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There is concern about egg cholesterol content. In this study, the effect of an ethanolic extract from Enterolobium cyclocarpum (EEEC) pods in laying hen diets on egg production and plasma lipid profile was investigated. EEEC was added in 0 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg, 120 mg/kg, 240 mg/kg, and 480 mg/kg to the diets. Feed intake was lower in laying hens fed diets with 480 mg/kg of EEEC (p < 0.05). Albumen was less heavy and wide in laying hens fed diets with EEEC, in comparison to those in the control diet (p < 0.05). No significant effect of EEEC on cholesterol in plasma was observed (p < 0.08); however, a significant increase of high-density lipids (HDL) in proportion of total cholesterol was observed in hens supplemented with 120 mg/kg of EEEC (p < 0.05). In conclusion, EEEC reduced albumen weight and wide in eggs, and 120 mg/kg of EEEC in the diet increased HDL in proportion to total cholesterol in blood.

1. The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of stocking density on performance, litter moisture, Eimeria oocyst shedding, intestinal and foot lesions in broilers.2. A total of 192 1-day-old male Cobb broilers were distributed with three different stocking densities (6, 8 or 10 chickens/m2) with outdoor access and eight replicates, in a completely randomized design in two periods. Productive parameters were measured from three to seven weeks of age.3. Oocyst counts (OPG) in both excreta and litter was performed at three, four and five weeks of age. Intestinal and foot pad lesions were evaluated at seven weeks old. The stocking density of 6 birds/m2 had the highest body weights (P 0.05). Likewise, there was no effect of stocking density on OPG neither in excreta nor in litter, intestinal lesions, or foot pad and hock injuries (P>0.05).6. In conclusion the higher stocking density decreased both the feed intake and the live weight in broilers, but there were no effects in the number of Eimeria OPG in excreta or litter, neither intestinal lesions nor in foot pad injuries.

A controlled study evaluated the effect of condensed tannins (CT) from Gymnopodium floribundum leaf meal (GF), infection with Haemonchus contortus (I) and their interaction, on feed intake, diet digestibility and retention of N (NR) and energy (ER) in hair sheep lambs. Thirty-six, worm-free hair sheep lambs (14.9 ± 1.56 kg body weight) were housed in metabolic cages. Eighteen animals were infected with 6000 H. contortus L3, while other 18 lambs were kept non-infected. On day 28th post-infection (PI), infected lambs were assigned to three diet groups: a diet without GF (I-NONGF), a diet with GF (I + GF) and a diet with GF + polyethylene glycol (PEG) (I + GF + PEG). Non-infected (NI) lambs were assigned to similar diet groups: NI-NONGF, NI + GF and NI + GF + PEG. The packed cell volume (% PCV), ante-mortem faecal egg counts and post-mortem worm burdens were also evaluated. Infection did not affect digestibility, NR and ER. Meanwhile, CT intake from the GF diet reduced the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein, as well as NR, compared to lambs consuming the NONGF and GF + PEG diets (P

The objective of this study was to estimate the apparent metabolizable energy (AME), true metabolizable energy (TME), their digestible coefficients, as well as the apparent ileal digestible energy (AIDE) and apparent ileal digestible coefficient (AIDC) of Ramon (Brosimum alicastrum Sw.) seed meal (RSM). Two experiments were performed using Cobb broilers, in the first experiment, eight birds from a total of 24 broilers (twelve 3-week-old and twelve 6-week-old) were randomly selected for determination of endogenous losses (EL). The sixteen remaining were tube-fed a single dose of RSM and total excreta collection was used. In the second experiment, three diets (100% maize; 40% RSM-60% maize and 60% RSM-40% maize) were made to determine the AIDE and AIDC of each ingredient using the difference method by incorporating titanium dioxide (TiO2) at 5 g/kg. Diets were randomly assigned to a total of 51 7-week-old broilers, distributed in 6, 6 and 5 replicates respectively (three broilers per replicate). No age effect (p > 0.05) was found for both AME (1863 and 1909 kcal/kg for 3 and 6 weeks, respectively) and TME (2234 and 2271 kcal/kg, for 3 and 6 weeks, respectively) of the RSM. The AIDE and AIDC of RSM at 40 and 60% inclusion (2408 and 2538 kcal/kg, and 0.64 and 0.67, respectively) were found to be lower (p

Los corrales elevados (RP) han sido promovidos en las regiones tropicales de México como un sistema de alojamiento que mejora el comportamiento productivo de los corderos en crecimiento y han mostrado una gran aceptación entre los productores, tanto para corderos machos como en hembras; sin embargo, han sido poco estudiados y se han usado sin enriquecimiento ambiental en los sistemas intensivos. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio fue comparar el comportamiento productivo de corderos en crecimiento tanto machos como hembras alojados en RP y a nivel del suelo (GL) usando viruta como material de cama. Se usaron 32 corderos, 15 machos y 17 hembras, con un promedio de peso vivo y edad inicial de 10,54 ± 1,89 kg y 66,54 ± 22,43 días, respectivamente. Los datos fueron analizados empleando análisis de varianza, incluyendo como efectos fijos el tipo de alojamiento (RP y GL) y el sexo (machos y hembras) y las variables dependiente ganancia diaria de peso (DWG), el consumo de alimento (DMI), la conversión alimenticia (FC) y el peso vivo final (FBW). El tipo de alojamiento no tuvo efecto sobre DWG, DMI, FC y FBW (P > 0,05). Los machos presentaron mejores valores en todos los indicadores productivos que las hembras (excepto en FC). Bajo las condiciones de este estudio, el comportamiento productivo de corderos en crecimiento alojados ya sea en RP o en GL fue similar.

