Abstract This study was carried out in an attempt to evaluate the impact of Broussonetia papyrifera as a roughage substitute at different levels on carcase traits, growth performance, meat quality and immune performance in Hu ram lambs. Sixty Hu rams (5 months of age, 26.70 ± 2.14 kg body weight) were randomly divided into four groups. The treatments comprised B. papyrifera supplementation at levels

Abstract Negative energy balance (NEB) is an important risk factor for the dairy cow’s anoestrus. The purpose of the experiment is to screen out differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the follicular fluid (FF) of cows with anoestrus caused by NEB and oestrus from positive energy balance (PEB). NEB and PEB holstein cows were selected 14–21 days postpartum according to the serum concentrations of

Abstract Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive bacterium, commonly found in the nostrils, on the skin and on the hair of warm-blooded animals, including humans. It can produce a wide variety of virulence factors, including staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs). In literature, 24 different SEs and many variants have been identified; among these, only five (the so-called classic enterotoxins) have been

Abstract This study evaluated the influence of dietary supplementation of onionskin waste (OW) and synthetic additives on growth, oxidative status, blood chemistry, caecal bacteria, carcase, immune indices and meat quality in broilers. One day old Ross 308 chicks (n = 280) were randomly allotted to basal diets containing either no additive, B-1; 0.5 g/kg oxytetracyline + 0.13 g/kg tert-butylhydroxyanisole

Abstract Heat stress is one of the most important problems that dairy cows have to face and the use of cooling systems is becoming more and more important. The first reaction that has the animal to cope with the environmental variations is to modify its behaviour. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of heat stress and a cooling system on the feeding behaviour of Italian Holstein Friesian

Abstract Milk somatic cell count (SCC), an indicator of udder health and milk hygiene, has not been implemented either in milk payment systems or in the current selection index of Italian buffalo so far. As a matter of fact, there is room to improve udder health through genetic and management strategies in this species. Repeated milk SCC test-day (TD) records on the same animal are useful to derive

Abstract Long-term physical restriction may lead to affective and physiological disorders in sows; pupillary light reflex (PLR) characteristics might be a good indicator to diagnose these symptoms. Accordingly, the physiological and psychological states of sows with different PLR characteristics were investigated in this study. Gestating sows of three parities (parity 0, 2, and 5) were divided into

Abstract The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of genomic selection in the Italian Mediterranean water buffalo, which is farmed mainly in the south Italy for milk, and mozzarella, production. A total of 498 animals were genotyped at 49,164 loci. Test day records (80,417) of milk (MY), fat (FY) and protein (PY) yields from 4127 cows, born between 1975 and 2009, were analysed in a three-trait

Abstract We evaluated the preventive effects of the oral administration of chestnut tannins (Castanea sativa) together with its potential metabolic effect on calf diarrhoea. Forty Italian Friesian female calves were included and divided into Group C (control group) and Group T (tannin-treated group). From the third day of life (T0) for the following 56 days (T56), calves from Group C received 2 L of

Abstract The objective was to elucidate the effects of dietary guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) supplementation on broiler performance, serum enzymes, oxidative biomarkers, mitochondrial activities, carcase traits, gross lesion of cardiac muscle and liver histopathology in broilers challenged with T3-hormone. A total-of-192 one-day-old mixed sexed broilers were randomly assigned in a two factorial design

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculants on fermentation quality and subsequent in vitro gas production, ruminal fermentation parameters, cellulolytic bacteria and their activities of alfalfa silage. Primary growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was harvested at 50% flowering stage, inoculated without (control) or with Lactobacillus

Abstract In ruminants, the role of melatonin in the control of reproductive seasonality is well reported, but it is still little known about its action on milk traits and on the immune system. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of melatonin on milk yield and composition, somatic cell count (SCC), some cytokine blood concentration and reproductive resumption in sheep. One hundred lactating

