Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Victor A. Zammit Author-Workplace-Name: Metabolic Biochemistry, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK Author-Name: Sang O. Park Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Life Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea Title: Effect of dietary housefly maggot extract on egg production and egg quality in laying hens under a digital livestock system Abstract: Antibiotics in poultry feed are banned in many countries owing to their side effects, and insects containing antimicrobial peptides are proven to have potential as antibiotic alternatives in such feed. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary housefly maggot extract (HME) as the biofunctional material for antibiotic replacement in laying hens. The biofunctional properties of HME on egg production, egg quality, blood biomarkers of immune function, and microbiota were evaluated over a period of 40 to 50 weeks in laying hens under a digital livestock system. A total of 120 forty-week-old Hyline Brown laying hens were randomly divided into four groups with thirty replicates as follows: no added HME (CON), positive control (PC, 8 ppm of avilamycin), 100 ppm of HME (HME100), and 150 ppm of HME (HME150). Egg production and egg weight increased significantly in the HME150, HME100, PC, and CON groups (P < 0.05), but there were no differences between the HME and PC groups. Egg quality, such as eggshell thickness, eggshell strength, Haugh unit, and albumin height, were significantly improved in the HME and PC groups than in the CON group (P < 0.05). A blood biomarker of immune function, IgG, was significantly higher in the HME and PC groups than the CON group (P < 0.05), but there were no differences between the HME and PC groups. Blood corticosterone and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio were significantly lower in the HME and PC groups than in the CON group (P < 0.05). Microbiota Lactobacillus in the faeces were significantly higher in the HME and PC groups than in the CON group (P < 0.05). The faecal total aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, and coliform counts were significantly lower in the HME and PC groups than in the CON group (P < 0.05). Consequently, the HME showed the same significant effects as antibiotics on improving egg production and egg quality in laying hens. These results show that 100 ppm of HME can be used as a biofunctional material for an effective alternative to antibiotics in laying hens under a digital livestock system to improve egg production and quality by stimulating their immune functions and balancing the microbiota populations. Keywords: poultry, insect, antimicrobial peptide, blood biomarker, microbiota Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 59-67 Volume: 69 Issue: 2 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/146/2023-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/146/2023-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202402-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:69:y:2024:i:2:id:146-2023-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Antonella Dalle Zotte Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy Author-Name: Marco Cullere Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy Title: Rabbit and quail: Little known but valuable meat sources Abstract: In the actual scenario of increasing demand of animal food and the need to develop sustainable production systems, rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and quail (Coturnix japonica) represent animal species of undeniable potential, profoundly linked to human's eating habits in several parts of the World, yet not fully exploited. Given the remarkable adaptability of quail and rabbit to different farming contexts, they can be successfully farmed both in specialised and technologically advanced production systems targeting market diversification, as well as in such areas of the World where malnutrition is a severe issue and technological limitations are present. Together with the above-mentioned socio-cultural aspects, rabbit and quail possess intrinsic traits that make them meat species of interest to improve the sustainability of the livestock sector, challenge of utmost importance for present and future development strategies. Furthermore, available nutritional data indicate that quail and rabbit provide food (meat) that has the potential to improve the nutritional adequacy of any diet. It also emerged that about 130 g of rabbit and quail meat are sufficient to meet the daily dietary recommendations for essential amino acids provided by the World Health Organization. Despite the dietary quality of the meat obtained from these two animal species, the present review also unveils that, while the factors affecting meat quality have been extensively studied, little focus has been devoted on those specifically affecting the protein content and quality, thus emphasising that this is a key aspect for future researches. Keywords: Coturnix japonica, Oryctolagus cuniculus, meat, protein quality, amino acids, food security Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 39-47 Volume: 69 Issue: 2 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/165/2023-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/165/2023-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202402-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:69:y:2024:i:2:id:165-2023-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jan Tyl Author-Workplace-Name: International Poultry Testing Station Ústrašice, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Eva Tůmová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Darina