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This study conducts an in-depth investigation into the zootechnical performance of broiler chickens reared under diverse technological systems, against the backdrop of a globally increasing demand for chicken meat. The research addresses how the rearing system, along with factors such as nutrition, farm management, the rearing environment, and genetics, impacts the yield of chicken meat production. By comparing intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive growth systems, the research aims to identify optimal strategies that ensure efficient and sustainable chicken meat production, maximizing yield and quality while also considering animal welfare and environmental sustainability. The analysis encompasses the evaluation of daily weight, feed conversion ratio, and uniformity across different systems, as well as the examination of environmental homogeneity using the Student's t-test to highlight significant differences between batches. The findings offer valuable insights into the impact of the rearing system on zootechnical performance, indicating that the intensive system is characterized by superior yields and a preferential development of the breast. Moreover, the study highlights the significance of the interaction between genetic and nutritional factors and how these elements, together with the choice of rearing system and healthcare practices, contribute to the optimization of production.

To establish the influence of the diet on growth and slaughter results, an experiment was organized on two batches of Jumbo meat quails between 1-56 days. To determine the optimal age for slaughter, slaughter was performed at 42, 49 and 56 days. The mean body weight at the age of 42 days was 243.60±4.80 g in the control group and 267.44±9.33 g in the experimental group, the difference between the groups being very significant; at the age of 49 days it was 271.10±9.20 g in the control group and 291.40±13.06 g in the experimental group, the difference being significant, while at the age of 56 days it was 294.80±12.80 g in the group control and 301.00±11.50 g in the experimental one, the difference being not statistically assured. The results obtained in the present study recommend the use of compound feed recipes in meat quails with higher levels of lysine and methionine in rising for 42 and 49 days, which ensures superior growth and slaughter performance in meat quails. At the same time, it is recommended to establish the optimal age for slaughter according to the specific consumption of compound feeds, an age that in the present experiment turned out to be 42 days, or 49 days if a larger carcass is desired.

In order to determine the effect of using infrared lamps in raising the Jumbo youth meat quail as a source of heating and lighting during the 1-42 days of age, an experiment was organized on a total number of 300 quail chickens, divided into three equal groups (100 chicks/ group), respectively two sources of electric heating and electric lighting (control batch – 100 W power incandescent lamps, experimental batch I – 100 W infrared lamps and experimental lot II - infrared lamps in the 0-3 weeks of growth and incandescent lamps in the period of 4-6 weeks of growth). Average live weight at the age of 42 days was of 216.55 g/head in control group, of 185.56 g in experimental group I and of 248.55 g/head in experimental group II, 12,87 % higher compared to the control batch and with 25,34% compared to experimental group I, the differences between the three groups being very significant. The average consumption of compound feeds was of 1344 g c.f./head in control group, of 855 g c.f./head in experimental group I and of 1310 g c.f./head in experimental group II, the differences between the three groups being very significant. In view of the inferior results recorded in the case of experimental group I, it can be stated that the use of infrared lamps for the entire growing period of 42 days to Jumbo meat quail youth has negative effects on the weight gain of the chicks, especially in the second part of the growth. The superior growth performance of the experimental group II, compared to control and experimental group I, shows that the combined use of infrared lamps in the 0 - 3 week growth period and incandescent lamps during the 4 - 6 week period has positive effect on growth parameters, especially on the live weight of the chicks at the age of 42 days.

One of the major challenges of animal husbandry, in addition to those related to the economic situation and the current energy crisis, is the major contribution of this sector to atmospheric pollution. Awareness of pollution sources and their permanent monitoring in order to ensure efficient management of the farm, with the aim of reducing emissions, is a mandatory issue, both at the macro level of the economic sector and at the micro level, specifically at the level of each individual farm. In this context, the acquisition of consistent environmental data from the level of each farm will constitute a beneficial action both for the decision-making system of the farm and for the elaboration or adjustment of strategies at the national level. The current paper proposes a case study of air pollutants in a cattle farm for different seasons (winter and summer) and the correlation between their variation and microclimate parameters. A further comparison is made between values estimated using the EMEP (European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme, 2019) methodology for air pollutant emission and values measured by sensors in a hybrid decision support platform for farms. Results show that interactions between microclimate and pollutant emissions exist and they can provide a model for the farm’s activities that the farmer can manage according to the results of the measurements.