Existe preocupación sobre el contenido de colesterol en el huevo. En este estudio, se investigó el efecto de un extracto etanólico de vainas de Enterolobiumcyclocarpum (EEEC) en dietas de gallinas ponedoras sobre la producción de huevo y perfil de lípidos en sangre. Se agregó 0 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg, 120 mg/kg, 240 mg/kg y 480 mg/kg de EEEC en las dietas. El consumo de alimento fue menor en las gallinas alimentadas con 480 mg/kg EEEC (p < 0.05). La albúmina fue menos pesada y extendida en las alimentadas con EEEC, en comparación con las de la dieta control (p < 0.05). No se observó efecto de EEEC sobre el colesterol en plasma (p < 0.08). Se observó un aumento de lípidos de alta densidad (HDL) en proporción del colesterol total en gallinas suplementadas con 120 mg/kg de EEEC (p < 0.05). En conclusión, EEEC en la dieta redujo el peso y amplitud de la albúmina, y 120 mg/kg de EEEC en la dieta aumentó el HDL en proporción al colesterol total en sangre.

This study aimed to 1) investigate associations between first parity wean-to-service interval (WSI) and sows’ lifetime reproductive traits and 2) identify cut-off values for WSI associated with lifetime traits. Data collected in 3,900-sows of farrow-to-finish commercial farm in Yucatan, Mexico. Lifetime productivity records including parity number at culling (NPC), lifetime number piglets born alive (LNBA) from parity two until culling, lifetime non-productive days (LNPD) and length of productive life (LPL) for sows were used. Association between WSI and sow productive traits were evaluated using general linear models, including year and season as categorical fixed effects and WSI as a continuous linear and quadratic predictors. Cut-off values for WSI were estimated using regression tree analysis. WSI was associated (P < 0.05) with LNBA (linear = -0.62 ± 0.025; quadratic 0.02 ± 0.008) and NCP (linear = -0.04 ± 0.018). Similarly, an association (P < 0.05) was observed between WSI and LNPD (linear = 2.81 ± 0.687; quadratic -0.05 ± 0.023). Cut-off values for WSI varied according to each of the predicted variables: WSI > 5 days would translate into longer 13 more days of LPL, WSI < 7 days would increase LNBA by two extra pigs, WSI ≥ 9 days increases NCP by 0.2 parities, and WSI < 10 days would mean 24 fewer LNPD. Shorter WSI during the first parity was associated with improved lifetime productivity traits. The estimated cut-off values for WSI could be used by producers, to decide when to implement strategies to improve management.

Much research has been conducted to mitigate the impact of conventional production systems on broilers welfare, but nearly all of these studies are based on the development of strategies to improve...

The objective of the present study was to evaluate equations for estimating fat content (%) of soft tissues of carcass (muscle and adipose tissues, n = 28) and viscera (n = 28) samples of adult ewes based on nitrogen (N, %), carbon (C, %) and dry matter (DM, %) composition. The following equations reported by Brouwer (1965) and Kuhla et al. (2004) were tested: ether extract (EE, %) = 1.3038 × C (%) − 4.237 × N (%) (eq. 1), EE (%) = 1.2948 × C (%) − 4.407 × N (%) (eq. 2) and EE (%) = −31.23 + 1.9677 × DM (%) (eq. 3). A fourth equation for estimating EE was also tested: EE (%) = 1.3039 (± 0.017) × C (%) – 3.9949 (± 0.218) × N (%) (eq. 4). A final equation including DM content was also developed and tested in the present study: EE (%) = 1.3820 (± 0.025) × DM (%) (eq. 5). The correlation coefficients (r) between EE and C and between EE and N were 0.90 and −0.97, respectively (P 0.91), except equations (3) and (5), and high accuracy according to the bias correction factor (Cb > 0.95), confirming their good reproducibility and concordance with the observed data (CCC > 0.94). The modelling efficiency factor (MEF) indicated moderate to high efficiency of prediction (from 0.63 to 0.91) for all equations except equation (3). The coefficient of model determination (CD) ranged from 0.59 to 1.25, indicating high variability in the predicted data. The null hypothesis (intercept = 0 and slope = 1) was only accepted for equations (1), (4) and (5). Equations (1) and (4) had high precision (r2 = 0.92) and accuracy (Cb = 0.99), with a reproducibility index of 0.95. Hence, we conclude that equations (1) and (4) could be used to predict the percentage of EE in sheep soft tissues of carcasses and viscera based on the C and N contents (%). These equations could be applied in the future to determine the composition of the soft tissues of carcass and viscera of animals to estimate their energy requirements under different production levels.

In sheep, infection with Haemonchus contortus may increase the need for energy, and this demand may vary according to the infection level. In this study, the energy intake, digestibility, and energy retention of lambs artificially infected with different levels of H. contortus were estimated. A total of 24 hair sheep lambs reared parasite-free were experimentally infected with H. contortus at one of three infection levels: non-infected (n = 6); infected with 300 infective larvae (L3) of H. contortus/kg body weight (BW) (n = 9); and infected with 500 H. contortus L3/kg BW (n = 9). The lambs were fed for an individual weight gain of 100 g/day, and intake of organic matter (OMI) and gross energy (GEI), digestible (DEI) and metabolizable energy (MEI) were measured weekly. The digestibility of organic matter (OMD) and GE (GED) and the metabolizable energy (ME) balance adjusted to zero nitrogen balance (MEadj) were measured for each lamb during the prepatent and patent periods of infection. From day 21 post-infection (PI), the individual eggs per gram (EPG) of feces and the total number of eggs in feces (TEF) were estimated weekly. After humane slaughter on day 42 PI, the worm burden (WB) was determined. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to estimate the relationships between the parasitological variables (L3, EPG, TEF and WB) and the response variables (OMI, GEI, DEI, MEI, OMD, GED, MEadj). During the prepatent period, there were no significant relationships of L3 with the response variables (OMI, GEI, DEI, MEI, OMD, GED, ME, MEadj). Similarly, during the patent period, no relationship was evident between infection (EPG, TEF or WB) and OMI, GEI, DEI, GED, OMD, ME or MEadj. Thus, the gradient of H. contortus infection examined in the present study did not influence energy balance in hair sheep lambs, and infection did not impose any detectable energy cost. Further studies are needed to fully assess the impact of H. contortus infection on energy metabolism in hair sheep.

