Behavioral, physiological, and hormonal responses during pre-slaughter handling in goats: A comparison between trained and untrained handlers.

Objective: The livestock handler attitude and their handling of animals is crucial for improving animal welfare standards, minimizing stress, improving productivity and meat quality. The present study was undertaken to assess the effect of training livestock handlers on behavioral, physiological, and hormonal responses during preslaughter handling in goats. Methods: A total of 6 handlers were divided into trained (trained in basic animal handling practices, animal behavior, and animal welfare), contact trained (not trained directly but interacted and saw the working of trained handlers), and untrained groups (no formal training). The handling experiment was conducted on 18 male goats by following a cross-over design. The goats were moved from lairage to slaughter point by trained, contact-trained, and untrained handlers. Various behavioral, physiological, and hormonal parameters were recorded at the lairage before handling and at the slaughter point after handling the goats. Results: The training of livestock handlers had a significant effect on behavioral, physiological, and hormonal responses in goats. The goats handled by untrained and contact-trained handlers were recorded with intense vocalization, significant (p<0.05) increase in heart rate and blood glucose, and catecholamines (adrenaline and nor-adrenaline), thereby indicating stress and poor animal welfare. The trained handlers were observed to use visual interactions (waving of hands or objects, blocking, hand raising, etc), and lower stress responses were recorded in the goats handled by this group. Conclusion: The present study highlights the importance of training to livestock handlers in improving animal welfare and minimizing stress in goats during preslaughter stress.

Importance of Knife Sharpness during Slaughter: Shariah and Kosher Perspective and Scientific Validation.

Halal and kosher slaughter have given the utmost importance to the sharpness of knives during the slaughter of animals. A sharp knife of appropriate dimension (blade length) makes slaughter less painful during neck severance and facilitates desirable bleeding. The role of knife sharpness has not been given due credit from an animal welfare perspective and is likely ignored by the people involved in slaughterhouses. A neat, clean, and efficient neck cut by an extremely sharp knife reduces the pain. It improves the bleeding out, thus making animals unconscious early without undergoing unnecessary pain and stress. It also helps in improving meat quality and food safety. A slight incremental improvement in knife sharpness could significantly improve the animal welfare, productivity, efficiency, and safety of meat plant workers. The present review critically analyzed the significance of knife sharpness in religious slaughter by reducing stress and pain and improving meat quality and food safety. The objective quantification of knife sharpness, proper regular training of slaughterers, and slow slaughter rate are the challenges faced by the meat industry.

Comprehensive Characterization of a Streptococcus agalactiae Phage Isolated from a Tilapia Farm in Selangor, Malaysia, and Its Potential for Phage Therapy.

The Streptococcus agalactiae outbreak in tilapia has caused huge losses in the aquaculture industry worldwide. In Malaysia, several studies have reported the isolation of S. agalactiae, but no study has reported the isolation of S. agalactiae phages from tilapia or from the culture pond. Here, the isolation of the S. agalactiae phage from infected tilapia is reported and it is named as vB_Sags-UPM1. Transmission electron micrograph (TEM) revealed that this phage showed characteristics of a Siphoviridae and it was able to kill two local S. agalactiae isolates, which were S. agalactiae smyh01 and smyh02. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the phage DNA showed that it contained 42,999 base pairs with 36.80% GC content. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that this phage shared an identity with the S. agalactiae S73 chromosome as well as several other strains of S. agalactiae, presumably due to prophages carried by these hosts, and it encodes integrase, which suggests that it was a temperate phage. The endolysin of vB_Sags-UPM1 termed Lys60 showed killing activity on both S. agalactiae strains with varying efficacy. The discovery of the S. agalactiae temperate phage and its antimicrobial genes could open a new window for the development of antimicrobials to treat S. agalactiae infection.

Interaction of low-level dietary supplementation of Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck, 1890, and feeding duration on growth hormone, growth performance and serum biochemistry of red hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus × Oreochromis niloticus).

