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This study investigated the effects of different zinc (Zn) sources on body weight, body size, serum biochemical indexes and mineral concentrations in Liuyang pregnant goats and their offspring. Twenty-four two-years-old Liuyang Black goats were randomly allocated to three groups and fed a basal corn-soybean meal diet supplemented respectively with Zn-sulfate (ZnS), Zn-methionine (ZnM), Zn-glycinate (ZnG) at 60 mg/kg Zn for the last 52 days of gestation. The weight and chest circumference of kids in the ZnG group were significantly higher than those in the ZnS group. The concentrations of CHOL and HDL in the serum were significantly higher in the ZnG group than that in the ZnM group 10 days before gestation, but CRPL levels were significantly higher in the ZnS group than in other two groups. The serum ALP activity of 60-day old kid-goats was significantly higher than that of 30-day old and 100-day old ones. The concentrations of potassium and Zn in serum of ZnG group were significantly higher than that of ZnS group. These findings revealed that ZnG as dietary supplementation can improve the performance of kidgoats, while ZnG and ZnM can enhance the immunity of pregnant and postpartum goats, and ZnG supplement is better than ZnM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic parameters of test day (from birth to sixth month) body weight and body size parameters of Saanen kids were estimated by random regression with third order Legendre polynomial. The analyses were applied to 2673 test day records of 382 Saanen kids (Twin = 328; Single = 54; Female = 204; Male = 178) in a private dairy goat farm in Samsun, at the black Sea region of Turkey. Permanent environmental variances were static for height at sacrum, height at withers and chest depth, increased for body weight and body length on time. Heritability values ranged from 0.2679 to 0.6135 for body weight and Height at withers. Genetic correlations changed between 0.725 and 0.979 in all traits. The positive high genetic correlations among traits suggested that selection for any one of these traits would result in considerable positive change in other traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of short photoperiod on some growth traits in outbred Sprague Dawley rats was examined. The pups were assigned to two photoperiod groups: long/routin (12 h light/dark: control) and short (9 h light/15 h dark: experiment) lighting, since, in nature, photoperiod may decrease to 9 hours in winters, in subtropical regions. At 15 weeks of ages, body weight, weight of heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, gastear, adrenal glands, testis and ovaries of the rats from experimental group were compared to those in control group. Body growth, weight of heart, liver and spleen and large intestine length in control and experimental rats were not significantly different (P>0.05). No differences were observed in testis and ovary weights between control and experiment groups, statistically. Rats exposed to short photoperiod had lower lung, kidney, gastear, adrenal gland and intestine weight than those of control rats (PcO.OI and P<0.05). In outbred Sprague Dawley rats, short photoperiod had no effect on body growth and reproduction organs and it is concluded that, there may be a chance for some strains of outbred Sprague Dawley rats to be kept under short photoperiod conditions, without reducing body weight and reproductive organ growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the potential nutritional value of differently heat-treated (121°C 10, 20, 30 min) culban (Vicia peregrina) seed at different levels (0, 20, 30, 40%) in diet as a plant protein source for mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio). Fish fingerlings were randomly allocated at a stocking rate of 12 fish per aquaria with three replicate aquariums under each dietary treatment. The fish were hand fed twice a day at 8.30 am and 16.30 pm at 3% of their body weight during the experimental period of 60 days. The fish fed experimental diets grew from an initial body weight of 7 g to final body weight of 20 g for rearing during the course of the experiment. Growth parameters, feed utilization and whole body proximate composition were found similar in all experimental groups. It is concluded that heat-treated culban seed can be successfully used as an inexpensive plant protein source a level of 40% (121°C 10-30 min) in mirror carp diets without adverse effect on fish performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to compare the growth, slaughter and carcass characteristics of Morkaraman (Pure) and Kivircik X Pure (F1) (Cross-bred) lambs in semi-intensive condition. At this study 20 Pure and 22 Cross-breed lambs were used for growth traits; 6 male lambs from each group were slaughtered for slaughter and carcass traits. Growth was investigated from the birth to 150th day. The lambs were fed with alfalfa and lamb fattening feeds (days 45). The least squares mean of birth weight and 30, 60, 90, 120 and150th day weight were 4.06±0.10 and 4.25±0.11, 9.93±0.26 and 8.76±0.26 (P<0.01), 16.87±0.45 and 14.40±0.45 (P<0.001), 23.21±53 and 21.72±0.52 (P<0.05), 29.62±0.64 and 26.69±0.63, 34.93±0.80 and 35.85±0.79 kg. Dressing percentages were 48.49 and 45.03% (P<0.01); the