Individual Cages Research Articles

Improving the success of reinforcement programs: effects of a two-week confinement in a field enclosure on the anti-predator behaviour of captive-bred European hamsters.

Captive breeding programs are an important pillar in biodiversity conservation, aiming to prevent the extinction of threatened species. However, the establishment of self-sustaining populations in the wild through the release of captive-bred animals is often hampered by a high mortality upon release. In this study, we investigated how a 2-week confinement period within a large field enclosure affected the anti-predator behaviour of 'naive' captive-bred hamsters and how potential modifications persisted over time. During three consecutive tests, hamsters were confronted with a moving predator model (a red fox mount, Vulpes vulpes) and their behaviour was filmed. After the initial round of confrontation with the predator model, one group of hamsters (field group) was released into a field enclosure protected from predators, while the other group (control) remained in their individual laboratory cages. After 2 weeks, hamsters from the field group were recaptured and individuals of both groups underwent a second confrontation test. A total of 1 month after their return from the field enclosure, field hamsters were subjected to a last confrontation test. Video analysis, investigating four behavioural variables, revealed that field hamsters significantly modified their behavioural response following the 2 weeks confinement in the enclosure, while this was not the case for control hamsters. In addition, most behavioural modifications in field hamsters persisted over 1 month, while others started to revert. We suggest that an appropriate pre-release period inside a field enclosure will enable naive (captive-bred) hamsters to develop an adequate anti-predator behaviour that will increase their immediate survival probability upon release into the wild. We believe that such measure will be of great importance for hamster conservation programs.

THE INFLUENCE OF GENISTEIN IMPLANTATION ON OFFSPRING SEX RATIOS AND THEIR RELATION TO ESTROGEN LEVELS IN THE BLOOD OF IRAQI CHICKENS

This study was carried out at the Poultry Research Station / Agricultural Research Department / Ministry of Agriculture, to investigate the effects of implanting genistein (GE) for the period of 1/February/2021 to 16/August/2021. into Iraqi local chickens at various ages on primary (PSF) and secondary (SSF) sex ratios of female, fertility (FE), and hatchability (HA) traits. At the age of 12 weeks, 100 hens and 20 roosters of Iraqi local chickens from the Poultry Research Station were used in this study. After numbering the hens, the birds were housed in individual cages and divided into four treatments (each with 25 chickens) as follows: T1: none implantation; T2, T3, and T4: implantation of 10 mg GE /kg weight at 14, 18, and 22 weeks of age, respectively. The experiment was divided into three periods, each for 28 weeks, and then rated according to the overall average and all of the traits studied. The results showed that implanting GE into hens had a positive influence on FE, PSF, SSF, and estrogen level (ES), especially at 18 weeks of age. There were also significant correlations between traits and ES in hens’ blood. It was also shown that the regression of most traits on ES is first order linear. As a result, it can be concluded that GE has a positive effect on ES, PSF, SSF, with the possibility of predicting sex ratios and sex offspring based on estrogen levels in the blood, and that implantation at 18 weeks of age has produced great results.

Ewes fed high-concentrate diets containing flint corn and increasing levels of exogenous amylolytic enzyme: effects on nutrient intake and digestibility

The aim was to evaluate if the inclusion of exogenous amylolytic enzyme affect the nutrient intake and digestibility in ewes fed high-concentrate diets containing flint corn. Five Santa Inês × Dorper crossbred ewes (54.04 ± 4.5 kg and aged 8 months) were used in a 5 x 5 Latin square design. All animals were housed in individual metabolic cages for 60 days. The treatments consisted of a control diet (without amylolytic enzyme) and four inclusion levels of an amylolytic enzyme (3,000, 6,000, 9,000, and 12,000 α-amylase dextrinizing units [DU] kg-1 dry matter [DM]). The enzyme was mixed into the feed at the time of supply to the animals. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, and orthogonal polynomial contrasts were used. Nutrient intake was not influenced by amylolytic enzyme inclusion. The digestibility of DM, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, total carbohydrates, non-fibrous carbohydrates, and gross energy showed a quadratic increase with enzyme inclusion (P<0.05), with maximum values at levels of 7,600, 7,500, 6,300, 7,500, 7,400, and 7,800 DU kg-1 DM, respectively. Total digestible nutrients of diets also showed a quadratic increase, with a maximum value of 894 g kg-1 at a level of α-amylase activity of 7,786 DU kg-1 DM. The inclusion of the exogenous amylolytic enzyme from 6,300 to 7,800 DU kg-1 DM doesn’t alter nutrient intake and improves the digestibility in ewes fed high-concentrate diets.

