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Context. Dairy calf-rearing practises have the potential to influence profitability through milk requirements at rearing, and affect lifetime productivity and market access from an animal-welfare perspective. Aims. The aim of this research was to compare calf growth and milk requirements by using conventional artificial rearing (AR) and restricted milk allocation with AR and high milk allocation or suckled calves. Methods. Forty-five Friesian × Jersey calves were allocated to be either AR on 6 L/calf.day, (ARC) or 12 L/calf.day, (ARH), or suckled with dams in a cow-calf contact system using partial contact (15 h/day, CCC). AR calves were fed, and intake measured, using an automatic feeder, whereas CCC calves had access to their dams between 1500 hours and 0600 hours. Calves were transitioned off milk, once they reached at least 75 kg liveweight (LW), by gradually reducing their milk allocation (AR) or reducing access to their dam (CCC). Key results. Milk consumption for ARH was greater than for ARC calves (382 vs 450 L/calf, P < 0.05), whereas for CCC calves milk-yield difference between dams for the control and suckling groups during the suckling period and over the full season was 706 and 1048 L/cow respectively. There was no difference in weaning weight of calves (87 ± 1.7 kg LW), but, owing to differences in pre-weaning growth rate, age to weaning was youngest (P < 0.05) for CCC (55 days), followed by ARH (62 days) and ARC (73 days). Respective growth rates between birth and weaning (P < 0.001) for CCC, ARH and ARC calves were 0.955, 0.873 and 0.755 ± 0.028 kg/day. Although there was a growth check among CCC calves during the weaning period, there were no post-weaning differences in growth rate among the groups. Conclusions. Increasing milk allowance had the benefit of improving calf pre-weaning growth rate, giving the option of weaning calves either earlier or when heavier. However, milk yield losses under suckling systems may be too high to warrant the elevated pre-weaning growth of calves. Implications. The costs-benefits of high milk allocation or suckling systems need to be ascertained over the lifetime of the animals to assess long-term survival and productivity outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction of live weight (LW) is of critical importance to farmers in a range of applications, including breeding and monitoring animal growth. In this context, Ridge, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), and Elastic Net as shrinkage methods, and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) and Random Forest (RF) as tree-based regression methods were used in this study to predict LW of Akkaraman Sheep at 6-month age using sex, birth weight (BW) and some morphological traits such as withers height (WH), chest depth (CD), body length (BL), chest width (CW), rump height (RH), and chest circumference (CC). The dataset of 100 sheep, consisting of 44 males and 56 females, was randomly divided into training and test sets with a ratio of 80% and 20%, respectively. 10-fold cross-validation method was implemented using the training set to obtain optimum regression models and avoid overfitting. A test set was used to compare the prediction performance of regression methods based on various comparison criteria. Results revealed that LW was significantly correlated with all morphological traits and BW with coefficients ranging from 0.216 to 0.757. RF outperformed the other regression models with a coefficient of determination value (R2) of 0.865, followed by Ridge (R2 = 0.761), LASSO (R2 = 0.755), Elastic Net (R2 = 0.750), and CART (R2 = 0.654). The results indicated that WH and CD contributed the most, while sex and BW contributed the least in constructing the optimum RF model. In conclusion, the use of RF is recommended for predicting the LW of Akkaraman sheep. These results can provide a data-driven approach to improve decision-making in animal breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The body weight (BW) of animals at various growth stages is an important piece of information for the decision-making process. In the current "livestock 4.0" or precision livestock farming it becomes necessary to know if body measurements obtained from the dorsal view of an animal are related to its BW. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between BW and dorsal area (DA) of water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) reared in southeastern Mexico. Methods: The BW (340 ± 161.68 kg), hip width (HW), thorax width (TW), and body length (BL) were measured in 215 female Murrah buffaloes aged between 3 months and 5 years. The DA (m2) was calculated using the mathematical formulae for the area of a trapezoid, considering HW, TW, and BL in the calculation. The relationship between BW and DA was assessed with correlation and regression models. Results: The correlation coefficient between BW and AD was 0.96 (p<0.001). The linear equation had the highest determination coefficient (R2 = 0.94) along with the lowest mean square error (MSE = 1716.86), root MSE (RMSE = 41.43), Akaike Information Criterion (AIC = 1603.36), and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC = 1610.10). Conversely, the allometric equation exhibited the highest values of MSE, RMSE, AIC, and BIC. Based on the quality of fit by the k-folds technique, the three proposed equations showed consistent adjustments, with more than 90% accuracy (R2 = 0.92). The quadratic equation exhibited the lowest mean squared prediction error and mean absolute error. Conclusion: The DA can be used as a good predictor of BW in buffaloes, especially when incorporated into first and second-degree linear equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the lactation milk yield of Norduz ewes and to determine the effects of milk yield on their lambs’ growth and development characteristics. Additionally, the correlations between the sheep’s milk yield, lambs’ live weight, and affecting factors were determined. The study was conducted at the Van University of Yüzüncü Yıl Agricultural Research Center. In the study, 61 Norduz ewes and 66 male and female lambs they bore were included. The sheep were milked at 30-day intervals until the 18th day. Similarly, the lambs were weighed at 30-day intervals from birth to 180th day. The means and standard errors of the milk yields were obtained on the 30, 60, 90, 120, 150th, and 18th days of milking. The live weight means and standard errors of the lambs on the 3th, 6th, 9th, 120th, 15th, and 18th days are given. According to the GLM analysis results, sex significantly influenced lactation length (p<0.05), and there was a difference in favor of female lambs. The impact of dam age was notably significant on live weight at days 60 and 90 (p<0.05). Additionally, birth type significantly affected live weight at day 30 and 60 (p<0.001), as well as at day 90 (p<0.01). Regarding the linear relationship between dam weight and live weight, a significant effect was observed at day 30 (p<0.001), day 60 (p<0.01), and day 90 (p<0.05). Notably, the linear effects of lamb birth weight on live weight remained significant across all control periods (p<0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to predict the post-weaning weights of Akkaraman lambs reared on different farms using multiple linear regression and machine learning algorithms. The effect of factors the age of the dam, gender, type of lambing, enterprise, type of flock, birth weight, and weaning weight was analyzed. The data was collected from a total of 25,316 Akkaraman lambs raised at multiple farms in the Çiftlik District of Niğde province. Comparative analysis was conducted by using multiple linear regression, Random Forest, Support Vector Machines (and Support Vector Regression), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) (and Gradient Boosting), Bayesian Regularized Neural Network, Radial Basis Function Neural Network, Classification and Regression Trees, Exhaustive Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (and Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection), and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines algorithms. In this study, the test dataset was divided into five layers using the K-fold cross-validation method. The performance of models was compared using performance criteria such as Adjusted R-squared (Adj- ), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) by utilizing test populations in the predicted models. Additionally, the presence of low standard deviations for these criteria indicates the absence of an overfitting problem. The comparison results showed the Random Forest algorithm had the best predictive performance compared to other algorithms with Adj- , RMSE, MAD, and MAPE values of 0.75, 3.683, 2.876, and 10.112, respectively. In conclusion, the results obtained through Multiple Linear Regression for the live weights of Akkaraman lambs were less accurate than the results obtained through artificial neural network analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous in-depth studies have described the fertility traits, growth performance and milk yield traits of dairy animals, which are considered indicators of welfare, but there are limited studies examining these traits within the framework of cause-effect relationships, especially in buffaloes. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in some milk, growth and fertility traits of Anatolian buffaloes over the years in some dairy farms where the Buffalo Breeding Project in Public Conditions was implemented in Samsun province and, to investigate the effects of first calving age (FCA) and calving interval (CI) on milk and growth traits. The study was conducted in 27 buffalo farms (3295 buffalo cows and 3317 buffalo calves) located in Bafra district, the region with the highest buffalo population in Samsun province, Türkiye. The data was taken from records previously kept within the scope of the relevant project. The data such as growth characteristics [birth weight (BW), 6th and 12th-mo live weight (LW) values of calves born between 2013-2020] and lactation traits of cows [lactation milk yield (LMY) and lactation duration (LD)] and FCA and CI values were analyzed by analysis of variance. The effect of years on LMY of buffalo cows was found to be significant, and significant positive changes were determined from year to year. In addition, the BW, 6th-mo, and 12th-mo LW values of calves also varied from year to year. As the FCA value of buffaloes increased, the BW, 6th-mo, and 12th-mo LW values of calves and LMY of cows increased. Similarly, CI values affected the BW values of calves (P

