• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1647-1654
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• 2023

Objective: Aging roosters typically exhibit subfertility with decreasing semen quality, furthermore Thai native roosters reared in rural areas are raised for a longer duration than their usual lifespan. The present study therefore aimed to assess the effect of selenium supplementation as an antioxidative substance in diets to improve the semen cryopreservation of aged roosters. Methods: Semen samples were collected from young (n = 20) and aged (n = 20) Thai native roosters (Pradu Hang Dum) at 36 and 105 weeks of age when starting the experiment, respectively. They were fed diets either non-supplemented or supplemented with selenium (0.75 ppm). Fresh semen quality and lipid peroxidation of fresh semen was evaluated before cryopreservation using the traditional liquid nitrogen vapor method. Post-thaw sperm quality and fertility potential were determined. Results: Advancing age is unrelated to decreasing fresh semen quality (p>0.05). However, lipid peroxidation in rooster semen depended on age, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration increased in aged roosters (p<0.05). Selenium supplementation in diets significantly decreased the MDA concentration and increased the sperm concentration (p<0.05). In contrast, cryopreserved semen was affected by advancing rooster age, and selenium influenced sperm quality (p<0.05). Younger roosters had higher post-thaw sperm quality and fertility potential than aged roosters (p<0.05). Likewise, diet selenium supplements improved post-thaw sperm quality and fertility compared with the non-supplement group. Conclusion: Rooster's age does not influence the rooster sperm quality of fresh semen, while sperm cryotolerance and fertility were greater in young roosters than in aged roosters. However, sperm of aged roosters could be improved by dietary selenium supplementation.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.133-144
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• 1995

One metabolism trial(Experiment I) and another respiration trial(Experiment II) were conducted to investigate the effects of dietary fiber supplementation(20% wheat bran) on the water balance, blood acid-base balance, body temperature, and metabolic rate of heat-stressed adult roosters. In Experiment I, twenty 20-wk-old SCWL roosters(BW 1.6 kg) were randomly alloted to 4 treatments with 5 birds per treatment and one per replicate. The 4 treatments were consisted of two temperature(21~22˚C vs. 34~35˚C) and two dietary fiber treatment(0% and 20% wheat bran), making Experiment I a 2x2 factorial. After 4 d of preliminary period, birds we subjected to 3-d collection period. Sixteen 20-wk-old SCWL roosters(BW 1.6 kg) were employed Experiment H, with two temperature(21~22˚C vs. 34~35˚C) and two wheat bran levels(0% and 20%). Brids were housed in individual metabolism cages under normal temperature(21~22˚C), at fed one of the experimental diet. After 4 d of preliminary period, a respiration trial with open-circuit gravimetric respiratory apparatus was carried out for each bird for 6 h, one by one, normal(20~21˚C) and hot(34~35˚C) temperatures. The ANOVA test and comparisons among treatment means were done at 5% probability level for both experiments. Results obtained from Experiment I and, II were summarized as follows, 1.The amounts of DM intake and excretion were significantly(P<.05) decreased by heat stress. The DM intake was not affected by the addition of 20% wheat bran, however, the amount of DM excretion was significantly increased by the high fiber diet. Thus, the DM metabolizability decreased significantly by the addition of 20% wheat bran. 2. The heat-stressed roosters increased the water intake and excreta moisture content significantly. Although not significant, the water intake tended to increase in roosters fed the 20% wheat bran diet. 3. The amounts of total water input and evaporative water loss were increased significantly by heat stress, and the addition of 20% wheat bran did not exert any influence on the total water input and evaporative water loss. However, roosters fed the 20% wheat bran diet increased the excreta water output significantly. 4. Neither the heat stress nor the dietary fiber did affect the blood pH, pCO2, and HCO$_3$- significantly. 5. The body temperature increased significantly by the heat stress. However, the high fiber deit failed to decrease the body temperature. 6. The heat-stressed roosters decreased the 02 consumption and C0$_2$ production, and increased the evaporative water loss significantly. However, the high fiber diet did not exert any infulence in this regard. It appears that the beneficial effect, if any, of high fibrous diet during heat stress episode may be due to the increased heat loss through the enhanced excreta water.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1178-1182
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• 2008

