Journal of Animal Production, Print ISSN: 2008-6776., Online ISSN: 2382-994X

Abstract In order to determine the optimal levels of energy and protein in grower diet of Japanese quail, 360 day
old Japanese quails were used in a 3×3 factorial arrangement of dietary treatments that comprised three
levels of metabolisable energy (2750, 2850, and 2950 Kcal/kg) and three levels of crude protein (24, 26
and 28 percent) with four replicates per treatment in a completely randomized design. Feed intake and
body weight were measured weekly and feed conversion ratio was calculated. At 35 d of age, four birds
(from both sexes) from each replicate were randomly selected and killed following blood sampling to
evaluate carcass traits. The blood samples were assayed for the sera concentrations of growth hormone.
Results indicated that birds fed on diets containing 2850 kcal/kg metabolisable energy and 26 percent
protein had higher daily weight gain and better feed conversion ratio and carcass yield (P<0.05). The sera
concentration of growth hormone was higher in birds fed on diet containing 2750 kcal/kg metabolisable
energy (P<0.05). This study indicated that Japanese quails can grow faster and more efficiently on diet
containing 2850 kcal/kg metabolisable energy and 26 percent protein. Therefore, the diet containing 2850
kcal/kg metabolisable energy and 26 percent protein could be recommended as dietary metabolisable
energy and protein requirements for growing Japanese quails.

Abstract This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of various levels of cichorium intybus and
copper on performance and egg yolk cholesterol. Total of 324 layer hens (Hy-Line W-36) were used in a
randomized complete blocks with nine treatments, three replications of 12 birds in each from 38 to 50
weeks of age. Experimental diets include control, four levels of copper (150, 200, 250 and 300 mg/kg)
and four levels of cichorium intybus (15, 20, 25 and 30 percent of diet). Different levels of cichorium
intybus and copper significantly decreased serum and yolk cholesterol than control. The level of 300
mg/kg copper significantly reduced serum and yolk cholesterol but significantly decreased egg weight,
egg production and increased feed conversion ratio compared to control. Levels of 25 and 30 percent of
cichorium intybus significantly decreased egg production than control treatment. Yolk color improved by
different levels of cichorium intybus than control and copper levels. In conclusion, the best result for
lower yolk cholesterol were achieved by those laying hens fed a diet with 150 mg/kg copper of diet or 15
percent of cichorium intybus.

Abstract In this study, somatic cell counts (SCC) of milk were determined in six industrial and traditional dairy
farms in Tehran province during different seasons. The prevalence of udder disorders and mastitis was
estimated on the base of SCC as an indicator as well. In this research, industrial and traditional dairy
farms during 9 months were studied by total 32620 SCC records. Milk samples were collected
individually. Least square mean (±standard error) (n×1000 per ml) in industrial and traditional culture
systems were 80.11 (±12.60) and 234.57 (±12.97), respectively. The SCC in traditional dairy farms was
approximately 2.9 times higher than those of industrial ones (P<0.05). The highest SCC was found in
summer that was statistically different from spring and autumn (P<0.05). In industrial dairy farms, subclinical
and clinical mastitis were estimated to 36.6 and 11.8%, respectively. The corresponding values
for traditional ones were 59.6 and 34.7%, respectively. The results showed that if the SCC decreases by a
half, mastitis disease incidence would be reduced up to 30-50 percent.

Abstract The objectives were to investigate the effects of addition of alfalfa hay as an absorbent on fermentation
quality and effluent production of corn silage. Three levels of corn forage with dry matter (DM) contents
of 18.3, 21.7 and 25.5 percent were supplemented with 0, 5, 10, and 20 percent alfalfa hay, on as fed
basis, and ensiled in three replicates in polyvinyl chloride mini-silos in a completely randomized design.
Concentrations of ash and total nitrogen increased and that of neutral detergent fiber decreased
significantly as the level of absorbent increased (P< 0.05). Increasing the level of absorbent significantly
increased the DM of silage where the higher levels of DM were observed in silages with 10 and 20
percent absorbent. The pH values were within the optimum range of corn silage (ranging from 3.79 to
4.33); however, silage pH was affected by the interaction between DM and level of absorbent (P<0.05).
The pH increased as the level of absorbent increased, however, the effect was less observed in silages
with 26 percent DM. Also, there was an interaction between the DM and absorbent in the concentration of
residual water-soluble carbohydrate of silage where the differences in water-soluble carbohydrates in
silages with 18 percent initial DM were lower than those in silages with 22 and 26 percent DM. As the
level of absorbent increased, aerobic stability was improved with the effects becoming less pronounced as
the level of DM increased. Effluent production was markedly reduced as the level of absorbent increased
so that it dropped to 0 ml at 20 percent alfalfa hay addition at all DM levels (P<0.05). The concentrations
of DM and nitrogen were higher in effluent produced from silages treated with higher level of absorbent;
however, total DM and nitrogen losses were lower due to considerably lower effluent production. Results
showed that using a minimum of 10 percent alfalfa hay could effectively reduce effluent production and
improve aerobic stability of corn silage while maintaining its optimal pH.

