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The storage of rice polishing (RP) with and without addition of antioxidant for sixteen weeks and its effect on rancidity and metabolizable energy values during the summer season was determined. Fifteen Single Comb White Leghorn cockerels of approximately uniform age and weight were procured and kept in metabolic cages under standard feeding and management practices. Five force feeding trials were conducted. In the first trial, fresh RP with 0 weeks of storage (diet 1 and 2) was used followed by four feeding trials with 4 (diet 3, 4), 8 (diet 5, 6), 12 (diet 7, 8), and 16 (diet 9, 10) weeks of storage of RP. The same birds were used in all trails. The birds were fasted for a period of 21 h, followed by force feeding of 20 g of RP with and without antioxidant for all storage periods. The control/fasting group was also maintained to measure endogenous fecal losses. Excreta were collected after 48 h for the determination of AME and TME values of RP. Along with the biological trials, laboratory assay of the RP stored with and without antioxidant was conducted to measure the extent of rancidity in terms of Thiobarbituric acid value (TBA). The TBA values were affected (p

Three hundred day-old commercial broiler chicks were reared in 10 groups to examine the effects of indigenous sodium bentonite (SB) as a sodium bentonite simple, sodium bentonite + gention violet and sodium bentonite + acetic acid on two levels 0.5 and 1% of feed, along with two market products Sorbatox and Klinofeed on two levels of aflatoxin 0 and 100 mcg/kg. Each group was replicated three times. The aflatoxins (AF) were incorporated in a standard commercial broiler ration and fed to chicks for 6 week. Body weight and feed consumption was recorded weekly. At the end of the experiment two birds from each group were slaughtered to note the relative weight of heart, liver, gizzard and dressing percentage. Titre against Newcastle disease (ND) was monitored at day 21st, 28th, 35th and 42nd of the experiment. Statistical analysis indicated that aflatoxin in diet negatively affected (P

The study was conducted to improve the nutritive value of defatted rice polishing (DRP). DRP was treated with various concentrations of HCl, NaOH, H2O2 and Kemzyme-H F ® and the effect on its chemical composition and nutritive value in broiler chicks was observed. The treatments levels of 0.4 N HCl, 0.2 N NaOH and 6% H2O2 were selected from many concentrations of HCl, NaOH and H2O2 tried earlier on DRP. The selection was made on the basis of release of nutrients from DRP. The Kemzyme-H F  was used at rate of 0.1% of DRP. The selected concentrations of HCl, NaOH, and H2O2 were then used for treatment of DRP that was used in biological experiments. Two hundred and forty, day-old Hubbard male broiler chicks (38-40 g) were randomly divided into 48 experimental units with five chicks each. Each chemically treated DRP was incorporated into broiler diets at 10, 20 or 30% levels replacing yellow corn from the control feed and thus sixteen experimental feeds were prepared. These feeds were randomly assigned to 48 experimental units such that there were three replicates of chicks on each diet. The results of the study suggest that DRP can be effectively used in broiler diets at 20% level. The best weight gain and feed conversion ratio were observed with diet containing 20% level of DRP treated with 6% H2O2. The diets containing 30% levels of treated DRP were uneconomical, as excess use of oil was required to compensate the energy needs of the birds. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 6 : 873-879)

