Browsing by Author "Amritha Viswanath"

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Effect of dietary supplementation of Baker`s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on the performance of broilers
(Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,Mannuthy, 2004) Renjith, P M; Amritha Viswanath
Effect of floor density on production performance of commercial hybrid layers
(Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1992) Geo, A G; Amritha Viswanath
In order to prescribe optimum floor space allownace for the commercial hybrid layer ClLM-90) released from Mannuthy Centre of the 'AICRP on Poultry for Eggs' with the ultimate objective of reducing housing cost and achieving better labour efficiency, a study was carried out to evaluate its production performance on three different floor densities under "deep litter system of rearing. The floor densities evaluated were 1350/ 1575 and 1800 sq. cm. per bird. Each group was assigned to five replicates I and mean body weight at 20 weeks of age were kept uniform for all the replicates. Except for the difference in floor densities, all the managemental practices followed were uniform for the different treatment groups. Feed and water were given ad lib. The data were recorded for five, 28 day periods. Body . weight at 44th week of age and Age at fifty per cent production were not significantly influenced by the difference in floor densities- There was an increase in egg production as the floor space allowance per bird was increased and this increase was significant (P < 0-05) for the group provided with 1800 sq. cm. per bird than that of group provided with 1350 sq.cm. per bird. Feed consumption progressively increased as the floor space allowance increased and this increase was highly significant (P < 0.01). But/ the differences in feed efficiency among different groups were not statistically significant- Egg weight and other egg quality parameters such as shape Index, shell thickness. Albumen Index, Haugh Unit and Yolk Index were not affected by difference in floor space allowances. Mortality was also not found to be influenced by the difference in floor densities. Though the birds reared with a floor space of 1800 sq.cm. per bird showed higher egg production, the lower feed consumption, numerically higher efficiency of feed conversion and positive returns in terms of economics of production indicated that a floor density of 1350 sq.cm. per bird is more economical for the hybrid layer ILM-90 under Kerala condition.
Effect of sodium sulphate supplementation in broiler diet
(Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2001) Anil, B ; Amritha Viswanath
An investigation was carried out at the Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy to evaluate the effect of supplementation of sodium sulphate in broiler diets devoid of animal protein sources. T•wo hundred and ten, one-day old straight-run commercial broiler chicks were reared for a period of eight weeks under five different dietary treatments. The dietary treatments consisted of control ration (T1) prepared using unsalted dried fish as animal protein source, all vegetable protein diets with the addition of 300 g DL- methionine (T2), anhydrous sodium sulphate at the levels of 200 g (T3), 300 g (T4) and 400 g (T5) in every 100 kg diet. All the rations were formulated as per BIS (1992) specification of nutrients for brpiler chicken. Soybean meal, ground nut cake and gingelly oil cake were used as protein sources in all vegetable protein diet. The chicks were fed with starter diets upto six weeks of age and there after finisher diet up to eight weeks of age. Except for the difference in feed, all the management practices followed were uniform for the different treatment groups. Body weight, body weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency were recorded at fortnightly intervals. At the end of eighth week processing yields and losses, total serum protein and haemoglobin content of blood were recorded. Cost benefit analysis were ascertained for different dietary treatment groups at sixth and eighth weeks of age. Results of the study revealed that the mean cumulative body weight of broiler recorded at sixth week of age did not reveal any significant difference between dietary treatments. But body weight recorded at eighth week of age revealed significant difference (P<0.05) between dietary treatments. Broilers fed with control diet (Tl) recorded the highest (Pweight but is statistically comparable to group fed wi th 0.3 per cent sodium sulphate (T4). Broilers fed all vegetable protein diet with 0.4 per cent sodium sulphate (T4) is statistically comparable to T2, T3 and T5. Similar trend was followed in body weight gain also. Feed intake of broilers in the group fed with 0.2 per cent sodium sulphate (T3) statistically comparable to was the. lowest and was control group protein (Tl) . diet Broilers fed with with all vegetable supplemented methionine (T2) recorded significantly higher feed consumption. The cumulative feed consumption upto eight weeks of age was not affected by either sodium ~ulphate or methionine supplementation. Mean cumulative feed efficiency at sixth week of age recorded significant (P<0.05) difference between treatments. Broilers fed control diet and sodium sulphate supplemented diet recorded better feed efficiency when compared to all vegetable protein diet supplemented with methionine (T2). At eighth week of age cumulative feed efficiency was not affected by supplementation of either sodium sulphate or methionine. Processing yields or losses were not affected by different dietary treatments. Haemoglobin and serum protein were not influenced by dietary treatments. Mortality pattern showed no difference among the five dietary treatment groups. All vegetable protein rations prepared with the addition of either methionine or sodium sulphate had higher price when compared to control ration. Based on this study it was summarized that supplementation of methionine or sodium sulphate in all vegetable protein diet has no deleterious effects on the performance of broilers. Moreover it was revealed that sodium sulphate can be added at 0.2 per cent level in the broiler starter and finisher vegetable protein ration when good quality fish is not available.
