• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.1118-1122
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• 2004

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chromium nanoparticle (CrNano) on growth, carcass characteristics, pork quality, and tissue chromium in finishing pigs. A total of 100 Duroc$\times$Landrace$\times$Yorkshire barrows (average initial BW of 64.78$\pm$0.83 kg) were divided into 10 pens, 10 pigs per pen. 5 pens of pigs were fed with control diet (corn-soybean meal, 1.05% Lys) and others were fed with control diet addition with 200 $\mu$g/kg Chrome (Cr) from CrNano. During the trial, all pigs were given free access to feed and water. After 35 days trial, 10 pigs from each each treatment (weight similar to average group weight, 91.34$\pm$1.31 kg for control group, and 92.26$\times$0.56 kg for CrNano treated group) were sacrificed to measure carcass characteristics, pork quality, and to collect the samples of longissimus muscle, liver, kidney and heart. The results indicated that the addition of 200 $\mu$g/kg CrNano decreased feed: gain ratio by 3.56% (p<0.05) compared to the control group. Pigs fed CrNano had 14.06% higher (p<0.05) carcass lean percentage, 19.96% (p<0.05) larger longissimus muscle area and 25.53% lower (p<0.05) carcass fat percentage, 18.22% lower (p<0.05) backfat thickness. Drip loss in chops from pigs fed CrNano was decreased by 21.48% (p<0.05) and weights of longissimus muscle and semimembranosus were increased by 16.33% (p<0.05) and 14.87% (p<0.05) respectively. In addition, supplemental CrNano resulted in 184.11% (p<0.05), 144.99% (p<0.05), 88.13% (p<0.05) and 52.60% (p<0.05) increment of Cr concentration in longissimus muscle, liver, kidney and heart, respectively. These results suggest that supplemental CrNano has beneficial effects on carcass characteristics, pork quality and individual skeletal muscle weight, increase tissue chromium concentration in selected muscle and organs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.550-556
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• 2009

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of dietary prebiotic (mannan oligosaccharide = MOS) and probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae = SC) in finishing turkey diets on carcass, cut yield, meat composition and colour. A total of 72 ten-weeksold Big6 male turkey poults were used in the trial. There were eight replicate floor pens per floor with three birds in each. The experiment lasted up to 20 wks of age. The trial was set up as a completely randomized design with 3 dietary treatments. The treatments were: i) negative control (C, no additive); ii) MOS 1 g per kg of diet and iii) SC 1 g per kg of diet (strain SC47, $300{\times}10^{10}$ CFU/kg). Body weight (BW) and feed intake were determined for each of the two week intervals. Twenty-four birds were slaughtered and eviscerated to determine carcass, carcass parts and internal organ weights at 20 wks of age. Meat colour and pH levels were measured 24 h after slaughter. The dietary treatments did not affect BW and average daily gain during the trial (p>0.05). The average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio of turkey toms fed with MOS were higher than those of control and SC groups during the overall period (p<0.05). The dietary treatments did not affect carcass yield, breast meat, thigh, wing, liver, heart, empty gizzard, intestine, and abdominal fat pad proportions and meat pH, composition and pigmentation (p>0.05). These results suggest that the addition of MOS and SC is not likely to produce any performance or carcass characteristics in finishing turkeys at 10 to 20 wks of age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.831-837
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ruminally-protected methionine supplementation (0, 7, or 14 g/head/d) on nutrient intake, digestibility, growth performance, carcass, and meat characteristics of Awassi ram lambs fed finishing diets. Twenty four Awassi ram lambs ($16.8{\pm}1.17kg$ body weight) were randomly assigned to 3 treatment diets (8 lambs/treatment) and housed in individual pens. Lambs were given an adaptation period of 7 days before the intensive feeding period that lasted for 86 days. On day 74 of the trial, a digestibility experiment was performed. At the end of the trial (d 86), all lambs were slaughtered to evaluate carcass characteristics and meat quality. Increasing the level of methionine supplementation did not improve (p>0.05) performance nor feed conversion ratio. Nutrient intake and digestibilities were not influenced (p>0.05) by methionine supplementation. There were no differences in final weight, hot and cold carcass weights, dressing percentages or any of the measured non-carcass components. Tissues and fat depth measurements together with all meat quality attributes measured on longissimus muscle of the loin cut were not affected by methionine supplementation. The only meat quality parameters affected were redness (a*) and the hue angle being higher for the control group (p<0.05). These results suggest that methionine supplementation is not likely to produce any production benefits in nutrient digestibilities, performance or carcass characteristics of ram lambs fed a high performance diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1594-1599
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• 2005