The effects of genotype and diet on growth performance, carcass traits and blood metabolites were investigated. The commercial Ross 308 (R) chickens genotype, a local Black Transylvanian Naked Neck (BTNN) breed, and their crosses were used in an 81-day study. A total of 720 one-d-old chicks were allotted into eight groups in a 4 × 2 factorial design with 4 genotypes: Rmale × Rfemale (R), BTNNmale × Rfemale (BTNN-R), BTNNmale × BTNNfemale (BTNN), Rmale × BTNNfemale (R-BTNN), and 2 diets: control and low-metabolisable energy (LME). Genotype affected performance parameters, namely body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), energy intake (EI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), energy conversion ratio (ECR), and production efficiency factor (PEF), irrespective of growth phase (p < 0.05). Diet had no significant effect on overall BWG, EI, ECR and PEF, except that it increased FI and FCR. Genotype influenced the carcass and organ yields (p < 0.05), except bursa weight, while diet had no significant effect. Blood parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, albumin and phosphorus) were affected only by genotype (p < 0.05). In summary, results show that from the two crossbreedings obtained between R and BTNN genotypes, the BTNN-R growth performance and carcass traits were superior to R-BTNN, even though both have had a similar improved plasma response. Lowering the ME level did not significantly affect the BWG but increased FI and FCR, whereas the production index was similar regardless of the genotype. Based on the present results, we concluded that the BTNN-R crosses are the most suitable for use in alternative rearing systems for slow-growing chickens.

The issue of nitrate contamination has become increasingly acute, with the awareness of their toxicity on the human body and the identification of increasing sources of contamination. Human intervention in the natural nitrogen cycle has serious repercussions that are manifested by its accumulation at one or more levels. The use of fertilizers in agriculture is crucial to ensure food security, but their unreasonable use causes accumulations of nitrogen in the form of nitrate ions in plants, and from here they reach human intake, over a certain amount becoming harmful. The aim of this paper is to quantify the amount of nitrates present in certain vegetables intensively consumed during spring, sources of food which if does not conform with the current recommendations of EFSA and EU, can become major factors of risk to public health. The studied material consists of 5 types of vegetables products intensively consumed in spring: lettuce (Lactuca sativa), curly lettuce (or Lollo - Lactuca sativa var Crispa), Iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa lime Iceberg), spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and wild garlic (Allium ursinum). The samples were collected from different commercial locations (outlets): hypermarkets (H), open markets (OM), street trade (ST) and house gate trade (HGT). The highest nitrate concentrations were found in lettuce in ST (4306 mg kg-1) and HGT (4175.5 mg kg-1), in Lollo salad in ST (4306.5 mg kg-1) and HGT (4602.75 mg kg-1) and spinach in OM (3469.25 mg kg-1). The study findings suggest that ST and HGT are commercial points that may constitute a danger to public health, the ADI value exceedingly even by 107.21% in the case of Lollo salad purchased from HGT. The issue calls for more drastic controls by the authorities.

This study evaluated the effects of a dietary mixture based on extruded linseed and pea (ELP; 20:80 w/w) and probiotics (L. acidophilus) on the performance, biochemical responses, breast muscle fatty acids (FA) profile, and lipid indices in broiler chickens. A total of 480 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were assigned into four groups in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two levels of ELP (0% and 30%) at the expense of soybean meal, corn, and vegetable oil and two levels of probiotic (0 and 20 g ton−1 feed). There were no effects of ELP diet or probiotic supplementation on performance and carcass traits. Feeding the ELP diet increased plasma total protein, urea nitrogen (PUN), and creatinine (Cre) levels with no changes in the PUN/Cre ratio. A probiotic addition lowered the total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and the TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios. The ELP diet improved the breast muscle FA profile by lowering total saturated FA (SFA) and increasing total polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), omega-3 (n-3), unsaturated FA (UFA), PUFA/SFA, and UFA/SFA ratios. Probiotics increased total PUFA, omega-6 (n-6) and decreased the n-6/n-3 ratio, total UFA, and UFA/SFA ratio. Dietary treatment interaction exhibited a synergistic effect for total PUFA and an antagonistic effect for n-3 PUFA and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in breast muscle. Probiotics reduced some lipid indices (PUFA/SFA ratio, desirable FA and nutritive value index) only when ELP0 was fed. In conclusion, based on these results, using ELP30 alone in broiler diets is recommended to improve meat’s nutritional value for consumers.

Several processed food products may contain toxic compounds considered risk factors for human health. Known for its possible carcinogenic effects, acrylamide is an organic compound periodically analyzed by the entities responsible for consumer safety. Knowing the acrylamide content of food offers the possibility of implementing corrective measures when needed, targeted at lowering its level. The aim of the paper was to screen for the presence of acrylamide in four products consumed almost daily in Romania and calculate acrylamide exposure by consuming one serving. Expressed in µg/kg coffee has the highest average acrylamide content (199), followed by potato chips (134), pretzels (120), and bread (14). Results regarding the acrylamide content in one serving showed the highest levels of acrylamide in pretzels (10.20 µg/serving), followed by potato chips (4.00 µg/serving), coffee (2.20 µg/cup), and bread (0.40 µg/slice). The calculation of the acrylamide content for one serving of the studied products will facilitate the following studies on the dietary acrylamide intake of the Romanian population, studies which, to our knowledge, have not been performed so far.