1. The effects of housing system and stocking density on growth performance and carcase yield of a commercial strain of broiler chickens reared under tropical environmental conditions may differ from temperate conditions.2. In two experimental periods, carried out during two contrasting seasons of the year (winter and summer), 240 Cobb 500 male chickens were randomly assigned in groups of 60 to 1 of 4 treatments, with 6 replicates in each, low stocking density with outdoor access (LO, 5 birds/m

The impact of Haemonchus contortus infections on nitrogen retention (NR) of hair sheep lambs is unknown. This study estimated the feed intake, digestibility, NR, haematocrit (HT), and their relationship with the gradient of H. contortus infection in hair sheep lambs. Twenty-four hair sheep lambs, 3-4 months old, reared parasite-free were used (live weight (LW) 16.7 ± 1.7 kg). Six lambs were kept parasite-free, nine lambs received a dose of 300 H. contortus infective larvae (L3)/kg LW, and the remaining nine lambs received 500 H. contortus L3/kg LW. Infection doses ranged from 3870 to 9,500 L3. Lambs were individually fed for an average daily gain (ADG) of 100 g. On days 1 (P < 0.01) and 7 (P < 0.001) post-infection (PI), the L3 doses were positively associated with HT, possibly due to platelet recruitment. On week 1 PI, the infection (L3) reduced the crude protein (CP) intake (g/kg metabolic LW) (P < 0.05). A reduction of 1% HT corresponded to 1200 eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) for day 21 PI (P < 0.05), 2300 EPG for day 28 PI (P < 0.001), 2400 EPG for day 35 (P < 0.001), and 1300 EPG for day 41 PI (P < 0.001). However, the HT levels were never lower than 21 %. A lower CP digestibility was associated with EPG only on week 5 PI (P < 0.05). There was no significant association between EPG, Total egg in faeces, or worm burden (WB) with intake, dry matter digestibility (DMD), ADG or NR. The NR of lambs was positive along the different weeks of study irrespective of infection level. The WB was negatively associated only with HT on day 41 PI (P < 0.001), where a 1 % HT reduction was estimated for every 257 worms hosted. In conclusion, no relationship was found between H. contortus infection and DMD, ADG or NR in hair sheep lambs. The cost of H. contortus infection resulted only from the HT reduction and depended on the gradient and stage of the infection.

This study validated a protocol to identify the nutraceutical value of Gymnopodium floribundum (GF) foliage based on its effects on sheep nutrition, production and health and its impact on adult Haemonchus contortus. Thirty animals (17.8 ± 3.44 kg BW) were distributed into five experimental groups (n = 6). Groups T1–T3 received feed including 20%, 30% and 40% GF content, respectively, and group T4 received feed with 0% GF. Groups T1–T4 were all infected with 6000 H. contortus infective larvae (L3). Group T5 included six worm-free lambs fed a diet without GF. Feed intake, dry matter digestibility (DMD) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) were measured, in addition to the faecal excretion of eggs per gram (EPG) and total faecal egg count (TFEC) of H. contortus. On day 39 post-infection, lambs were humanely slaughtered to recover and count adult parasites and assess the length and fecundity of female worms. Higher levels of GF in the diet reduced DMD and OMD (P 0.05). EPG and TFEC were lower in T1 and T3 than in T4 (P

The objectives of this study were to detect the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and body condition score (BCS) in Pelibuey ewes to predict BMI based on well-known BCS estimation. The body weight (BW), withers height, (WH), body length (BL) and BCS were determined in 402 ewes. The BMI was calculated as: BMI = (BW (kg)/WH (m)/ BL (m))/10. Relationships were estimated by means of regression models using PROC REG of the SAS. The BMI and the BCS showed a high relationship; correlation coefficient (r) of 0.80 (P

The aim of this study was to evaluated the effect of soaked Mucuna pruriens (MP) seeds in tap water, acid or alkaline solution + cooking on its L-Dopa content and on the productive performance of broiler chickens. Ninety-six sexed chicks aged 21-days old with an initial live weight of 720 ± 80 g were used. Four diets were used, a control without MP (C) and three diets including 25 % MP: a) soaked MP in tap water + cooking (WMP); b) soaked MP in acetic acid solution + cooking (AAMP); c) soaked MP in calcium hydroxide solution + cooking (CHMP). The alkaline treatment reduced 71 % of L-Dopa in comparison to acid or water treatment (53 % and 41 % respectively). In the starter phase, the acid group had the lowest live weight gain (p0.05). In the finisher phase, there was not statistical difference in feed intake, live weight gain and feed conversion ratio among treatments (p>0.05). No differences were observed in carcass yield (p>0.05), but, the birds fed MP or AAMP had a heavier liver than birds on C group (p

This study estimated the impact of condensed tannin (CT) consumption on dry matter intake (DMI) and live weight change (LWC) of growing sheep by means of a meta-analysis. A metabolic cost associated to CT intake was also estimated. Data included in the meta-analysis were obtained from scientific literature with the following inclusion criteria: (a) growing lambs fed ad-libitum without gastrointestinal nematode infection, (b) feed consumption data, (c) chemical composition of diets, and (d) CT consumption data. Data were analyzed as a whole data-set or grouped into three categories: (a) sheep consuming CT (CT group), (b) sheep not consuming CT (non-CT group) and (c) sheep consuming CT + polyethylene glycol (CT + PEG group). The effect of diet composition and quality (crude protein (CP), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), condensed tannins (CT), metabolizable energy (ME), dry matter digestibility (DMD), OM digestibility (OMD) and CP digestibility (CPD)) on DMI (g/kg0.75) was evaluated using regression analyses. The effect of diet composition and consumption of those same variables (g/kg0.75) on LWC (g/kg0.75) were also evaluated using respective regression analyses. The metabolic cost of CT consumption was estimated in terms of digestible crude protein (DCP) and ME requirements. The cost was estimated for a diet to sustain maintenance and a diet to supply 100 g/d LWC requirements. No effect was found of CT intake on DMI or LWC (P > 0.05). The DMI was best predicted by CP and DMD concentration (g/kg DM), when analyzed as a whole data-set. When analyzed as separate categories for CT and non-CT group was best predicted by ME (MJ/kg DM) (P