The present study was designed to assess the influence of caeca on the availability of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese and copper from soybean, sunflower, rapeseed, sesame, fish and meat cum bone meal in adult roosters. The excretion of endogenous origin minerals viz., copper, magnesium, manganese and calcium was significantly (p<0.001) higher in caecectomized than in normal roosters. The difference in the endogenous excretion was 50; 60.45; 40.35 and 29.63 per cent for copper, magnesium, manganese and calcium, respectively, in caecectomized roosters. The caeca played a pivotal role in the reabsorption of endogenous origin calcium, magnesium, manganese and copper. The mechanism of phosphorus absorption by the caecal epithelium was negligible. The caecectomized roosters underestimated the bioavailability of copper in sunflower meal and manganese in almost all the test feedstuffs. The present investigation revealed that the caeca played a critical role in the absorption of minerals from vegetable protein feedstuffs which escape digestion and absorption in the small and large intestinal segments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1487-1494
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• 2003

Studies were conducted with intact White Leghorn roosters to determine the true metabolisable energy (TME) and the true amino acid availability (TAAA) in five dehulled and hulled soybean meals produced in China. 60 roosters, kept in individual cages, were fasted for 48 h and then tube-fed 50 g of one of experimental feedstuffs and their excreta was then collected for the subsequent 48 h period. Two separate collection periods were used with each meal being fed to 12 roosters. The birds were given a 15-day recovery period between collection periods. An additional 12 roosters were either fasted or fed a protein-free diet in order to estimate the extent of endogenous losses of energy and amino acids in excreta. The average values per bird for nitrogen loss, endogenous energy losses (EEL) and endogenous energy losses corrected to zero-nitrogen balance ($EEL_n$) were found to be 0.74 g, 47.0 kJ and 21.5 kJ, respectively. It was found that the TME and TAAA values of dehulled soybean meal were higher than those of hulled soybean meal. The TME and nitrogen-corrected TME metabolisable energy values of dehulled soybean meal were 10.58 and 10.74 MJ/kg, respectively, while the corresponding values for hulled soybean meal were 10.03 and 10.27 MJ/kg, respectively. The average indispensable and dispensable amino acid availability of dehulled soybean meal was 92.1 and 93.5%, compared with 89.3 and 91.4% for hulled soybean meal. Dehulled soybean meal would therefore appear to be superior to hulled soybean meal as a source of protein and energy for use in poultry rations.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2010

Since the ancient times, animals that can imitate the voices of human beings have been considered extremely special. There are very few such animals, and the parrot is an example of them. For a long time, there had been no reported case of a rooster being able to mimic the voice of a human being, but talking roosters were recently found in Korea and the Kyrgyz Republic, generating much talk. In this study, the vocal characteristics of such roosters were examined, and their pronunciation-related statistics and actual sound sources were analyzed. The analysis results showed that even though the roostets cannot converse with people, they can imitate the human voice, uttering the words "An-dwae," and "A-ni-ya" in Korean, which mean "No" in English, when someone tries to catch their wings. A similar situation 'occurred in the Kyrgyzstan. The results of the listening survey on these sounds made by the roosters showed that most people recognized the words uttered by the roosters and that nobody thought that the words sounded like "cock-a-doodle-doo." It can be said that such roosters can make the sounds of the human voice because of their innate vocal organ and characteristics, which are significantly different from those of the general roosters. Their vocal organ and characteristics cause the sounds that they make to change in their vocal cords due to their high tension when humans try to catch them.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.1177-1184
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• 2024