Abstract An experiment was done to evaluate the effects of diet nutrients density on performance and egg quality in laying hens during the post-peak production phase of the first laying cycle under subtropical climate. A total of 768, 49-weeks-old Hy-Line-W36 laying hens were assigned in a completely randomised design with six treatments, eight replicates, and 16 birds each. Experimental treatments

Abstract Beet and cane molasses mainly contain mono- di-, and tri-saccharides, composed by hexoses, as well as pentoses in traces. However, rationing software consider sugars as only one entity, with a rate of digestion ∼20% h−1. The aim of this initial study was to investigate and evaluate the in vitro digestion dynamics and rates of the sugar fraction in molasses. Three beet and three cane molasses

Abstract This study was aimed to investigate the effects of dietary fat sources and green tea extract (GTE) on gene expression associated with lipid metabolism and inflammation in broiler chicken. A total of 300 female Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated to six dietary treatments in a completely randomised design with a factorial arrangement of two levels of GTE (0 and 500 mg/kg diet) × three levels

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) coated on zeolite on performance, gastrointestinal microflora, heterophile to lymphocyte ratio and humoral immune system responses of broiler chickens. Three hundred seventy-five chicks (Cobb 500) in a completely randomised design were distributed to five diets: 1) basal diet, 2) basal diet

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate consumers’ perception of beef appearance in two photographic camera configurations and the images’ relationships with the willingness to purchase (WTP) and consumer characterisation. Photographic surveys were used to evaluate the visual perception of beef colour, visible fat, and overall appearance. This information was then related to WTP and consumer segmentation

Abstract In this study, we compared three popular textural tests: the compression, Meullenet–Owens razor blade (MORS), and Allo–Kramer (AK) tests, which are used to detect the wooden breast (WB) and spaghetti meat (SM) myopathies. A total of 209 fillets (71 WB, 71 SM, 67 normal) were selected from three different flocks at a large commercial plant. Thawed fillets were subjected to 20% compression tests

Abstract Pain alleviation associated with castration of piglets is a debated welfare issue. This study compares practical aspects, resource efficiency and economic implications of two protocols involving both analgesia and anaesthesia compared to a control group: conventional castration without pain relief (CTRL); joint administration of azaperone and meloxicam (AZA-MEL), i.m.; procaine (PROC-MEL)

Abstract This study determined the effects of deep bedding floor and fermented feed supplement on the growth performance, carcase, meat quality, and fatty acid profile of crossbred pigs. Thirty-two ((Thai native × Meishan) × Duroc) crossbreds were organised in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomised design. Factor A was a deep bedding floor (DB) or solid bedding of concrete floor (SB)

Abstract The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different dietary zinc sources (ZnSO4, Zinc-amino acid and Zn5(OH)2Cl2H2O), on hormone levels, testicular histology and sperm quality in broiler breeder roosters. Twenty, 54-week-old broiler breeder roosters (Ross 308) were reared in individual cages. Dietary treatments were T1: a basal diet without any addition of zinc (0 Zn) (Control)

Abstract This study is aimed at comparing the bio-efficacy of different inorganic and organic Se compounds. Three broiler experiments (Exp1 = Ross PM3; Exp2 = Ross 308; and Exp3 = Ross 308) were performed, on the basis of Se tissue accretion, to define the bio-efficacy of Se sources. Birds were fed a control diet (negative control [NC]; no supplemental Se) and, depending on the study, the NC was supplemented

Abstract Current study explored the acute toxicity and oxidative stress of ammonia-N on Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Prawns were exposed to ammonia-N at 3.01, 3.55, 4.18, 4.92, 5.80, 6.82, and 8.04 mg·L−1 for a 96 h acute toxicity test. In the subsequent sublethal toxicity text, they were exposed to ammonia-N at 0.5 or 1.88 mg·L−1 (1/2 96 h LC50) for 3, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. The total superoxide dismutase

Abstract Early-life thermal conditioning (TC) in broiler chickens has long-lasting impacts on later life. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the molecular mechanism by which TC impacts the hepatic expression heat shock proteins (hsps), antioxidant enzymes, NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and DNA methyltransferases genes in broiler chicks at five weeks of age. Two hundred forty