CORRELATIONS AMONGST TRAITS OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE IN LAYER TYPE CHICKENS UNDER RECIPROCAL RECURRENT SELECTION

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic and phenotypic correlations amongst traits in layer type chickens under reciprocal recurrent selection. Matings within pure male line and female lines were carried out to produce purebred male line (AA x AA) and female line (BB x BB). A total of 364 pullets arising from 207 hens and 23 cocks in generation 1 and 440 pullets from 70 hens and 10 cocks in generation 2 under selection were monitored in individual cage units for part period egg production up to 280 days. Parameters considered were age at sexual maturity (ASM), body weight at 20 and 40 weeks (BW 20 and BW40), egg weight average (EWTAV) and egg production up to 280 days (Egg 280). Results obtained shows that ASM had a high negative genetic (-0.52 to -0.64) and moderate phenotypic (-0.39 to -0,46) correlations with BW20 in the male line, positive genetic and phenotypic correlations with EWTAV in both male (0.41 to 0.80 and 0.07 to 0.26) and female line (0.53 and 0.09 to 0.14) and negative genetic and phenotypic correlations in both male (0.45 to -0.65 and -0.08 to -0.53) and female (-0.37 and -0.20), lines, respectively. Similarly, BW40 had positive genetic and phenotypic correlations (0.68 to 0.93 and 0.01 to 0.20) with Egg-280 in the female line. EWTAV had a negative genetic and phenotypic correlation with Egg280 in both male (-0.53 to -0.96 and -0.09 to -0.17) and female line (-0.15 to -0.27 and -0.09 to -0.15), respectively. It was concluded that the favourable correlations that exist between traits measured in this study for both male and female lines indicate the presence of non-additive genetic effects which can be utilized through selection and crossing for commercial use.

Trends and status of rabbit production and research in Zambia

Rabbit production has the potential to help alleviate poverty levels through job creation, income from the sales of rabbits and their products, and a supply of nutritional food, given its urban and peri-urban functionality. However, not much is known about rabbit production and productivity in Zambia. This study is a rapid survey to document rabbit production systems, management practices and provide estimates of rabbit productivity in Lusaka, Zambia. Three production systems (extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive) were determined given the following criteria: breeds and number reared, housing provided, feed supplied, management practices and marketing of rabbits and by-products. Most producers practiced extensive production system, rearing few local and crossbred rabbits fed mostly vegetables, and housing was made of locally available wood materials and or on deep litter. The intensive production system, however, involved purebreds such as New Zealand White (NZW), Chinchilla (CH), California White (CA), Dutch (DU) and Flemish Giant (FG) and their crosses, with numbers ranging between 50 and 100 breeding animals raised in individual metal cages fed hay and pelleted concentrate feed. Mortality was lower given the conducive environment and high management practices that reduced contact with faecal droppings and allowed urine to be collected for sale. The semi intensive production system lies in the middle and is pivotal to improving productivity in the rabbit industry. Mean performances reported were litter size at birth (3.3, 5.2, 6.4), litter weight at birth (105g, 225g, 410g), litter size at weaning (1.9, 4.1, 5.7), litter weaning weight (650g, 1955g, 3256g) and average mature weight (1510g, 2120g, 2825g) for the extensive, semi intensive and intensive productions systems accordingly. The two major challenges were the limited source of breeding animals, which predisposes the sector to a high level of inbreeding and inadequate veterinary care, leading to a high mortality of over 30%. The government is encouraged to develop a national rabbit development programme that will address the above-mentioned challenges.

