Changes in light intensity during the rearing period can influence egg production in domestic fowl

1. A total of 240 Shaver White and 240 ISA Brown pullets that had been reared in multi-bird cages on a 10-h photoperiod, and maintained at a light intensity of 3 or 25 lux, or changed from 3 to 25 lux or from 25 to 3 lux at 9 or 16 weeks of age, were moved into individual-bird cages at 20 weeks and transferred to 15-h photoperiods at 25 lux. 2. In both breeds, birds transferred from 3 to 25 lux at 16 or 20 weeks laid significantly more eggs than birds maintained on the brighter intensity from one day or increased to it at 9 weeks. 3. Mean egg weight, shell deformation, albumen height, feed intake and body weight gain in lay were not significantly affected by the light intensity treatments during the rearing period. There was, however, a small, but significant, negative correlation of egg numbers with mean egg weight, although this only partially explained the difference in egg numbers. The differences in egg production were unrelated to rate of sexual maturation.

Change in the effect of constant photoperiods on the rate of sexual maturation in modern genotypes of domestic pullet

1. Data for modern egg-type hybrids reared on constant daylengths show that, as expected, they mature more quickly than earlier genotypes. However, the constant photoperiod which gives earliest sexual maturity has not changed as a result of selection and is 10 h for both early and modern genotypes. 2. Further analysis showed that the rate of delay in sexual maturity for constant photoperiods above 10 h is similar for modern and for early hybrids ( +0.29 d for each incremental one hour of photoperiod), the response of modern hybrids below 10 h ( +4.22 d for each one-hour reduction in photoperiod) is more than double that of early hybrids ( +1.71 d/h).

Changes in light intensity can influence age at sexual maturity in domestic pullets

1. Shaver White and ISA Brown pullets were reared to 140 d in groups of 8 in cages on a 10-h photoperiod of incandescent light and maintained at an illuminance of 3 or 25 lux, or transferred from 3 to 25 lux or from 25 to 3 lux at 63 or 112 d of age. 2. There was no significant difference in sexual maturity, measured as eggs per 100 bird.d at 139 and 140 d, for ISA Brown maintained on 3 or 25 lux, but Shaver White pullets exposed to constant 3 lux matured significantly later than those maintained on 25 lux. 3. In Shaver Whites, sexual maturity was significantly delayed by an increase from 3 to 25 lux at 63 and 112 d, and advanced by a decrease from 25 to 3 lux at 112 d. Sexual maturity of ISA Browns was not significantly affected by a change in illuminance at 63 or 112 d, though responses were in the same direction as for Shaver Whites. 4. In both breeds, total feed consumed to 112 d was higher for birds on 3 lux than 25 lux, but lower between 112 d and 140 d when birds on 25 lux underwent rapid sexual development. In both breeds, body weight at 63 d was higher for birds exposed to 3 lux than 25 lux, but body weight gain thereafter was similar for the two light intensities. 5. In both breeds, plasma luteinising hormone (LH) concentration at 63 and 112 d was lower in birds maintained on 3 lux than 25 lux. At 63 and 112 d, transfers from 25 to 3 lux depressed, whereas transfers from 3 to 25 lux at 63 d, but not at 112 d, increased plasma LH. 6. Advances or delays in sexual maturity induced by changes in illuminance were not correlated with differences in feed intake, body weight gain, or with changes in plasma LH. 7. One possible explanation for the inverse relationship between the direction of change in illuminance at 63 and 112 d in pullets exposed to a 10-h photoperiod and the age at which they became sexually mature is that changes in light intensity and/or spectral composition affect the entrainment of the circadian rhythm of photoinducibility, to effect a phase shift in the photoinducible phase and/or the responsiveness of phototransduction pathways.