Abstract This study compared the detailed mineral profiles of milk from purebred Holstein (HO) and four generations (F1 to F4) of crossbred cows (CR) derived from a 3-breed rotational crossbreeding system involving Viking Red (VR) and Montbéliarde (MO) sires. Purebred and CR were kept and fed together in the same herd. Individual milk samples were collected once per cow from 120 multiparous cows (40

Abstract Pumpkin seed (PS) oil is antioxidant that can provide a scavenging effect on reactive oxygen species produced during gametogenesis. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of 0.5% dietary PS oil supplementation on rabbit reproductive performance. A total of 20 mature bucks and 48 nulliparous does were used in a 72 days experiment. Rabbits were divided into two groups: Control group

Abstract The objective of the two studies was to evaluate t effects of feeding on lactating Awassi ewes (study 1) and lambs (study 2), fed on a diet of Atriplex halimus L. (ATR) or olive cake (OC), as a foraging source substitute for wheat straw. In study 1, 33 newly lambed ewes and their lambs were randomly assigned one of three diets: The control diet (CON), 250 g/kg of OC, or 250 g/kg of ATR dry

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate interactions between milk feeding quantity (FL) and feeding frequency (FF) on intake, growth performance, rumen development and blood metabolites in dairy calves. A total of 48 Holstein calves (n = 12 calves per treatment: 6 males and 6 females) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments, including (1) two low plane of milk feeding (2 meals/d

Abstract A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different plant extracts (common nettle, coriander, dill and thyme) at various dietary levels (0, 150, 300 and 450 mg/L) on growth performance, carcass traits, blood serum parameters, immune response and ileal microflora of 650 male Ross chickens (13 treatment groups; five replicates/treatment group; 10 birds/replicate) in a 42-day trial. Plant

Abstract Central composite design (CCD; 3 levels and 3 factors) and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to evaluate the average daily body weight gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in broiler chicks to different levels of dietary sugar beet pulp (SBP), tallow (T) and soybean oil (SO). A total of 60 battery brooder cages of 7 birds each were assigned to 15 diets of CCD containing 3

Abstract Research regarding the association of fatty acids (FA) with corn stubble in feedlot lambs is limited. FA dietary supplements can reduce the digestibility of neutral detergent fibre (NDF). However, it is not known if the NDF amount added with corn stubble and FA source in the diet can influence the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), all of

Abstract Sperm glycocalyx and plasma membrane undergo outstanding modifications during fertilization. However, it is unclear how in vitro capacitation time and acrosome reaction affect the specific location of boar sperm glycoconjugates. This study aimed to identify lectin binding patterns and to describe the sequential changes during different in vitro capacitation times (1 and 4 h) and acrosome reaction

Abstract The study was carried out to compare the growth performance, gut microbiota, incidence of footpad dermatitis (FPD), leg weakness, physiological, and immunological responses in broilers kept in cage (CS) and floor pen (FS) rearing systems under a tropical environment. One-day-old male Cobb 500 chicks were allocated to either three-tiered wire-floored battery cages or floor pens with wood shavings

Abstract A total of 200 1-week-old Japanese quails were randomly allocated into five treatment groups, each consisting of 40 unsexed birds (five replicates, eight birds each). Quails were reared in traditional cages (90 × 40 × 40 cm), and feed and water were made available throughout the 5-week trial. The treatment groups were as follows: the 1st was fed basal diet, whereas the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th

Abstract This study evaluated the effect of Boswellia serrata, (BS) on growth performance, carcase traits, antioxidant and immune responses, digestive enzymes and caecum microbiota of broiler chickens. A total of 120 one-day-old Ross 308 chicks were randomly allotted into four treatment groups, each of five replicates. The 1st group was fed on a basal diet only and served as control. The 2nd, 3rd and

Abstract The experiment aimed to determine the effect of substituting 50% of soy protein for lupin protein in feed mixtures intended for the nutrition of high-yield Isa Brown laying hens, on selected biochemical blood plasma indicators. The trial was designed as a long-lasting feeding experiment (51 weeks) and involved a total of 180 hens divided in three experimental groups (control group C and experimental