Voluntary Consumption of Sodium Glutamate Solution as a Factor of Depression-Like Behavior in Adult Rats: an Experimental Study

INTRODUCTION: Use of sodium glutamate solution with food is a widely spread practice. The glutamate-ergic system has been shown to directly participate in the mechanisms of depression, however, up to the moment, no data have been found to evidence that use of sodium glutamate causes depression.
 AIM: To study the effect of intake of sodium glutamate on the formation of depression-like behavior in male rats.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formation of depression-like behavior was evaluated in male rats of Wistar line with 230 g250 g weight at the beginning of the experiment in the situation of inescapable swimming according to the method of R. D. Porsolt, and of hanging by the tail according to T. A. Voronina. In the course of the experiment, the rats of the experimental group consumed 1.1% sodium glutamate solution daily for 30 days, the control animals drank water. During the experiment, the rats were kept in individual cages and had free access to water. The animals of the control group (n = 7) had only water in the drinking bowls. The animals of the experimental group (n = 7) were given water in one drinking bowl and 60 mМ (1.1%) sodium glutamate solution (Henan Lotus Flower Gourmet Powder Cо., LTD, China) in the other.
 RESULTS: Consumption of 1.1% sodium glutamate solution for 30 days led to reduction of the time of active movements and to increase in the number of periods of immobilization in animals in both tests. Besides, in the tests for depression-like behavior of animals, increased rhythmologic index of depression was found in the group of rats receiving sodium glutamate solution.
 CONCLUSION: Based on the results of study, it was found that chronic voluntary consumption of 60 mM (1.1%) sodium glutamate solution for 30 days provokes the formation of depression-like behavior in rats.

Performance of cross-bred (White Pekin × Khaki Campbell) ducks under intensive system of rearing

In the present investigation, the performance of a crossbred (White pekin × Khaki Campbell) duck of meat and egg variety produced through artificial insemination were studied under intensive system of management. A total of 157 day old ducklings were reared in the experimental duck farm with standard management practice of brooding, and growing with balanced feed and health management. However, at 16th wk of age, 30 female ducks were confined to individual cage to record their egg laying performances. The growth performance revealed the significant difference between male and female from 8th to 24th week of age. Most of the body measurement parameters found higher than that of Khaki Campbell and less than that of White Pekin ducks of similar age. The blood biochemistry estimates revealed no variation between male and female ducks except for albumin and calcium wherein the value is highly significant for females. The carcass quality estimates of 20th week male ducks were at par with their age. The average age of sexual maturity was recorded as 131.83±1.65 days and age at 50% egg production in the flock was 139 days. The duck day egg production per cent up to 45th week of age was 80.31±3.44 and it was also recorded that in 108 occasions, one duck laid more than one egg. The egg estimates study of the experimental duck eggs (100 nos) at 40 wks age revealed 62.31± 0.44 g egg weight and 92.378 ± 0.453 as Hague unit scale. The study revealed that the production and reproduction parameters of the cross-bred (WP × KC) ducks may meet the expectation of farmers to be benefitted through both meat and egg production.

Soybean oil addition to wheat bran-based diet improves laying hens' performance.

Wheat bran (WB) is used extensively in animal feed. Despite its nutritional value, its use is limited because of its high-fiber content. We evaluated the effect of soybean oil on laying hen performance with maize meal partly replaced by WB. Thirty-six ISA Brown laying hens, 40 weeks old, were used in a completely randomized design in which laying hens were distributed in individual cages, with three replications of four birds and assigned to three treatments: T1 (basal diet), T2 (60% basal diet + 20% maize meal + 20% WB), and T3 (60% basal diet + 20% maize meal + 17.5% WB + 2.5% soybean oil). Compared with the control group (T1), replacing 20% of yellow maize with WB (T2) did not affect average live weight, egg laying rate, soft-shelled egg production, egg mass, feed conversion per dozen eggs, or laying hen viability (p > 0.05). When 20% of the maize meal was replaced with WB, feed intake and feed conversion per egg mass increased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, adding 2.5% soybean oil to feed containing WB improved laying hen performance by significantly reducing feed conversion per egg mass (p < 0.05). Adding 2.5% soybean oil to diets containing WB instead of 17.5% yellow maize improved the feed conversion per egg mass performance of laying hens.

