Samiru Sudharaka Wickramasuriya

A review of canola meal as an alternative feed ingredient for ducks

This review provides an overview of the published data on the canola meal and its suitability for duck as an alternative plant-origin protein source to soybean meal. Canola meal is a legume origin protein source containing comparable amino acid profile to soybean meal and rich in essential minerals and vitamins. Nonetheless, it is known to contain less in energy content than soybean meal. Factors like field conditions and processing methods creates compositional variations among canola meal. Presence of anti-nutritional factors such as phenolic substances, phytate and glucosinolates which are known to reduce growth performance in livestock animals, are the major drawbacks for canola meal to be a competitive plant-origin protein source in the feed industry. This review is focused to address i) nutritional characteristics and feeding value of canola meal for ducks and ii) impacts of feeding canola meal on performances of ducks.

The apparent metabolizable energy requirement of male Korean native ducklings from hatch to 21 days of age

A study was conducted to determine the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) requirement of Korean native ducklings for hatch to 21 d of age. A total of 336 one-day-old male Korean native ducklings were used in a completely randomized design having 8 dietary treatments to provide a range of AME content from 2,600 to 3,300 kcal/kg (i.e., 100 kcal/kg disparity). Eight experimental diets containing varying levels of AME were formulated to meet the NRC (1994) nutrient specifications. Ducklings were randomly allocated to 48 pens (6 replicates per treatment and 7 ducklings per pen) and were offered their respective diets on an ad libitum basis for the period of study. Body weight and feed intake were measured weekly to calculate feed conversion ratio, energy intake, and protein intake. Two ducklings per pen (n = 6) were euthanized via cervical dislocation to weigh empty body and drumsticks at the conclusion of the experiment. Data were fitted to both linear-plateau and quadratic-plateau models for estimation of the AME requirements for Korean native ducklings for hatch to 21 d of age. The estimated AME requirements were 2,953, 3,007, and 2,950 kcal AME/kg diet for maximum daily gain, daily feed intake, and for minimum feed conversion ratio, respectively.

Standard Body Weight and Serum Estradiol and Progesterone Concentrations in Response to Total Lysine Content in Female Broiler Breeders from 14 to 42 Days after Hatch

This study was conducted to determine the total lysine requirement for female broiler breeders from days 14 to 42. Two-hundred and ten female broiler breeders were used in a completely randomized design with 6 replicates per treatment and 5 chicks per pen under restricted feeding. The contents of total lysine used in this experiment were 0.68, 0.72, 0.76, 0.80, 0.84, 0.88 and 0.92% in the diet. A basal diet was formulated to meet or to exceed the Ross 308 female broiler breeders’ nutrient specifications except for the lysine. Body weight and feed intake were measured to calculate feed efficiency, and body weight uniformity was defined on a weekly basis. One chick per pen was randomly selected to collect blood samples, organ and an abundance of sexual maturity associated miRNAs (miR-21, mi-26a and mi-375) in the plasma was measured on day 42. Increasing total lysine contents in the diet improved body weight gain and feed conversion ratio from days 14 to 42. The combined values from the two models for BW, average daily gain and feed efficiency were estimated at 1.04, 1.00 and 1.21% total lysine, respectively. Total lysine contents did not affect the ovary weight, serum estradiol-17β, serum progesterone and plasma urea nitrogen or the expression levels of the three miRNAs on day 42. Therefore, the results from the current study indicated that female broiler breeders fed on 0.68% total lysine could achieve the recommended BW, suggested by field practice when data were fitted into the overlapped point of linear-, and quadratic-plateau models.

Feeding a Diet with Precise Lysine Level improved Laying Performance and Feed Efficiency of Broiler Breeder Hens at the Early Laying Stage

A dose-response experiment was conducted to determine the lysine requirement for broiler breeder hens during pre-peak production. Totally, one hundred and twenty-six flock 23-week-old Ross 308 broiler breeder hens with similar body weight were selected (2,188±32 g) for a 6-week experiment. Hens were fed with a basal diet of corn-wheat-soybean meal formulated to achieve the Ross 308 breeder nutrient specifications (2016), except for lysine. The 7 graded, daily lysine intake levels used in this experiment were 732, 785, 838, 891, 944, 997, and 1,050 mg, and hens were restricted to 133 g of feed throughout this experiment. Pen based egg production were recorded once a day and all eggs were weighed daily. Age at sexual maturity was determined when the hens attained age at 25% production. Body weight at 23∼29 weeks of age was not affected (P>0.05) by lysine levels. By fitting a linear-plateau model, the daily lysine requirements for feed conversion ratio, total produced egg weight, and age at sexual maturity at 23∼29 weeks of age were estimated as 865, 907, and 891 mg, respectively. Using a quadratic-plateau model, the daily lysine requirement at 23∼29 weeks of age were estimated as 974, 964, and 950 mg for feed conversion ratio, total produced egg weight, and age at sexual maturity, respectively. These results suggested that the daily lysine requirement for modern broiler breeder hens according to the National Research Council (1994) are insufficient for higher total produced egg weight, sexual maturity, and feed efficiency, and 120% of the NRC recommendation level would improve hen productivity when data are fitted under linearand quadratic-plateau models. (