Abstract Seaweeds can play an essential role in controlling antibiotic resistance for bacterial diseases. Three extracts of two brown seaweeds Padina tetrastromatica and Sargassum ilicifolium were investigated as growth promoters and to provide immune protection against Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Extracts of the two seaweeds were administered at 2.5 and 5 g kg−1 with food for 45 days to Penaeus monodon

Abstract Stable isotopes are an important tool to assess livestock diet in binary mixtures of C3-C4 forages. However, the use of stable isotopes to trace livestock diet using tropical arboreal legumes has been limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of 13C stable isotopes to identify the proportions of grass (C4) and legume in sheep diet, when consuming various inclusion levels

Abstract Hay-based diets are typically used in Parmigiano Reggiano cheese production. Parmigiano Reggiano feeding regulation prohibits 00-rapeseed dietary inclusion. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of substituting soybean-meal with different levels of 00-rapeseed-meal in dairy cows’ diets, to evaluate the possibility to include it in Parmigiano Reggiano regulation. The

Abstract Cirneco dell’Etna is an old Italian breed of scent hunting dogs. Commonly used genomic measures such as heterozygosity, fixation indexes, and runs of homozygosity can help to improve knowledge about its genetic diversity. This study aimed to: (i) investigate Cirneco’s genomic background, (ii) quantify its genomic inbreeding, and (iii) detect genomic regions differentiating the Cirneco’s two

Abstract There are few published data on the accurate on-farm diagnosis of failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) in beef–suckler calves. This observational study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance and differences among four types of refractometers for assessing FTPI in Chianina beef–suckler calves. Blood samples were collected from 85 Chianina calves aged 2–7 days. The serum immunoglobulin

Abstract This experiment was conducted to evaluate and compare the effects of a dietary inclusion with Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on productive performance, egg quality, intestinal morphology, and SGLT1 gene expression in laying Japanese quail. A total of 320 laying quails aged 47-day-old were randomly allocated to 8 treatments with 4 replicates of 10 quails each, for 7 weeks.

Abstract This experiment was conducted to assess the effect of Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf pellet (CHYP) on rumen fermentation, nutrients digestibility and microbial protein synthesis in growing crossbred bulls. Four animals, with an average liveweight of 160 ± 10 kg were randomly arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. There were four treatments: 0, 4, 6 and 8% CHYP supplementation of

Abstract The Pecorino Romano P.D.O. is the main sheep cheese produced in Italy and the first one among the sheep cheeses, in terms of quality and value, exported from the European Union. About half of the sheep milk produced in Italy is processed into this type of cheese by 36 dairies belonging to the Pecorino Romano Consortium. Eight million records of biweekly analyses of milk collected within a

Abstract This study investigated changes in oxidative stress and the relevant mechanisms in the liver of goats fed a high-concentrate (HC) diet for 5 weeks. Twelve goats were randomly assigned to a low-concentrate (concentrate-to-forage = 55:45, LC, n = 6) or HC diet (concentrate-to-forage = 90:10, n = 6), with dry matter as the base. Enzyme activity assays, real-time polymerase chain reaction and

Abstract This trial was conducted to investigate the effects of multi-carbohydrase supplementation on the performance, carcase traits, intestinal histomorphology, caecal microbiota and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens fed diets with varying energy levels. A total of 400-day-old male chicks were allocated into eight dietary treatments in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement with 5 replicates per

Abstract At weaning, piglets undergo an immediate transition from mother’s milk to the feed mixture. Feed refusal and growth lag is, therefore, a frequent feeding disorder in newly weaned piglets. The present study aimed to determine whether newly weaned piglets adapt their feeding preferences towards feeders of different types/shapes and positions. A total of 120 piglets were included in the study

Abstract To investigate the supplemental effects of Hermetia illucens larvae meal (HILM) on the production, egg quality, yolk fatty acid composition, egg amino acid content, oxidative status, and immune indexes of laying hens. A total of 432 Xuefeng black-bone chickens (45-week-old) were randomly assigned to 4 treatments with 6 replicates per treatment and 18 hens in each replicate. The laying hens

