Serum Biochemical and Meat Fatty Acid Profiles of Different Chicken Genotypes

Serum biochemical and meat fatty acid profile of different chickens were studied. A total of 144 mixed sex matured chickens of Cosmopolitan (C), Improved Horro (H), Cosmopolitan♂*Improved Horro♀(CH), Improved Horro♂*Cosmopolitan♀ (HC), Indigenous (L) and Koekkoek (KK) were used to determine serum biochemical, of which 36 chickens were also used for fatty acid profile study. Completely randomized design in 6 × 2 factorial arrangements was set up. Serum biochemical and fatty acid profiles were determined by Roche/Hitachi cobas c 501 and gas liquid chromatography (GC) procedures, respectively. There were significant differences (P ≤ 0.001) in Total cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and High-density lipoprotein (HDL) among genotypes and between sexes. HDL was inversely related with TC, TG and LDL. Male had significantly higher (P ≤ 0.001) TC, TG, LDL but lower HDL than female. SFA, (Myristic, Pentadecanoic and Palmitic acids) had significantly (P < 0.05) varied among genotypes. However, Margaric (P ≤ 0.01) and stearic (P ≤ 0.001) acids were significantly different between sexes. Myristoleic and Palmitoleic acids significantly vary (P ≤ 0.05) among genotypes and between sexes. Oleic (P ≤ 0.01) and Eicosenoic (P ≤ 0.001) significantly influenced by sex. Moreover, Linoleic had significantly (P ≤ 0.01) affected by genotypes. Nevertheless, α-linolenic acid significantly (P ≤ 0.01) varied between sexes. The serum biochemical differed across genotypes and between sexes. The difference in the number of carbons, double bond and position of the double bond could affect fatty acid profile among genotypes and between sexes. Chicken products with higher level TC, TG, LDL and SFA might affect human health problems. It could also be interesting topic for future studies.

Sensory Characteristics, Nutritional Composition, and Quality of Eggs from Different Chickens

The present study evaluated the sensory, composition, and quality of eggs from Cosmopolitan (C), Improved Horro (H), ♂ Improved Horro * Cosmopolitan ♀ (HC), ♂ Cosmopolitan * Improved Horro ♀ (CH), Indigenous(L), and Koekoek (KK) genotypes. A completely randomized design was used in the study. A total of 108 (18/genotype), 180 (30/genotype), and 90 (15/genotype) eggs were used for the sensory, composition, and egg quality tests, respectively. All data were analyzed following the GLM model using SAS software. The boiled and scrambled eggs from L, H, and C were (P ≤ 0.001) preferred followed by CH, HC, and KK. Results showed that KK, HC, CH, and C eggs were higher in moisture, crude fat, crude ash, and crude fiber, but these traits were found lower in H and L genotypes. A significantly highest crude protein was observed in L (21.19 ± 0.19) genotype, with higher in H (20.62 ± 0.26), intermediate in HC (19.96 ± 0.29), C (19.85 ± 0.10), and CH (19.40 ± 0.37), whereas the eggs from KK genotype had the lowest crude protein content (18.69 ± 0.20). The egg quality was (P = 0.001 - 0.01) affected across traits except for eggshell indices (P > 0.05). The genotypes with a negative significant correlation with crude protein had a positive significant correlation with almost all composition and egg external quality traits. The genotypes with positive significant correlations of egg weight had positive significant correlations with most internal egg quality traits except that of yolk weight ratio, yolk albumen ratio, and yolk color. Conclusively: the eggs of L, H, and C genotypes were best favored followed by CH and C, but the KK genotype was the least favored, and these differences were deemed due to genetic variations, and interventions. Furthermore, the eggs laid from genotypes with deep yellow yolk color might be the most nutritious. It could also necessitate future breeding and dietary studies.

Sheep Production Systems and Breeding Practices for Selected Zones of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

A study was undertaken to identify the production system, breeding practices and major production constraints of common Tigray highland sheep in 16 rural kebelles from eight districts of Tigray Regional State. A total of 480 households (30 households for each rural kebelle) were selected purposively to collect data through personal observations and a detailed structured questionnaire. Mixed crop-livestock production system was the dominant farming system in all the study districts. The farmers kept a variety of livestock species including sheep, goats, cattle, chickens horse, donkeys and bee colony. Sheep, principally as source of income, meat for home consumption, production of manure and for socio cultural purposes, are commonly herded with other species in the open grazing fields by young boys in a family. Mating was generally uncontrolled. Body size, growth rate and adaptability were the major traits in selecting rams, whereas ewes were selected based on body size, twining ability and lambing interval. Majority of sheep across all districts are housed in structures known as Gebella which is built from stone and mud wall and tree/corrugated iron sheet roofing separated from the main family house. The major constraints hampering sheep production in the study areas were feed shortage (0.25), lack of capital (0.24), insufficient veterinary services (0.2), limited grazing land (0.2), water scarcity (0.06) and predators (0.05) with index value indicated in parenthesis. In order to improve the productivity of sheep, it is important to involve farmers and other stockholders in addressing these constraints and designing breed improvement interventions, considering the overall farming and breeding practice of smallholders.