A study was conducted to determine the effect of commercial enzyme (Natugrain) supplementation on the nutritive value and inclusion rate of guar meal in broiler rations. Eight isocaloric and isonitrogenous starter rations were prepared having ME 2800 Kcal/kg and CP 20%. In similar way 8 isocaloric and isonitrogenous finisher rations were prepared having ME 2900 Kcal/kg and CP 19%. 240 one day old broilers were divided into two groups I and II. Group I was further divided into 4 sub groups A, B, C and D which were fed enzyme supplemented rations containing 0, 5, 10 and 15% guar meal, respectively. The dose of enzyme was 100 gram/ton of feed. Group II was also divided into 4 sub groups E, F, G and H which were fed rations without enzyme supplementation containing 0, 5, 10 and 15% guar meal, respectively. Each sub group had 30 chicks, 3 replicates of 10 chicks. For groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H average values of feed consumption were 3631.2, 3797.16, 3601.0, 3086.56, 3664.33, 3736.2, 3604.93 and 3254.83 grams, average values of weight gain were 1817.77, 1813.6, 1648.77, 1169.0, 1796.1, 1723.9, 1538.44 and 1265.9 grams, average values for FCR were 1.97, 2.0, 2.17, 2.64, 1.99, 2.14, 2.33 and 2.56, values of dressing percentage were 67.5, 64.13, 64.07, 61.73, 66.20, 63.33, 63.70 and 61.33%, cost per kg live weight gain was Rs. 25.94, 26.82, 28.27, 35.36, 26.16, 27.65, 29.98 and 33.69, respectively and mortality percentage in these groups was 3.33, 0, 0, 13.33, 3.33, 0, 3.33 and 6.66%, respectively. It was concluded that guar meal reduced weight gain, dressing percentage of chicks and deteriorates FCR. Furthermore, addition of enzyme did not result in significant improvement in feed consumption, weight gain, FCR and dressing percentage, however economics was improved with enzyme addition but 15% guar meal with enzyme prove to be least efficient.

The study was conducted to ascertain the effect of "Norponin 200 Liquid" on urease activity and development of ascites in broiler chickens. Two commercial broiler rations were prepared containing 2810 Kcal/kg metabolizable energy and 20 % crude protein starter and 2900 Kcal/kg metabolizable energy and 18.50 % crude protein, finisher ration. 240 chicks were divided into four groups i.e. A, B, C and D, respectively. Each group had 60 birds and groups were further subdivided into 6 replicates having 10 birds each. Each group offered different concentrations of Norponin 200 Liquid. Group A was control group i.e. without medication. Groups B, C and D were offered 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 ml Norponin 200 liquid/100 liter of drinking water, respectively. The data regarding feed consumption, weight gain, FCR, urease activity inside the intestine and in the excreta, mortality and economics were recorded. It was concluded that group D offered Norponin 200 Liquid at 7.50 ml/100 liter of drinking water had comparatively better results than groups B and C offered 2.5 ml and 5.0 ml Norponin 200 liquid/100 liter of drinking water and control group A.

The project was carried out to elucidate the effect of defatted rice polishing after treatment with HO on the performance of broiler chicks. Six starter and six finisher 2 2 experimental rations were prepared designated as A, B, C, D, E and F. The rations A, B and C containing 15, 20 and 25% defatted rice polishing (DFRP) were treated with H O , while 2 2 D, E and F were not treated (control) containing similar levels of DFRP. These rations were provided to 240 day-old broilers divided into six groups. Non significant differences were observed in weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency and dressing percentage of birds fed various experimental rations. Inclusion of DFRP up to 25% levels had not adverse effect, but proved uneconomical due to addition of extra oil to compensate energy.

Experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of weaning age on growth performance, feed intake, feed efficiency (FE) and blood metabolites in Nili-Ravi male buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves. Twenty-four male buffalo calves were assigned to one of the three treatment groups: continuous milk feeding (CMF), limited milk feeding (LMF) and early weaning (EW), and weaned off milk at 12, 10 and 8 weeks of age, respectively. For the first 3 days after birth, calves in all three treatments were fed colostrum, and were then moved to individual milk feeding at 10% of BW for the next 6 weeks. Thereafter, the provision of milk to the CMF group was gradually tapered to zero through week 12, using week 6 intakes as a base. The LMF calves were fed milk at 7.5%, 5.0%, 3.5%, and 1.5% of BW during weeks 7 to 10, respectively. Lastly, calves in the EW group were fed milk at 5.0% and 2.5% of BW at weeks 7 and 8, respectively. Calf starter (CS) feed was also provided ad libitum from weeks 2 to 12 and individual intakes were recorded on a daily basis. Blood samples were taken from weeks 6 to 12, on a weekly basis; whereas, the BW, heart girth, withers height and hip width were measured at the start of experiment and later on a weekly basis. Weight gain, average daily gain, and body measurements were the same across all three groups. Milk intake was lower (P < 0.05), whereas CS intake was greater (P < 0.05) in the EW calves compared with the other treatment groups. Dry matter intake was greater (P < 0.05) in the EW and LMF calves compared with the CMF calves. The FE was greater (P < 0.05) in the CMF calves compared with the LMF and EW treatment groups. Blood glucose concentration was similar among the treatments; however, blood urea nitrogen was greater (P < 0.05) in the EW calves compared with the CMF and LMF groups. Plasma concentration of non-esterified fatty acids was higher (P < 0.05) in the EW calves compared with the CMF calves. In light of these results, it is evident that buffalo calves can be successfully weaned as early as 8 weeks of age without negatively affecting their growth performance.