Abstract This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of vitamin C (VC) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on
immunity response of broilers in cold stress condition using 500 male chicks in a completely randomized
design with 5 treatments and five replicates. Treatments were: positive control (PC, normal conditions
growth without antioxidants), negative control (NC, cold stress without antioxidants), cold stress + VC
(300 mg/kg diet), cold stress + CoQ10 (40 mg/kg diet) and cold stress + VC + CoQ10 at above mentioned
doses. To induce cold stress, from day 15 until end, temperature fixed at 15oC. Vaccine titers, humeral
and cellular immune response and relative immune organs weight were studied. Results showed that cold
stress decreased relative spleen weight but there was no significant difference between treatments.
Relative weight of bursa was increased in cold stress condition (P<0.01) and using antioxidant especially
CoQ10 decreased it (P<0.05). Lymphocyte percent decreased in cold stress (P<0.05). Improved cellmediated
immune response to subcutaneous injection of phytohemagglutinin and proliferation of T
lymphocyte in vitro were observed (P<0.05). In conclusion, use of antioxidants VC and CoQ10 in the cold
stress condition improved immune system activity and decreased mortality

Abstract In order to determine the appropriate standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine requirement in growing
male turkey poults (28-49 day of olds), one hundred sixty birds were used in a completely randomized
design with eight treatments (8 levels of SID lysine: 1.15 (basal diet), 1.225, 1.3, 1.375, 1.45, 1.525, 1.6,
1.675 percent) in 4 replicates of 5 birds. Increasing of SID lysine levels increased body weight gain and
decreased feed conversion ratio. Dietary treatment of 1.6 percent SID lysine had the highest body weight
gain and the lowest FCR compared to the basal diet (P<0.05). By using of broken line-linear ascending,
quadratic polynomial and broken line- quadratic ascending models, SID lysine requirements for weight
gain were 1.47±0.11, 1.57±0.04 and 1.49±0.05 and for FCR were 1.57±0.17, 1.61±0.02 and 1.59±0.08,
respectively. In conclusion, SID lysine requirements for body weight gain ranged between 1.47 to 1.57
and for FCR between 1.57 to 1.61 percent.

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare six statistical methods for prediction of genomic breeding
values for traits with different genetic architecture in term of gene effects distributions and number of
Quantitative Traits Loci (QTLs). A genome consisted of 500 bi-allelic single nucleotide polymorphism
(SNP) markers distributed over a chromosomes with 100 cm length was simulated. Three different gene
effects distributions (uniform, normal and gamma) were considered. Number of QTLs varied from 50 to
200. Finally, nine quantitative traits with different genetic architecture were generated. The performance
of six statistical methods of genomic prediction that differ with respect to assumptions regarding
distribution of marker effects, including i) Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP), ii) Ridge
Regression Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (RRBLUP), iii) Bayes A, iv) Bayes B, v) Bayes C, and vi)
Bayesian least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Bayes L) are presented. The accuracy of
prediction declined significantly over generations (P< 0.05) but Bayesian methods outperformed GBLUP
and RRBLUP in persistence of accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values over generations.
Bayesian methods were superior to GBLUP and RRBLUP when the gene effects distribution generated
from gamma distribution. The highest accuracy of genomic breeding values was observed when the gene
effects come from normal distribution. In all statistical evaluation methods with increasing the number of
QTLs towards 200, the accuracy of predicted genomic values has been decreased. In general, Bayesian
and GBLUP methods performed better in prediction than RRBLUP method. These results gave some
evidences that when the genetic architecture of quantitative traits deviated from infinitesimal model
assumptions, Bayesian methods usually perform better than GBLUP and RR-BLUP.