Chlorella is one of the most widely accepted Chlorophyta used by many as livestock and aquaculture feed. Nonetheless, different studies on the overall performances of fish reported the unfavourable effect of high-level supplementations of Chlorella vulgaris. The current study determined the impact of low-level dietary supplementation of C. vulgaris alongside the different feeding durations and their interactions on the growth hormone (GH), growth performances, serum-biochemical indices, hepatic function and some immunological parameters of red hybrid tilapia. The fingerlings (mean weight: 14.25 ± 0.01 g, length: 13.5 ± 0.49 cm) were fed diets containing 0, 0.99%, 2.91% and 4.76% of C. vulgaris powder per kilogram dry diet for 90 days. GH, growth performance, serum-biochemical indices (total serum protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase) and some immunological (respiratory burst and lysozyme activities) parameters of the fish were examined after 30, 60 and 90 days of feeding. The results demonstrated that tilapia fed C. vulgaris-supplemented diets showed increased levels of respiratory burst, lysozyme, albumin and total protein, GH and growth performances (P < 0.05), and the effects were duration dependent. After the 90 days of feeding, there was no adverse effect on the hepatic function of the fish. Besides, low survivability was observed in the control group than in the group fed the experimental diets. The group fed the diet supplemented with 4.76% C. vulgaris had significantly higher (P < 0.05) lysozyme activity throughout the duration of the feeding experiment. These results indicate that C. vulgaris enhanced growth performances, GH concentration, serum-biochemistry and some immunological parameters of red hybrid tilapia.

Electroencephalogram and Physiological Responses as Affected by Slaughter Empathy in Goats.

Recent advances in emotions and cognitive science make it imperative to assess the emotional stress in goats at the time of slaughter. The present study was envisaged to study the electroencephalogram and physiological responses as affected by slaughter empathy in goats. A total of 12 goats were divided into two groups viz., E-group (goats exposed to slaughter environment, n = 6) and S-group (goat slaughtered in front of E-group, n = 6). The electroencephalogram and physiological responses in male Boer cross goats (E-group) were recorded in a slaughterhouse in two stages viz., control (C) without exposure to the slaughter of conspecifics and treatment (T) while visualizing the slaughter of conspecifics (S-slaughter group). The exposure of the goat to the slaughter of a conspecific resulted in a heightened emotional state. It caused significant alterations in neurobiological activity as recorded with the significant changes in the EEG spectrum (beta waves (p = 0.000491), theta waves (p = 0.017), and median frequency MF or F50 (p = 0.002)). Emotional stress was also observed to significantly increase blood glucose (p = 0.031) and a non-significant (p = 0.225) increase in heart rate in goats. Thus, slaughter empathy was observed to exert a significant effect on the electric activity of neurons in the cerebrocortical area of the brain and an increase in blood glucose content.

Emulsion Gels Formed by Electrostatic Interaction of Gelatine and Modified Corn Starch via pH Adjustments: Potential Fat Replacers in Meat Products.

The application of emulsion gels as animal fat replacers in meat products has been focused on due to their unique physicochemical properties. The electrostatic interaction between proteins and polysaccharides could influence emulsion gel stability. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of emulsion gels using starch and gelatin as stabilizers, promoting electrostatic attraction via pH adjustment. Three systems were studied: emulsion gel A (EGA) and emulsion gel B (EGB), which have positive and negative net charges that promote electrostatic interaction, and emulsion gel C (EGC), whose charge equals the isoelectric point and does not promote electrostatic interactions. There was no significant difference in proximate analysis, syneresis and thermal stability between samples, while EGA and EGB had higher pH values than EGC. The lightness (L*) value was higher in EGA and EGB, while the yellowness (b*) value was the highest in EGC. The smaller particle size (p < 0.05) in EGA and EGB also resulted in higher gel strength, hardness and oxidative stability. Microscopic images showed that EGA and EGB had a more uniform matrix structure. X-ray diffraction demonstrated that all the emulsion gels crystallized in a ß' polymorph form. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed a single characteristic peak was detected in both the melting and cooling curves for all the emulsion gels, which indicated that the fat exists in a single polymorphic state. All emulsion gels presented a high amount of unsaturated fatty acids and reduced saturated fat by up to 11%. Therefore, the emulsion gels (EGA and EGB) that favored the electrostatic protein-polysaccharide interactions are suitable to be used as fat replacers in meat products.

