids increased by 5.20% and 10.62% respectively compared with the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topicality of the research is growing consumer demand for quality, health-beneficial poultry meat in the European Union Member States (EU). The aim of the paper is to characterise the production of poultry meat in the EU and development in Latvia. Research results show that the production and consumption is almost in balance in the EU. The total poultry meat production in the EU has steadily increased from 11.0 million tonnes in 2004 to 11.8 million tonnes in 2009, and consumption has increased from 10.3 million tonnes in 2004 to 11.6 million tonnes in 2009. Total poultry meat produced in Lithuania were 71437 tonnes (65.2% of the total poultry meat in the Baltic States), followed by Latvia - 23168 tonnes (21.2%) and Estonia 14882 tonnes (13.6%) in 2009. Consumers demand poultry meat with increased omega group fatty acids, antioxidants, and low level of cholesterol. In this aspect, feeding trial was conducted with cross Ross 308 broiler chickens by applying composition of the spruce needles neutral extractives substances in their diet. It is possible to improve broiler chicken meat quality significantly by increasing the level of antioxidants carotenoids and decreasing cholesterol level. It was concluded that profit from sales of innovative composition meat was 11.34% in comparison with commercial production. In the perspective, the quality of poultry meat should be increased by production of poultry meat that is innovative. Thus, the production costs will increase together with the productivity of the poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food quality is a set of characteristics of the food product that can be evaluated for each kind of food. Several characteristics are identified for each of them: degree of freshness, energy value, amounts of protein, vitamins, microand macronutrients as well as various additives etc. However, the main characteristics of quality food of animal origin relate to its healthiness and safety for the consumer. From the perspective of a producer, quality represents specific characteristics to be achieved by the producer, and product quality is one of the basic elements of economic development to produce competitive products. Food production and processing, especially food of animal origin, is a complicated process that involves several stages and production process deviations affected by risk factors, and the elimination of the deviations is usually associated with significant financial expenses. Risk factors can appear at one or more stages and pass from one production stage to another, thereby negatively affecting the subsequent stages and the final product. In the production of venison, one of the groups of risk factors relates to venison harvesting, pre-processing and storage. Properly processed venison is usually clean and its microbiological contamination is not high, while non-compliance with venison storage requirements as well as bacterial contamination of venison in case of the non-compliance with storage requirements should be considered as a cause of possible materialization of some risks. Therefore, the present research aims to identify changes in venison quality important to the consumer during venison harvesting and storage. Microbiological control of venison is an important factor that affects the quality of the product, its shelf life and, in the long term, the competitiveness of the enterprise in the market. The research has found that venison could be stored for 45 to 50 days in vacuum packaging at a temperature of +3 to +4 °C, provided that all the hygiene requirements are met during venison processing, which makes it possible not only to sell the product in the domestic market but also export the fresh venison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]