Effects of dietary fat source on lutein, zeaxanthin and total carotenoids content of the egg yolk in laying hens during the early laying period.

1. The study was conducted to investigate the effects of different dietary levels of an unsaturated or saturated fat source and the effects of different dietary energy levels in laying hen diets on the carotenoid content of the egg yolk. 2. Seventy-two ISA Brown laying hens aged 22 weeks old were allocated, for a 10 week period, to three treatments: control diet (HE group) with a 3.4% supplemented fat containing 2.1% soybean and 1.3% palm oil as fat sources and a ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid (u/s) of 3.33; a lowered energy diet with 2.4% supplemented fat containing 1.4% soybean and 1.0% palm oil and u/s of 3.41 (LE+high u/s); a lowered energy diet with 2.4% supplemented fat containing 0.5% soybean and 1.9% palm oil and a u/s of 2.39 (LE+low u/s). A marigold plant extract supplement was used as a source of lutein. 3. Performance parameters (feed consumption, feed conversion, body weight), egg production rate and egg quality parameters were similar between treatments. Dietary fat digestibility at the middle of the study period was not different. Egg yolk total fat content was similar in all treatments at the middle and at the end of the study period. 4. Lutein, zeaxanthin, cis-lutein and total carotenoids content were significantly lower in eggs produced from the LE+low u/s group compared to those from the HE and the LE+high u/s groups (P < 0.01 for all parameters). 5. It was concluded that feeding laying hens with a diet containing 1% less supplemented fat and a lower u/s ratio compared to a control diet and to a diet with 1% less supplemented fat with a higher u/s ratio resulted in a significant reduction of carotenoid expression in the egg yolk at the end of experimental period. Performance and egg quality parameters were not affected by treatments.

Effects of lysolecithin supplementation in low-energy diets on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, viscosity and intestinal morphology of broilers.

1. The study aimed to investigate the effect of lysolecithin supplementation in low-energy diets on growth, nutrient digestibility and intestinal mucosa characteristics of broilers. 2. A total of 800 one-d-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were assigned to 4 dietary treatments consisting of 10 replicates of 20 broilers each. Broilers were fed with 4 different diets: (i) HE: positive control group broilers received a diet with unaltered energy; (ii) LE: negative control group broilers received a diet with lower energy of about 0.27 MJ/kg; (iii) LElys500: broilers received a diet similar to LE supplemented with 500 g/tn lysolecithin product (Lysoforte Booster DryTM); and (iv) LElys300: broilers received a diet similar to LE supplemented with 300 g/tn lysolecithin product. The experimental period was 42 d. 3. Body weight gain in treatments HE was higher than LE during the overall experimental period, while LElys500 and LElys300 had intermediate values. Feed conversion ratio was lower in HE and LElys500 than LE group, while the LElys300 had intermediate values. Fat digestibility was improved in both LElys 500 and LElys300 compared to the HE group. Apparent metabolisable energy (AMEn) was higher in HE, LElys500 and LElys300 than LE. Ileum viscosity at 42 d was also affected, being higher in LE group compared to HE. At 28 d mucosal thickness was lower both in LElys500 and LElys300 compared to HE and LE, while no difference occurred between treatment proliferation patterns of duodenal epithelial cells. 4. These findings indicated that lysolecithin supplementation at 500 g/tn of feed in low-energy diets maintained broiler performance. Supplementation of reformulated low-energy diets induced an increase in digesta viscosity. Lysolecithin supplementation resulted in variable alterations in the duodenum mucosal morphology.

Longitudinal field study to assess sow level risk factors associated with stillborn piglets.

The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for stillborn piglets at sow level in commercial pig herds in northern Belgium. In total, 545 sows of 22 pig herds were included in the study. Stillborn piglets were observed in 48.3% of the litters and the mean stillbirth rate of the sows was 7.5%. Two multilevel logistic regression models were used to investigate the risk factors for stillborn piglets. One included the stillbirth occurrence at previous farrowing, while the other one did not. In both models, sows with lower back fat levels (<16mm) at parturition had an increased risk for stillbirth compared to sows with medium back fat levels (16-23mm). Vaginal palpation during farrowing was associated with stillborn occurrence as well. Sows that farrowed during the day were more likely to have stillborn piglets than sows farrowing overnight and each unit increase in total litter size significantly increased the risk for stillborn piglets. Parity was significantly associated with the risk for stillborn piglets when stillbirth occurrence at previous farrowing was taken into account. The risk for stillbirth was 2.5-times higher among sows with >1 stillborn piglets at the previous farrowing compared to sows without stillbirth in the previous parity. In conclusion, high parity sows, large litters, sows with low back fat levels and sows with >1 stillborn piglets at previous farrowing require special attention due to an increased risk for stillbirths. Finally, all practices performed in the farrowing unit should be conducted carefully and without disturbance of the sows during the parturition process.

Selected parameters in urine as indicators of milk production in lactating sows: a pilot study.

Although insufficient milk production in lactating sows may cause tremendous economic losses, reliable methods for estimating milk production in sows under field conditions are not available. This study aimed to investigate whether urine parameters could be used to predict milk production in sows. The milk production of 18 sows was determined during early and mid-lactation. Morning (a.m.) and afternoon (p.m.) urinary levels of potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), lactose and creatinine were analysed. The absolute concentrations, the ratios relative to creatinine, and the fractional excretions of all elements in urine were not significantly associated with milk production. The p.m./a.m. ratios of K, Na and Ca concentrations in urine (K(R), Na(R), and Ca(R)) were significant predictors for milk production, but only during mid-lactation. The total variation in milk production (r(2) value) explained by K(R), Na(R), Ca(R) amounted to 72%, 55%, 42%, respectively. Analysis of minerals and especially K in the a.m. and p.m. urine of sows during mid-lactation provided an acceptable indication of milk production. Further research is necessary to investigate whether the present results can be used to estimate milk production in hypogalactic sows under field conditions.

Tectonic and seismic processes of various space and time scales in the Greek area

The Tertiary and active, large-scale, complex seismotectonic processes of the Greek area can be adequately interpreted by lithospheric rotations and subductions. Anomalies in the space, time and size distributions of earthquakes reflect seismotectonic complexity even in smaller scales. A new interpretation of the tomographic images is suggested to dissolve their strong contradiction with other geophysical observations. Two 2-D interrelated lithospheric models are proposed to integrate many types of observations into a unified picture of the active deformation of the Greek area. There is a general need of such multidisciplinary approaches for understanding better geodynamic phenomena taking place in complex areas such as the Greek one