Genetic characteristics of Poltavske sriblo rabbits by myostatin and progesterone receptor gene and selection indices

Background. Rabbit breeding is a branch of animal husbandry that produces cheap and high-quality meat products in a short period of time. Productive, maternal, reproductive and technological characteristics determine the economic efficiency of rabbit breeding under the conditions of full realization of the genetic potential of animals and a good fodder base. The main factor in the development of rabbit breeding is the increase in the number of animals, which is supported by improved maintenance, veterinary support and breeding practices. Materials and Methods. The experiment was conducted on a population of rabbits (200 heads) of the Poltavske sriblo breed. After weaning at 45 days of age, the young were separated by sex and kept 3–4 animals in a cage. 3-month-old males were placed in individual cages until they reached the age of breeding use – 150–160 days. Rabbits were fed granulated compound feed: concentrated fodder, grass meal, feed additives of animal origin, minerals and premixes. Blood was taken from the ear vein. DNA was isolated using a standard commercial kit “DNA-sorb B” with some modifications. Wright’s F-statistic, including several F-coefficients of inbreeding, was used to assess the genetic differentiation of populations. Testing of the population according to the studied genes for Hardy–Weinberg genetic equilibrium was carried out using the Pearson χ2 test. To determine Poltavske sriblo rabbits’ breeding value, indices were calculated based on economic and beneficial traits, including genetic and economic values of individual traits. As a genetic parameter, the heredity coefficient of rabbits was used, and the economic one was the cost of the products produced. Results. The results of the peculiarities of Poltavske sriblo rabbits genetic structure analysis by the distribution of allelic variants of the myostatin gene and progesterone receptor in the context of genealogical lines are presented. It was found that the grea­test frequency of the C allele by the myostatin gene was in the descendants of the male Cooper (0.551). The frequency of the T allele in this sample of animals was 0.449, respectively. For Snowball’s line rabbits, higher values of the G allele by progesterone receptor gene (0.488) were noted due to the advantage of homozygous animals. The highest value of the effective number of alleles by the myostatin gene was characteristic of Cooper’s rabbit line (0.500), and the lowest – of Bach’s lines (0.215) and Barry’s lines (0.230). According to the progesterone receptor gene, the highest values of Ne were for the Cooper (0.500), Snowball (0.507), and Mini (0.511) rabbits, and the lowest values were for Fox (0.307). The influence of the rabbit genotype on the manifestation of economic and beneficial traits – average daily growth and fertility – has also been established. The use of the breeding value evaluation of the Poltavske sriblo breed rabbits according to the selection and genetic index according to the productivity of daughters, made it possible to single out the main males among the group, as fertilizers. Male fertilizers included Snowball, Long, and Mini. Conclusions. The obtained data can be used for selective and breeding practices in rabbit breeding with the aim of selecting breeders for the improvement of the meat productivity and reproductive ability of rabbits.

Erythrocyte removal from bone marrow aspirate concentrate improves efficacy as intra-articular cellular therapy in a rodent osteoarthritis model.