Rice polishing is a by-product of rice milling. It is a good source of energy and an assortment of amino acids. The anti-nutritive factors associated with rice polishing reduce the availability of amino acids and other nutrients to poultry. Defatted rice polishing (DRP) was chemically treated with 0.4N HCl and 6% H2O2 solutions by soaking in ratio of 1:1.5. After the chemical treatments, one portion of each was further cooked with an extruder cooker maintained at 130oC for 10 seconds. The amino acid digestibility trial of untreated and treated DRP was done using precision fed cockerel assay. Thirty White Leghorn cockerels of 24 weeks of age, having uniform weight, were selected for the experiment and divided into five groups of six cockerels each. Three birds in each group were force-fed treated DRPs @ 25g per bird through crop intubation with the help of a funnel and plunger passed via the oesophagus. The other three were kept without feed throughout the experimental period to measure the endogenous amino acids excreted in the faeces. The excreta voided during 24 hours following force-feeding was collected at 12-hour intervals. The excreta of different groups were weighed, oven-dried and used for amino acid analysis. The results indicated that chemical or chemical plus extrusion cooking decreased the total amino acids present in DRP. The content of several amino acids were reduced as a result of chemical treatment. Further reduction of the amino acid content was observed when the chemically treated DRP were subjected to extrusion cooking. However, the acid (0.4N HCl), acid plus extrusion cooking and 6% H2O2 treatments improved the amino acid digestibility. On the other hand, treating DRP with 6% H2O2 plus extrusion cooking reduced the amino acids digestibility.

Early lactating Sahiwal cows (n=24) of approximately similar yield and lactation were selected and randomly divided into four groups of six cows in each. These groups were fed ad libitum four iso- energetic and iso- proteic diets with different rumen undegradable protein (RUP) sources: diet A 30% RUP, diet B 40% RUP, diet C 50% RUP and diet D 60% RUP in a completely randomized design. Among nutrients intake, dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) intake was significantly (P

The study was designed to compare the efficacy of different feed additive anticoccidials and coccidiosis vaccines. A total of 240 day-old-broiler chicks were purchased and raised for 42 days under good husbandry and hygienic conditions. The birds were randomly divided into eight groups i.e. A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H comprising of 30 birds each. Group A was uninfected unmedicated control while group B was infected unmedicated control. Groups C, D, E and F were given commercial feed having anticoccidials Coxistac, Sacox, Elancoban and Avatec respectively. Groups G and H were given unmedicated feed and were vaccinated at day 3 and 10. All the groups except that of group A were given primary and challenge doses of infection on day 22 and 35 . The nd th