Improving animal welfare status and meat quality through assessment of stress biomarkers: A critical review.

Stress induces various physiological and biochemical alterations in the animal body, which are used to assess the stress status of animals. Blood profiles, serum hormones, enzymes, and physiological conditions such as body temperature, heart, and breathing rate of animals are the most commonly used stress biomarkers in the livestock sector. Previous exposure, genetics, stress adaptation, intensity, duration, and rearing practices result in wide intra- and inter-animal variations in the expression of various stress biomarkers. The use of meat proteomics by adequately analyzing the expression of various muscle proteins such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), acute phase proteins (APPs), texture, and tenderness biomarkers help predict meat quality and stress in animals before slaughter. Thus, there is a need to identify non-invasive, rapid, and accurate stress biomarkers that can objectively assess stress in animals. The present manuscript critically reviews various aspects of stress biomarkers in animals and their application in mitigating preslaughter stress in meat production.

Alleviation of Catching and Crating Stress by Dietary Supplementation of Bacillus subtilis in Pekin Ducks.

Catching and crating may elicit stress and fear reactions in poultry because the procedures involve human contact and exposure to a novel environment. This study determined the effects of dietary probiotic supplementation on physiological stress, underlying fear, and growth performance of Pekin ducks subjected to catching and 4 h of crating. The study used a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement; the main factors were diet (basal or basal + probiotic) and crating durations (0 or 4 h). From 1 to 21 days of age (doa), birds were fed a basal or basal + probiotic (CLOSTAT® (Bacillus subtilis) (Kemin Industries, Inc., Des Moines, IA, USA), 1 g/kg) diet. At 21 doa, an equal number of ducklings from each dietary group were caught and crated for 4 h or left undisturbed in the home pens. Birds were examined for serum corticosterone (CORT), heat shock protein (HSP) 70, creatine kinase (CK), triglyceride (TG), glucose (GLU), cholesterol (CHOL), and lactate (LAC) concentrations, heterophil to lymphocyte ratios (HLR), tonic immobility (TI) duration, open-field (OF) test, body weight (BW), and feed conversion ratios (FCR). Diet had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on CORT among the non-crated ducks. However, after catching and crating, birds fed the control diet had significantly (p < 0.05) higher CORT than their probiotic-supplemented counterparts. Catching and crating significantly (p < 0.05) elevated HSP70, HLR, GLU, and CHOL but reduced TG in ducks. Birds fed the probiotic-supplemented diet showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower HSP70, HLR, TG, and CK than those fed the control diet. Probiotic-supplemented ducks showed reduced fear-related behaviours, including TI durations, ambulation latency, and body shaking. Diet had a negligible effect on body weights and FCR of ducks at 21 doa. In brief, catching and crating for 4 h augmented Pekin ducks' physiological stress and fear reactions, and supplementing birds with probiotics was beneficial in ameliorating these detrimental effects.

Application of Electroencephalography in Preslaughter Management: A Review.

Electroencephalography (EEG) can be reliable for assessing the brain's electrical activity of preslaughter stress and pain. The duration between the ventral neck cut and induction of a state of unconsciousness/insensibility is crucial in the slaughtering of animals, reducing pain, fear, and distress. Various EEG variables, such as median frequency (F50), the total power of EEG spectrum (Ptot), waves patterns (amplitude and frequencies), epileptiform EEG, index of consciousness, and isoelectric EEG, are used to identify a valid indicator of the state of unconsciousness. Association among various behavioral, physiological, and hematological parameters with EEG variables could provide an overall assessment and deep insights into the animal stress levels or welfare status during various managemental and preslaughter operations, such as transport, stunning, and slaughtering operations. The application of EEG could help in further refining the stunning technologies and slaughter protocols in livestock, poultry, and fish. The present review analyzed the application of EEG as a neurophysiological tool for assessing animal welfare during the critical state of preslaughter handling and slaughter, thus ensuring proper compliance with animal welfare principles.

