Browsing by Author "De Silva, P.G.J.C."

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    Association between Body Weight and Gait Score of Broiler Meat Chicken
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2021) Sonali Marasinghe, M.A.; De Silva, P.G.J.C.; Kurukulasuriya, M.S.
    The global demand for chicken meat is increasing and new poultry strains have been developed by genetic improvement targeting production traits to fulfill the higher demand. Since, genetic improvements have not focused on improving skeletal confirmation in parallel to production traits; birds can get leg deformities disturbing their walking pattern which can manifest as higher gait score (GS). Study focused to identify the association between body weight (BW) and GS in broiler chicken. A total of 100, day-old Cobb chicks (76-female; 24-male) were randomly selected and managed conditions. GS with 0(zero) to 5(severe) levels and BW of the birds were recorded separately at the age day-14, day-21, day-28 and day-35. Spearman correlation was calculated between BW and GS at each sampling day using MINITAB-17 and mean BWs difference of birds in each GS category was obtained by repeated measures of ANOVA (RMANOVA) using SAS-9.2. Frequency of birds in each GS category was obtained. Significant weak positive correlation between BW and GS is reported only at day-35 (Spearman-Rho=0.289; P<0.05). When consider the sex, similar significant weak positive correlation is observed in females (Spearman-Rho=0.364; P<0.05) at day-35 reflecting correlations observed in whole flock at day-35, may have mainly contributed from females. RMANOVA revealed a significant effect of time and GS×time interaction on BW (P<0.05). Significantly higher BW (P<0.05) has observed in birds belonging to the higher GS categories at day-35 (GS0=1660.83±59.13; GS2=1796.49±38.65; GS3=1913.39±30.16; GS4=1803.00±111.18) indicating BW of birds has directly affected on their walking pattern. Frequency of birds belonging to GS-0 is continuously declining from 99% at day-14 to 15.2% at day- 35. Further, more than 50% of birds showed GS-3 (48.5%) and GS-4 (3%) at day-35 reflecting without external visible changes in the skeletal confirmation; birds are suffering from pain in walking which is an important animal welfare issue. None of the birds reported GS-5 throughout the experiment. It can be concluded that increase BW leads to chronic pain which reflects as higher GS. At slaughtering age, birds are suffering from pain in walking without changes in external skeletal confirmation. Future research can be focus on genetic improvement of skeletal confirmation of birds to tolerate increased BW. Keywords: Body weight; Broilers; Chicken; Gait score
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    Comparison of Two different Commercially Available Vitamin-Mineral Premixes in Broiler Diets on Growth Performance and Meat Quality of Broiler Chicke
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2018) Weerasinghe, W.M.S.S.; Gunawardana, K.G.U.I.P.; Priyadarshana, S.P.M.; Anand Kumar, S.; De Silva, P.G.J.C.; Nambapana, N.M.N.; Jayasena, D.K.D.D.
    This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of two different vitaminmineral premixes on performance, meat quality and meat composition of broiler chicken. A total of ninety (n. = 90) day-old male broiler chicks were randomly assigned into three dietary treatments. Each treatment comprised three replicates and ten broiler chicks were included in each replicate. Broilers were allocated to one of the three diets and fed for 42 days in a completely randomized design. The dietary treatments included two different premixes as T 1 (Basal diet + VitaminMineral premix 1) and T2 (Basal diet + Vitamin-Mineral premix 2) and the control group (To) fed with the basal diet only. The highest (p < 0.05) daily body weight gain (56 gbird-iday-I) and the lowest (p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (1.68) of broiler birds were recorded from the birds fed T, diet. The highest (34%) and the lowest cook loss (33%) (P < 0.05) were recorded from T2 and T, treatments, respectively. The highest (p < 0.05) manganese concentration (0.065 mg/L) and the crude protein percentage (26%) of chicken breast meat were recorded from the birds fed Ti diet and the lowest manganese concentration (0.0213 mg/L) was recorded from the birds fed control diet. The highest (9%) and the lowest (4%) ash percentages (P < 0.05) were recorded from T2 and T1 treatments, respectively. The pH, color, water holding capacity and texture of broiler breast meat were not affected (p > 0.05) by dietary treatments. In conclusion, the supplemental dietary vitamin-mineral premix 1 has made beneficial effects on performance and meat composition of broiler chicken than the dietary vitamin-mineral premix 2.
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    Effect of Different Levels of a Commercially Available Acidifier on Growth Performance, Meat Quality and Escherichia coli Count in the Ileum of Broiler Chicken
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2018) Gunawardana, K.G.U.I.P.; Weerasinghe, W.M.S.S.; Priyadarshana, S.P.M.; Anand Kumar, S.; De Silva, P.G.J.C.; Nambapana, N.M.N.; Jayasena, D.K.D.D.
    The study reported herein was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of an acidifier on performance, meat quality, E. coli count in the ileum and the organ weights of broilers. A total of 120-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly assigned into four treatments. Each treatment comprised three replicates of 10 birds each. Broiler chicks were randomly assigned into three acidifier levels (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 m1/3L) as T1, Tz, T3 treatments, respectively. The control group (To) treated with normal water only. Broilers were fed with a basal diet for 42 days in a completely randomized design. The highest (p < 0.05) daily body weight gain (67 g) and the lowest (p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) (1.48) were recorded from T2 treatment. The lowest (p < 0.05) E. coli count (7.314 log cfu g-') in the ileal digesta content was recorded from T3 treatment. The lowest (p < 0.05) cook loss (31%) was recorded from the control group. The lowest (p < 0.05) lightness (65.7) and the highest (p < 0.05) redness (10.08) of broiler breast meat were recorded from 12 treatment. The highest (p < 0.05) relative weight of the proventriculus (0.39%) was recorded from TO treatment. The highest (p < 0.05) relative weights of the duodenum (0.4%) and the caeca (0.3%) were recorded from TO treatment and the lowest relative weights of the duodenum (0.22%) and the ceca (0.19%) were recoded from T2 treatment. The highest (p < 0.05) relative weights of the heart (0.67%) and the pancreas (0.27%) were recorded from To treatment and the lowest relative weights of the heart (0.42%) and the pancreas (0.09%) were observed from T2 treatment. In conclusion, supplementation of an acidifier in 1 ml/3L concentration has better effects on performance, E. coli count of the ileum and organ weights of broiler chicken. Keywords