Environmental control for layers

Light patterns have less effect on numbers of eggs laid by current stocks than on those of forty years ago, but the principles have not changed. Ovarian activity is stimulated by increasing photoperiods and suppressed by decreasing photoperiods. The light pattern used during rearing can still have large effects on age at 50% lay, even for modern stocks. Early sexual maturity maximises egg numbers but gives smaller eggs. Late maturity maximises egg size at the expense of numbers. The relationship between egg output (g/hen d) and age at first egg is curvilinear, with maximum yield occurring in flocks maturing in about the centre of their potential range. Fancy patterns of increasing daylength after maturity are probably not justified. A flock held on a constant 14h day will lay as many eggs as one given step up lighting. Intermittent lighting saves about 5% of feed consumption with no loss of output, provided that the feed has adequate amino acid content to allow for the reduced feed intake. Producers with light-proof laying houses should be taking advantage of intermittent lighting. The recommended light intensity for laying houses is still 10 lx, although the physiological threshold for response to changes in photoperiod is closer to 2 lx. Very dim (0.05 lx) light filtering into blacked out houses will not stimulate the hypothalamic receptors responsible for photo-sexual responses, but may affect the bird's biological clock, which can alter its response to a constant short photoperiod. Feed intake shows a curvilinear dependence on environmental temperature. At temperatures below the panting threshold, performance can be maintained by adjusting the feed so as to maintain an adequate intake of critical amino acids. Above the panting threshold, the hen is unable to take in enough energy to maintain normal output. There is no dietary modification which can effectively offset this problem. Diurnally cycling temperatures result in feed intake and egg production equivalent to that observed under a constant temperature equal to the mean of the cycle. When the poultry house is cooler at night than by day, it helps to provide light so that the birds can feed during the cooler part of the cycle.

Nutrition of chicks and layers

When formulating least-cost poultry diets, ME concentration should be optimised by an iterative procedure, not entered as a fixed value. This iteration must calculate profit margins by taking into account the way in which feed intake and saleable outputs vary with ME concentration. In the case of broilers, adjustment of critical amino acid contents in direct proportion to ME concentration does not result in birds of equal fatness. To avoid an increase in fat deposition at higher energy levels, it is proposed that amino acid specifications should be adjusted in proportion to changes in the net energy supplied by the feed. A model is available which will both interpret responses to amino acids in laying trials and give economically optimal estimates of amino acid inputs for practical feed formulation. Flocks coming into lay and flocks nearing the end of the pullet year have bimodal distributions of rates of lay, with the result that calculations of requirement based on mean output will underestimate the optimal amino acid input for the flock. Chick diets containing surplus protein can lead to impaired utilisation of the first-limiting amino acid. This difficulty can be avoided by stating amino acid requirements as a proportion of the protein.

Bayesian clustering of farm types using the mixtures model

A Bayesian method of classifying observations that are assumed to come from a number of distinct subpopulations is outlined. The method is illustrated with simulated data and applied to the classification of farms according to their level and variability of income. The resultant classification shows a greater diversity of technical charactersitics within farm types than is conventionally the case. The range of mean farm income between groups in the new classification is wider than that of the conventional method and the variability of income within groups is narrower. Results show that the highest income group in 2000 included large specialist dairy farmers and pig and poultry producers, whilst in 2001 it included large and small specialist dairy farms and large mixed dairy and arable farms. In both years the lowest income group is dominated by non-milk producing livestock farms.

Importance of mycotoxins in food and feed in India

Various food and feed samples including groundnut seed, maize, sorghum, soyabean cake, groundnut cake, cotton cake, poultry feed, buffalo milk, cow milk and milk powders were collected from farmers' fields, farmer's stores, oil millers storage, traders' storage, retail shops and supermarkets. More than 2000 samples were analysed by ELISA and most of the commodities, with the exception of sorghum seed, contained high levels of aflatoxin. Groundnut cake was one of the major cattle feed ingredients in the peri-urban area of Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh, India) and >75% of the samples contained >100 µg/kg aflatoxin, leading to a high level of aflatoxin M1, in milk samples. Strategies to reduce aflatoxin levels (especially in groundnut) by management interventions at preharvest, harvest and storage, are discussed.