The objective of the current paper is to review research findings in organic poultry or free-range systems and its perspectives for the tropical Latin America region, including genotypes adapted to production systems in semi-captivity, according to the specific characteristics of each country. Different feeding systems schemes are analysed as well as low cost feed resources that could be used. Most of the studies reviewed for free-range systems propose feeding schemes based on two stages, which are starter (1-5 weeks old) and finisher (5-15 weeks old) diets. Carcass yield and quality are covered; however there is still debate due to the great variety of results observed, depending on age, genotype, feed ingredients and characteristics of the system used. It has been suggested that carcass characteristics improved due to increased activity, which enhances bird comfort and welfare. The findings of this review indicated that producing meat in these systems is feasible in tropical countries. However, it is necessary to establish adequate conditions for every country to ensure viability, on the basis of meat quality and economic variables.

The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between udder measurements and milk yield (MY) in dairy Pelibuey ewes. Udder measurements were taken twice a week for eight weeks before (initial) and after (final) milking, including udder depth (UD), udder circumference (UC), udder width (UW), teat length (TL) and teat diameter (TD) in 38 multiparous ewes. Additionally, udder volume (UV) and the difference (VDF) between initial UV (UVi) and final (UVf) was calculated as VDF = UVi &minus, UVf. The MY varied from 0.10 kg/d to 1.04 kg/d, with a mean of 0.39 kg/d, &plusmn, 0.18 kg/d. Initial UC (UCi) ranged from 25.80 cm to 53.30 cm, and VDF varied from 1 cm3 to 2418 cm3. The TL and TD were not correlated with MY (p &gt, 0.05), while UCi, UVi and VDF were positively correlated with MY (p &lt, 0.0001, r = from 0.66 to 0.74). For the prediction of MY, the obtained equations had an r2 ranging from 0.54 to 0.63. The UCi, UDf, UWi and UWf were included in these models (p &lt, 0.05). It is concluded that there was an acceptable correlation (r = 0.60) between the measurements of the udder, the volume of the udder and the daily milk yield in Pelibuey sheep. When direct measurements of milk production cannot be performed in practice, the measurement of udders and their volume could be a viable alternative to estimate milk yield production as an indirect method.

Studies investigating the welfare of commercial-line broiler chickens raised in houses with outdoor access in the tropics are scarce, and none have investigated whether responses vary according to indoor conditions. Hence, we assessed the effects of providing outdoor access at two indoor stocking densities on broiler chickens&rsquo, growth, behaviour, stress responses and immunity in a tropical region of Mexico. One hundred and sixty chickens were assigned to one of four treatments in a factorial design: with or without outdoor access and low or high stocking density indoors. Ad libitum sampling was used to build a purpose-designed ethogram. Scan sampling was used to record the number of birds engaged in each activity of this ethogram, both indoors and outdoors. Heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and serum corticosterone levels were tested in weeks four and six of age. When the birds were 42 days old, they were slaughtered, and the bursa and spleen harvested and weighed. In an interaction between stocking density and outdoor access, birds at the high stocking density with no outdoor pens spent the least time walking and preening and more time lying (p &lt, 0.05). Birds given outdoor access foraged more, but only at indoor low stocking densities (p &lt, 0.05). Outdoor access reduced heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, indicating reduced stressor response. Birds with low stocking density indoors and outdoor access appeared more responsive to stressors, with elevated corticosterone and reduced spleen and bursa weights (p &lt, 0.05). There were welfare benefits of outdoor access, principally in terms of increased activity, which were reflected in slower growth in the birds with outdoor access.

Sin resumen

The possibility of using layer-type slow-growing male chickens in tropical climate to produce high quality meat without compromising bird’s bone quality was explored in this study. A total of 156, 1-day-old Rhode Island Red male chickens, were randomly assigned to 2 treatments (with and without outdoor access) with 6 replicates of 13 birds each and grown for 115 days. Results showed that birds grown with access to outdoors had higher ash content and lower fat amount in their breast and leg muscles, while protein was higher in the femoral muscle. Also, femur weight, femur Seedor index, tibia weight, tibia length and tibia Seedor index, as well as leg bones’ ash content were positively influenced (P

The effect of two housing systems during the fattening period on productive performance of lambs from different hair-type sheep breeds in southeastern Mexico was evaluated. Effects of housing system (raised-slatted floor cages (RFC) vs. floor pens (FP)), year (2009, 2012 and 2013) and season of the year (rainy vs. dry) on average daily gain (ADG), weights adjusted to 60 (P60) and 90 (P90) days post-weaning were evaluated. Data from 1213 lambs collected on the farm over a period of three years were analysed. The ADG, P60 and P90 were affected (P