Objective: Semen cryopreservation is an effective method of preserving genetic material, particularly in native chicken breeds facing a substantial decline. In this study, we evaluated the quality of frozen/thawed rooster semen treated with different concentrations of oral administrations of black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora: KP) extract and determined its fertility. Methods: Thirty-two Thai native roosters (Pradu Hang Dum, 42 weeks old) were used in this study. The treatments were classified into four groups according to the concentration of KP extract administered to the roosters: 0, 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg body weight. The quality of fresh semen was analyzed before cryopreservation. Post-thaw sperm quality and fertility potential were determined. Also, lipid peroxidation was determined. Results: The results showed that sperm concentration and movement increased in roosters treated with 200 mg/kg of KP extract (p<0.05). The malondialdehyde (MDA) in the roosters receiving 200 mg/kg KP extract was lower than that in the other but had an insignificant difference within the KP treatment groups (p>0.05). The highest MDA levels were observed in the control group (p<0.05). The percentage of motile sperm (total motility and progressive motility) after semen thawing was higher in roosters that received 150 and 200 mg/kg KP extract than in those that received 100 mg/kg KP extract and the control (p<0.05). MDA levels decreased significantly in roosters that received 150 and 200 mg/kg KP extract than in those that received 100 mg/kg KP extract and the control (p<0.05). Fertility and hatchability were greater in the KP150 and KP200 groups than in the KP100 and control groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: The optimal amount of KP extract influencing initial sperm quality was determined to be 200 mg/kg. However, 150 mg/kg was the optimal low dosage of KP extract administration that maintained sperm quality and fertility following semen cryopreservation.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 1985

Fifteen 1-yr old roosters were employed in order to investigate the influence of various dietary fibers on the water and Na metabolism of chicken. Wheat bran, pure cellulose and ground rice straw replaced corn in the control diet at 10% level; Pectin replaced corn at 8% level. Three roosters were allotted per dietary treatment and one rooster per replicate. The limit of probability accepted as being significant was P$\leq$.05. The dry matter metabolizabilities of cellulose and rice straw diets were significantly lower, and those of control and pectin diets were significantly higher than that of the wheat bran diet. Pectin fed roosters seemed to drink more water than did the other birds. Also, excreta from roosters fed the pectin diet were significantly wetter than those from other treatments. However, no difference in water intake and fecal moisture were found when !he roosters were colostomized. It was also found that the colostomized birds drank more water than did intact ones. Data of water holding capacity and bulk density of dried excreta showed that cellulose, rice straw and wheat bran in decreasing order were strong in fibrous property. There were no significant differences in C$_{Na+}$ , Cosm and C$_{{H_2}O}$ among all treatments. When the values of urine volume, urine osmolality and C$_{{H_2}O}$ were put together, it can be concluded that 11 out of 15 roosters developed diuresis. More severe diuretic symptoms were developed in roosters when they were fed more fibrous diets. In conclusion, when the four dietary fibers were graded in terms of fibrous property, it turned out to be pectin, cellulose, rice straw and wheat bran in decreasing order.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.924-929
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• 2004

The objective of this study were to investigate the effect of ejaculation frequency on semen characteristics and to establish a method for quick assessment of sperm concentration in TCC using packed cell volume (PCV) as the parameter (Trial 1). Eighty senior roosters, averaging 61 wk-old, were used and the sperm concentrations were determined using a hemacytometer. The PCV value was measured in a capillary (0.75 mm in inner diameter) by centrifugation. A simple linear regression analysis suggested that the sperm concentrations were significantly correlated with PCV values (r=0.62, p<0.001). Trial 2 was conducted to determine the optimal ejaculation frequency of TCC roosters in a weekly semen collection program. The male birds were subjected to 1, 2, 3 or 6 ejaculations per week for four consecutive weeks and semen characteristics including ejaculation volume (EV, mL), sperm motility (%), PCV (%), sperm concentration (ESC, $\times$10$^{9}$/mL), weekly sperm production (WSP, $\times$10$^{9}$/wk) and average motile sperm numbers (AMSN, $\times$10$^{9}$/ejac) were determined. Average EV was greater in the group with 3 ejac/wk than with only 1 ejac/wk in weeks 1 and 3 of the collection period. WSP increased with ejaculation frequency during the first 3 weeks of collection (p<0.05). Sperm motility was better in the birds with 6 ejac/wk than in single ejaculation group for the first 2 wk and no significant differences were found for the last 2 wk of study. In contrast, the PCV value showed a trend of reduction for the first 2 wks in the 6 ejac/wk group. Surprisingly, no significant differences were detected in the AMSN among treatment groups. The weekly motile sperm production (WMSP) increased with ejaculation frequency. Based on our observation, PCV values could be used for a quick estimation of sperm concentration and an intensive semen collection program enhanced weekly sperm production in TCC roosters.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.75-83
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• 2023

