• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.249-254
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• 2016

It is imperious to know the reproductive parameters of the subsisting swine breed for profitable farming in Bangladesh. This study was designed to compare the reproductive parameters of sows at hilly areas between the local and crossbred at farm and backyard level. A total of 116 breedable sows were included. The data on age at puberty, litter size, birth weight, weaning weight, gestation length, interval between farrowing and number of piglets born per sow in local and crossbred sows were determined and direct questionnaire method was used for data collection. The present study revealed that age at puberty between farm and backyard system of crossbred sows was $8.88{\pm}0.153$ and $9.85{\pm}0.221$ months, respectively. The farrowing interval was shorter in crossbred sows which were kept in farming system rather than backyard system. The interval between farrowing and onset of estrus was shorter in crossbred sows. The gestation length was almost similar between backyard and farm condition. The number of litter size per sow per farrowing was $8.45{\pm}0.41$ in crossbred and $7.17{\pm}0.250$ in local pigs at backyard system. The birth weight and weaning weight were more in farm conditions than backyard system. The age at puberty in local breed was lower than the crossbred and litter size was $8.45{\pm}0.407$ in crossbred which was higher than local breed $7.17{\pm}0.250$ in backyard system. These results suggest that reproductive parameters of local sow need to be improved for better production and crossbred sows should be reared for obtaining desired productivity.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.763-768
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• 2012

The objective of this study was undertaken to investigate changes in fatty acid profile of breast and thigh muscle of old laying hens as transferred from cage to backyard raising system and to provide basic information on using old laying hens to producers for environmental managements. Overall, percentages of unsaturated fatty acid obtained from breast and thigh muscle with cage and backyard raising system are the most abundant, followed by saturated fatty acid. For breast muscle, there were no differences (P>0.05) between cage rearing system and backyard raising system in saturated fatty acid (SFA) and mono unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA). Poly unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and PUFA:SFA ratios were significantly higher in backyard raising systems in comparison with cage rearing systems (P<0.05). No differences (P>0.05) were detected between both rearing systems for MUFA, PUFA, and PUFA:SFA ratios with thigh muscles. SFA in thigh muscle was significantly (P<0.05) higher in cage rearing systems compared with backyard raising systems. In conclusion, using breast and thigh muscle meats from old laying hens as functional foods or investigating impact assessment on the improvement of farm management system may serve as a good management practice to encourage producers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.189-197
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• 2003

Soluble glass bolus with selenium (Se), copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co) was administered intraruminally to Philippine grazing does fed under backyard farming conditions to determine its effect on blood mineral status. Forty-five does were dosed with SGB intraruminally every 6 months, whereas 15 were without SGB during this experimental period of 10 months. Blood of does in both treatment groups were collected every other month and blood Se, plasma Cu, Ca, P and Mg were determined in this study. All does did not show clinical Se, Cu, Ca, P or Mg deficiency during this experimental period. Selenium concentration of treated does increased (p<0.01) after beginning of this experiment, whereas the level of control does decreased slowly (p<0.01). Two months after SGB administration, all treated does had higher blood Se than the lower limit of $20{\mu}g/l$ suggested by NRC (1981), whereas some control does had lower blood Se concentration than the lower limit of $20{\mu}g/l$. On the other hand, plasma Cu concentration of treated does started to increase more remarkably than control does 4 months after this experiment had started although the difference was insignificant. There were no significant differences between plasma Ca, P or Mg concentration of does in both treatment groups. Soluble glass bolus had no harmful effects on plasma macro mineral concentrations of grazing does. This study showed that SGB was available as mineral supplement to improve imbalances of selected mineral of grazing goats in the traditional backyard conditions in Luzon Island, Philippines.