Chodová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic Title: The effect of feed restriction and housing system on performance, organ proportion and microbiota Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of feed restriction and the combination of feed restriction with pasture on the performance parameters of fast-growing chickens, the proportion of internal organs and the caecum microbiota. In the experiment, one-day-old Ross 308 chickens were divided into three groups. Group 1 was fed ad libitum (AL), group 2 was restricted on feed at a rate of 70% ad libitum (R), group 3 was restricted to the same age and level as group 2, and was restricted to 22 days on pasture (FR). Feed restriction and the combination of feed restriction and pasture significantly reduced body weight beginning at the age of 14 days and at the end of the experiment (at 35 days), mortality, and the European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) but improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR) beginning at the 4th week of age. Conversely, feed restriction and the combination of feed restriction and pasture significantly increased the proportion of liver, gizzard and Lactobacillus in the caecum. In summary, feed restriction and the combination of feed restriction in the free range had negative effects on growth, feed conversion ratio and economic profit, presumably because of the short realimentation period and because pasture did not have a beneficial effect. Keywords: chicken, limited feeding, free range, growth Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 68-74 Volume: 69 Issue: 2 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/172/2023-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/172/2023-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202402-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:69:y:2024:i:2:id:172-2023-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Xiangyu Ma Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Effificient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, PR China Author-Name: Jing Sun Author-Workplace-Name: China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, Qingdao, PR China Author-Name: Jianpu Zhao Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Effificient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, PR China Author-Name: Xiaoxue Jv Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Effificient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, PR China Author-Name: Jiuyuan Dong Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Effificient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, PR China Author-Name: Weiren Yang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Effificient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, PR China Author-Name: Yanping Jiang Author-Workplace-Name: Shandong Zhongcheng Feed Technology Co., Ltd, Feicheng, PR China Author-Name: Yang Li Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Effificient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, PR China Author-Name: Lijie Yang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Effificient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, PR China Author-Name: Shuzhen Jiang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Effificient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, PR China Title: Effects of different dietary inclusions of whole-plant corn silage on growth performance, nutrient availability and jejunal development in growing-finishing pigs Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of whole-plant corn silage (WCS) on growth performance, nutrient availability and intestinal development in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 32 barrows (33.1 ± 3.49 kg) were randomly allocated to four treatments. Control was the basal diet, and the low, medium, and high treatments were basal diets substituted with WCS (air-dry basis) at 5.0%, 7.5%, and 10.0% from day 1 to 42, and 10.0%, 12.5%, and 15.0% from day 43 to 98, respectively. The results showed that the average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed/gain (F/G), and crypt depth (CD) increased linearly (P < 0.05) with the increasing of WCS. However, the final body weight, average daily gain (ADG), biological value (BV), net protein utilization (NPU), dry matter, crude protein (CP), ether extract, crude fibre (CF), and gross energy decreased linearly (P < 0.05). High treatment significantly deteriorated BW, ADG, NPU, and BV compared to control, low, and medium treatments (P < 0.05). The low and medium treatments showed significantly greater ADFI, apparent digestibility (CP and CF), villus height (VH), VH/CD, relative mRNA and protein expression of occludin, claudin-1 and sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT1) than the high treatment (P < 0.05). The highest F/G, CD, relative mRNA and protein expression of cationic amino acid transporter (CAT1) were observed in high treatment (P < 0.05). Our results suggested that WCS can replace 7.5% and 12.5% of diet during growing and finishing periods of pigs, respectively. This is of great significance for reducing feeding costs and alleviating food security crises. Keywords: swine production, dietary fiber, silage feedstuff, intestinal health, nutrient absorption Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 48-58 Volume: 69 Issue: 2 Year: 2024 File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/cjs-202402-0004_effects-of-different-dietary-inclusions-of-whole-plant-corn-silage-on-growth-performance-nutrient-availability.php File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202402-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:69:y:2024:i:2:id:153-2023-CJAS