This research aimed to examine the effects of haplotype groups observed in three different loci on the Calpastatin gene on ultrasonographic MLD measurements and seasonal live weight in five different types of sheep (GBK, HM, K, KM, and R). In the CAST intron 1, intron 5, and intron 12 regions, 15 SNPs were found. The HWE p-value for SNP2, SNP3, SNP5, SNP6, SNP7, SNP8, and SNP14 is less than 0.05, and except SNP9 and SNP10, all SNPs have a MAF of more than 0.01. SNP1, SNP2, and SNP7 made up one haplotype block. The haploblock has 3 haplogroups. The most common haplotype group was H1 (-AGG-), which had a frequency of 0.52; H2 (-TGG-) and H3 (-TAA-) had rates of 0.35 and 0.13, respectively. Based on ultrasonographic MLD readings and live weights, there were no statistically significant differences between haplotype H1 and H3, but there were statistically significant differences between haplotype H2 lambs. The effect of the H2 haplotype on 90-day MLD depth revealed a statistically significant difference between the HM and KM and K and KM breeds. This distinction persisted until the 180th day of life before disappearing into adulthood. Similarly, the effect of H2 haplotype on the skin thickness at day 90 was significant between K and KM and between K and R, whereas the effect of H2 haplotype on fat thickness demonstrated a substantial difference between HM and KM at one year of age.

The main challenges in ruminant production are to reduce feeding costs and to improve product quality while minimising environmental impact. The use of unconventional feedstuffs may contribute to decrease feeding costs and environmental impact. A study was conducted to investigate the supplementation effect of Cajanus cajan leaves (CCL) on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of yearling rams and its association with methane (CH4) reduction in vitro. Thirty yearling rams with an initial body weight of 15.1±0.68 kg were randomly allocated to five treatment diets with six rams each. A basal diet was prepared to contain 300 g/head/d concentrate mix (CM) for the control group (T1) and treatment (T) diets were formulated by replacing the CM with CCL at 5% (T2), 10% (T3), 15% (T4) and 20% (T5). Data were collected on feed intake, body weight, carcass components, and CH4 production from 24h in vitro gas production (GP). The digestible organic matter (dOM) and metabolizable energy (ME) were estimated from 24h GP. The CCL content of ash was 126 g kg-1 DM of ether extract 43 g kg-1 DM, and crude protein 240 g kg-1 DM. The feed intake, body weight gain, feed efficiency and carcass components were not affected by treatment diets. The 24 h GP (ml g-1 DM) was significantly higher for T1 and T2 diets than that of T4 and T5. The lowest CH4 was obtained from T5 and differed significantly with that of T1 and T2. The ME and dOM values in T1 and T2 diets were higher than those of T4 and T5. The supplementation of CCL considerably reduced the CH4 production across treatment diets without affecting the voluntary feed intake, weight gain and carcass components suggesting its potential as alternative supplement to poor quality forages while keeping CH4 production at a minimum level.

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The article presents studies on comparison of the levels of precocity and milk productivity indicators of the daughters of Holstein bulls, who are evaluated for the quality of offspring simultaneously in two breeding plants of the Moscow region. According to the official ratings of breeding values, the bulls were divided into groups of "improving" and "worsening". The ratio of the daughters of the "best" and "worst" breeding bulls was 511:568 and 160:127 heads over the farms. It was determined which values of the differences in the "daughter – mother" indicators were increased in groups of officially evaluated bulls that received ratings of "improvers" and "deteriorators" according to the characteristics in these two breeding plants. The bulls being tested were fixed individually, and according to the number of pairs as the main ones. At the first insemination, the daughters of the "improving" group of bulls had 6.5–8.5 kg increased live weight of, but were relatively older by 0.36–0.6 months. According to the milk yield trait, the total yield of milk fat and protein, highly rated fathers in breeding plants were significantly inferior to competitors with low breeding value in milk yield by 688–1136 kg, according to the difference "mother – daughter" in the total yield of milk fat and protein per lactation – by 43.1–97.3 kg. In one of the farms, the "daughter – mother" differences in milk yield in all bull clusters increased by 599–1275 kg of milk; according to mass fat fraction (MFF) — by 0.02–0.20% and for mass protein fraction (MPF) — by 0.19–0.31%; in another farm, the increase in milk yield was by 43.8–1551 kg of milk and 0.05–0.13% according to the MPF. The daughters of the "worst" fathers in terms of MFF and MPF significantly outperformed the group of daughters of the "best" fathers in terms of "daughter–mother" differences by 35.6 and 61.7 kg of total milk protein and fat output over 305 days of lactation. At the same time, there were no significant differences between daughters and peers. The relativity of the official definition of the values of the breeding value of breeding bulls has been proved. It is proposed, regardless of the "commercial" and previously conducted estimates of breeding bulls, to take into account the indices of pedigrees and types of selection when breeding them. Conclusions are drawn about the significant influence of the factor and selection methods on the values of milk production traits; in order to save growing costs, it is proposed to optimize the live weight and age of insemination of heifers in farms.