The aim of this study was to compare the mother-lamb bonding and lamb mortality observed on Pelibuey ewes lambing in isolation (IL) or group (GL) under tropical farm conditions. Each treatment was conformed with 16 adults multiparous Pelibuey ewes of similar weight (39.8 ± 8.01 kg) and body condition score (2.9 ± 0.5). Semi-controlled mating lasted 35 days, single or twin gestations were diagnosticated at day 50 by ultrasonography allocating similar proportion of twins in treatments. Similar space allowance (2.25 m2/ewe) and fed conditions were used during all pregnancy period. IL ewes lambed and remained after birth into 1.5 × 1.5 m individual pens, GL ewes remained and lambed in the same collective pen used during pregnancy. Observations were performed by focal sampling during (i) the 1st hour after lamb expulsion registering vocalizations, aggressions, suckling’ acceptance on ewes. Also, the latency to stand up and successfully suckling was recorded in lambs, (ii) 48 h later a two-choice recognition arena test, exposed animals simultaneously to their own mother/lamb and to a foreign-ones, (iii) afterwards, ewes’ reactions to the manipulation of their lambs by a foreign handler (maternal behavior score, MBS) were observed. Animals were weighted at the 1st hour post-partum and 30 days later. Twenty-seven (11 twins, 5 single) and 28 (12 twins, 5 single) lambs born at IL and GL respectively. The birth weight was 3.0 ± 0.4 kg on IL and 2.8 ± 0.4 kg on the GL (P = 0.119). During the 1st hour after lambing only the mean number of high-pitched bleats were different in both ewes (18.6 ± 1.2 vs 28.2 ± 1.8) and lambs (27.9 ± 1.2 vs 42.2 ± 1.3) of IL vs GL respectively (P = 0.001). At 48 h postpartum a faster recognition of their own mother/lamb was displayed by ewes (8 ± 0.4 vs 13.4 ± 1 s.) and lambs (8.8 ± 0.5 vs 15.3 ± 0.5 s.) on the IL vs GL respectively (P = 0.001). A MBS of 3 was observed on both treatments (P > 0.05), no difference was found on the daily change of weight in lambs (0.113 ± 0.01 vs 0.091 ± 0.01 kg, P = 0.068) and ewes (– 0.098 ± 0.01 vs -0.119 ± 0.01, P = 0.491) of IL vs GL respectively. The mortality was of 7.4 and 10.7 % on IL and GL with a similar risk in treatments (odds ratio = 1.06). It was concluded that in tropical hair sheep farms at the same animal space allowance, isolation lambing environment favorized calmer animals able to a faster recognition compared to grouped lambing animals, instead isolation at lambing did not reduced mortality nor improved lambs’ productivity.

This study aimed to estimate the effect of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) on the productive performance assessed by the live-weight change (LWC) of lambs, and the metabolic cost associated with parasitism by means of a meta-analysis. Data used in the meta-analyses were obtained from twenty papers selected using the following criteria: (a) lambs with (I) and without (NI) GIN; (b) lambs fed ad libitum; (c) LWC data; (d) feed consumption data; and (e) chemical composition of diets. The effect of diet composition (crude protein [CP] and metabolizable energy [ME]) on dry matter intake (DMI), and the effect of composition and nutrient intake (DMI and CP intake [CPI]) and ME intake (MEI) on LWC was evaluated using respective regression analyses. The metabolic cost of worm burden was determined as the difference in CP and ME requirements between NI and I lambs for each adult parasite. The CP and ME cost were evaluated for lambs at two different levels: maintenance level 0 g LWC and 100 g LWC. The worm burden had an impact on the DMI and LWC of lambs (P 0.05). The association of CP x infection level was the best predictor of DMI. The association between MEI and infection level were the best predictors of LWC. The metabolic cost of GIN increased to 0.30 mg CP/kg LW

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the preference of the consumption of four silage formulations, and their effect of the preferred silage on the ovarian activity of adult collared peccaries subjected to 35 days of ad libitum feed intake. In the first experiment, 12 adults Pecari tajacu that are non-pregnant females were used to which they were offered four silage mixtures, to measure the preference, through a 4 x 4 Latin square design. In the second experiment, five females were offered a diet with the most favorite silage, pumpkin, and corn, and five others consumed corn and pumpkin. The blood progesterone levels of each female were measured weekly. The first experiment showed that the silage mixture with 55% of Brosimum alicastrum , 40% of Pennisetum purpureum and 5% of molasses was preferred (P

This study aimed to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of growing rabbits fed diets with different levels of either Leucaena leucocephala (LLM) or Moringa oleifera (MOLM) leaf meals and also to compare total collection and TiO2 marker methods for estimating digestibility. A total of 30 California growing rabbits (1.81±0.19 kg live weight on average) were randomly distributed into five experimental groups of six rabbits each and were housed in individual cages. The groups were control, 30% LLM, 40% LLM, 30% MOLM, and 40% MOLM. All groups received pelleted diets for two weeks; diets also contained 4 g/kg titanium dioxide as dietary marker. Daily feed intake was recorded during the whole experimental period and total feces were collected daily and weighed individually during four days. The results showed that there were no difference (p>0.05) in feed, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), digestible energy, and crude fiber (CF) intake between the control group and the other experimental groups. The apparent digestibility values of DM, OM, CP, CF, acid detergent fiber, and gross energy were the highest for control group (p = 0.001), meanwhile MOLM diets had generally higher nutrient digestibility coefficients than LLM diets. Increasing the inclusion level of leaf meal in the diet from 30% to 40% improved the digestibility of CF from 45.02% to 51.69% for LLM and from 48.11% to 55.89% for MOLM. Similar results for apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients were obtained when either total collection or indigestible marker method was used. In conclusion, the digestibility of MOLM containing diets were better than LLM diets, furthermore TiO2 as an external marker could be used as a simple, practical and reliable method to estimate nutrients digestibility in rabbit diets. (Key Words: Digestibility, Nutrients Intake, External Marker, Leucaena leucocephala, Moringa oleifera, Rabbits)

The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of including differently processed Mucuna pruriens seed meals as tropical feed resource on growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, and economical efficiency of growing rabbits. Forty eight growing California rabbits aged 7 weeks, allocated in individual cages, were randomly distributed into four experimental groups of 12 rabbits each; the animals were assigned to four dietary treatments containing 25% of cooked Mucuna seed meal (MSM), alkaline treated MSM, or autoclaved MSM as well as the control diet that did not contain MSM. The results showed that cooking or autoclaving M. pruriens seeds did not affect the chemical composition of the seeds, however, the alkaline process reduced CP, aNDF, ADF, and EE content of the seeds by 6.03%, 6.38%, 17.74%, and 26.17%, respectively compared to the raw seeds. There was no significant difference between the control group and each of cooked and alkaline treated MSM regarding final body weight being 2066 vs. 2015 and 1999 g, respectively; but the autoclaved MSM was significantly lower by 4.85% than the control group. Autoclaved and alkaline treated MSM groups had significantly lower daily weight gain (29.0 and 29.8 g) than the control group (31.4 g), but the cooked MSM treatment (30.1 g) was not different from the control group. There were no significant differences regarding DM, OM, or GE digestibility among the experimental groups, the highest CP digestibility coefficient was recorded by the control and cooked MSM groups (0.75 and 0.72, respectively), whereas cooked MSM group showed significantly the highest digestibility coefficient of aNDF and ADF. No significant differences were detected among the treatments in the dressing percentage. The inclusion of cooked, alkaline treated or autoclaved MSM improved the economical efficiency by 63%, 53%, and 36%, respectively in comparison with the control group. The results of this study revealed that cooking treatment is the best method of processing Mucuna seeds; therefore 25% of cooked MSM could be included in the rabbit diets without any deleterious effect on performance or carcass traits with higher economical efficiency of growing rabbits.

