The nutritional value of khesari (Lathyrus sativus), a grain legume, was determined for growing and laying pullets. Chemical analyses indicated khesari to be high in crude protein (,2-g/kg) and low in fat (+,.* g/kg) with estimated true metabolizable energy concentration of +,.* MJ/kg. Four hundred Shaver /13 brown pullets belonging to same source were randomly assigned to. dietary treatments with +** pullets each. Least-cost isocaloric and isonitrogenous diet containing raw khesari at *, +**, +/* or ,** g/kg were formulated and fed to grower and pullet developer birds separately during +,ῌ+2 weeks and +3ῌ,, weeks respectively. This was followed by feeding layer diets during ,-ῌ-. weeks of age. The performance of grower chicks during +,ῌ+2 wks of age showed no significant e#ect on body weight gain and FCR but feed intake increased linearly (Pῌ *.*/) and di#ered significantly when the dietary level of raw khesari was ,** g/kg. On the other hand, during +3ῌ,, weeks, the birds showed increased body weight gain and feed intake and improved FCR (Pῌ*.*+) when they consumed the highest level of khesari (,** g/kg). Layer performance in terms of egg production, egg mass and FCR were declined as the dietary levels of khesari was increased showing a clear-cut linear e#ect. It was concluded from the study that khesari supported growth performance in pullets either similar to or better than the control birds at the levels tested and that it is well tolerable for layers up to +/* g/kg dietary level without experiencing any remarkable deleterious e#ects. Khesari did not show any symptoms typical to lathyrism in both grower and layer birds at the levels tested.
Repeatability for seminal traits and their phenotypic relationships with testes measurements and performance traits in Black Bengal bucks were estimated from a total of 116 repeated observations on 15 young Black Bengal bucks. Performance traits included age, body condition and body weight of bucks. Testes measurements were testes length, breadth and volume, and scrotal circumference, while seminal traits were ejaculate volume, semen density, mass activity, sperm motility, sperm concentration, total sperm per ejaculation and percent of normal sperm. High positive correlations (ranging from 0.81 to 0.90) were found between body weight and testes measurements. Semen volume and percent of normal sperm were positively correlated with age, body condition and body weight of bucks (ranging from 0.24 to 0.60). The testes measurements were strongly and positively correlated with semen volume and total sperm per ejaculation (ranging from 0.53 to 0.61), while the correlations between testes measurement and percent of normal sperm were moderate (ranging from 0.34 to 0.44). Among seminal traits, strong correlations were found between semen volume and total sperm per ejaculation (0.81) and, between mass activity and sperm motility (0.82). Repeatability of ejaculate volume was higher (r = 0.78) which indicated that selection or culling for semen ejaculate volume could be practiced from single or few observations. It could be concluded that bucks’ age, body weight and body condition along with testes volume should be considered as selection criteria for improving semen quality and semen production of breeding bucks. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v37i2.9879 BJAS 2008; 37(2): 34-41
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