Growth, carcass and meat characteristics of Karayaka growing rams fed sugar beet pulp, partially substituting for grass hay as forage.

Twenty-one growing male Karayaka sheep were divided into three groups of seven at 12 months of age. All groups received a commercial feed (60%) and roughage (40%). One group received grass hay as roughage (control, C), the other two groups received a mixture in which 40 (0.40SBP) or 60% (0.60SBP) sugar beet pulp (SBP) was used in partial replacement of grass hay in the C group during 56 days. Dry matter (DM) intake and DM conversion index (kg DM per kg weight gain) of the C group were higher (P<0.01) than that of the 0.40SBP and 0.60SBP groups. While the 0.60SBP increased (P<0.05) the L* of meat from the Karayaka young rams, the 0.40SBP or 0.60SBP decreased the ultimate pH (P<0.05) and cooking loss (P<0.01) compared to the C group. Means for redness (a*), yellowness (b*), Hue (H*) and Chroma (C*) and sensory characteristics indicated that there were no significant differences between dietary treatments. Inclusion of 60% SBP increased the palmitic (P<0.02) and linoleic (P<0.01) acid contents of the meat, it decreased (P<0.01) stearic, oleic and arachidonic acid contents compared to the C group. The 0.40SBP also increased (P<0.01) the linoleic acid content of the meat, but it decreased (P<0.01) stearic and arachidonic acid contents compared to the control. Although meat from young rams fed 0.60SBP diet had a higher value of lightness and linoleic acid, and a lower value of cooking loss than those from animals fed the C diet, sensory evaluation did not discriminate the meat from young rams fed with control and/or SBP diets. Therefore, grass hay can be replaced by 60% of SBP in the growing diet for Karayaka rams without a reduction in meat quality.

Potential of hazelnut husks as a broiler litter material.

1. Hazelnut husks and some other litter materials were compared for litter properties and their effects on broiler performance. 2. A total of 750 1-d-old broiler chicks were weighed and assigned at random to 1 of 5 treatments, with each treatment replicated 3 times. 3. The treatments were wood shavings (control), wheat stalks, rice hulls, hazelnut husks, and a mixture of 50% rice hulls and 50% hazelnut husks. 4. Although hazelnut husks were associated with lower body weights at 49 d of age, food efficiency mortality, carcase yield, breast blisters and production index were similar to birds on wood shavings. Hazelnut husks had the highest litter moisture. 5. The results show that hazelnut husks alone and when mixed with rice hulls are a potential alternative litter material for broiler production.