Twenty nine Pelibuey × Katahdin hair ewes rearing single lamb were used during 42 days of lactation to evaluate the effect of including the Mucuna pruriens whole pods in the diets of lactating ewes on milk production and offspring performance. Animals were distributed at random into three experimental diets: a control diet without Mucuna (M0), and two more diets with the inclusion of 13 (M13) and 26% (M26), of milled pods of Mucuna pruriens, respectively. Dry matter intake, was not significantly different (P > 0.05) among diets. Milk yield (P > 0.05) was 734, 786, and 694 g/day for diets M0, M13, and M26, respectively. Milk fat (P > 0.05), milk protein (P > 0.05), and milk lactose (P > 0.05) did not differ between treatments. Lambs had similar daily weight gain (P > 0.05) among diets (180, 174, and 171 g/day for diets M0, M13, and M26, respectively). Diets with Mucuna whole pods were 5.6 and 12.9% more profitable (M13 and M26, respectively) than control diet. Under the conditions of this work, Mucuna pruriens whole pods can be included up to 26% in the diets of lactating crossbred hair ewes without negatively affecting their productive performance during the first 6 weeks of lactation.

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of including either Leucaena leucocephala (LLM) or Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) as tropical feed resources at two levels (30 or 40 %) on growth performance, carcass traits, and economical efficiency of growing rabbits. A total of 60 California growing rabbits were randomly distributed into five experimental groups, each consisting of 12 rabbits and were allocated individually; the groups were control, 30 % LLM, 40 % LLM, 30 % MOLM, and 40 % MOLM. The experimental period lasted from 6 to 12 weeks of age. The results showed that rabbits fed control and 30 % MOLM diets had significantly the highest final body weight and daily weight gain being 2,040 and 2,000 g and 31.6 and 30.6 g/day, respectively. Similarly, the best feed conversion ratio was associated with 30 % MOLM and control groups (3.2 and 3.4), while the worst value was for 40 % LLM group (5.2). MOLM treatments recorded significantly the highest dressing percentage along with control group. The inclusion of MOLM by 30 and 40 % improved the economical efficiency (2 and 1.5) in comparison with the control group (1.1). The results suggest that MOLM can be included in growing rabbit diets up to 40 % without any adverse effect on growth performance or carcass traits with higher economical efficiency of growing rabbits.

Two methods of feed preference trials were compared to evaluate the acceptability of 5 fresh foliages: Leucaena leucocephala, Moringa oleifera, Portulaca oleracea, Guazuma ulmifolia, and Brosimum alicastrum that was included as control. The evaluation included chemical analyses and forage intake by rabbits. The first method was a cafeteria trial; 12 California growing rabbits aged 8 wk, allocated in individual cages, were offered the five forage plants at the same time inside the cage, while in the second trial 60 California growing rabbits aged 8 wk, allocated individually, were randomly distributed into 5 experimental groups (n = 12/group); for each group just one forage species was offered at a time. The testing period for each method lasted for 7 d, preceded by one week of adaptation. The results showed that B. alicastrum and L. lecocephala were the most preferred forages while on the contrary G. ulmifolia was the least preferred one by rabbits. The results also revealed that the CV% value for the 2nd method (16.32%), which the tested forages were presented separately to rabbits, was lower and methodologically more acceptable than such value for the 1(st) method (34.28%), which all forages were presented together at the same time. It can be concluded that a range of tropical forages were consumed in acceptable quantities by rabbits, suggesting that diets based on such forages with a concentrate supplement could be used successfully for rabbit production. However, growth performance studies are still needed before recommendations could be made on appropriate ration formulations for commercial use.

The nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance and in vivo metabolizable energy supply of Mucuna pruriens whole pods fed to growing Pelibuey lambs was investigated. Eight Pelibuey sheep housed in metabolic crates were fed increasing levels of Mucuna pruriens pods: 0 (control), 100 (Mucuna100), 200 (Mucuna200) and 300 (Mucuna300) g/kg dry matter. A quadratic (p 0.05) on DM and GE apparent digestibility (p 0.05). DM, N and GE apparent digestibility coefficient of M. pruriens whole pods obtained through multiple regression equations were 0.692, 0.457, 0.654 respectively. In vivo DE and ME content of mucuna whole pod were estimated in 11.0 and 9.7 MJ/kg DM. It was concluded that whole pods from M. pruriens did not affect nutrient utilization when included in an mixed diet up to 200 g/kg DM. This is the first in vivo estimation of mucuna whole pod ME value for ruminants.

One approach to enhance the Crude Protein (CP) value of laying hens diets it is the use of enzymes. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate different CP levels and an enzyme blend (Avizyme; AZ) in laying hens diets on egg quality. Two hundred and eighty eight ISA Babcock B-300 hens were used. The diets were: (A) 18.8% CP, (B) 18.8% CP+AZ, (C) 16.6% CP, (D) 16.6% CP+AZ, (E) 16.0% CP and(F) 15.4% CP. Data were analyzed using analyses of variance for factorial designs (Diets A, B, C and D) and a complete randomized design (Diets C, E and F). CP or AZ had no effect on egg quality (p>0.05). Reduction of CP in laying hen diets tended (p

The following review discusses the findings of existing research surrounding the nutritional impact of leaf meals as incorporated in chicken diets, the importance of forages in sustainable poultry production and the capacity of hens to digest high fibre diets. The potential of conventional and/ or outdoor based systems for developing countries, the effects of outdoor production systems on the welfare of laying hens, and methods used in measuring forage intake and the feed items obtained by hens from the outdoor area are also discussed. This review highlights those factors affecting range utilisation, behaviours of free range hens and the recommendations for better range utilisation by laying hens, particularly in the tropics.

