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20113
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Subject: Poultry Science × End date: 2011 × Start date: 2010 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    PRODUCTION TRAITS OF JAPANESE QUAIL LAYERS ON ENZYME SUPPLEMENTED COPRA MEAL BASED DIET
    (COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES-MANNUTHY,THRISSUR, 2011) SABNA. K.V.; A. Jalaludeen
    An experiment was carried out to study the production performance of Japanese quail layers fed copra meal based diet supplemented with enzymes. Two hundred and fourty female quails were selected randomly at six weeks of age, divided into five treatments (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) with four replicates of twelve quails in each. Dietary group T1 was given a standard quail layer ration. Dietary group T2 was given a diet containing 15 per cent coprameal (CM). The remaining dietary groups T3, T4 and T5 were provided with a diet containing CM supplemented with 250, 500 and 750 mg per 100 kg feed. All the rations were prepared with 22 per cent crude protein and 2650 kcal ME per kg. Standard managemental conditions were maintained throughout the experiment. Data collection was done for a period of 28 days each from 7 to 26 weeks of age. At the end of the trial, blood was collected from four birds per replicate and was utilized for serum profile studies. The body weight of quails at 6 and 26 weeks of age did not differ significantly among dietary treatments. Age at sexual maturity, 10 per cent production and 50 per cent production were not influenced by dietary inclusion of CM with or without enzyme supplementation. The results obtained in the study revealed that period wise and cumulative mean values of production traits such as egg production, feed consumption, FCR and egg weight during the period 7 to 26 weeks of age did not differ significantly among treatment groups. Perusal of the mean egg weight indicated that all the dietary groups fed copra added diet have numerically higher egg weight. Statistical analysis of the data pertaining to egg quality parameters such as specific gravity, shape index, albumen index, yolk index, internal quality and shell thickness did not differ significantly. Serum cholesterol values among different dietary treatment groups were statistically comparable. However, total serum protein was significantly lower (p≤0.05) for the groups fed diet containing copra meal supplemented with enzymes. It was significantly higher for the group fed a diet devoid of copra meal. The overall livability per cent during experimental period was not affected due to inclusion of CM. The margin of return over feed cost per quail housed were 30.68, 29.15, 28.02, 27.66 and 26.23 rupees in T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. The critical evaluation of the results revealed that altering the quail layer diet with inclusion of 15 per cent CM with or without supplementation of multi enzyme preparation did not adversely affect any production parameters and egg quality traits of Japanese quails from 7 to 26 weeks of age. Addition of enzymes did not result any significant improvement in the production performance of Japanese quails. From the above findings, it can be inferred that CM can be safely added in layer quail ration up to 15 per cent level as protein feed supplement.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    SEMEN QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF KUTTANAD, WHITE PEKIN (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) AND MUSCOVY (Cairina moschata momelanotus) DUCKS
    (COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES-MANNUTHY,THRISSUR, 2011) STELLA CYRIAC; Leo Joseph
    An experiment was conducted to evaluate the semen quality characteristics in twenty four adult drakes of 36 weeks age, eight each from White Pekin, Kuttanad and Muscovy breeds, which were housed in individual cages without any artificial lighting. All drakes were provided with a diet containing 23 per cent Crude Protein and 2800 kcal Metabolisable Energy / kg diet and water ad libitum. Manual Massage method was used for collection of semen. The drakes were trained once a week for about three months and semen was routinely collected once a week during the experimental period. The semen was evaluated for macroscopical and microscopical parameters. Methylene Blue Reduction Time Test was conducted to estimate the metabolic activity of spermatozoa. The resistance of the spermatozoa to heat and cold shock were also examined. The semen samples were diluted in four different extenders viz. Normal Saline (NS), Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS), Lake Poultry Semen Extender (LPSE) and Beltsville Poultry Semen Extender (BPSE) and were kept at room temperature and also at refrigeration temperature and the post dilution motility was assessed at 0, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 hours. There was no significant difference in the semen volume between the breeds and also between