Effect of sodium sulphate supplementation in layer diet
(Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1998) Vidhyadharan, P; Amritha Viswanath
An investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of supplementation of sodium sulphate in White Leghorn layer diets devoid of animal protein sources. White Leghorn 'Ft strain pullets of 20 weeks of age were wing banded and randomly distributed to five different dietary treatment groups, each with eight replicates of four birds each. The dietary treatment consisted of control ration (T1) prepared using unsalted dried fish as animal protein source, all vegetable protein diet with the addition of 300 g DL-methionine (T2), all vegetable protein diet with the addition of anhydrous sodium sulphate at the levels of 200 g (T3), 300 g (T4) and 400 g (Ts) in every 100 kg of diet. All the rations were formulated as per BIS (1992) specification of nutrients for layer chicken. Soyabean cake, groundnut cake and gingelly oil cake were used as protein sources in vegetable protein diet. Body weight at 20 and 48 weeks of age, age at sexual maturity, egg production, feed intake, feed efficiency, egg weight, livability and cost-benefit analysis were the major criteria considered for the evaluation. The data were recorded for seven, 28 day periods. There was significant difference in body weight at 48 weeks of age (Player ration (T1) and birds fed with 0.4 per cent sodium sulphate were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those birds fed with 0.3 per cent sodium supplemented diet. But body weight of birds fed with standard layer ration (T1) was comparable with body weight of birds fed with vegetable protein diet having 0.4 per cent sodium sulphate (Ts). Similar trend was followed in egg weight also, with significantly higher egg weight in treatment group fed with 0.4 per cent sodium sulphate (Ts). Egg weight of birds fed with standard layer ration (T1) was comparable with T, (Pand hen-housed egg production and feed efficiency were not affected by the supplementation of Sodium Sulphate. Feed intake showed significant (Ptreatments. The group fed with 0.3 per cent methionine (T2) had significantly lower feed intake in comparison with 0.2 per cent (T3) and 0.3 per cent sodium sulphate (T4) supplemented group. Feed intake of birds fed with control diet (T1) was statistically comparable with all treatment groups except those birds fed with vegetable protein diet with 0.4 per cent sodium sulphate (Ts). Mortality pattern showed no difference among the five dietary treatments tested. All vegetable protein ration prepared with the addition of either methionine or sodium sulphate had higher price when compared with standard layer ration. Based on this study it was surmised that sodium sulphate supplementation did not have any deleterious effect on production performance of White Leghorn layers. So methionine or sodium sulphate can be effectively utilized in formulation of all vegetable layer ration when scarcity of fish occurs.