The anticoccidial efficacy of a herb, neem fruit (Azadirachta indica) is compared with an ionophorus anticoccidial Kokcisan (salinomycin sodium) against coccidiosis in broilers. Two hundred and forty one-day-old broiler chicks were reared for 42 days. These birds were divided into 6 groups i.e. A,B,C,D,E and F comprising of 40 birds each. There were six treatments, 25 gm salinomycin sodium/50 kg feed (A), 50 gm ground neem fruit/50 kg feed (B), 100 gm ground neem fruit /50 kg feed (C), 150 gm ground neem fruit/50 kg feed (D), infected non-medicated (E), non-infected non-medicated (F). Groups A,B,C,D and E were given a challenge dose of coccidial oocyst at the age of 22 days. Weight gain, feed consumption, oocysts in the faeces, clinical findings and mortality were recorded. The result revealed that the birds of non-infected non-medicated group had better (P 0.05). Moreover, neem fruit 150 gm/50 kg feed had excellent performance in terms of oocyst count and lower mortality as compared to othe r treated groups.

The study was conducted to determine the effect of long term use of bovine somatotropic hormone (bST) on days to first oestrus post-partum, number of services per conception, pregnancy rate, lactation length, dry period and calving interval for a period of three years, from 2004 to 2007. Thirty Nili-Ravi lactating buffaloes with approximately similar milk yields and stage of lactation were selected and randomly allocated to two treatments, A and B, with 15 animals in each group. Group A served as control while animals in group B were given injections of bovine somatotropic hormone (250 mg intramuscular per animal) at intervals of 14 days over a period of three years. The calving interval, dry period and lactation length were shorter by 71, 63.9 and 7 days, respectively, in the treated compared with the control group. The days to first oestrus post-partum, service period and services per conception were 160 ± 56.9 vs.98.2 ± 76.4 days, 207.0 ± 85.0 vs. 115.1 ± 107.0 days and 1.47 ± 1.1 vs. 1.31 ± 0.5 in group A vs. B, respectively. Statistically, differences were significant for post-partum oestrous and service period but for services per conception the difference was non-significant. Prevalence of mastitis was significantly higher in the treated animals while differences in body weights of the animals in the groups were not significant.

The aim of the study was to determine optimum dietary energy level during the last trimester of pregnancy for Sahiwal heifers in subtropical Pakistan. Sixteen Sahiwal heifers, 5-6 months pregnant, were assigned to four dietary treatments with four heifers on each treatment. Isonitrogenous (CP = 14.1%) diets having varying energy, namely, ME 88%, ME 100% (Control), ME 112% and ME 124% of NRC recommended level for pregnant heifers, were fed until calving. All were fed a similar diet after calving. Precalving weight gain was highest (P < 0.05) in heifers fed ME 112 and 124% (486 ± 13 and 497 ± 5 g/day, respectively) followed by ME 100% (444 ± 7 g/day), and the lowest weight gain was recorded for ME 88% (397 ± 8 g/day). A similar trend was observed for feed efficiency. Body condition score at calving in groups ME 124% and ME 112% was higher than ME 88% and ME 100%. Nutrient digestibility, birth weight of calves and milk composition except fat content were not influenced by energy levels. The highest daily milk yield was observed in heifers fed ME 100% followed by ME 112, 124, and 88%. We conclude that the NRC recommendation is applicable to the subtropical region.

For this study, 240 one-day-old broiler chicken were used to test the anti-coccidial efficacy of a herbal drug Coxigon® compared with a chemical synthetic Diclazuril® against Coccidiosis in broilers. These birds were divided into six groups (A, B, C, D, E, F) of forty birds each. There were six treatments, non-infected non-medicated (A), infected non-medicated (B), infected and medicated with Coxigon® at 3 g/1 kg of feed (C) infected and medicated with Diclazuril® at 0.20 g/1 kg of feed (D), non-infected but treated with Coxigon® at 3 g/50 kg of feed (E), and non-infected but treated with Diclazuril® (F) at 0.20 g/1 kg of feed. Groups B, C, and D were given a challenge dose of coccidial oocysts at the age of 22 days. Weight gain, feed consumption, oocysts count in the faeces, clinical findings and mortality were recorded. The mean values of birds feed intake during experimental period (0-6 weeks) were 3770.4, 3206.5, 3493.3, 3333.3, 3751.5 and 3764.1 g for the groups A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively. The results revealed that the birds of group E had better (P