Effects of White Rice-Based Carbohydrates Diets on Body Weight and Metabolic Parameters in Rats

@#Introduction: We clarified the extent to which white rice (WR)-based carbohydrate diets affect body weight and metabolic parameters in rats. Methods: In this experimental study, a male Sprague Dawley (n=32) rats fed with WRbased CHO diet in two different proportions of total energy intake (TEI 55% moderate-CHO (MCHO, n=8) and 65% High-CHO (HCHO, n=8)) or high-fat diet (HFD, n=8) were compared with rats maintained on standard pellet diet (SD, n=8) for eight weeks period. Carbohydrate sources in the HFD and SD were mainly based on cornstarch (25% of amylose). Outcomes measures include body weight and metabolic parameters. Results: At baseline, body weight and metabolic parameters (fasting plasma glucose, insulin, and triglyceride levels) were comparable in all rats. Despite higher daily caloric intake in rats fed with HFD (103.9±3.0) than the other diets, no significant differences in body weight between groups after 8 weeks of study. However, rats’ feds with WR-based CHO diets (both moderate and high carbohydrates) had higher fasting blood glucose (MCHO=12.8±1.6, HCHO=16.9±2.4) and triglycerides level (MCHO=1.2±0.0, HCHO=1.3±0.0) than rats in cornstarch-based HFD and SD (p<0.05). Both HFD and HCHO had higher fasting insulin than MCHO and SD (p<0.05), but the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was significantly higher in WR-based CHO diets (both moderate and high carbohydrates) than the rats in cornstarch-based HFD and SD (p<0.05). Conclusion: A WR-based CHO diet exhibits higher fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, and insulin resistance state than a high-fat diet without a significant impact on body weight. These findings may explain the growing incidence of diabetes in Asia and worth studying further.

Ficus deltoidea ameliorates biochemical, hormonal, and histomorphometric changes in letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome rats.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances are key features in the pathophysiology of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). We have previously shown that Ficus deltoidea var. deltoidea Jack (Moraceae) can improve insulin sensitivity and hormonal profile in PCOS female rats. However, biological characteristics underpinning the therapeutic effects of F. deltoidea for treating PCOS remain to be clarified. This study aims to investigate the biochemical, hormonal, and histomorphometric changes in letrozole (LTZ)-induced PCOS female rats following treatment with F. deltoidea. METHODS: PCOS was induced in rats except for normal control by administering LTZ at 1 mg/kg/day for 21 days. Methanolic extract of F. deltoidea leaf was then orally administered to the PCOS rats at the dose of 250, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/day, respectively for 15 consecutive days. Lipid profile was measured enzymatically in serum. The circulating concentrations of reproductive hormone and antioxidant enzymes were determined by ELISA assays. Ovarian and uterus histomorphometric changes were further observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. RESULTS: The results showed that treatment with F. deltoidea at the dose of 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day reduced insulin resistance, obesity indices, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), malondialdehyde (MDA), testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to near-normal levels in PCOS rats. The levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), estrogen, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) are also similar to those observed in normal control rats. Histomorphometric measurements confirmed that F. deltoidea increased the corpus luteum number and the endometrial thickness. CONCLUSIONS: F. deltoidea can reverse PCOS symptoms in female rats by improving insulin sensitivity, antioxidant activities, hormonal imbalance, and histological changes. These findings suggest the potential use of F. deltoidea as an adjuvant agent in the treatment program of PCOS.

Physiological and electroencephalogram responses in goats subjected to pre-and during slaughter stress.