Despite the high prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA), there remains a need for additional therapeutic options. Cellular therapies with minimally manipulated cells such as bone marrow aspirate concentrates (BMAC) are increasingly popular in the U.S. but clear-cut evidence of efficacy has not been established. In theory, BMAC injections provide a source of stromal cells to stimulate healing in OA and ligamentous injuries; however, BMAC injections are also often associated with inflammation, short-term pain, and mobility impairment. Given that blood is known to trigger inflammation in joints, we hypothesized that removing erythrocytes [red blood cells (RBCs)] from BMAC preparations prior to intra-articular injection would improve efficacy for OA treatment. To test this hypothesis, BMAC was collected from the bone marrow of mice. Three treatment groups were pursued: (I) untreated; (II) BMAC; or (III) BMAC depleted of RBCs by lysis. Product was injected into the femorotibial joint of mice 7 days after OA had been induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM). To assess the impact of treatment on joint function, individual cage monitoring (ANY-mazeTM) and Digigait treadmill-based analyses were performed over 4 weeks. At study completion, joint histopathology was assessed and immune transcriptomes within joint tissues were compared using a species-specific NanoString panel. Significant improvements in activity, gait parameters, and histology scores were seen in animals receiving RBC-depleted BMAC compared to untreated mice; animals treated with non-depleted BMAC did not demonstrate this same extent of consistent significant improvement. Transcriptomic analysis of joint tissues revealed significant upregulation of key anti-inflammatory genes, including interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IRAP), in mice treated with RBC-depleted BMAC compared to animals treated with non-RBC depleted BMAC. These findings indicate that RBC depletion in BMAC prior to intra-articular injection improves treatment efficacy and reduces joint inflammation compared to BMAC.

Liver proteomic analysis reveals the key proteins involved in host immune response to sepsis.

Sepsis is a serious infection-induced response in the host, which can result in life-threatening organ dysfunction. It is of great importance to unravel the relationship between sepsis and host immune response and its mechanisms of action. Liver is one of the most vulnerable organs in sepsis, however, the specific pathogenesis of septic liver injury has not been well understood at the protein level. A total of 12 healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats aged from 6 to 8 weeks were adaptively housed in individual cages in the specific pathogen free animal room. These lab rats were grouped into two groups: treatment (N = 9) and control (N = 3) groups; only three mice from the treatment group survived and were used for subsequent experiments. A TMT-based proteomic analysis for liver tissue was performed in the septic rat model. A total of 37,012 unique peptides were identified, and then 6,166 proteins were determined, among which 5,701 were quantifiable. Compared to the healthy control group, the septic rat group exhibited 162 upregulated and 103 downregulated differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). The upregulated and downregulated DEPs were the most significantly enriched into the complement and coagulation cascades and metabolic pathways. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis further revealed that the upregulated and downregulated DEPs each clustered in a PPI network. Several highly connected upregulated and downregulated DEPs were also enriched into the complement and coagulation cascades pathways and metabolic pathways, respectively. The parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) results of the selected DEPs were consistent with the results of the TMT analysis, supporting the proteomic data. Our findings highlight the roles of complement and coagulation cascades and metabolic pathways that may play vital roles in the host immune response. The DEPs may serve as clinically potential treatment targets for septic liver injury.

Impact of growth trajectory on sexual maturation in layer chickens.

Recent studies showed that apart from photostimulation, metabolic triggers may independently activate sexual maturation and egg production in chickens. However, the origin, mode of action, and specific target(s) of this metabolic control remain unknown. Beyond body weight (BW), we hypothesize that body composition (BC) and associated specific metabolic signals are involved. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the BW and BC thresholds triggering spontaneous sexual maturation in layer pullets under different growth trajectories. Day-old Lohman LSL lite and Lohman brown lite chicks (n = 210 each) raised in brooding cages under ad libitum (AL) feeding until 8weeks of age were randomly allocated into individual cages and assigned to one of 3 experimental growth profiles; AL, breeder's target (T), restricted 20% below target (R), (n = 70 birds/profile/strain). Birds had free access to water throughout the trial. All hens were maintained on 10h of light (10lux) throughout the rest of the study. Blood and tissue samples were collected throughout the study to measure plasma estradiol (E2) concentrations and organ weights, respectively. Furthermore, carcasses were subjected to Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) analyses. All analyses were completed with SAS using the MIXED procedure. Results show that R treatment slowed (p < 0.001) growth, delayed age at first egg (FE) and egg production (p < 0.001) and resulted in lower BW at FE (p < 0.001), lower ovary weight and number of follicles (p < 0.001) compared to AL in both strains, whereas, the strain significantly impacted body weight (p < 0.0001), ovary weight (p < 0.001), BW at FE (p < 0.001), age at FE (p < 0.001), egg production (p < 0.0001), E2 (p < 0.0001) and body composition (p < 0.05). For DEXA, AL feeding (p < 0.001) increased fat deposition compared to R. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between plasma E2 and bone mineral content (p < 0.01) and bone mineral density (p < 0.01). In conclusion, feed allocation impacted growth and BC in a strain dependent manner which resulted in differing age at sexual maturation and egg production. Furthermore, a body fat threshold between 10% to 15% appears to be required for the occurrence of spontaneously sexual maturation in laying hens.