percentages of leg were 28.36 and 32.23% (P<0.001); shoulder were 17.04 and 17.51%; back were 5.67 and 7.38% (P<0.001); loin were 6.14 and 6.26%; others were 24.31 and 28.62% (P<0.001); kidney were 0.63 and 0.72% (P<0.001); kidney-pelvic channel fat were 0.64 and 0.95 (P<0.01); internal fat were 1.21 and 1.73%; fat tail were 15.72 and 4.64% (P<0.001). The percentages of lean meat in the leg were 64.20 and 65.57%; fat were 15.55 and 13.42%; bone were 20.25 and 21.02%. The percentages of lean meat in the shoulder were 65.64 and 63.00%; fat were 13.55 and 13.90%; bone were 20.82 and 23.11%. The percentages of total meat in the carcass were 48.01 and 55.09% (P<0.05); fat were 16.21 and 16.96%; bone were 19.55 and 21.44%; and fat percentages in the tailed carcass were 31.93 and 21.55% for pure and Cross-breed lambs respectively. In conclusion; it has been though that Kivircik rams can be utilized for breeding with Pure Morkaraman ewes, commonly found in the region, to obtain lambs with high quality meat at slaughtering age without adaptation problem; and desired lean meat can be obtained via grazing in addition to cross breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of grazing and concentrate supplementation on fattening performance, rumen pH, total volatile fatty acids and ammonia nitrogen concentration in lambs were investigated. The effect of vegetation period on nutrient content of the pasture were also determined. Eighteen Tushin lambs, 2-3 months age and weaned were used in experiment. Lambs were divided into three groups with their weight and each group consists of 6 lambs. Concentrate with 18.5% CP and 2.650 kcal/kg ME was fed to lambs in addition to pasture. Six lambs were only grazed (Pasture Group). Six lambs were supplemented 200 g concentrate with the pasture (Pasture + Suppl. I Group) and six lambs were supplemented 400 g concentrate with the pasture (Pasture + Suppl. II Group). Lambs were grazing on the pasture 8 h in a day. Supplementated feeds were given after the grazing and water was supplied two times in a day. The lamb body weight gains were determined monthly. The experiment was lasted three month.s There were no significant effect of grazing and supplementation on body weight of lambs (P>0.05). Daily weight gain of grazing and supplementation groups were determined 153, 161, 183 g respectively. There were no significant differences in rumen fluid pH, TVFA and NH3-N between the grazing or supplementation groups (P>0.05). Dry matter and CF contents of pasture were increased with respect to the vegetation period (31.33-74.89%, 29.08-34.68%), but CP was decreased from 11.01% to 6.25% (P<0.05). As a result, supplementation of concentrate feed to grazing lambs on the pasture were no effect on performance and rumen parameters in lambs. On the other hand there were differences nutrient contents of pasture with vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 13-week feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate potential use of sand smelt meal (SSM) as a replacement of fishmeal in diets for mirror carp fry Cyprinus carpio (0.29±0.06 g fish-1). Three groups were fed to apparent satiation twice daily each of five isonitrogenous (41%; dry matter) and isoenergetic (15.75 MJ DE kg-1) diets formulated to include 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of fishmeal protein being substituted by SSM. The results indicate that growth performance and feed utilization efficiency for fish fed diets containing SSM up to 75% were similar (P>0.05) to the control diet, except for fish fed the 100% SSM diet. The dietary treatments affected significantly (P<0.05) the hepatosomatic and viscerosomatic indices of fish. There were no significant differences in body composition following inclusion level of SSM. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of dry matter, lipid and energy were not affected by dietary treatments. However, the ADC of protein for fish fed the %75 SSM diet was higher than the others. These results indicate that up to 75% of fishmeal protein can be replaced by SSM in diets for carp fry without adverse effects on growth, feed utilization and body composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth and survival of flat oyster, Ostrea edulis, juveniles of different sizes (15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm and 40 mm) from natural spatfall were studied in suspended culture in Mersin Bay Izmir, Turkey from April 2002 to August 2003. Environmental parameters such as temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a, total particulate matter (TPM), pH were monitored each sampling time. Temperature was between 13.8°C (December 2002) and 24.5°C (July and August 2002). Average chlorophyll-a, TPM and pH were 1.7±0.64 μg l-1, 0.01311±0.00224 mg l-1 and 7.65±0.22, respectively. Shell length increment for each size groups (from small to large) was determined as 49.99, 43.39, 39.10, 33.11, 39.36 and 25.67 mm, respectively. The smallest group was growth faster than others (P<0.05). Significant differences in survival rates between size groups occurred (highest: 60% for 15.mm and lowest: 12.8% for 35 mm) (P<0.05). Condition index and meat yield which showed many variations throughout the study changed from 2.65% to 5.11% and from 6.65% to 12%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]