Effects of cultural system (organic and conventional) on growth, photosynthesis and yield components of sweet corn (zea mays L.) under semi-arid environment

Organic sweet maize consists of a new industrial crop product. Field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of cultural systems on growth, photosynthesis and yield components of sweet maize crop (Zea mays L. F-1 hybrid 'Midas'). A randomized complete block design was employed with four replicates per treatment (organic fertilization: cow manure (5, 10 and 20 t ha(-1)), poultry manure (5, 10 and 20 t ha(-1)) and barley mulch (5, 10 and 20 t ha(-1)), synthetic fertilizer (240 kg N ha(-1)): 21-0-0 and control). The lowest dry weight, height and leaf area index and sod organic matter were measured in the control treatment. Organic matter content was proportionate to the amount of manure applied. The control plots had the lowest yield (1593 kg ha(-1)) and the double rate cow manure plots the had,greatest one. (6104 kg ha(-1)). High correlation between sweet corn yield and organic matter was registered. Moreover, the lowest values of 1000-grain weight were obtained with control plot. The fertilizer plot gave values which were similar to the full rate cow manure treatment. The photosynthetic race of the untreated control was significantly lower than that of the other treatments. The phorosynthetic rate increased as poultry manure and barley mulch ram decreased and as cow manure increased. Furthermore the untreated control had the lowest stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content. Our results indicated that sweet corn growth and yield in the organic plots was significantly higher than those in the conventional plots.

Regional variation in cortical bone properties from broiler fowl - a first look

1. We used microhardness testing as a probe for fine-scale regional variation in the mechanical performance of bone and present data showing the extent of regional variation in the femora and humeri of 7-week-old broiler birds. 2. Ash content of dry bone was broadly correlated with microhardness, although there is some evidence that the relationship linking the two differs between the femur and the humerus. 3. Regional variations in the properties of bone from poultry are widely overlooked in the literature. Awareness of them is vital and existing measures of bone 'strength' may be misleading if local variation in properties is not taken into account when exploring the effects of nutrition and husbandry practices on bone mechanical performance.

Beak trimming reduces feeding efficiency of hens

The ability of beak-trimmed and intact laying hens to ingest feed pellets was examined by highspeed video filming of feeding birds. The birds were exposed to either a deep layer of pellets or a single layer of pellets. In the single layer treatment, there was a negative correlation between mandible asymmetry and feeding success. These data have important implications for poultry welfare, since the degree of bill asymmetry caused by beak trimming may, under certain circumstances, result in inadvertent feed deprivation.

Composition, color, and texture of Thai indigenous and broiler chicken muscles

Chemical compositions and physical properties of mixed-sex Thai indigenous (Gallus domesticus) and broiler (commercial breed, CP707) chicken biceps femoris and pectoralis muscles were determined. Indigenous chicken muscles contained higher protein contents but lower fat and ash contents compared to broiler muscles (P < 0.001). The amino acid profile of the indigenous chicken muscles was similar to that of the broiler muscles except they were slightly richer in glutamic acid (P < 0.05). The indigenous chicken muscles contained more saturated and less polyunsaturated fatty acids than the broiler muscles. There were no differences in the monounsaturated fatty acid contents between the breeds. The total collagen contents of indigenous pectoralis and biceps femoris muscles were 5.09 and 12.85 mg/g, respectively, which were higher than those found in broiler pectoralis (3.86 mg/g) and biceps femoris muscles (8.70 mg/g) (P < 0.001). Soluble collagen contents were lower for indigenous pectoralis and biceps femoris muscles, 22.16 vs. 31.38% and 26.06 vs. 33.87%, respectively. The CIE system values of lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) of indigenous chicken muscles were higher than those of broiler muscles. The shear values of indigenous chicken muscles either raw or cooked were higher than those of broiler muscles (P < 0.05). After cooking, the shear values decreased for broiler biceps femoris and pectoralis muscles (P < 0.05), whereas no change was observed for indigenous chicken biceps femoris muscle (P > 0.05). Shear values increased for indigenous chicken pectoralis muscle (P < 0.05).