Measurements of the body structure in sheep are worthy of judging the quantitative features of meat and useful in developing appropriate selection requirements. The current study was aimed to predict live weight and hot carcass weight from linear body measurements of yearling male local sheep. 84 days feeding period fortnightly taken data on 24 local sheep for body weight, body length, heart girth, wither height, sub-sternal height, tail length, tail width, scrotal circumference, and scrotal length were analyzed to study the relationship between linear body measurements and body weight. At the end of the trial all sheep were slaughtered to measure the relationship between body measurements, and hot carcass weight. Microsoft Excel 2010 was used for data analysis. The relationships between the various body measurements were calculated using pearson's correlation coefficient. The backward stepwise multiple regression procedure was used for the determination of the most suitable model for the prediction of the live weight and hot carcass weight. Hot carcass weight was highly correlated (P

The article provides the results of the use of dried Origanum vulgare mass as an additional component of bedding material in chickens of the Hubbard Redbro M meat-and-egg cross. Origanum vulgare dried mass was added at the rate of 0.5 kg per experimental group daily from the age of 45 days after the transfer of chickens to floor management. The number of heads for each group was 35. The live weight advantage at the age of 2 months of the experimental group of chickens over the control group is 102.5 g, at 75 days of age is 216.5 g, at 90 days of age is 326.0 g and at the age of 105 days is 403.0 g. The SBA increased at the background of the S. aureus test culture: there was a significant suppression of colonies in the first five hours of exposure, and at the background of the E. coli test culture there was a suppression throughout the entire study period. The intensification of metabolic processes was noted in chickens of the experimental group, due to increased protein metabolism, liver and kidney enzymes of blood serum, which was also associated with an increased concentration of thyroid hormones. All these factors made it possible to raise significantly the gain in live weight by an average of 0.11 kg, which increased the slaughter weight by 8.4 %. Almost all indicators of the development of internal organs in chickens of group II are within significant limits of the difference compared with the control group.

The article presents the macro- and micro-evolutionary changes of the Gray Ukrainian breed over the past 100 years, which can be used in breeding and selection to preserve the existing gene pool population and in its further use, and can be useful in the breeding process not only in Ukraine, but also in other countries. At the same time, animals and even families that were weak, sickly and did not meet the requirements of the program of its development and preservation were ranked off and not used in breeding. Compared to similar animals that left the herd, it was possible to improve some external indicators in the historical aspect: body length, hips width, and chest girth, which influenced the cattle live weight. The important fact is that it is characterized by high reproductive properties (yield of calves is 97–98 per 100 cows, which is not found in any specialized meat breed in the world) and excellent maternal qualities. At the same time, a strong constitution, resistance to diseases, small fetus size and good adaptation to a dry hot climate, pasture-free maintenance and ecological fodder and technological conditions of the steppe zone of Ukraine were preserved. During the extended period of raising animals, the gray Ukrainian breed is not inferior to the classic meat breeds of the world in terms of fattening quality (30-month-old bulls on fattening more than 1000 g/day) and slaughter performance — the slaughter yield has increased to 60%. Beef is rated at 4.5 points on a 5-point scale in terms of culinary and taste qualities, it has the meat marbling which attracts the processor company and the consumer. The skin of animals is highly valued: already at the age of one year, the skin of bulls is marked as heavy (over 25 kg), which allows to use it for the high-quality products manufacture. Due to the set of economically useful characteristics, gray Ukrainian cattle are classified as meat and contribute to the establishment of state meat cattle breeding.

The research aims to determine the extent of differences in the carcass composition of four types of ducks using semi-intensive cultivation. A total of 16 ducks aged 3 months were used as experimental units. A completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 4 replications was the research design. The results showed that ducks of the same age, namely: Alabio ducks, Peking ducks, Mojosari ducks, and Manila ducks, showed very significant differences (P0.05) in the percentage of chest, wings, and neck. It was concluded that the live weight, carcass percentage, and carcass parts of Manila ducks were higher than those of Alabio, Peking, and Mojosari ducks. Meanwhile, Alabio ducks are taller than Peking ducks and Mojosari ducks.

ABSTRACTThe effects of various treatment options on the nutritional value of wheat straw as well as the growth performance of crossbred calves fed the treated wheat straw were evaluated. Twenty-four female calves (75% Friesian-Borana), weighing 99.3 ± 19.7 kg (aged 6–9 months), were divided into four groups of six animals using a randomized complete block design. The feeding trial lasted approximately 104 days. The dietary treatments were: untreated wheat straw (control T1), wheat straw treated with urea-molasses (T2), urea-lime (T3), and effective microorganisms (T4). Results showed that the treatment options affected the physical silage quality and chemical composition of wheat straw. Calves in the T3 and T4 groups had a higher daily DM intake (3.7 and 3.5 kg/head, respectively) than those in T2 (3.1 kg/head) and T1 (3.02 kg/head) groups. Calves in the T3 (422.7 g/d) and T4 (391 g/d) groups gained greater weight than those in the T2 (281.7 g/d) and T1 (204.4 g/d) groups (P