A comprehensive stress assessment is vital in understanding the impact of the pre-slaughter procedure on animal welfare. The transportation and handling process was commonly reported to cause stress in animals. This research utilises electroencephalography (EEG) as an alternative stress indicator to non-painful acute stress measurement. EEG has been proved to be instantaneous and sensitive with specific results. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the stress level of goats subjected to two different transportation duration and the effect of lairage based on their EEG activities and blood parameters changes. Eighteen adult male goats were divided into two transportation stress groups based on the transport duration: the two-hour (TS2) and six-hour (TS6) groups. Then, each group was then again divided into three smaller groups according to the lairage duration, which was three-hour (L3), six-hour (L6), and overnight (L12) groups. Blood was sampled before transport, after transport, and during slaughter while EEG was recorded before transport, after transport, after lairage, and during slaughter. Results revealed that there was a significant decrease in beta wave activity compared to baseline in TS2 goats (P < 0.05) after transportation, whereas no significant difference was detected in the TS6 goats. At the same time, goats from the TS2 group showed increase in creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) compared to that in TS6 goats. Together with the observed cortisol concentration, these findings showed that the TS6 goats were fully adapted to the transportation stress while the TS2 goats were still under stress. As for the lairage duration, it was observed that the TS2L3 goats showed lower EEG activities than the values obtained after two-hour transportation, while lower EEG activities were found from the TS6L6 goats after six-hour transportation. Therefore, it can be concluded that three-hour lairage was adequate to lower the impact of two hours transportation stress, whereas six-hour lairage was required to reduce the impact of six hours transportation stress. Finally, it was also found that the TS6L3, TS6L6, and TS6L12 groups took a long time to die after slaughter than the TS2L3, TS2L6, and TS2L12 goats based on the time their EEG activity reached isoelectric.

Physiological and electroencephalographic changes in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter.

This preliminary trial investigated the effect of transportation and lairage periods on physiological parameters of goats subjected to slaughter. Nine male Boer cross goats aged 8-12 months were transported for 6 h and kept at lairage for 3, 6, or 16 h (n = 3). Blood samples were collected at pre- (pre-T) and post-transportation (post-T), and post-slaughter (post-S) for determination of hematological parameters, serum enzyme, protein, and cortisol concentrations. Electroencephalogram readings were taken at pre-T, post-T, pre-slaughter (pre-S), and post-S to determine the median frequency (F50 ) and total power (Ptot) values. At post-T, there were manifestations of stress leukogram; increase in hematocrit, total protein, and muscle enzyme concentrations; and decrease in Ptot (p < 0.05). The high pre-T cortisol concentration suggests that the goats were already under stress before transportation. Stress leukogram became less evident after lairage, indicating that the goats had recovered from the stress of transportation. Although the Ptot increased at post-S especially following 3 h of lairage, F50 values at post-S did not differ from pre-L, suggesting that the pre-slaughter stress may have affected the pain threshold. It is suggested that after 6 h of transportation, goats should ideally be placed in lairage for a minimum period of 3 h before slaughter.

Effects of Slaughter Positions on Catecholamine, Blood Biochemical and Electroencephalogram Changes in Cattle Restrained Using a Modified Mark IV Box.

The proper slaughter positioning of animals is among the most crucial factors in animal welfare. The lateral position in Halal slaughter is a technique used around the world by Muslims, with a few practicing the upright position. The literature on the effects of slaughter in upright versus lateral positions on pain and stress is scarce. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of slaughter positions on blood biochemical parameters, plasma catecholamines, and electroencephalographic (EEG) responses. Twenty Brahman crossbred steers were subjected to slaughter in either lateral recumbency (LP) (n = 10) or an upright position (UP) (n = 10). There was a significant increase in adrenaline (p < 0.0001) and noradrenaline (p < 0.05) at T2 compared to T1 in the animals of both groups. A significant difference (p < 0.0001) was observed in the median frequency (MF) and total power (Ptot) of EEG, parameters for pain and stress, between the animals slaughtered in the upright and the lateral position. However, MF and delta waves were significantly higher (p < 0.05) after slaughter in the UP group than in the LP group. The results demonstrate a lesser amount of stress and pain responses among the LP group.

The Impact of Feed Supplementations on Asian Buffaloes: A Review.