Evaluation of sulphur amino acid requirement of male Korean native ducklings from hatch to 21 day of age

ABSTRACT 1. A dose-response experiment was conducted with male Korean native ducklings (KND) to evaluate the total sulphur amino acid (TSAA) requirement from hatch to 21 d of age. 2. A completely randomised design with 7 dietary TSAA concentrations (0.62%, 0.65%, 0.68%, 0.71%, 0.74%, 0.77% and 0.80%) were used with 6 replications per treatment. 3. Body weight (BW) and feed intake were measured weekly to calculate average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). One duckling per pen (n = 6) was killed by cervical dislocation to weigh empty body and drumsticks at the conclusion of experiment. 4. BW was improved significantly with increasing TSAA content, in a non-linear manner. A significant decrease of FCR was shown with increasing TSAA contents. TSAA requirement was determined by taking a mean value after fitting the data to both a linear-plateau and a quadratic-plateau model. Estimated TSAA requirements were 0.70%, 0.70%, 0.66% and 0.70% for the maximum BW, ADG and ADFI and for the minimum FCR, respectively. Increasing TSAA content improved quantity of full body weight (FBW), empty body weight (EBW) and drumstick weight (DSW), but there was no effect on proportion of DSW in relation to EBW and proportion of EBW to FBW. 5. In conclusion, the growth of male KND during 1 to 21 d of age was improved with increasing TSAA content, suggesting optimal TSAA requirements estimated by two analysis models.

Comparative Study on Growth Patterns of 25 Commercial Strains of Korean Native Chicken

Prediction of growth patterns of commercial chicken strains is important. It can provide visual assessment of growth as function of time and prediction body weight (BW) at a specific age. The aim of current study is to compare the three nonlinear functions (i.e., Logistic, Gompertz, and von Betalanffy) for modeling the growth of twenty five commercial Korean native chicken (KNC) strains reared under a battery cage system until 32 weeks of age and to evaluate the three models with regard to their ability to describe the relationship between BW and age. A clear difference in growth pattern among 25 strains were observed and classified in to the groups according to their growth patterns. The highest and lowest estimated values for asymptotic body weight (C) for 3H and 5W were given by von Bertalanffy and Logistic model 4629.7 g for 2197.8 g respectively. The highest estimated parameter for maturating rate (b) was given by Logistic model 0.249 corresponds to the 2F and lowest in von Bertalanffy model 0.094 for 4Y. According to the coefficient of determination (R2) and mean square of error (MSE), Gompertz and von Bertalanffy models were suitable to describe the growth of Korean native chicken. Moreover, von Bertalannfy model was well described the most of KNC growth with biologically meaningful parameter compared to Gompertz model.

Evaluation of Growth Performance, Meat Quality and Sensory Attributes of the Broiler Fed a Diet supplemented with Curry Leaves (Murraya koenigii)

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth performance and meat quality traits of broilers fed a diet supplemented with dry-ground curry leaves (Murraya koenigii). A total of 750 one-day-old broiler chicks (Cobbs 500) were arranged in the experiment with a completely randomized design and allotted to one of five treatments, with T1-Control and T2-T5 curry leaves powder levels (i.e., 0.3%, 0.6%, 0.9% and 1.2%, respectively). The initial body weights, final body weights and daily feed intake were measured over an experimental period of 32 days. At the conclusion of the experiment, the carcass weights and meat quality parameters were measured. The birds fed diets supplemented with curry leaves powder had a higher weight gain (P 0.05) in feed intake among the dietary treatments. Similarly, supplementation of curry leaves powder had no effect (P>0.05) on the proportions of the carcass, leg meat and drumstick. No differences were (P>0.05) observed in cooking loss or the pH of meat from broilers fed the curry leaves supplemented diet. However, curry leaf supplementation affected (P<0.05) the meat water holding capacity. A sensory evaluation showed higher levels of taste and tenderness in meat from broilers fed with curry leaves powder. In conclusion, our results suggested that curry leaves powder improved the growth performance of broilers, with a lower incidence of mortality and improvement of some meat qualities.

Comparison of Production Performance and Egg Quality Characteristics of Five Strains of Korean Native Chickens

The production performance and egg quality traits among five strains of Korean native chickens (KNC) were evaluated in conventional cages. A total of 240 KNC were housed in a controlled environment. Each strain had 12 replicates with 4 chickens per cage. Feed intake, body weights, egg production and egg quality were measured at 24, 28 and 32 of weeks. Egg quality parameters were analyzed using 150 eggs. Results indicated significant (P 0.05) for feed efficiency. The difference among those KNC strains on egg shell color, egg shell strength and egg shell density were not different (P>0.05) at the age of week 24 while it was significant (P 0.05) on egg length and egg shape index from five strains of KNC. The significant difference (P 0.05) at the age of 32 weeks. Regarding internal quality parameters, albumen height and Haugh unit were significantly (P 0.05). Based on the egg weight and the production performance, GS-10 KNC strain was superior when compared with the other strains.