Based on the study of rabbit productivity indicators (n = 30 heads) in the conditions of the rabbit farm of the Cherkasy experimental Station of Bioresources of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, it was established that the rabbit breeds Soviet chinchilla (SCh), Gray giant (Gg), and New Zealand white (NZW) and their combinations in the conditions of industrial intensive production of rabbit meat positively show reproductive qualities. Due to heredity and adaptation to the conditions of keeping on the rabbit farm, according to most indicators, female rabbits of the Soviet chinchilla breed prevailed, in terms of fertility by 10.0; 11.6%, by weight of the nest at birth by 8.8 (р<0.05); 11.1%, the number of rabbits at 20 days old by 5.8; 14.6% (p<0.05), the number of rabbits at 28 days old by 3.0 (p<0.05); 20% (p<0.01) relative to peer groups. Slaughter indicators of the obtained young animals (age 90 days), in particular, the weight of the paired carcass by group was: I (SChxSCh) – 1461; II (SChxGg) – 1345; ІІІ (SChxNZW) – 1398. Young rabbits of the I and III groups outweighed the analogues of the II group by 116 g (р<0.01) and 53 g, respectively. Slaughter yield in the young of the third group (51.21%) of New Zealand white origin exceeded the first group of rabbits by 0.04; II by 1.21%. The best indicators of fattening productivity (group I) were obtained by the young of the Soviet chinchilla breed due to the peculiarities of the creation of this genotype of rabbits. Along with the traditional scheme of creation, there was an "infusion of blood" of the best populations of the Termon white breed, which allowed concentrating (additive effect) genes of high fattening productivity. Due to this, the feeding indicators of the 1st group compared to the rabbits of the 2nd and 3rd groups increased: live weight at 90 days of age by 5.8; 4.4% (р<0.05); average daily increases of 7.0; 5.2% (p<0.05); waist width by 3.8; 1.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out on the economic efficiency of three herds of the Awassi breed for the period 2021-2023. The animals included in the study amounted to 986 animals in 2021, and 996 animals in 2023. The results of the survey show that during the survey period, herd renovations were carried out at the rate of 32.4%. By the same percentage, the number of rams was reduced, which significantly exceeded those required for the herds and made production more expensive. All natural indicators have been improved. Milk produced for the study period increased by 28.22%, but the established milk yield of 126 liters was below the requirements of the breeding program of 160 liters per milking period. The fertility of the breed increased and reached values of 144% with the requirements set in the breeding program at 110%. The live mass of lambs for sale increased by 4%, but the purchase price increased by 37.49% per 1 kg. On average, farm income increased by 33.35% and expenditure by 27.62%. The increase in costs was due to the higher prices of fodder, which, with the exception of alfalfa hay in the village of Tankovo, was purchased from other farms. In 2021, minimal profit was realized, and in 2023, there was satisfactory profitability, but with a low value of income and expenses. The results of the study prove that farmers experience a dire need of land for the production of animal feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to determine the heritability of some productive traitsin sheep of Ile de France breed. The study was conducted with 369 ewes and 473 lambs of Ile de France breed for the period 2016-2020, bred at the Experimental Base of the Institute of Animal Science -- Kostinbrod. Biological fecundity was determined as the ratio of the litter size, stillbirths and aborted lambs to the number of lambed ewes. Live weights were measured at birth, at 10 days, at 30 days and at 70 days, with a deviation of ± 2 days. The information was processed using the methods of variational statistics. A variance analysis was performed using NOVA model, significance of the effect of the factor was determined by the values of Fisher's F-criterion, and the significance of the differences between the studied groups -- by the Student's t-test, with the statistical software Data Analysis, Excel 2021, Microsoft. The coefficients of the heritability of the studied productive traits were estimated. A significant effect of the year of lambing F = 2.725* on biological fecundity and the year of birth on the live weight at birth F = 5.721***, at 10 days F = 23.875***, at 30 days F = 14.363*** and at 70 days of age F = 44.715*** was found. The average fecundity of the ewes was 154%. There were statistically significant differences for the average live weight of lambs at different stages of development depending on the year of birth. Estimated heritability values for biological fecundity h²-0,03* and live weight at birth h²-0.05***, at 10 days h²-0.18***, at 30 days h²-0.12***, and at 70 days of age h²-0.30*** were from low to average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study aimed to characterise and compare the development of gut microbiota in dairy calves from birth to weaning, focusing on the impact of a direct-fed microbial (DFM) product containing three strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Forty-four Holstein-Friesian calves were randomly assigned to Treatment (TRT) and Control (CON) groups. TRT calves received a daily dose of the DFM, while CON calves received a placebo and served as the control. Faecal samples and necropsies were collected for analysis. TRT calves exhibited higher live weights at weaning and comparable average daily live weight gain and feed intake to CON calves. TRT calves also demonstrated greater weights of specific gut segments (duodenum, abomasum, reticulum) and enhanced rumen and intestinal development. The microbial diversity was more pronounced in the TRT group, with differences in the relative abundances of eight genera. This study suggests that supplementing with the LAB-based DFM positively influenced calfs' weight, gut development, and microbial diversity. Further research is recommended to explore potential associations between DFM products and gut mucosa-associated microbiota. The calf's gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiome undergoes rapid shifts during early post-natal life, which can directly affect calf performance. The objectives of this study were to characterise and compare differences in the establishment and succession of GIT microbiota, GIT morphological changes, and the growth of dairy calves from birth until weaned. Forty-four newborn Holstein-Friesian calves were randomly selected and assigned to Treatment (TRT) and Control (CON) groups. The TRT group calves received a once-daily dose of a direct-fed microbial (DFM) liquid product containing Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lentilactobacillus buchneri, and Lacticaseibacillus casei, all formerly known as Lactobacillus. Fresh faecal samples were manually taken from the rectum of all calves, and gross necropsy was performed on the forestomachs and gastrointestinal tracts. Bacterial DNA was extracted from frozen faecal samples for 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Calves in the TRT group had greater live weights (p = 0.02) at weaning compared with calves in the CON group (mean = 69.18 kg, SD = 13.37 kg). The average daily live weight gain (ADG) and total feed intake were similar between the two groups. Calves in the TRT group had greater duodenum, abomasum, and reticulum weights (p = 0.05). Rumen and intestinal development (p < 0.05) and faecal microbial diversity (p < 0.05) were more pronounced in the TRT group. The relative abundances of eight genera differed (p < 0.001) between the groups. Supplementing calves with the LAB-based DFM increased live weight at weaning and had a more pronounced effect on the development of rumen and the gastrointestinal tract and on microbiota diversity and evenness. Future work is needed to better understand the potential association of LAB-DFM products on gut mucosa-associated microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. A possible effect of live weight on digestion capacity and starch and nitrogen utilization in cattle has been suggested, however, to our knowledge, this effect has not been evaluated by direct testing. This becomes especially relevant when finishing diets are used, which are characterized by their high percentages of starch and nitrogen Objective: To study the possible effect of live weight (BW) on digestion and utilization of two treatments corn, dry rolled (DR) and steam-flaked (SF). Results. Microbial N and microbial efficiency were not affected by the live weight by corn processing interaction. PV decreased linearly (P

ABSTRACT The objective was to estimate the body weight (BW) of Brown Alpine goats by means of body volume (BV) measurements. We used 132 pieces of information with measurements of BW, body length (BL) and thoracic perimeter (TP) from 22 goats evaluated fortnightly, between March and May 2023. Based on this information, the BV of the animals was calculated. Three mathematical models were evaluated - a linear model, a quadratic model, and an exponential model - with the measurement of BV. The goodness of fit of the equations was evaluated using the coefficient of determination (R2), mean square error (MSE) and root of the MSE (RMSE). The predictive ability of the models was evaluated by k-fold cross-validation (k = 10). A high positive correlation between BW and TP (r = 0.95) and BL (r = 0.94) was observed. The correlation between BW and BV was higher than the other correlations (r = 0.98). The linear model showed the lowest values of MSE (9.49) and RMSE (3.08). In the cross-validation, the linear and quadratic models presented estimates of the mean BW and the standard deviation of this weight similar to the real data, and high R2 values (0.95) of the data predicted by the observed ones. The analysis of the coefficient of correlation and concordance (CCC) also showed that these models have accuracy and precision (CCC > 0.95). Thus, the linear and quadratic models estimate the body weight of Brown Alpine goats with precision and accuracy.

ABSTRACT In this study, the possibilities of using Cubic Spline functions and some yield-density models in the estimation of live weights of Kıvırcık lambs fed with different silage types were investigated. In the experiment, 40 male Kıvırcık lambs aged 2.5-3 months were used and the animals were fattened for 56 days. To assess the predictive performance of the fitted models, model fit statistics such as the coefficient of determination (R2), adjusted R2, mean square error (MSE), and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) were determined. The Cubic Spline model was discovered to be the best model for quantifying Kıvırcık lambs live weight, with the highest R2 and adjusted R2 values, as well as the lowest MSE and AIC values. Cubic Spline functions were applied as live weight estimation model in lambs fed with silage containing 5 different ratios of corn and sunflower (100% sunflower silage, 75% sunflower + 25% corn silage, 50% sunflower + 50% corn silage, 25% sunflower + 75% corn silage, 100% corn silage). As a result, Cubic Spline functions have been found to be effective in estimating the live weight of fattened lambs.