The effects of long-term feeding of diets based on bermudagrass hay supplemented with lucerne hay cube (LH) or fermented bagasse feed (FBF) on the growth rate, feed efficiency, behaviour, gut development, carcass characteristics and meat quality of goats were investigated. Six spring-born 8-month-old male crossbred (Japanese Saanen${\times}$Tokara native goats) bucks weighing mean 21.6 kg were allotted to 2 treatment groups (3 animals each) and each animal had ad libitum access to feeds, i.e. bermudagrass hay (basal diet)+LH or FBF throughout the experiment. The FBF was produced by the solid-state fermentation of substrates containing dried sugarcane bagasse mixed with wheat bran in a ratio of 1:3 (w/w DM) with Aspergillus sojae. The live body weight, final weight and average daily gain were not different between treatments. Average basal diet intake of goats fed FBF diet was significantly higher than that fed LH diet (p<0.05), but average dry matter intake (DMI; g/day and g/$W^{0.75}$), feed conversion ratio, digestible crude protein (DCP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) intake of experimental diets were not significantly different between treatments. Goats fed on LH and FBF diets had similar eating, rumination, resting and drinking behaviours, and blood constituents except for phosphorus content. Slaughter and carcass weights, net meat percentage [(total meat/carcass weight)${\times}$100], loin ratio [(loin/total meat)${\times}$100] and rib-eye area were not different between treatments. However, goats fed FBF diet had lower dressing percentage and higher bone/muscle ratio compared with goats fed LH diet (p<0.01). Empty gut and guts fill of goats fed FBF diet were significantly greater (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively) than those fed LH diet. The weights of rumen and abomasum were also significantly heavier in goats fed FBF diet (p<0.05), but the length and density of papillae of rumen in goats were not different between treatments. Although meat composition of loin was not different in both groups, the meat of goats fed FBF diet was superior to that of LH diet in flavor, aroma and overall quality of loin (p<0.01). In conclusion, the nature of the diet consumed voluntarily did not affect subsequent growth, nutrient intake and behaviour of goats but had an influence on carcass traits and sensory evaluation of meat partly, when either of LH or FBF was fed with bermudagrass hay.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.369-373
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• 1995

A study was conducted to determine the effects of varying palm oil levels (0 to 8%) in the diets on the performance of broilers under the warm humid tropical environment. Increasing palm oil levels resulted in corresponding rise in the dietary energy concentrations, and broilers fed on higher energy diets improved feed and energy consumption, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Total carcass fat content was found to increase at higher levels of palm oil inclusions.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.183-188
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• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate the carcass grade and characteristics of pigs by carcass weight and backfat thickness. Data used in this experiment were collected and analyzed from a total of 656 pigs composed of 128 gilts and 528 barrows at commercial public slaughter house. The carcass grade of gilts was superior to that of barrow. The carcass weight by gender tended to be heavier in castrated pig than in gilt. Backfat was significantly (p<0.05) thicker in castrated pig than in gilt. Differences between castrated pig and gilt on meat colour, marbling standard, water holding capacity, and marketing age were not significantly found. However, the level of carcass grade was higher ratio in gilt group than in castration. The appearance of percentage of PSE (pale, soft, exudative) of gilt group was superior to that of castrated group. There were significant differences among carcass weight in the marbling score (p<0.05) and water holding capacity (p<0.05). There was significant difference among backfnt thickness in carcass weight (p<0.05), marbling score (p<0.05) and water holding capacity (p<0.05).

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.206-215
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• 2010

A total of 582 gilts and barrows were analyzed to investigate the regressive relationships to slaughter weight (SW) of variables related to production efficiency and pork quality. Average initial weights and SW were 88.6 and 122.5 kg, respectively, for gilts and 88.7 and 121.4 kg, respectively, for barrows. Average daily gain and gain:feed ratio were not affected by SW. Backfat thickness, which was significantly greater (p<0.01) in barrows (23.3 mm) than in gilts (20.7 mm), increased with increasing SW (0.21 mm/kg; p<0.001). When the 4-notch carcass yield and quality grades were quantified according to an arbitrary 1 point-per-1 notch scale, the former, but not the latter, regressed on SW (-0.64/10 kg; p<0.01). The percent yield of the belly per total lean (overall mean=20.7%) increased with increasing SW (0.37%/10 kg; p<0.001), whereas in other cuts, the SW effect was negligible. The redness of the loin also increased with increasing SW (p<0.05), but other physicochemical characteristics were minimally influenced by SW. In sensory evaluation, effects of SW for fresh and cooked loin, ham, and belly were mostly considered insignificant in terms of quality, albeit statistically significant in several cases. However, positive regressions on SW (p<0.01) of the marbling and acceptability scores of fresh loin as well as the fat:lean ratio of fresh belly were noteworthy. Collectively, SW of approximately 125 kg was maximal for both sexes under the current carcass yield grading, in which 94 kg is the upper weight limit for grade A carcass. However, if the carcass weight limit of the grading was to be removed or broadened, the SW for gilts (but not that for barrows because of their excessive fat content at above 125-kg SW) could be increased to 135 kg or greater without compromising carcass quality.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.239-243
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• 1996