With the increase in the global buffalo herd, the use of supplementation in the ruminant feeding has become an important area for many researchers who are looking for an isocaloric and isonitrogenous diet to improve production parameters. In order to improve the performance of the Asian water buffalo, the optimal balance of all nutrients, including energy and protein, are important as macronutrients. Dietary supplementation is one of the alternatives to enhance the essential nutrient content in the buffalo diet and to improve the rumen metabolism of the animal. Researchers have found that supplementation of concentrate and rumen bypass fat could change growth performance and carcass traits without causing any adverse effects on the buffalo growth. Some studies showed that dry matter intake, body condition score and some blood parameters and hormones related to growth responded positively to concentrate and rumen bypass fat supplementation. In addition, changes of feeding management by adding the supplement to the ruminant basal diet helped to increase the profit of the local farmers due to the increased performance and productivity of the animals. Nevertheless, the effects of dietary supplementation on the performance of ruminants are inconsistent. Thus, its long-term effects on the health and productivity of buffaloes still need to be further investigated.

Ficus deltoidea promotes bone formation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

CONTEXT: Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of bone diseases including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. We have previously demonstrated that Ficus deltoidea Jack (Moraceae) is capable of reducing hyperglycaemia. However, whether F. deltoidea could protect against diabetic osteoporosis remains to be determined. OBJECTIVE: The study examines the effect of F. deltoidea on bone histomorphometric parameters, oxidative stress, and turnover markers in diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 6 animals per group) received one of the following treatments via gavage for 8 weeks: saline (diabetic control), metformin (1000 mg/kg bwt), and methanol leaves extract of F. deltoidea (1000 mg/kg bwt). A group of healthy rats served as normal control. The femoral bones were excised and scanned ex vivo using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) for histomorphometric analysis. The serum levels of insulin, oxidative stress, and bone turnover markers were determined by ELISA assays. RESULTS: Treatment of diabetic rats with F. deltoidea could significantly increase bone mineral density (BMD) (from 526.98 ± 11.87 to 637.74 ± 3.90). Higher levels of insulin (2.41 ± 0.08 vs. 1.58 ± 0.16), osteocalcin (155.66 ± 4.11 vs. 14.35 ± 0.97), and total bone n-3 PUFA (2.34 ± 0.47 vs. 1.44 ± 0.18) in parallel with the presence of chondrocyte hypertrophy were also observed following F. deltoidea treatment compared to diabetic control. CONCLUSIONS: F. deltoidea could prevent diabetic osteoporosis by enhancing osteogenesis and inhibiting bone oxidative stress. These findings support the potential use of F. deltoidea for osteoporosis therapy in diabetes.

The Potential of Using Temperate-Tropical Crossbreds and Agricultural by-Products, Associated with Heat Stress Management for Dairy Production in the Tropics: A Review.

The demand and consumption of dairy products are expected to increase exponentially in developing countries, particularly in tropical regions. However, the intensification of dairy production to meet this increasing demand has its challenges. The challenges ranged from feed costs, resources, and their utilization, as well as the heat stress associated with rearing temperate-tropical crossbred cattle in the tropics. This article focused on key nutritional and environmental factors that should be considered when temperate-tropical crossbred cattle are used in the tropics. The article also describes measures to enhance the utilization of regional feed resources and efforts to overcome the impacts of heat stress. Heat stress is a major challenge in tropical dairy farming, as it leads to poor production, despite the genetic gains made through crossbreeding of high production temperate cattle with hardy tropical animals. The dependence on imported feed and animal-man competition for the same feed resources has escalated feed cost and food security concerns. The utilization of agricultural by-products and production of stable tropical crossbreds will be an asset to tropical countries in the future, more so when scarcity of feed resources and global warming becomes a closer reality. This initiative has far-reaching impacts in the tropics and increasingly warmer areas of traditional dairying regions in the future.