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe a methodological procedure to quantify the heat production (HP) partitioning in basal metabolism or fasting heat production (FHP), heat production due to physical activity (HPA), and the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) in roosters. Methods: Eighteen 54-wk-old Hy Line Brown roosters (2.916±0.15 kg) were allocated in an open-circuit chamber of respirometry for O₂ consumption (VO₂), CO₂ production (VCO₂), and physical activity (PA) measurements, under environmental comfort conditions, following the protocol: adaptation (3 d), ad libitum feeding (1 d), and fasting conditions (1 d). The Brouwer equation was used to calculate the HP from VO₂ and VCO₂. The plateau-FHP (parameter L) was estimated through the broken line model: HP = U×(R-t)×I+L; I = 1 if t<R or I = 0 if t>R; Where the broken-point (R) was assigned as the time (t) that defined the difference between a short and long fasting period, I is conditional, and U is the decreasing rate after the feed was withdrawn. The HP components description was characterized by three events: ad libitum feeding and short and long fasting periods. Linear regression was adjusted between physical activity (PA) and HP to determine the HPA and to estimate the standardized FHP (st-FHP) as the intercept of PA = 0. Results: The time when plateau-FHP was reached at 11.7 h after withdrawal feed, with a mean value of 386 kJ/kg^0.75/d, differing in 32 kJ from st-FHP (354 kJ/kg^0.75/d). The slope of HP per unit of PA was 4.52 kJ/mV. The total HP in roosters partitioned into the st-FHP, termal effect of feeding (TEF), and HPA was 56.6%, 25.7%, and 17.7%, respectively. Conclusion: The FHP represents the largest fraction of energy expenditure in roosters, followed by the TEF. Furthermore, the PA increased the variation of HP measurements.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.97-101
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• 1994

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of ambient temperature and nicarbazin on SCWL adult roosters. In Experiment 1, the effects of nicarbazin supplementation (125 ppm) on the water metabolism, blood acid-base balance; and rectal temperature of 16 birds in normal ($21^{\circ}C$) and hot ($35-36^{\circ}C$) temperature were investigated. In Experiment 2, the evaporative water loss and $CO_2$ exhalation from 8 birds were measured individually with an open-circuit gravimetric respiration apparatus in normal ($21^{\circ}C$) and hot ($33.5-34^{\circ}C$) temperature. The amount of water intake and evaporative water loss increased in birds under heat stress (HS). Nicarbazin exacerbated these effect in hot temperature. Also, nicarbazin decreased the blood $pCO_2$ and increased pH of HS birds. The rectal temperature of birds increased in hot temperature, and nicarbazin worsened this effect. The evaporative water loss, measured directly with respiration apparatus (Experiment 2), was increased in hot temperature. HS decreased the amount of $CO_2$ exhalation. Nicarbazin did not exert ant effect on either of these measurements, probably due to the limited duration (2 h) of the trial. The decrease in $CO_2$ exhalation by HS birds could be explained by reduced metabolic rate, which helps homeothermy of birds in hot temperature.