Abstract European consumers demand locally produced meat, preferably from regional breeds, but meat quality is unknown. Heifers from two dual-purpose breeds, Valdostana Chestnut (VC) and Valdostana Red Pied (VR), autochthonous to the Aosta valley, were compared with Piedmontese (PI), a beef breed. Fourteen VC and VR each grazed high alpine pastures, and ten PI received fresh grass in a lowland barn

Abstract The Pecorino Romano P.D.O. is the main sheep cheese produced in Italy and the first one among the sheep cheeses, in terms of quality and value, exported from the European Union. About half of the sheep milk produced in Italy is processed into this type of cheese by 36 dairies belonging to the Pecorino Romano Consortium. Eight million records of biweekly analyses of milk collected within a

Abstract This study investigated changes in oxidative stress and the relevant mechanisms in the liver of goats fed a high-concentrate (HC) diet for 5 weeks. Twelve goats were randomly assigned to a low-concentrate (concentrate-to-forage = 55:45, LC, n = 6) or HC diet (concentrate-to-forage = 90:10, n = 6), with dry matter as the base. Enzyme activity assays, real-time polymerase chain reaction and

Abstract This trial was conducted to investigate the effects of multi-carbohydrase supplementation on the performance, carcase traits, intestinal histomorphology, caecal microbiota and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens fed diets with varying energy levels. A total of 400-day-old male chicks were allocated into eight dietary treatments in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement with 5 replicates per

Abstract At weaning, piglets undergo an immediate transition from mother’s milk to the feed mixture. Feed refusal and growth lag is, therefore, a frequent feeding disorder in newly weaned piglets. The present study aimed to determine whether newly weaned piglets adapt their feeding preferences towards feeders of different types/shapes and positions. A total of 120 piglets were included in the study

Abstract The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of supplementing low nutrient density diet of growing pigs with probiotics complex on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, faecal microbial, and faecal noxious gas emission. A total of 140 crossbred female and castrated male healthy growing pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc, 54 days of age] with an average initial body

Abstract Disrupting mutations affecting the tyrosinase (TYR) gene cause different forms of albinism in mice, humans and several other mammals. Classical genetic studies have already reported five alleles at the European rabbit Albino locus, indicated to be part of the C series, each of them with different actions on pheomelanin and eumelanin production, as well as on the eye colour. A few of these

Abstract The aim of the study is to present the effects of modern broiler production technology on performance and economic indicators. Production and economic data of two broiler farms (new and refurbished farm) of a Hungarian enterprise, both with different standards of technology, were presented on a case study basis and the differences between them were examined. There was no difference in, for

Abstract Growth performance and meat quality traits of 24 Massese suckling lambs reared up to 69 days of age in different farming systems were evaluated. Three groups were considered: stall (S) reared indoors and fed concentrate and hay; pasture (P) reared outdoor and fed pasture and hay; semi free-range (F) reared indoors during the night and at pasture during the day, fed concentrate, hay and herbage

Abstract Increased blood lactic acid is likely to be involved in the incidence of sudden death syndrome (SDS) in broiler chicken. Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) with direct or indirect influence on the cardiovascular system may provide, to some degree, protection against lactic acidemia in birds. A total number of 144 male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used in a complete randomised block design to investigate

Abstract Pain alleviation associated with surgical castration of piglets is a debated welfare issue. The present study compares the effect of different protocols involving analgesia and/or anaesthesia or sedation suitable under field conditions, with the aim to alleviate pain due to castration in piglets. A randomised within-litter design, with 50 replicates, compared 7 treatments applied 10 min before

Abstract The aim of the present study was to find the effect of crushed wild Cumin (Bonium persicum) seeds as a feed additive in broiler diet during the starter phase on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and blood metabolites in broilers. For this purpose, 360 day old chicks were randomly divided into four groups. One group was the control while other experimental groups were supplemented