the drakes within breeds. Majority of the semen samples were white in colour in White Pekin (70.84 per cent), Kuttanad (66.67 per cent) and Muscovy (100.00 per cent). White Pekin and Kuttanad semen showed a medium thick consistency but in Muscovy the consistency was watery. The appearance score of White Pekin and Kuttanad drake semen was similar (3.29) while it was a little lower for Muscovy drake semen (2.46). Semen pH was found to be slightly alkaline in all the breeds. The important semen contaminants were faecal matter and uric acid crystals. The density of spermatozoa differed significantly between the breeds with a significantly lower value in Muscovy drakes. But, there was no significant difference in the sperm concentration between the drakes of the same breed. The percentage of live, dead, normal and abnormal sperms did not differ significantly between breeds and also between drakes of the same breed. The Methylene Blue Reduction Time was higher in Muscovy when compared toWhite Pekin and Kuttanad. But, MBRT showed no significant difference when estimated using two different extenders viz. LPSE and BPSE in White Pekin and Muscovy. The spermatozoa of the three breeds were able to withstand heat shock for ten minutes and cold shock for upto one hour. The results of post dilution motility revealed that storage of the diluted samples at refrigeration temperature prolonged the livability of spermatozoa when compared to that stored at room temperature. The diluents containing buffer and energy substrates viz. PBS, LPSE and BPSE were efficient in prolonging the motility.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    EVALUATION OF CROSSBREDS OF ASEEL FOR EGG PRODUCTION TRAITS
    (COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES-MANNUTHY,THRISSUR, 2011) SABITHA ANTONY; Leo Joseph
    An experiment was conducted at University Poultry Farm, Mannuthy, to evaluate and compare the production performance of Aseel × Naked Neck (ANN), Aseel × New Hampshire (ANH) and Aseel × Rhode Island Red (ARIR) crossbreds under farm conditions. Forty pullets from each crossbred were housed in identical pens and production performance was evaluated for five periods (each 28 days) from 21 to 40 weeks of age. Standard feeding and managemental practices were followed throughout the study. The mean body weight of ANN, ANH and ARIR were statistically similar in the three groups at 20 weeks and also at 40 weeks of age. The mean body weight at 20 weeks of age was 1480.53 g in ANN, 1507.60 g in ANH and 1548.98 g in ARIR. The overall mean body weight at 40 weeks of age was 2322.17 g in ANN, 2285.27 g in ANH and 2205.43 g in ARIR. The mean age at first egg was 172.2, 178.8 and 165.4 days in ANN, ANH and ARIR, respectively. The mean age at 50 per cent production in the three groups was statistically similar between the groups. The overall egg number on hen housed basis was 39.20, 35.55 and 43.50 in ANN, ANH and ARIR, respectively. The overall mean egg weight was 45.14 ± 0.97, 45.91 ± 0.62 and 49.10 ± 1.01 g, respectively, in ANN, ANH and ARIR. The mean daily feed consumption from 21 to 40 weeks of age was statistically similar for ANN, ANH and ARIR. The feed conversion ratio per dozen eggs from 25 to 40 weeks of age was 4.50, 6.39 and 4.29 in ANN, ANH and ARIR, respectively. The egg quality traits were satisfactory for all the three crossbred groups. The mean shape index of eggs at 40 weeks of age in ANN, ANH and ARIR was 75.82, 74.39 and 77.30, respectively, and the values did not differ significantly. The mean albumen index of eggs at 40 weeks of age was 0.06, 0.08 and 0.09 in ANN, ANH and ARIR, respectively, and the albumen index in ANN was significantly lower when compared to the other two experimental groups (p<0.05). The mean yolk index of eggs at 40 weeks of age in ANN, ANH and ARIR was 0.38, 0.39 and 0.40, respectively, and the values were similar. The mean shell thickness of eggs from ANN at 40 weeks of age was 0.25 ± 0.01 mm which was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of eggs from ANH (0.20 ± 0.007 mm) and ARIR birds (0.20 ± 0.007 mm). The mean Haugh unit score of eggs from ARIR birds (82.18) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of eggs from ANN and ANH birds (67.78 and 77.22 respectively). The mean value of yolk cholesterol in ANN, ANH and ARIR was 15.25, 14.84 and19.11 mg per g of yolk, respectively. The percent livability in ANN, ANH and ARIR was 100 per cent from 21 to 40 weeks of age. The crossbred progenies of all the three crossbred groups were multicoloured. The egg shell colour in all the three crossbred groups was brown or shades of brown. Considering the production performances in Aseel × Naked Neck, Aseel × New Hampshire and Aseel × Rhode Island Red, it was concluded that all the three crossbred progenies are similar in the traits like body weight, age at sexual maturity, feed consumption, FCR, egg quality, per cent livability, plumage colour and egg shell colour. However, ARIR cross has an edge over the other two groups in overall mean egg weight and egg number.