The aim of this experiment was to study the suitability of the outdoor system for Rhode Island Red hens under the tropical conditions of southern Mexico. Twelve floor pens, each containing four birds, were divided randomly into two groups. The first group was raised indoors only, while each of the second group replicates had access to an outdoor area with natural-grown vegetation from 0800 to 1700 hours daily. Both groups fed ad libitum on a commercial layers diet. The results revealed no differences in body weight between treatments. The outdoor group recorded significantly higher egg laying rate (86.90 vs. 78.05 %), higher egg mass (50.66 vs. 45.30 g egg/hen/day), and higher feed intake (103.70 vs. 97.67 g/day) versus the indoor group. The outdoor group had eggs with darker yellow yolks (9.46 vs. 5.46), lower yolk, and higher albumen proportions (P < 0.05) versus the indoor group. The crop content of the outdoor hens consisted of 86.55 % concentrated feed, 6.30 % plant material, 2.27 % grit stones, 1.69 % snails and oyster shells, 1.25 % seeds, 0.95 % farm wastes, and 0.99 % insects, worms, and larvae. Of the outdoor hens, 43.1 % was observed to be in the range at each scanning time. The outdoor system in the tropics had beneficial effects on Rhode Island Red hen performance, and the hens utilized the outdoor area effectively and obtained various feed items.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of some factors on the length of productive life (LPL), the number of parities (NP), and the culling interval (CI) of sows. The information from 2003 to 2009 of 3,746 sows with LPL and NP records and 5,819 sows with CI records from the four farms of Yucatan, Mexico was used. LPL was defined as the number of days between the first farrowing and culling or death and CI as the number of days between the last farrowing and culling. To determine the effects of farm, litter size at first farrowing (LSF1) and age at first farrowing (AF1) on LPL and NP, and of farm, LSF1 and culling reason on CI general linear models were used. Means and standard errors for LPL, NP, and CI were 496.4 ± 8.42 days, 3.35 ± 0.04 parities, and 48.3 ± 0.52 days, respectively. All factors had significant effects (P < 0.05) on LPL, NP, and CI. The sows from farm 2 stayed longer (806.0 days) and had more parities (5.25) than the sows from the other farms. Sows with the smallest litters (≤8 piglets) at first farrowing stayed the least time in the farm (675.1 days) and had the fewest parities (4.49). Gilts farrowing the first time before 331 days of age stayed longer time in the farm (726.4 days) and had more parities (4.81) in comparison with 331–348 and more than 348 days age groups. With respect to CI, the sows in farm 3 stayed the longest time in the farm. Sows with more than five parities were culled sooner after their last farrowing. In conclusion, differences between farms for LPL, PN, and CI were found. Females that farrowed at a short age and those with large litters stayed longer in the herd. Old sows and those culled for reproductive reasons stayed the least time in the herd after their last farrowing.

Problem statement: There is a concern related to loss of nitrogen to the environment from animal manure and the high cost of the protein supplement. Thus, the current study was undertaken to determine the effect of reduction of CP and increased of lysine on growth and carcass yield in turkeys. Approach: A factorial experiment was carried out with commercial turkeys to evaluate the effect of two dietary levels of CP (90 and 100% of the NRC recommendations) and three dietary lysine levels (90, 110 and 130% of the NRC recommendations) on performance and carcass yield of male turkeys evaluated from 8-16 week of age. Results: The CP × lysine interaction was significant (p

Vazquez-Gonzalez, L., Sarmiento-Franco, L., Santos-Ricalde, R., Carvajal-Hernandez, M., Segura-Correa, J. and Gutierrez-Triay, M. 2008. Egg production and quality in laying hens fed on different digestible ammo acid regimes and housed at three stocking densities. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 33: 175–180. The objective of the present study was to compare the production performance and egg quality in hens fed on 3 different digestible amino acid regimes and housed at three stocking densities. One hundred and sixty two light Isa-Babcock B300 laying hens were allocated randomly according to 2, 3 or 4 birds per cage. The birds were fed on different diets: 70 (CP: 14.4%), 90 (CP: 17.37%) and 110% (CP: 21.58%) of essential digestible amino acids requirements. The effect of digestible amino acids concentration was significant (P>0.05) for egg weight, albumin weight and albumin width as well as N dropped and crude protein content of excreta. Hen stocking density affected (P>0.05) only feed intake. It is concluded...

1. The productive performance of 4 chicken breed groups managed under semi-intensive conditions in Yucatan, Mexico was evaluated. Thirty-six mixed chickens, one week of age of each of the 4 breed groups (Creole, F1 Hubbard x Creole, 7/8 Hubbard x 1/8 Creole and Hubbard) were used. 2. During 1 to 3 weeks of age all birds were fed on a diet containing 210 g/kg crude protein (CP) and 12.95 MJ/kg metabolisable energy (ME). From weeks 4 to 7, they were given a diet with 190 g/kg CP and 12.55 MJ/kg ME. Food consumption and live body weight were recorded weekly. Statistical analysis of the data was performed according to complete randomised design and means comparison using Tukey test was carried out when necessary. 3. Creole chicks had the lightest weights at all ages as compared to their crosses and the Hubbard birds. At 7 weeks of age, Creole chicks were 2.11, 2.44 and 2.90 times lighter than their contemporary F1, 7/8 Hubbard x 1/8 Creole and Hubbard birds, respectively. Hubbard birds were heavier than F1 and 7/8 commercial x 1/8 Creole birds, and the latter group heavier than the F1 birds. Similarly, Creole chicks had the lowest growth rate compared to the other genetic groups. Heterosis for body weight up to 7 weeks of age was 8.2%. 4. Feed consumption was also lower for the Creole chicks at all ages. Food:gain ratio, however, was higher for the Creole chicks at all ages. Food:gain ratios from weeks 2 to 7 were 2.18, 2.65, 3.04 and 4.36 for the Hubbard, 7/8 Hubbard x 1/8 Creole, F1 and Creole birds, respectively. Heterosis for food:gain ratio from 2 to 7 weeks of age was -7.0%. 5. Crossbreeding of Mexican Creole birds with commercial type broilers might improve productive performance.