Efficacy of certain litter materials on broiler performance
(Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1999) Sini Thomas; Amritha Viswanath
An experiment was designed and conducted at the Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy to evaluate the efficacy of different litter materials on the performance of broilers under hot-humid conditions of Kerala. Two hundred and ten, one-day old straight-run commerical broiler chicks were reared for a period of eight weeks. The birds were allotted into five different litter treatment groups, viz., wood shavings (T,) which formed the control group, saw dust (T2), rice husk (T,), coir pith (TJ and paddy chaff (T5), each comprising of three replicates with fourteen birds each. Standard broiler starter and finisher rations were formulated as per BIS (1992) specifications for the broilers. The chicks were reared under standard managemental conditions upto eight weeks of age. Results of the study revealed that body weight and body weight gain were not influenced by different litter treatments throughout the experimental period. Eventhough feed consumption and feed efficiency were influenced by litter materials during the initial periods, there obsno impact for the rest of the experimental period. Processing yields and losses were not affected by different litter treatments. Litter quality parameters like weight of the litter at the beginning and end of the experiment, weekly moisture content, fortnightly ammonia-nitrogen content, nitrogen-phosphorus- potassium content, litter pH and proximate composition of the litter at the beginning, at sixth week and eighth week were significantly different (P<0.01) between different treatment groups. It was observed that eventhough there was significant difference (P<0.05) between treatment groups for mortality by fourth week of age, no significant difference was obtained for all other periods. Cost-benefit analysis revealed that net profit per bird by sixth week and eighth week of age was more for litter materials, viz., saw dust, rice husk, coir pith and paddy chaff than wood shavings. Based on the above findings, it can be concluded that different litter materials, viz., saw dust, rice husk, coir pith and paddy chaff are equally good for broiler raising as wood shavings during the month of January through March in Kerala.
Requirements of protein and energy for broilers during summer season
(Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1992) Amritha Viswanath; Ramakrishnan, A
Utilisation of dried fish waste and fermented fish waste silage in japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) layer ration
(Department of Poultry Science,College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Mannuthy, 2007) Preeta Raghavan; Amritha Viswanath
An experiment was conducted in Japanese quail layers from 7 to 26 weeks of age by 100 per cent replacement of unsalted dried fish with dried fish waste and fermented fish waste silage on protein basis. The objective of the study was to assess the production performance as well as the economics of feed cost over production. One hundred and forty four Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) pullets of 6 weeks of age were randomly allotted to three treatment groups with four replicates of 12 quails each. Quail layer ration containing 10 per cent unsalted dried fish formed control ration (T1). The other two diets were formulated by 100 per cent replacement of unsalted dried fish by dried fish waste (T2) and fermented fish waste silage (T3). The experiment was conducted for five 28- day periods from 7 to 26 weeks of age. Data on meteorological parameters, body weight, body weight gain, egg production, egg quality characteristics, sensory evaluation, livability and economics were the criteria used for evaluation. The body weights in groups T1, T2 and T3 were 189.37, 192.69 and 187.07g at 6 weeks and 213.15, 219.42 and 211.72g at 26 weeks of age respectively. The body weight and body weight gain during observation period for different dietary treatments did not differ significantly (P<0.05). All the birds in treatments viz., T1, T2 and T3 attained sexual maturity at the age of 42.5, 43.3 and 42 days. The age at sexual maturity, the age at 10 and 50 per cent production did not differ significantly (P<0.05) between treatments. The quail housed egg production and quail day egg production were statistically comparable among the treatment groups. The cumulative quail housed number of eggs in the different dietary groups were 77.96, 91.74 and 82.51 respectively. The cumulative quail day number of eggs were 80.57, 92.79 and 85.64 respectively. The overall mean feed consumption per bird per day were 30.89, 31.42 and 31.33g for T1, T2 and T3 respectively. Significantly lower feed consumption was noted in control group (T1). Overall mean feed efficiency were 0.61, 0.65 and 0.67 for treatment groups T1, T2 and T3 respectively. The overall mean egg weight of three dietary treatment groups T1, T2 and T3 were 11.91, 11.97 and 11.80g respectively and did not differ significantly (P<0.05). The cumulative mean egg quality traits such as shape index, albumen index, yolk index, internal quality unit and shell thickness did not differ significantly among the treatment groups. The mean score of sensory evaluation of quail eggs did not differ significantly among different dietary treatment groups. The livability per cent in treatment groups T1, T2 and T3 were 87.5, 85.4 and 70.8 per cent respectively. The cost of feed per egg was Rs.0.54, 0.37 and 0.42 for treatment groups T1, T2 and T3 respectively. Marked reduction in the feed cost was noticed in the diet containing dried fish waste (T2) followed by fermented fish waste silage included diet (T3) The overall evaluation of the study reveals that dried fish waste and fermented fish waste silage could be used economically to replace unsalted dried fish protein completely in Japanese quail layer rations, without any adverse effect on overall performance.