Nematode and Coccidia Infections in Singing Birds Kept in Bird Stalls

Singing birds are adored by so many people in the Special Region of Yogyakarta because of their beautiful voices. Even so, these birds have the possibility to carry endoparasitic infections, namely nematode and coccidia. This study was conducted to determine the incidence of nematode and coccidia infection in singing birds traded in bird stalls in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The singing birds were categorized into five feeding guilds, consisting of 19 herbivores, 19 granivores, 31 omnivores, 20 insectivores, and five carnivores. Thirty-seven birds kept in colony cages (eg. 4-6 birds of the same species in one cage) and 57 birds kept in individual cages were used in this study. Fresh faeces was sampled and transported in ice box to the laboratory for parasitological examination. Whitlock method was used to assess the presence of endoparasites. The incidence of endoparasites infection was analyzed descriptively. The result showed that 5.32% of the birds were infected by nematode and 30% by coccidia. Based on the cage systems, the incidence of nematode infection in the birds kept in the colony cage was 10.8%, whereas those in the individual cage was at the lower level of 1.8%. The incidence of coccidia infection in birds kept in colony and in individual cages was 35% and 26%, respectively. Based on the feeding guild categories, nematode infection was found in herbivores (10.5%), granivores (10.5%), and omnivores (3.2%). The coccidia infection was observed in herbivorous (47.4%), omnivorous (41.9%), granivorous (15.7%), and insectivorous (15%) birds. Maintenance management needs to be considered to prevent and eradicate endoparasites infection in singing birds kept individually or in colonies.

Behavioral and physiological changes in sows and piglets maintained in farrowing cages or open stalls during summer

Containment cages are one of the main causes of chronic stress and reduced welfare during swine production as well as in hot environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate behavioral changes and physiological parameters in the presence or absence of cages in farrowing facilities and to determine the benefits of cage removal on the welfare of pigs during summer in a tropical climate. Twenty-six sows and 290 piglets were divided into two groups: individual open stalls and cage stalls, from birth to weaning at 21 days of age. To obtain behavioral data, the animals were evaluated every 10 minutes, for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon, three non-consecutive times a week, for 21 days for each sow and litter. Rectal, dorsal, and ventral surface temperatures, as well as the respiration rate, were obtained three non-consecutive times per week from all sows and a sample of piglets in the morning and afternoon. Saliva samples for cortisol determination were collected only from the sows and performed at 7-day intervals in the morning and afternoon. Sows kept in cages showed greater agonistic, stereotypical, and feeding behaviors, and less exploratory behavior. In piglets, exploratory and playful behaviors were highly expressed in open stalls. Suckling behavior was observed more frequently in cage stalls and in the afternoon. Positive behaviors were higher in open stalls for both sows and piglets. The average rectal, dorsal, and ventral surface temperatures of the sows were higher in open stalls and lower in piglets, and air temperatures were lower. Higher concentrations of cortisol were found in cage stalls and in the afternoon. In conclusion, open stalls are better than cage stalls in improving animal welfare, contributing to the presence of positive behavior even during summer.