Improving the productivity of poultry, especially egg crosses, depends on the quality of the bioceramic calcite (CaCO3) layers and surface glycoprotein film of the egg (cuticle). These are the barriers that control the flow of gases and water vapor. Any disruptions in the transport process can lead to a significant reduction in egg hatchability. It has been proven that treatment of chicken and turkey eggs with acid solutions (acetic acid or hydrochloric acid) and sodium hypochlorite prior to hatching has increased egg hatchability compared to the control. In view of this, the aim of this study was to investigate the protective structures of incubation eggs of chickens and turkeys using non-destructive electron microscopic methods and computer processing of digital images of the cuticle coatings of these eggs for reliable prediction of the degree of increase in gas permeability of the cuticle-shell system due to the destructive effect of various chemicals, including disinfectants, for pre-hatching egg treatment. In the experiments, hatching eggs of Leghorn White hens (n = 90) 15–20 weeks of laying and Broad Breasted White turkeys (n = 80) were used. The antimicrobial agents used in the experiments were a 0.6% solution (0.08 mol/L) of sodium hypochlorite, a 2.5% solution (0.4 mol/L) of acetic acid, and a 5.0% solution (1.40 mol/L) of hydrochloric acid. Using the computer analysis of digital electron microscopic images of the egg surface with the software packages Visilog and FemtoScan Online, it was experimentally proved that the destructive effect of these substances on the cuticle-shell system increases in the range of sodium hypochlorite < hydrochloric acid < acetic acid, which positively correlates with the gas permeability of hatching eggs of chickens and turkeys and the egg hatchability index. The presence of fundamentally different morphological features and correlations of the cuticle of chicken and turkey eggs in response to the action of acids and oxidants used for pre-hatching treatment was shown. The digital markers of the cuticle-shell system state, obtained from analytical programs of digital images, have been established, which makes it possible to reliably predict the indicators of increasing the hatchability of chicken and turkey eggs under the conditions of using certain chemicals. The prospect of further research is to study the effect of modern complex antimicrobial agents on the hatchability of poultry eggs of different species.

Antibacterial preparations are used to prevent bacterial diseases in poultry when raising broilers but given the negative factor of their residual accumulation in meat and the acquisition of resistance by pathogens, it became necessary to find alternative means. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of various concentrations of Bacillus coagulans on the growth and development of broiler chickens. Methods employed: microbiological; physiological to determine the state of health and safety of chickens; zootechnical; pathological; statistical. The chickens in the experiment had a higher live weight at Day 35: in Group 1 – by 11%, in Group 2 – by 15.4%, and in Group 3 – by 18.4%, as opposed to the control. The average daily body weight gain of chickens in groups with B. coagulans was higher, in Group 1–by 10.8%, in Group 2–by 15%, and in Group 3–by 18.3%. The preservation rate in all experimental groups, regardless of the probiotic concentration, was 100%, while in the control group – 80%. There was an increase in live weight in the following groups: Group 1–by 11%, Group 2 – by 15.5%, Group 3 – by 19%. Feed conversion was lower in Group 1 by 5.3%, in Group 2 – by 3.4%, and in Group 3 – by 2%, compared to the control. At the end of the study, the level of Lactobacillus sp. in the intestines of chickens in Group 1 was 33.78% higher, in Group 2 – by 50%, in Group 3 – by 78.37%; a decrease in the content of Enterobacteriaceae sp. in Group 1–by 51.48%, in Group 2 – by 65.11%, in Group 3–by 90.67%; Staphylococcus sp. in Group 1–by 15.04%, in Group 2–by 35.44%, in Group 3–by 51.47% (p≤0.05), in contrast to the control. The average bursal weight in Group 1 was 4.82% higher, in Group 2–30% higher, in Group 3–37.53% higher, and the bursal index was 15%, 25%, and 30% higher, respectively, compared to the control

Modern pork production technology requires more piglets from sows to ensure the industry's profitability. The physiological reserve of sows' milk production at multiplicity above 14-18 piglets is often insufficient, which requires a constant search for ways to solve the problem of “hyperfertile sows”. The study aims to investigate the effectiveness of using milk replacers from different manufacturers in sow nests under conditions of multiple farrowings on the productivity and behaviour of suckling piglets and sow conditions. The experiment was conducted in 2023, with 36 sow nests in the farrowing shop and 513 suckling piglets. Nests with a litter of 13 or more were selected and three groups were formed. In the control group, piglets were raised without additional feeding with milk replacers. The group II piglets were fed with Alternative Milk Junior as a source of additional nutrition from 10 days of age until weaning. Piglets of group III received a Commercial Analogue of milk replacer. Group II was characterised by a higher survival rate – of 93.03% and, a higher live weight – of 7.84 kg, which led to higher values of average daily weight gain – 222.47 g. The nests of the II and III experimental groups (consuming milk replacer) were more aligned, which significantly outperformed the analogues of the control groups by 31.2% and 14.7%. Piglets of group II were in a calmer state and therefore spent the most time on rest – 60%, in contrast to animals of the control group – 50% and group II – 58%. Additional nutrition of piglets in the nests of “hyperfertile sows” reduces the load on sows during lactation allows to obtain animals in factory condition and reduces the number of unprofitable days. The practical significance of the experiment is to determine an effective milk replacer as a source of supplementary nutrition for suckling piglets in the nests of “hyperfertile” sows