Three hundred and twenty-four 1 day old chicks were used to determine the effects of fat source and energy to protein ratio on growth performance , carcass composition and the efficiency on nutrient utilization. Chicks were assigned. in a completely randomized design, to 3*3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Chicks received one of three fat sources (n0 fat, tallow, corn oil) and one of three energy to protein ratios(16, 14 and 12kcal ME/g CP). All diets were formulated to be isocaloric(3.2Mcal ME/kg diets) using published ME values for the diet ingredients. Addition of tat to the diet increased ADG, average daily feed intake, and gain to feed, Chicks fed diets containing fat had increased percentage body DM and ether extract(EE), but percentage CP was not different, Chicks fed diets containing fat had increased efficiency of protein and energy deposition. Addition of fat ad either fallow or corn oil yielded similar results. Reducing the energy to protein ratio of the diet did not affect ADG or gain to feed, but tended to decrease average daily feed intake(p=0.80), as well as resulting in linear(p<0.05) reductions in body percentage DM., EE and also total EE. Increasing the energy to protein ratio did not affect percentage or total body Cp. Adding fat to poultry diets improved growth performance and the efficiency of growth chicks. Decreasing the energy to protein ratio did not affect growth performance, but reduced EE in the body of Chicks.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1253-1260
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• 2017

Objective: Purpose was to determine the effects of grazing system and floor type on concentrations of blood metabolites, activity of creatine kinase, body weight and carcass characteristics of castrated Nguni goats. Methods: Forty eight, 7 month old goats were randomly allocated to herding and tethering treatments from 0800 to 1300 hours and accommodated on slatted and earth floors daily. Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture every fifteenth day for metabolite analysis. Slaughter was done at a commercial abattoir following 5 months of monitoring. Results: Tethered goats had significantly higher concentrations of urea (5.19 mmol/L) (p<0.001), creatinine ($55.87{\mu}mol/L$) (p<0.05), total protein (64.60 g/L) (p<0.01), and globulin (49.79 g/L) (p<0.001), whereas herded goats had higher glucose (3.38 mmol/L) (p<0.001), albumin (15.33 g/L) (p<0.05), albumin/globulin ratio (0.34) (p<0.01), and body weight (24.87 kg) (p<0.001). Slatted floors caused higher (p<0.01) albumin at 15.37 g/L. The interaction of grazing system and floor type affected creatinine, total protein, globulin at (p<0.01) and albumen/globulin ratio at (p<0.01). The least creatinine concentration and albumin/globulin ratio was in herded and tethered goats that were accommodated on earth floors, respectively. The highest total protein and globulin concentrations were in serum of tethered goats that were accommodated on earth floors. The highest (p<0.05) dressing percentage (45.26%) was in herded goats accommodated on slatted floors. Conclusion: Herding of goats lowered globulin concentration, improved estimated feed intake, blood glucose and albumin concentrations, albumin globulin ratio, increased body weights and weight related carcass characteristics. Floor type had very little effects on metabolites where earth floors only reduced albumin concentration. Tethering and housing goats on earth floors resulted in double stress that increased chronic infections.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1624-1628
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• 2015

Rigorously standardized laboratory protocols are essential for meaningful comparison of data from multiple sites. Considering that interactions of minerals with organic matrices may vary depending on the material nature, there could be peculiar demands for each material with respect to digestion procedure. Acid digestion procedures were evaluated using different nitric to perchloric acid ratios and one- or two-step digestion to estimate the concentration of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc in samples of carcass, bone, excreta, concentrate, forage, and feces. Six procedures were evaluated: ratio of nitric to perchloric acid at 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1 v/v in a one- or two-step digestion. There were no direct or interaction effects (p>0.01) of nitric to perchloric acid ratio or number of digestion steps on magnesium and zinc contents. Calcium and phosphorus contents presented a significant (p<0.01) interaction between sample type and nitric to perchloric acid ratio. Digestion solution of 2:1 v/v provided greater (p<0.01) recovery of calcium and phosphorus from bone samples than 3:1 and 4:1 v/v ratio. Different acid ratios did not affect (p>0.01) calcium or phosphorus contents in carcass, excreta, concentrate, forage, and feces. Number of digestion steps did not affect mineral content (p>0.01). Estimated concentration of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc in carcass, excreta, concentrated, forage, and feces samples can be performed using digestion solution of nitric to perchloric acid 4:1 v/v in a one-step digestion. However, samples of bones demand a stronger digestion solution to analyze the mineral contents, which is represented by an increased proportion of perchloric acid, being recommended a digestion solution of nitric to perchloric acid 2:1 v/v in a one-step digestion.