Electronic Transport via Interstitial States in Mayenite Electride

Earlier theoretical calculations of the Seebeck coefficient of mayenite electride have shown that electrons are the major type of charge carriers, while experimental measurements show that the carriers are holes. We investigated the interplay between the experimentally observed deformation of Ca–Al–O cages in mayenite electride and its transport properties to reveal the reasons for this discrepancy. We found that the deformation of individual cages lifts the degeneracy of the electride subsystem and induces the localization of electrons in these interstices. This leads to significant changes in the band structure near the Fermi level, accompanied by splitting of the electride states into two subsystems separated by an indirect energy gap. As a result, the sign of the Seebeck coefficient changes and becomes positive, indicating that holes are the main type of charge carriers in accordance with the experimental observations. This outcome confirms that the mayenite electride subsystem cannot be considered as a homogeneous gas of free electrons but should be considered as partially localized electrons that can move through the crystal together with local deformations.

Japon Bıldırcınlarında Verim Özelliklerine Göre Kalıtım Derecesi ile Genotipik ve Fenotipik Korelasyonların Belirlenmesi

The animal material of the study consisted of quails of similar live weight selected from a randomly mated 14-week-old flock. Selected 29 male and 29 female quails were placed in individual cages with a ratio of 1-1 male females. The chicks obtained from this flock were fed ad libitum with 24% crude protein and 2900 kcal/kg metabolic energy from hatching to the sixth week of the experiment. The sexes of those who completed their development up to three weeks in growth cages by marking were determined and placed in special cages one by one according to their genders. In the study, 86 quails belonging to each family, including 3 siblings, were used. At the end of the trial, the survivability decreased to 75.58%. When considered as the sum of Male+Female, it is seen that the average of the starting weight is 8.776 g, the final weight measurement is 176.16 g and the average weight is 86.47 g. While this average weight is 85.06 g in females, it increases to 87.43 in males. Considering the average heritability, it was clearly separated from the others with a heritability value of 0.586 and this was found to be statistically significant (P

Synthesis of silsesquioxanes with methacryloyloxy and phenyl groups using corn stover ash as the major precursor

To address the challenges associated with corn stover utilization and the synthesis of phenyl- and methacryloyloxy-based silsesquioxanes (SQs) with difficulty and poor controllability, the authors present a novel approach that combines advanced biorefining techniques and innovative chemical synthesis methods. Spirocyclic alkoxysilane synthesized from corn stover ash was subsequently utilized for the synthesis of phenylSQs. The resulting phenylSQs were then subjected to fluorine ion-catalyzed rearrangement with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (KH570) to yield SQs containing phenyl and methacryloyloxy functional groups. Through manipulating the ratio of phenylSQs and KH570, the authors successfully achieved a desired ratio of functional groups on individual SQ cages. Optimization of the ratio significantly impacted product collection, with a range of 5.5:1 to 8.5:1 recommended for efficient and effective synthesis. This study represents an important advancement in the field of high-value conversion of biomass, offering an easy means of tailoring the structure of phenyl- and methacryloyloxy-based cage SQs.

Monitoring of indicators of chromatin status in quails ovarian follicles granulosa cells of different directions of productivity

Relevance. Identification and analysis of the reasons for reducing egg productivity is an urgent problem in quail breeding. The aim of this study is to assess the destructive processes in the somatic cells in ovarian follicles (the level of apoptosis and pycnosis) of mature quail layers of different productivity in connection with egg production and quality indicators of eggs.Methods. In experiments, the level of apoptosis and pyknosis in granulosa cells of ovarian follicles of 3–8 mm females of Estonian, Manchurian, English white, tuxedo, English black and Pharaoh breeds was evaluated. The quails were kept in individual cages in monopreed pairs with a muted 14-hour light day. The age of the females was 160–180 days. The level of pycnotic cells was assessed by the Tarkowski cytological method, apoptotic processes were analyzed by staining with fluorochromes, propidium iodide and acridine orange (10 mcg/mlPI/AO).Results. chromatin. The results of the study of chromatin destruction using PI/AO showed a high average percentage of apoptotic cells in almost all breeds except thep &lt; 0.05). The maximum proportion of dead granulosa cells was tested in Tuxedo and English Black layers (52% and 43% respectively). At the same time, the English white breed of quails at the age of 183 days has one of the best indicators of egg production and the proportion of yolk in relation to egg weight, which indicates the possibility of prolonging the period of their use as laying hens.

