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Background: Heat stress is a major concern in the poultry industry as it causes heavy economic losses. The current study aimed to evaluate the role of betaine supplementation on growth performance, transportation stress and shrinkage loss of broilers during the summer season. Methods: An experiment was conducted on broiler chicks (n=234), reared in the deep litter up to the 42ndday on diets with or without betaine. The day-old chicks were randomly distributed into three dietary treatment groups viz., Control (Birds fed on a basal diet), T1 (Birds fed on a basal diet, supplemented with Optibetaine @ 1 kg/ton of feed), T2 (Birds fed on a basal diet, supplemented with Betaine HCL @ kg/ton of feed). Each dietary treatment comprised six replicates of thirteen birds each. Result: It was found thatbirds supplemented with betaine significantly improved in LBW/BWG. Supplementation of optibetaine performed best in comparison with betaine HCL and Control group birds by reducing mortality percentage by 2.56% and 6.41% respectively. NCDV HI titre gives numerically high values in betaine supplemented groups. Cellular immunity at the 42nd day of age improved due to optibetaine supplementation. The rise in corticosterone concentration due to transportation stress was more in control group and less in the betaine supplemented group. There was no significant effect on the serum glucose level.The optibetaine supplementation group shows lower shrinkage loss.

Correspondence to : S.P. PICHAD Department of Agricultural Economics and Statistics, Post Graduate Institute, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, AKOLA (M.S.) INDIA Email: vipsapanapichad@ rediffmail.com ABSTRACT : The research on the performance of chickpea in Amravati district was carried with the objectives, to study growth rates and variability in area, production, and productivity of chickpea. The secondary data on area, production and productivity of chickpea in Amravati district, were collected from various issues of epitome of agriculture and district socio–economic review. The data pertained to the period of 20 years i.e. from 1990-91 to 2009-10. The performance of chickpea was examined by estimating the growth rates and co-efficient of variation of area, production and productivity of chickpea. The results revealed that, compound growth rates for area, production and productivity for period II were found positive and significant. The co-efficient of variation indicated that, instability in chickpea area exhibited less variation than production and productivity, at overall period. Whereas, production witnessed highest instability as compared to area and productivity, at overall period.

Sheep/goat forequarters procured from freshly slaughtered animals were decontaminated with hot water and inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. The forequarters were individually spray washed with 2% lactic acid and 1.5% acetic + 1.5% propionic acid combination. Total viable count (TVC) of the treated meat samples was reduced by about 0.52 and 1.16 log units with marginal changes in colour and odour scores. Inoculated organisms were found to be highly sensitive to acid combination treatment as compared to lactic acid alone. Shelf-life of acid and acid combination treated samples was increased to 8 and 11 days as against 3 days in untreated samples. Carcass washing with acid alone or acid combination was found to be suitable for extension of shelf-life and improvement in the sensory and microbiological quality of meat.

Research to date, in vitro and on animal models, has confirmed the benefits of macro-algal carbohydrates, including changes in microbial profiles, concentrations of short-chain fatty acids and pH of the media. Other compounds have been shown to regulate cell proliferation, gas emission and cardiovascular function. Algal products will become more appealing if they are further processed and marketed beyond their current areas of production and consumption. It may be necessary to purify the native products to more functional active compounds. Many of the products may find application in prevention and treatment of digestive and cardiovascular diseases in future.