1,720,980 research outputs found
Impact of Eggs Storage Time and Duration of Fumigation on Hatchability, Embryonic Mortality and Characteristics of Day Old Chicks
No full textThis study aimed to investigate the effects of egg storage time and fumigation duration on chick quality, hatchability, and breakout analysis in broilers. A total of 600 eggs from each storage time (24 and 48 h) were divided into three fumigation groups (15, 20, and 25 min), with each group further split into four replicates of 50 eggs, resulting in six experimental groups: S24F15, S24F20, S24F25, S48F15, S48F20, and S48F25. The results indicated that egg storage times of 24 or 48 h and fumigation durations of 15, 20, and 25 min did not significantly affect most chick quality parameters, including egg weight, A-grade
chicks, B-grade chicks, contamination, and water loss (P>0.05). However, chick weight was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the F15 group (44.4±0.73g) compared to the F20 (43.3±0.47g) and F25 (43.2±0.58g) groups. Similarly, chick yield was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the F15 group (68.8±0.62%) than in the F20 (67.9±0.33%) and F25 (67.5±0.39%) groups. Interaction effects showed significantly higher chick weight (44.8±0.68g) and chick yield (69.3±0.38%) in the S48F15 group compared to other groups. The breakout analysis revealed no significant effect (P>0.05) of egg storage time or fumigation duration on dead chicks at different weeks, dry chicks, contaminated chicks, and total unhatched eggs. Similarly, hatchability and the percentage of hatch of fertile eggs were not significantly affected (P>0.05) by egg storage time or fumigation duration, nor by their interaction. In conclusion, while most parameters remained unaffected, a fumigation duration of 15 min, especially with 48 h of egg storage, resulted in higher chick weight and yield, suggesting potential benefits for broiler production efficiency
Comparative effect of exogenous protease and phytobiotics on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, ileal histology and bone strength in broilers
Full text linkA total of 540 d-old Cobb 500 broiler chickens were randomly allocated into five groups: a control group receiving only the basal die (control), and experimental groups supplemented with exogenous protease (30,000 IU/kg) and crushed seeds of Bunium persicum, Coriandrum sativum, and Carum copticum (10 mg/kg each) for a period of 35 days. The results demonstrated that growth performance parameters, including feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio, were significantly improved (P < 0.05) in broilers supplemented with protease compared to those receiving the selected herbs. Additionally, the digestibility of crude protein and crude fat showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in broilers that received protease compared to the Bunium persicum. Tibia bone weight significantly improved (P = 0.01) in birds supplemented with protease, Coriandrum sativum and Carum copticum. In addition, the robusticity index decreased (P < 0.05) in protease supplemented group. In terms of ileal histological features increased (P < 0.05) in broilers supplemented with protease compared to the control. In summary, the results indicate that protease supplementation yielded superior outcomes in terms of improving growth, ileal digestibility, bone quality, and villus dimensions in broilers compared to the herbal plant supplements used in this study
Effect of soy hulls as alternative ingredient on growth performance, carcase quality, nutrients digestibility and intestinal histological features in broilers
Full text linkThe objective of this study is to investigate the effects of increasing levels of soybean hulls in broiler chicken diets on growth performance, carcase composition, organ weights, nutrient digestibility, amino acid digestibility, and intestinal histomorphology to determine the optimal inclusion level for maximising poultry health and performance. A total of 680, 1-day-old male broiler chicks (Hubbard) were randomly assigned to five treatments with eight replicates, each consisting of seventeen birds, and housed in an environmentally controlled room with nipple drinkers and trough feeders. The experimental diets, containing 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% dietary soybean hulls (SH), were fed to the broilers for 35 days. During the starter phase, the growth performance of chickens fed 2% SH was not significantly different from the control group, but differences emerged during the later stages. Chickens fed 2% SH showed significantly higher body weight and weight gain compared to higher SH levels. Carcase yield decreased with increasing SH content in the diet, while wing meat yield was highest in birds fed 0% and 2% SH. The relative weights of gizzard, jejunum, and ileum varied significantly among groups. Higher SH levels led to decreased nutrient digestibility but increased excreta nitrogen and ether extract content. Ileal amino acid digestibility varied among SH levels. Intestinal histomorphology revealed significant differences in villi height and crypt depth among groups. Overall, diets with 2% and 4% SH demonstrated superior nutrient utilisation and intestinal health compared to higher SH levels. These findings suggest an optimal inclusion level of SH in broiler diets to optimise performance and intestinal morphology