The study was conducted to determine the effect of long term use of bovine somatotropic hormone (bST) on days to first oestrus post-partum, number of services per conception, pregnancy rate, lactation length, dry period and calving interval for a period of three years, from 2004 to 2007. Thirty Nili-Ravi lactating buffaloes with approximately similar milk yields and stage of lactation were selected and randomly allocated to two treatments, A and B, with 15 animals in each group. Group A served as control while animals in group B were given injections of bovine somatotropic hormone (250 mg intramuscular per animal) at intervals of 14 days over a period of three years. The calving interval, dry period and lactation length were shorter by 71, 63.9 and 7 days, respectively, in the treated compared with the control group. The days to first oestrus post-partum, service period and services per conception were 160 ± 56.9 vs .98.2 ± 76.4 days, 207.0 ± 85.0 vs . 115.1 ± 107.0 days and 1.47 ± 1.1 vs . 1.31 ± 0.5 in group A vs. B, respectively. Statistically, differences were significant for post-partum oestrous and service period but for services per conception the difference was non-significant. Prevalence of mastitis was significantly higher in the treated animals while differences in body weights of the animals in the groups were not significant .

To determine the effect of forage moisture content on intake and digestion kinetics in sheep, a metabolism trial was conducted using 16 mature wethers (44 kg BW) in a completely randomized design. Forage was harvested at two maturities in early spring from a naturalized pasture composed of temperate grass and legume species. Herbage was harvested at either 8 (early) or 16 cm (late) in height and fed after freezing (high-moisture) or as a dried hay. Intakes of DM (grams/[kilogram BW.75.day]), NDF, ADF, and CP (grams/day) (P < .05) and coefficients for DM, NDF, and ADF digestibilities were greater (P < .01) for hay than for high-moisture forage. Mean particulate retention times (MRT) were shorter (P < .05) for high-moisture forage (23.3 h) than for hay (30.7 h) diets. Early-harvested forages had shorter (P < .05) MRT values (23.9 h) than late-cut forages (30.1 h). Fractional passage rates of 1-mm nylon particles of specific gravity (SG) .90, 1.14, and 1.32 through the alimentary tract were influenced by moisture content of the forage (P < .10) and were faster for frozen forages and increased (P < .01) with an increase in SG. Nitrogen retention was greater (P < .01) for the hay than for the high-moisture forage. In situ DM digestion rates, determined using four ruminally fistulated wethers, showed no differences (P = .67) among forages. The results of this study indicate that differences in digestibilities between hays and high-moisture forages are most likely due to differences in digesta passage rates.

Sward height before grazing and amount of forage harvested affect production, composition, and utilization of rotationally stocked pasture. In this 3-yr field study, yearling steers (Bos taurus L.) grazed 400-m 2 plots of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.)-white clover (Trifolium repens L.) pastures every time sward height reached either 11.8 cm (short), 13.7 cm (medium), or 15.3 cm (tall). Plots were grazed with enough steers to remove either 50 or 60% (grazing intensity) of the herbage mass in 4 h. The experimental design was a 3 x 2 (height treatment x grazing intensity) factorial with four replications. Sward heights before and after grazing periods were measured. Herbage mass, apparent growth rate, herbage removed, rejected area, and percent utilization were calculated. Average herbage mass before grazing ranged from 1855 to 2350 kg dry matter (DM) ha -1 . Average herbage mass after grazing varied from 855 to 1060 kg DM ha -1 . Apparent herbage growth rate (54 kg DM ha -1 d -1 ) and herbage removed (7520 kg ha -1 ) were highest on the short height treatment with low grazing intensity (50% removal). Assuming a sigmoidal growth curve, maximum apparent growth rate occurred at 10.5-cm sward height. More than twice as much herbage was removed in the wettest year compared with the driest. In the dry year, height and intensity of grazing had little effect on herbage production. Thus, the benefits farmers can expect from more intensive grazing management will be more evident in a year of good growth.