Background: Mineral nutrition benefits the bioproductive behavior of pigs. Aim. To evaluate the effect of including a mineral pre-mixture made from national natural sources in diets for growing-fattening YorkLand hybrid pigs. Methods: 50 growing fattening pigs (40±5 kg live weight), females and castrated males, were used, randomly distributed into five groups to offer an equal number of experimental diets. Group I received a concentrate made with an imported protein core, imported soy flour, domestically produced yellow corn flour, L-lysine and choline, without the mineral premix. The remaining four groups received a concentrate made with imported soy flour, domestically produced yellow corn flour, L-lysine and choline, with 0, 1, 2 and 3% inclusion of the mineral pre-mix, respectively. Minerals in blood serum, live weight gain and average daily gain were determined. Results: In groups I, III, IV and V, calcemia was higher (P<0.05); in groups III and IV, cupremia (P< 0.01) and in group IV, magnesemia (P< 0.05). In these groups, live weight and average daily gain increased (P< 0.05). All parameters were lower (P<0.05) in group II. Conclusion: The addition of the mineral pre-mixture made from national natural sources to the diet for growing-fattening pigs benefited their mineral status and productive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was executed to determine the effect of selection in live weight on reproduction of chickens. A total 300 Turkish local Gerze chickens were used in the study. All chickens were individually weighed at 8 weeks of age. Heaviest 75% (225 chickens) were chosen and separated from the flock. The mean live weight of chosen birds was 404.34 gram at 8 weeks and significantly higher than unselected birds (359.29 gram; P<0.05). At 18 weeks of age, the chickens were weighed again. The selected group had reached 1068.92 grams while unselected chickens 1059.69 grams and the difference between them was insignificant. Age at first egg was 182 days for selected hens while 177.5 days for unselected hens. The mean egg weights of eggs produced until 40 weeks of age were 47.11 g and 46.76 g, respectively for selected and unselected groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of studying the impact of live weight on the milk productivity of Holstein cows of various origins after the first completed lactation in three breeding herds. To assess the influence of live weight on the productive traits of cows, the analyzed population in all herds was divided into three groups. Cows with a live weight up to 600 kg (Group I) and from 601-630 kg (Group II) in the herd of SLL "Gomerţ Efrem" positively correlated with milk yield and the amount of milk fat. In SLL "Dastocom", a positive moderate correlation (live weight - 305-day yield) was identified at cows of the first lactation of German selection up to 600 kg (Group I) (r = 0.448), and with an increase in live weight, the correlation coefficient acquired a negative value. In the breeding herd of SLL "Total Gnatiuc", an advantage was found in favor of locally generated cows by 537 and 302 kg for French and Dutch breeds, respectively, with no significant differences observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Colombian hair sheep have characteristics of great interest, among the following: high capacity for adaptation, good fertility, high prolifically, and low presence of diseases, which have been little studied. Currently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been widely used to detect and locate candidate genes. However, in sheep, there is a low number of investigations carried out in GWAS, because the available information is limited, compared to that of other species. This research aimed to conduct a genome-wide association study on muscle growth traits using the Illumina OvineSNPs50 BeadChip array. A GWAS using 54.241 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was conducted in Ethiopian (44 individuals), Sudan (63), and Pelibuey (60) breeds of Creole hair sheep to evaluate eight growth traits. Quality control was performed using a linear regression model in PLINK. Moreover, a functional analysis was done in the KEGG database using the Ovis aries (sheep) genome v.3.1. In total, 44.396 SNPs that passed quality control were used for the analysis. The 10 most significant SNPs were identified for each trait. The functional analysis allowed the annotating of four candidate genes, namely CEP135, EMCN, PAM, and PIAS2, as the most relevant genes for the traits assessed. Additionally, 27 genes associated with phenotypic traits were considered promising and could also be influencing growth traits. This is the first GWAS on Colombian hair sheep to report genomic traits associated with muscle growth traits. Four candidate genes (CEP135, EMCN, PAM, and PIAS2) associated with eight growth traits were identified by genome-wide association in colombian hair sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the productivity of poultry, especially egg crosses, depends on the quality of the bioceramic calcite (CaCO3) layers and surface glycoprotein film of the egg (cuticle). These are the barriers that control the flow of gases and water vapor. Any disruptions in the transport process can lead to a significant reduction in egg hatchability. It has been proven that treatment of chicken and turkey eggs with acid solutions (acetic acid or hydrochloric acid) and sodium hypochlorite prior to hatching has increased egg hatchability compared to the control. In view of this, the aim of this study was to investigate the protective structures of incubation eggs of chickens and turkeys using non-destructive electron microscopic methods and computer processing of digital images of the cuticle coatings of these eggs for reliable prediction of the degree of increase in gas permeability of the cuticle-shell system due to the destructive effect of various chemicals, including disinfectants, for pre-hatching egg treatment. In the experiments, hatching eggs of Leghorn White hens (n = 90) 15–20 weeks of laying and Broad Breasted White turkeys (n = 80) were used. The antimicrobial agents used in the experiments were a 0.6% solution (0.08 mol/L) of sodium hypochlorite, a 2.5% solution (0.4 mol/L) of acetic acid, and a 5.0% solution (1.40 mol/L) of hydrochloric acid. Using the computer analysis of digital electron microscopic images of the egg surface with the software packages Visilog and FemtoScan Online, it was experimentally proved that the destructive effect of these substances on the cuticle-shell system increases in the range of sodium hypochlorite < hydrochloric acid < acetic acid, which positively correlates with the gas permeability of hatching eggs of chickens and turkeys and the egg hatchability index. The presence of fundamentally different morphological features and correlations of the cuticle of chicken and turkey eggs in response to the action of acids and oxidants used for pre-hatching treatment was shown. The digital markers of the cuticle-shell system state, obtained from analytical programs of digital images, have been established, which makes it possible to reliably predict the indicators of increasing the hatchability of chicken and turkey eggs under the conditions of using certain chemicals. The prospect of further research is to study the effect of modern complex antimicrobial agents on the hatchability of poultry eggs of different species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the levels of some main productive traits in sheep of the Karnobat Fine Fleece breed, raised in the flock of the Institute of Agriculture - Karnobat, a study was conducted for the live weight and wool productivity of animals born in the period 2013 - 2019. Some main productive traits of 316 sheep were controlled: live weight from weaning to 4.5 years of age, wool yield and staple length up to 4.5 years of age, clean wool yield and clean fiber at 1.5 and 2.5 years. It was established that the sheep of the Karnobat Fine Fleece breed at 2.5 years weigh an average of 59,090 kg live weight and give an average of 6,540 kg of wool with an average staple length of 11.43 cm, an average clean wool yield of 64.42 % and clean fiber – 4,220. The levels of all studied productive traits depended on environmental factors and the year of birth had a significant effect. Linear affiliation gave a significant effect on wool yield and the amount of clean fiber obtained by sheep at 2.5 years. The results obtained for the wool productivity traits are higher than the breed standards and show a good evenness in the flock and by ages. Live weight data are within the norm and confirm the early sexual maturity of the Karnobat fine fleece sheep breed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the consumption and increasing the efficiency of the use of feed, obtaining maximum egg productivity is ensured by a high level of balanced feeding with various feed additives. Therefore, the research work aimed to study the effect of mineral feed additives on the egg productivity of laying hens of the Loman Brown cross. During the experiment, the control group of laying hens consumed the basic ration (BR) – complete combined feed. In feeding the research group, a mineral selenium-containing feed additive was used with the main diet. Selenium in the feed additive is contained in organic form, selenomethionine and selenocystin. Unlike inorganic forms, selenoamino acids can be transported and metabolized in the body to build amino acids. According to the results of the experiment, it was found that when feeding mineral feed additive, there was an increase in the gross collection of eggs in laying hens of the 2nd group by 12.7 % (Р ≥ 0.01) and a decrease in feed consumption by 10 pcs. eggs by 9.0 %, relative to the control group. In addition, there is a tendency to increase the laying rate per average laying hen by 9.5 % and the laying intensity by 3.9 %. With the additional use of the mineral feed additive by laying hens of the 2nd group, the mass of eggs increases by 5.3 % (Р < 0.05), the height of the yolk by 25.0 % (Р < 0.05), and the yolk index by 0.06 % (P < 0.01) versus the control value. It was established that the use of mineral supplements by laying hens of the 2nd group increases live weight by 5.1 % (Р ≤ 0.05), absolute gain by 12.3 % (Р ≤ 0.01), pre-slaughter live weight by 5.7 % (Р ≤ 0.05), the weight of the semi-cartridge by 4.3 % (Р ≤ 0.05) and the weight of the carcass by 11.5 % (Р ≤ 0.01) against the reference indicator. Under the influence of the mineral feed additive in the 2nd group of laying hens, the survival rate of the flock increased by 3.0 % compared to the control analogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of increasing the productivity of agricultural poultry depends on the extent to which production technologies enable the realization of its genetic potential. The experiment aimed to study the effect of a mineral feed additive containing copper on productivity, growth, and feed consumption in broiler chickens. The scientific and economic experiment was conducted in the conditions of the Vinnytsia National Agrarian University vivarium. For the experiment, 40 broiler chickens of the “Ross-308” cross were selected, and two analog groups of 20 heads each were formed. The experiment lasted 42 days. During the experiment, the broilers of the 1st control group consumed a completely balanced feed. In addition to the diet of the research group, the researched mineral feed supplement was added. Broiler chickens were weighed every week to determine the intensity of growth. According to the results of the experiment, it was established that additional feeding of a mineral feed additive to broiler chickens of the 2nd group increases live weight at 21 days of age by 4.6 % (Р ≤ 0.05), at 28 days of age by 7.1 % (Р ≤ 0.01) in 35 days by 9.5 % (Р ≤ 0.001) and in 42 days by 9.4 % (Р ≤ 0.001), against the control. It was found that with the use of a mineral additive in broilers of the 2nd group, feed consumption per 1 kg of growth is reduced by 7.8 %, compared to the control value. Additional consumption of the researched mineral feed additive in broiler chickens of the 2nd group increases the pre-slaughter live weight by 8.9 %, the weight of non-carcasses by 9.7 % (Р ≤ 0.001), half-carcasses by 10.8 % (Р ≤ 0.01) and patranoi by 13.0 % (Р ≤ 0.001), relative to the control. Feeding the mineral supplement to broilers of the 2nd group increases the mass of pectoral muscles by 9.2 % and thigh muscles by 10.8 % (Р ≤ 0.01), against the control indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This topic covers a wide range of aspects, including improving the genetic potential of animals through industrial crossbreeding, ensuring optimal housing conditions, and developing technologies for efficient use of the energy generated by these animals. Modern methods of industrial crossbreeding are determined by strategic plans to improve the genetic pool of animals to obtain more productive and disease-resistant offspring. Using advanced genetic technologies and modern breeding methods enhances product quality and ensures resistance to adverse factors. Considering the physiological needs of different breeds, providing appropriate nutrition and maintenance following current standards helps maintain high productivity and ensure the harmonious development of animals. In obtaining additional energy carriers, the latest technologies for using livestock waste in biogas, compost, and other energy resources are being studied. This contributes not only to the improvement of the environmental sustainability of farms but also to the use of internal resources for additional energy production. Summing up, modern approaches to the use of industrial crossing, housing conditions, and obtaining other energy carriers help solve complex tasks in animal husbandry, providing an optimal balance between productivity, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. It was established that the dynamics of live weight gains were more incredible in ½ Charolais steers when kept on deep litter, and on average up to 15 months, the average daily gains amounted to 947.9 g per day, and in purebreds under box keeping – 815.9 g; the absolute gains in live weight of purebred bulls of the Ukrainian black-spotted dairy breed, when kept in boxes for up to 15 months, reached 367.1 kg, which is 16.18 % less than that of ½ Charolais bulls when kept on deep bedding, with a probable difference of Р < 0.001. Innovative approaches to the use of the effect of heterosis and the conditions of keeping overrepair bulls in the production of beef have positive results, where ½ Charolais crossbreeds in conditions of keeping on deep bedding reach 453.9 kg by the age of 15 months, and their purebred counterparts – 406.7 kg, with a probable difference of P < 0.001. The results of the economic efficiency of the use of industrial crossbreeding, keeping conditions of purebred and crossbred bulls, show additional profits per head of 1,468.8 UAH ½ Charolais (maintenance on deep litter) and an increase in the level of profitability by 34.40 % compared to purebred Ukrainian black and white bulls dairy breed (maintenance boxing). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Almaty Technological University is the property of Almaty Technological University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Animal Production / Hayvansal Üretim is the property of Hayvansal Uretim (Journal of Animal Production) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Experiments were carried out to study the possibility of increasing the productivity level of quails by feeding a new probiotic feed additive based on microorganisms of the genus Enterococcus. The work was carried out in 2022 on Phoenix quails. From the age of one day, in addition to the main diet, the birds of the experimental group daily received a suspension culture of Enterococcus faecium ICIS 96 with a cell concentration of 1 × 109 in 1 mL at the rate of 0.1 mL per 1 kg of live weight. To achieve this goal, a scientific and economic experiment was carried out. At the first stage, the influence of the Enterococcus faecium ICIS 96 strain on the growth, development, and meat productivity of quails up to 42 days was determined, and at the second stage on the egg productivity of quails. The live weight of quail in the experimental group was higher than in the control group at all age periods: on the 28th day by 19.4 g, or 15.02%, on the 42nd day by 23.8 g, or 9.0%. The weight of gutted quail carcasses, which received in addition to the main diet a suspension of Enterococcus faecium ICIS 96 culture, was greater than in the control by 25.42%, half-gutted by 25.33%, and slaughter yield by 8.9%. The highest egg production during the productive period (30 weeks) was observed in quails of the experimental group: the gross collection of eggs was 5365 pcs, which was 701 pcs more than in the control group. At the same time, the thickness of their shell was 8.6% higher. As a result, revenue from the sale of eggs was higher by 4429.2 rubles, and the level of profitability by 4.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive and in-depth understanding of modern industrial poultry production technology is a vital condition for the development of poultry enterprises. Among the factors that determine poultry farming's development, the state and development of the feed base are of paramount importance. One of the promising directions for organizing rational poultry feeding based on self-produced feed is the use of new feed sources in compound feeds that have a multifaceted positive impact on poultry health. This study aimed to determine whether feeding feather meal induces changes in the body weight of laying hens, feed consumption, and egg production. The experiment was conducted on laying hens of the Hy-Line Brown W-36 breed without beak trimming, aged from 21 to 34 weeks at an industrial poultry farm. The chickens were placed in standard cages arranged in 6 tiers (with eight chickens per cage) and were distributed into five randomized groups. Four diets were formulated with the inclusion of feather-based feed additives in the base diet at levels of 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, or 3.5 kg per ton, while the control group was maintained on the standard diet. Research results using feather meal as part of the compound feed for laying hens have revealed that the inclusion of this additive had a positive impact on the live weight dynamics of Hy-Line Brown laying hens. Positive trends in absolute live weight gains were observed in the experimental groups compared to the control group, with EG1 showing an increase of 56.78 g (4.8%), EG2 with 43.66 g (3.7%), EG3 with 33.26 g (2.8%), and EG4 with 25.75 g (2.1%). The highest retention rate of laying hens was recorded in the first (EG 1) and second (EG 2) experimental groups: 98.9% and 97.9% respectively. The difference in retention between the first experimental group and the control group was 4.1%, while between the second experimental and control groups, it was 3.1%. The feather meal feed additive is an effective protein supplement, and research has revealed its positive influence on live weight gains and the survival of laying hens. The most effective level is 2 kg per ton of compound feed, which can be explained by the data observed in EG1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. For the development of reproductive, nutritional and health programmes, estimation of animal body weight (BW) is a fundamental tool in herd management. Objective. To evaluate of the reliability and concordance of visual weight assessment in water buffalo females. Methodology. Data on visually estimated body weight (VM) and actual body weight (BW) were recorded for 229 female water buffaloes. BW was recorded using a digital scale and visual estimation BW was taken as the average of three observations made by three observers. The measurements obtained by each of the different estimation methods were also compared with the observed weights by inspecting the paired Bland-Altman plots prior to logarithmic transformation. Results. Correlations between observed BW and mean predicted BW for visual methods showed a positive and significant relationship (P

