Effect of shearing on some physiological and hormonal parameters in Akkaraman sheep

Pehlivan, Erkan,Kaliber, Mahmut,Konca, Yusuf,Dellal, Gursel Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2020 Animal Bioscience Vol.33 No.5

Objective: Shearing is one of the practices that is applied periodically to fiber producing animals, which can also alter resistance of animals to high temperatures in especially summer months. This study aimed to investigate effects of shearing on some physiological and hormonal parameters in Akkaraman sheep during summer season. Methods: This study was carried out on 39 non-pregnant Akkaraman ewes (aged 1.5 years at the beginning of experiment). The 39 ewes were chosen randomly from the flock belonging to the Erciyes University and they were assigned to two groups as follows: i) group A (n = 20) designed as the control group, they were shorn and group B (n = 19) designed as the experimental group, they were unshorn. Prior to the shearing (-1 day) and on days 1, 7, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 following the shearing, blood samples were taken from the vena jugularis of each sheep. Cortisol, β-endorphin, growth hormone (GH), thyroxine (T₄), triiodothyronine (T₃), and heat shock protein 70 (HSP-70) concentrations were determined using the enzyme immunoassay method. Body weight (BW), rectal temperature (RT), pulse rate (PR), and respiratory rate (RR) of each sheep were recorded at the same time. The data obtained were analyzed using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: Statistical analysis showed a significant effect of shearing×period interaction (p<0.01) and a significant effect of period (p<0.01) on BW, HSP-70, cortisol, T₄ and RT, PR, GH, β-endorphin, T₃, respectively. Also these analysis showed no significant effect of shearing×period interaction or period on RR. Conclusion: The results showed that the thermoregulation abilities of sheep were affected by shearing treatment and the shorn ewes were less affected by heat stress. In conclusion, based on the data of this study, shearing can be considered as a necessary management practice that requires protection for sheep from the effect of heat stress.

The Effects of Freezing and Supplementation of Molasses and Inoculants on Chemical and Nutritional Composition of Sunflower Silage

Konca, Y.,Buyukkilic Beyzi, S.,Ayasan, T.,Kaliber, M.,Bozkurt Kiraz, A. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2016 Animal Bioscience Vol.29 No.7

This study was conducted to determine the effects of freezing and supplementation of molasses (M), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and LAB+enzyme mixture on chemical and nutritional composition of sunflower silage (SF). Sunflower crops were harvested (at about $29.2%{\pm}1.2%$ dry matter) and half of fresh sunflower was ensiled alone and half was frozen (F) at $-20^{\circ}C$ for 7 days. Silage additives were admixed into frozen SF material. All samples were ensiled in glass jars with six replicates for 90 days. The treatments were as follows: i) positive control (non-frozen and no additives, NF), ii) negative control (frozen, no additives, F), iii) F+5% molasses (FM), iv) F+LAB (1.5 g/tons, Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium, FLAB); v) F+LAB+enzyme (2 g/tons Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium and cellulase and amylase enzymes, FLEN). Freezing silage increased dry matter, crude ash, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin. The organic matter, total digestible nutrient, non-fiber carbohydrate, metabolizable energy and in vitro dry matter digestibility were negatively influenced by freezing treatments (p<0.05). In conclusion, freezing sunflower plants prior to ensiling may negatively affect silage quality, while molasses supplementation improved some quality traits of frozen silage. Lactic acid bacteria and LAB+enzyme inoculations did not effectively compensate the negative impacts of freezing on sunflower silage.