The chemical composition of chaya (Cnidoscolus spp) leaves, as a promissory edible tropical shrub for both humans and animals was evaluated. The chemical composition of C aconitifolius did not differ significantly with age of regrowth, with the exception of ether extractives and the oxalic acid content. Galactose, glucose and xylose were the most important sugars found in the insoluble fraction and, galactose and uronic acid were the main components in the soluble portion of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). There was a total content of 197.2 g kg−1 NSP, of which 68.72 and 31.26% corresponded to the insoluble and soluble components respectively. The amino acid composition of C aconitifolius ranged from 0.416 for lysine to 0.641 for valine relative to their contents in soyabean meal. Nevertheless, without exception, the concentrations of all the essential amino acids in C aconitifolius were higher than the corresponding values in alfalfa, a fibrous foodstuff widely acceptable in diets for farm animals. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry

The performance and gut measurements of broilers fed on diets containing different amounts of chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf meal (CLM) were examined in two experiments. In the first experiment, 60 Hubbard chickens (30 males and 30 females; 2 weeks old) were fed on five maize diets; these were formulated using 0, 150 (CLM150), 250 (CLM250) or 350 (CLM350) g CLM/kg, and the fifth diet contained soyabean. In the second experiment, 148 Ross male chicks, 1 day old, were fed on three isonitrogenous and isoenergetic maize–soyabean-based diets, which included 0 (control), 150 (C150) or 250 (C250) g CLM/kg. The diets were offered ad libitum for 2 or 3 weeks in the first and second experiments, respectively. Food intake, weight gain and the food:weight gain ratio were recorded. The weight of the gizzard and intestine and the weight and length of the caeca were also determined in the second experiment. In experiment 1, the birds fed on the maize–soyabean diet had a higher (p

Este estudio se llevó a cabo para identificar las fuentes de adquisición de información sobre las prácticas de producción de pollo entre las mujeres rurales en Yucatán. Se utilizaron discusiones en grupos de foco (DGF) y entrevistas individuales frente a frente con un cuestionario prediseñado para recolectar datos de dos pueblos rurales. Dentro de cada pueblo, se realizaron tres sesiones de grupo de foco con mujeres mayas, involucrando a 10-12 participantes en cada una. Las participantes se seleccionaron con base en su nivel de habilidad en las prácticas de producción de pollo de traspatio. Los resultados revelaron que la familia, los amigos/vecinos, su propia experiencia personal y los proveedores de alimento fueron las fuentes de información más importantes utilizadas por las mujeres rurales. Respecto a las fuentes preferidas por las participantes, los agentes de extensión, los capacitadores/especialistas, la familia, los métodos de demostración, los veterinarios y los amigos/ vecinos fueron las fuentes más preferidas, significativamente. Las áreas técnicas de producción de pollo de traspatio sobre las que las mujeres recibieron información fueron alimentos y alimentación, sistemas de alojamiento, control de enfermedades, mercadotecnia y reproducción. Los resultados también mostraron que la poca disponibilidad de los agentes de extensión y el costo de los servicios veterinarios fueron los limitantes más importantes que afectaron la adquisición de información. Las recomendaciones más importantes fueron la necesidad de servicios de extensión y de programas de capacitación como fuentes de información modernas para mejorar sus habilidades de gestión y su conocimiento sobre las prácticas de producción de pollo de traspatio.

1. The yields of true metabolisable energy (TME) and net energy (NE) from chaya leaf meal and wheatfeed were mcasured in tube-fed cockerels. 2. TME, 5.76 MJ/kg, from chava leaf meal was lower than from wheatfeed, 8.39 MJ/kg. The total heat increment attributable to the feeding of chaya leaf meal was 1-7 times greater than that of wheatfeed. 3. The net efficiency of utilisation of ME (k) from chaya leaf meal was 0.64, while that from wheatfeed was 0.86. The role of different chemical composition, especially the high fibre content of the materials, is discussed. 4. The metabolisable energy and net energy values derived from chava leaf meal represented 0.34 and 0.23 respectively of its gross energy content. The combination of lower TME and lower net efficiency of utilisation led to chaya having a NE value, 3.86 MJ/kg, which was only 0.53 that of wheatfeed.

Para determinar el efecto sobre el peso y niveles de hematocrito y de proteínas sanguíneas al suplementar la dieta de pecaríes de collar (Pecari tajacu) con una mezcla ensilada de pasto Taiwán (Pennisetum purpureum) y ramón (Brosimum alicastrum), se realizó una prueba de consumo voluntario durante cinco semanas. Utilizando once hembras adultas no gestantes, con 4.5 años de edad promedio y un peso de 19.15 kg (± 0.5 kg) se conformaron dos grupos: cinco animales bajo una dieta base de calabaza (Curcubita pepo) y maíz (Zea mays); y otro de seis animales bajo la dieta de calabaza y maíz suplementada al 50% con la mezcla ensilada. Se tomaron muestras de sangre y registro de pesos cada siete días. Usando las medias de los grupos se realizó una prueba t- student. No hubo diferencia entre las dietas con respecto al peso y las proteínas sanguíneas de los animales (P0.05). El empleo de una mezcla ensilada de pasto de corte y forraje es viable para suplementar la dieta de hembras adultas no gestantes.