The research was carried out at the pig farm of LLC Barkom, village Dublyany of Sambirsky district, Lviv region, and PE “Chernyuk” from Hrushvytsia Persha, Rivne district, Rivne region. According to the principle of analogs, two groups of farrowing sows of the PIC genetic company of the large white breed (2–3 farrowing) of 5 animals each were formed – control and trial. The animals were kept in the same house under the same conditions. The trial group received a standard diet similar to the control group, but the feed additive “Activo” was added to the diet in 0.1 kg/t of finished feed. From the fifth day after birth until weaning, newborn piglets of the trial group were fed pre-starter feed, to which 0.2 kg of the feed additive “Active” was added. The environmental parameters in the houses where the animals were kept differed according to the following leading indicators: the air temperature (°C) in the box with manual control of the supply-exhaust ventilation system in 5-, 14-, and 28-day-old piglets were, respectively, by 3; 2 and 4 °C higher compared to the temperature regime provided by the Big Duchman microclimate system; air movement speed (m/s) lower by 21.4; 33.3 and 8.3 %, respectively; carbon dioxide concentration (ppm) higher in 1.9; 1.8 and 2.1 times, respectively; ammonia concentration (mg/m3) higher in 4.5; 6.1 and 6.1 times, respectively; hydrogen sulfide concentration (mg/m3) higher in 1.8; 4 and 5.4 times, respectively. During the trial period, a probable tendency to decrease feed consumption by sows of the control group by 3.4 % (Р