Effect of Hempseed (Cannabis sativa sp.) Inclusion to the Diet on Performance, Carcass and Antioxidative Activity in Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Yusuf Konca,Behzat Cimen,Hasan Yalcin,Mahmut Kaliber,Selma Buyukkilic Beyzi 한국축산식품학회 2014 한국축산식품학회지 Vol.34 No.2

This study was conducted to determine the effects of hempseed (H) on performance, carcass traits, and antioxidant activity in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 192 quail with seven-days old were divided into four experimental groups with four replicates. The treatments were; i) Control diet (C, no hempseed); ii) 5% hempseed in diet (H5); iii) 10% hempseed in diet (H10); and iv) 20% hempseed in diet (H20). The body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) of quail wasdetermined at 7, 21 and 42 d of age. At 42 d of age four quail were slaughtered and the carcass and internal organ traits weredetermined. Malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), nit-ric oxide (NO) and total protein were determined in the blood serum end of the experiment. The BW of the groups were notsignificant at 7 and 21 d, however in the 20% hempseed group BW decreased at 42 d (p<0.05). The FI and feed conversionratio were not significant among the treatment groups. The carcass, liver, intestine and heart weight and their percentage tocarcass were significantly differ in treatment groups (p<0.05). The serum MDA and NO decreased in hempseed addition (p<0.001). The serum SOD, CAT and GSH-Px were increased by hempseed supplementation (p<0.001). In conclusion, hemp-seed supplementation to quail diets may not improve quail performance traits but increase antioxidant activity in blood.

Effect of Hempseed (Cannabis sativa sp.) Inclusion to the Diet on Performance, Carcass and Antioxidative Activity in Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Konca, Yusuf,Cimen, Behzat,Yalcin, Hasan,Kaliber, Mahmut,Beyzi, Selma Buyukkilic Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resource 2014 한국축산식품학회지 Vol.34 No.2

This study was conducted to determine the effects of hempseed (H) on performance, carcass traits, and antioxidant activity in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 192 quail with seven-days old were divided into four experimental groups with four replicates. The treatments were; i) Control diet (C, no hempseed); ii) 5% hempseed in diet (H5); iii) 10% hempseed in diet (H10); and iv) 20% hempseed in diet (H20). The body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) of quail was determined at 7, 21 and 42 d of age. At 42 d of age four quail were slaughtered and the carcass and internal organ traits were determined. Malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), nitric oxide (NO) and total protein were determined in the blood serum end of the experiment. The BW of the groups were not significant at 7 and 21 d, however in the 20% hempseed group BW decreased at 42 d (p<0.05). The FI and feed conversion ratio were not significant among the treatment groups. The carcass, liver, intestine and heart weight and their percentage to carcass were significantly differ in treatment groups (p<0.05). The serum MDA and NO decreased in hempseed addition (p <0.001). The serum SOD, CAT and GSH-Px were increased by hempseed supplementation (p<0.001). In conclusion, hempseed supplementation to quail diets may not improve quail performance traits but increase antioxidant activity in blood.

Influence of Thermal Conductivity on the Thermal Behavior of Intermediate-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Aman, Nurul Ashikin Mohd Nazrul,Muchtar, Andanastuti,Rosli, Masli Irwan,Baharuddin, Nurul Akidah,Somalu, Mahendra Rao,Kalib, Noor Shieela The Korean Electrochemical Society 2020 Journal of electrochemical science and technology Vol.11 No.2

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are among one of the promising technologies for efficient and clean energy. SOFCs offer several advantages over other types of fuel cells under relatively high temperatures (600℃ to 800℃). However, the thermal behavior of SOFC stacks at high operating temperatures is a serious issue in SOFC development because it can be associated with detrimental thermal stresses on the life span of the stacks. The thermal behavior of SOFC stacks can be influenced by operating or material properties. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the effects of the thermal conductivity of each component (anode, cathode, and electrolyte) on the thermal behavior of samarium-doped ceria-based SOFCs at intermediate temperatures. Computational fluid dynamics is used to simulate SOFC operation at 600℃. The temperature distributions and gradients of a single cell at 0.7 V under different thermal conductivity values are analyzed and discussed to determine their relationship. Simulations reveal that the influence of thermal conductivity is more remarkable for the anode and electrolyte than for the cathode. Increasing the thermal conductivity of the anode by 50% results in a 23% drop in the maximum thermal gradients. The results for the electrolyte are subtle, with a ~67% reduction in thermal conductivity that only results in an 8% reduction in the maximum temperature gradient. The effect of thermal conductivity on temperature gradient is important because it can be used to predict thermal stress generation.