Protective effect of Tualang honey against cadmium-induced morphological abnormalities and oxidative stress in the ovary of rats.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the protective effects of Tualang honey against the toxicity effects induced by cadmium (Cd) on the ovary. METHODS: A total of 32 female Sprague Dawley rats were taken and randomly divided into four groups (n = 8). Throughout the experimental period of 6 weeks, negative control-NC (vehicle deionized water), positive control-CD (Cd at 5 mg/kg), Tualang honey followed by Cd exposure-TH (Tualang honey at 200 mg/kg and Cd at 5 mg/kg) and Tualang honey control-THC (Tualang honey at 200 mg/kg) groups, were administered orally on a daily basis. RESULTS: Rats exposed to Cd were significantly higher in ovarian weight, number of antral and atretic follicles as compared to the NC group. The disruptive effects of Cd on ovarian follicles were associated with a disruption in gonadotropin hormones and decreases in follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Moreover, a significant formation of oxidative stress in ovarian Cd-exposed rats has been proven by increasing the level of lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde) and decreasing the levels of enzymatic antioxidant (catalase). Interestingly, a daily supplementation of high antioxidant agents such as Tualang honey in these animals, caused significant improvements in the histological changes. Additionally, less atretic follicles were observed, restoring the normal level of LH and FSH (P < 0.001), and normalizing the ovarian malondialdehyde (P < 0.05) and catalase levels in comparison with CD group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Tualang honey has protective effects against Cd-induced ovarian toxicity by reducing morphological abnormalities, restoring the normal levels of gonadotropin hormones and stabilizing equilibrium levels of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme in ovaries of rats.

Effects of Slaughter Knife Sharpness on Blood Biochemical and Electroencephalogram Changes in Cattle.

The sharpness of the knife used for slaughter is of the utmost importance from an animal welfare perspective. The quantification of knife sharpness is almost impossible in abattoirs. The sharpness of the knife blade used to slaughter an animal, as well as its effects on animals' pain and stress levels, is an important area of investigation that needs to be addressed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of knife sharpness on blood biochemical parameters, plasma catecholamines, and electroencephalographic (EEG) responses. Twenty Brahman crossbred steers were either subjected to slaughter with a sharp knife (n = 10) or a commercial sharp knife (n = 10); knife sharpness was measured with the ANAGO® sharpness tester. There was significant increase in adrenaline (p < 0.0001), glucose (p = 0.0167), creatinine kinase (p = 0.0123) and lactate dehydrogenase (p = 0.0151) at post-slaughter compared to pre-slaughter in commercial sharp knife group than in thesharp knife group. A significant increase was observed in the median frequency (p < 0.0001) and total power (p < 0.0001) of the EEG, the parameters for pain and stress, in the animals slaughtered with the commercial sharp knife than those slaughtered with the sharp knife. Thus, EEG results also supported the hormonal and biochemical results. From the results, it is concluded that animals slaughtered with a sharp knife experienced the least amount of pain and stress compared to those slaughtered with a commercial sharp knife.

Effects of Azolla spp. as feed ingredient on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of broiler chicken.

The feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of Azolla spp. inclusion in feed ingredient of broiler chickens. Two hundred of day-old broiler chicks were raised in Farm 15, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia. The birds were individually wing banded, weighed and allocated into four treatment groups (control: 0% of Azolla spp., T1: 5% of Azolla spp., T2: 10% of Azolla spp. and T3: 15% of Azolla spp.). Each group has five replicates and ten birds per pen. All the birds were fed ad libitum during the feeding trial, which lasted 42 days. During the end of the starter and finisher phase, two birds from each replicate were slaughtered. Ileal digesta sample was collected to determine the nutrient digestibility of the Azolla spp. on broiler chickens. Azolla spp. nutritional content was 5.14% dry matter, 24.82% crude protein, 16.64% crude fibre, 2.00% ether extract, 11.59% ash, 34.95% nitrogen-free extract, 42.52% neutral detergent fibre, 31.15% acid detergent fibre, 16.86% acid detergent lignin, 11.37% hemicellulose and 14.29% cellulose. The result from this study showed T3 (15% of Azolla spp.) has significantly highest (p < .05) in overall body weight gain. However, in terms of feed intake and feed conversion ratio, there were no significant differences (p > .05) among treatments. For the nutrient digestibility experiment, the findings showed compared with a control group, feeding of 10% or 15% of Azolla spp. led to significant improvement (p < .05) in nutrient digestibility. The studies conclude the inclusion of Azolla spp. up to 15% in broiler chicken feed ration can improved growth of body performance and showed no adverse effect on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of the birds.