The efficiency of conducting industrial competitive pig breeding in Ukraine depends on the level of feeding and provision of animals with the necessary biologically active substances. Lack of mineral substances leads to a decrease in growth rates, an increase in the duration of the fattening period, excessive feed consumption, and, accordingly, an increase in the cost of pork, which determines the relevance of the chosen subject. The purpose of the study was to identify the effect of the mineral additive of the copper chelate complex on the meat productivity of hybrid pigs and the quality of pork. the following methods are used to fulfil the purpose of the study: zootechnical (live weight dynamics, determination of average daily and relative gains), biochemical (analysis of chemical composition and microelement content in muscles, indicators of pork quality: moisture content, tenderness, marbling, colour intensity), morphological (slaughter yield parameters determination), and statistical (identification of substantial differences between values). The effectiveness of the chelated copper complex with glycine on the growth intensity of pigs, slaughter parameters, chemical and microelement composition of muscles, and pork quality indicators after cold storage is investigated. It is established that the additional introduction of a chelated copper complex into the diet increased the intensity of average daily weight gain of pigs by 9.1% and relative live weight gain by 4.5 percentage points. From pigs of this group, heavier carcasses were obtained by 4.5 percentage points with a smaller fat thickness over the 6-7 thoracic vertebra by 10.6% and an internal fat mass of 7.5%, and 9.7% more internal organs. Pork was obtained from animals of the experimental group with a lower fat content by 10.0 percentage points, a higher protein content – by 3.9 percentage points, and ash – by 12.1 percentage points. The diet with a chelated copper complex increased the moisture capacity and tenderness of pork after cold ageing, and helped reduce the caloric content of meat. The concentration of minerals in muscle tissue in the experimental group was higher in terms of copper, manganese, cobalt, iron, and zinc. Based on the obtained data, the possibility of effective feeding of the copper chelate complex with glycine to fattening pigs was established

Obtaining highly productive animals is possible thanks to the introduction of modern systems for the targeted cultivation of repair young animals. Jersey breed animals are particularly popular among cattle breeders due to their unpretentiousness to the feeding and maintenance system, as well as increased protein and fat content parameters compared to other breeds. The manifestation of individual differences in productive qualities in the cultivation of repair heifers during ontogenesis allows an early determination of the direction of their production use. The study of the relationship between the intensity of growth of young animals with the results of the evaluation of the milk productivity of the first heifers following the results of the first completed lactation showed the presence of a positive relationship (r = 0,96) between these two parameters. Thus, the highest milk productivity is observed in cows, which in the period from 0 to 6 months had an average daily increase in live weight at the level of 811–961 g, which is generally consistent with the research of Russian and foreign authors and opens up new prospects for improving the productive and economically useful characteristics of the Jersey cattle population in the North Caucasus.

The physiological and productive effect of the developed "protected" form of choline in calves' diets after removing them from milk drinking was studied. Heifers analogs by breed, live weight at the age of three months were divided into 2 groups (n = 10), and received rations by group loose housing system. The animals of the experimental group were daily given minigranules of "protected" choline at the rate of 50 mg/ kg of live weight of the active substance mixed with feed for 90 days, with the study of the aftereffect. For 90 days of feeding the supplement, the additional increase in live weight of animals in the control group was 67.1±0.5 kg, in the experimental group – 77.5±1.2 kg, with an average daily increase in live weight of 745.5±0.01g versus 861.1±0.40 g (p ≤0.05), for 30 days of aftereffect, respectively, 733.3±0.03g versus 836.7±0.09 g. The acceleration of the growth of heifers is interconnected with the improvement of the direction of metabolic processes in their body due to the use of an additive. In the blood serum taken at the end of the experiment, there was noted a higher level of total protein – by 6.3 % (p

In animal husbandry, special attention is paid to biological additives and natural metabolites used in the development of feeds that ensure productivity of animals and increase resistance to adverse environmental factors. Such additives actively influence energy metabolism and do not harm even in case of an overdose, due to the absence of xenobiotic effects inherent in a large number of synthetic drugs. The purpose of the research was to study growth dynamics of chinchillas against the background of drug Succinic acid forte. The experiments were carried out on chinchillas 55-61 days old. At the same time, succinic acid (Acidum succinicum) was given to the chinchillas of the experimental group for 30 days in addition to the main diet - 20 mg/kg of live weight, pre-mixed with a small amount of water, then chinchillas were fed individually from the syringe. Determination of the dynamics of live weight was carried out using individual weighing of animals at the beginning of the experiment when forming groups, and then every ten days before feeding. When analyzing the main productive indicators, a direct pattern was noted - use of succinic acid in the diet of young chinchillas led to an increase in growth rate. So, 20 days after the start of the experiment, indicators of absolute gain in live weight of experimental animals were 32.07 % (p = 0.001), and after 30 days - 45.34 % (p = 0.001) more than in the control, where in the feeding of chinchillas, only the main diet was used without additional introduction of succinic acid.