CARE MANAGEMENT OF MAMBRUK (Goura Victoria) AT THE BIRD AND ORCHID PARK (TBTA) BIAK NUMFOR, PAPUA

More than 700 species of avifauna found in New Guinea including Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Bird and Orchid Park (TBTA) in Biak, an ex-situ conservation facility of Papuan endemic birds and captive breeding center where Crowned Pigeon birds are raised. A study on care management of Goura victoria (Mambruk) is conducted to support the Master Plan for the development of TBTA as one of the Regional Technical Implementation Units under the Forestry and Environment Papua Province Office. This study indicates that feed given to Mambruk birds approximately 2.21 Kg for five individuals in average, or ± 442 g/individual, fresh, cut in the form of squares/dice, with specific smell characteristic of fresh fruit in brightly colored. Food is given once every day, between 08:00 WIT and 09:00 WIT, following the starting working hour at the TBTA Biak. Drinking water is available ad libitum. The cages used for breeding Mambruk birds in TBTA Biak are permanent cages made of wire iron for roofs and walls. Two types of cages are available, group and individual cages with supporting facilities such as eating and drinking places, rooting sites, places to make nests, trees and tubs for bathing. Eating and drinking places are cleaned before use. The environment around the cage in TBTA is quite clean. The design of the cage is quite safe for birds. Cages are rarely cleaned and no quarantine/isolation cages are available. The facility is not supporting with veterinarians to control the bird’s health, and schedule for regular health care programs.

In Vivo Digestibility of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Brachiaria deflexa&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; and &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Echinocloa colona&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Supplemented with Cowpea Haulms in Sahelian Goats

A study of In vivo digestibility of <i>Brachiaria deflexa</i> and <i>Echinocloa colona </i>fed<i> </i>Sahelian bucks supplemented with 30% cowpea haulms was conducted in the Scientific Garden of the University of Sciences and Technology of Ati in Chad by September 2018. Twelve (12) Sahelian bucks weighing around 28. 62 ±2. 97 kg, aged between 20 and 24 months were used for this feeding trial. Four (4) groups of three (3) animals were housed in individual metabolic cages, where they were treated with Oxytetracycline 20% long-acting (1ml/10 kg) and 1% of Ivermectin against gastrointestinal and pulmonary worms before trials. Four rations were made and distributed hazardly to each group as follows: <i>Brachiaria deflexa</i> without supplement of cowpea haulms (BF₀), <i>Brachiaria deflexa</i> suplemented with 30% cowpea haulms (BF₃₀), <i>Echinocloa colona</i> without suplement (EF₀) and <i>Echinocloa colona</i> suplmented with 30% cowpea haulms (EF₃₀). Each animal received 1000g of feeds twice a day for basal feeds during the adaptation period (14 days). After this period, data were collected for seven (7) days. The result shows that <i>Echinocloa</i> <i>colona</i> supplemented with 30% cowpea haulm induced a significant (p<0.05) intake of DM (697.2g), OM (525.14g), and CF (214.35g) in Sahelian bucks. While, digestive utilization of these elements was comparable (p> 0.05). Though, digestive utilization of nitrogen (58.68g) was significantly (P<0.05) high in bucks. Biochemically, blood concentration with protein elements (protein, albumin, and globulin) was similar in bucks fed <i>Brachiaria deflexa </i>or<i> Echinocloa colona </i>alone or associated with 30% cowpea haulms. As such, bucks could be fed with dried forage without cowpea supplements to minimize production costs.