Influence of rapeseed meal on productivity and health of broiler chicks.

Research was focussed on investigating the influence of different quantities (0, 10, 20 and 30%) of rapeseed meal (RM), 00-cultivar Silvia on production results, as well as on the morphological and pathohistological changes in the internal organs of chicks during the course of the experiment, measured on the 21st and 42nd days of the 42-day experiment. The experiment involved 120 chicks divided into four groups: a control group (C) and three experimental groups (E1-3). It was found that chicks in Groups C, E1 and E2 realised significantly (P < 0.05) higher gains than those in Group E3, both after the test period and at the end of the experiment. No significant differences with regard to feed conversion were found between groups of chicks. Throughout the experiment chicks in Groups E1-3 were found to have a significantly (P < 0.05) heavier liver. Compared to Groups E1-3, Group C chicks had a significantly (P < 0.05) heavier gizzard after 21 days, but following the finisher diet Group E3 had a significantly (P < 0.05) lighter gizzard. Compared with birds in Group C, those in Groups E2-3 had significantly heavier (P < 0.05) unevacuated intestines when fed the starter diet, and those in Groups E1-2 showed a similar result when fed the finisher diet. Chicks in Group E3 had a significantly lower grill weight than those in Groups C, E1 and E2, both in the first half of the experiment and at the end. The starter diet did not result in any differences in the quantity of abdominal fat among groups, but following the finisher diet Groups E2-3 showed significantly less abdominal fat in comparison to Groups C and E1 (P < 0.05). Group C showed a significantly higher carcass yield than Groups E1-3 (P < 0.05) in the first half of the experiment and at the end. Groups E1-3 manifested a slight to medium hypertrophy of thyroid epithelial tissue as well as slight thymus hypertrophy and slight atrophy of the cloacal bursa follicles.

Haematologic values of Hyla rabbits fed different levels of by-product arising from the propagation of Pleurotus pulmonarius.

The nutritive influence of different levels of by-product arising from the propagation of the mushroom Pleurotus pulmonarius on the red and white blood cell count of rabbits was studied in the course of fattening. The experiment was carried out on 4 groups of male Hyla rabbits, a control group (C) and 3 experimental groups (E1, E2, E3), with 15 rabbits per group. The control group was fed a standard fodder and the three experimental groups were fed the standard mix with 10%, 20% or 30% dried by-product added, respectively. At the end of the 9th week of the experiment, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture, and the red blood cell (RBC) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), haemoglobin, haematocrit, thrombocyte count, white blood cell (WBC) count and the differential WBC were determined. The different levels of byproduct interwoven by mycelium added to the feed did not change the RBC count but significantly increased the MCV, MCH, haemoglobin concentration and the haematocrit value. The different diets had no influence on either the WBC count or the differential WBC count, but the number of thrombocytes decreased significantly.

Duration of anestrus in Pramenka and Romanov ewes in Yugoslavia.

Jugular plasma progesterone was determined for two groups of native Yugoslavian ewes (Pramenka, Groups 1 and 2) and for a group of Romanov ewes (Group 3) from the end of January to late October in 1988. Ewes were pregnant until the end of March (pregnancy progesterone concentrations, 2.84 to 33 ng/mL). From the end of March to the beginning of July, progesterone concentration decreased (0 to .15 ng/mL). From early July to late October, progesterone concentrations increased. Progesterone concentrations were at their nadir near the summer solstice and increased significantly by early July in all three groups. The duration of anestrus was similar in Pramenka and Romanov ewes. In nonpregnant Pramenka ewes, the pattern of changes in plasma progesterone was similar to those seen in pregnant ewes except for an earlier decline with very low concentrations observed after mid-March.