Comparative antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects of four selected ethnomedicinal plants in alloxan-induced diabetic female Wistar rats
No full textThis study investigated the antidiabetic potential of methanolic extracts of Cassia absus (seeds), Gymnema sylvestre (whole plant), Nigella sativa (seeds), and Piper nigrum (fruits) in alloxan-induced diabetic female Wistar rats. Extracts were prepared using 70% methanol and administered orally at 500 mg/kg/day for 42 days, while glibenclamide (10 mg/kg/day) served as a reference drug. All plant extracts significantly (p < 0.05) reduced fasting blood glucose, attenuated body weight loss, improved glycometabolic and inflammatory markers, and decreased pancreatic oxidative stress. Notably, N. sativa and P. nigrum extracts showed superior efficacy by modulating JNK/MAPK and Nrf2/Keap1 pathways and enhancing insulin secretion compared with other extracts and glibenclamide. Histopathological findings supported these results. Overall, N. sativa and P. nigrum demonstrated the strongest antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, while C. absus showed the least efficacy
Comparative growth, production, carcass characteristics and reproduction performance of Naked Neck, Black Australorp and their crossbred chicken
No full textThis study evaluated the phenotypic and genetic parameters of indigenous Naked Neck (NN), exotic Black Australorp (BA), and their crossbred (NNBA) chickens. A total of 270 day-old chicks (30 per group) were raised under identical conditions from day 1 to 48 weeks of age. Growth performance, including body weight, daily and total gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio (FCR), was highest in BA, followed by NNBA, and lowest in NN. Carcass composition also varied significantly, with BA and NNBA having higher dressing percentages (62.98% and 62.68%, respectively) compared to NN (60.60%). BA produced the heaviest eggs (54.0 g), followed by NNBA (50.9 g) and NN (47.93 g). BA also had the best egg quality, hatchability, and FCR (3.15), with NNBA showing intermediate results. NN had the poorest performance in all traits. Age at sexual maturity was earlier in NNBA (161.23 days) compared to NN and BA. The study concluded that NNBA crossbreds outperformed NN in growth, carcass traits, and egg production, indicating their potential for enhancing rural poultry farming
Prevalence, Species Diversity, and Risk Factors of Tick Infestation in Cattle From District Peshawar, Pakistan
No full textThis study investigated the prevalence, diversity, and risk factors of tick infestation and Theileria annulata infection in cattle from District Peshawar, Pakistan. A total of 322 cattle of different breeds, ages, and sexes were examined between January and March 2024. The overall prevalence of tick infestation was 35.4%, with females more frequently infested than males. Exotic and crossbred cattle, particularly Holstein Friesian and Jersey, along with calves, showed higher susceptibility compared to indigenous breeds and older cattle. Morphological identification revealed Rhipicephalus microplus as the most prevalent species, followed by Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, while other species occurred at lower frequencies. Species distribution varied significantly across breeds, with R. microplus predominating in Sahiwal cattle and H. anatolicum strongly associated with Holstein Friesian. Molecular screening confirmed T. annulata infection, with the highest prevalence detected in female H. anatolicum, whereas R. microplus showed relatively low infection rates. Ecological analysis indicated moderate species diversity overall, with Holstein Friesian cattle exhibiting the greatest richness and dissimilarity in tick fauna compared to indigenous breeds. Tick burden severity was mostly moderate, and co-infestation patterns were dominated by combinations of H. anatolicum and R. microplus. This study is the first to integrate molecular detection of T. annulata with ecological indices of tick diversity in cattle of Peshawar, providing a comprehensive picture of vector–host–pathogen interactions. The identification of breed- and age-specific vulnerabilities highlights the need for targeted tick control strategies. These findings have direct implications for designing sustainable management programs aimed at reducing the economic and health burden of tropical theileriosis in endemic regions
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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