Our study, which investigates the factors affecting milk yield at metabolic and oxidative stress levels in Holstein breed cows raised in Aksaray Region, is the first at the regional level. It was aimed to perform biochemical and antioxidant screenings according to milk yield levels in healthy Holstein cows raised in the province, and thus, together with the determination of general metabolic parameters, the differences in total antioxidant and total oxidant levels according to milk yield were investigated. Glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and calcium were analysed from blood samples taken from Holstein cows that have been determined to be healthy, in milk yield age in a province’ s enterprises were analysed by using commercial test kits in a semi-analyser device. Total antioxidant and total oxidant levels were analysed spectrophotometrically with commercial kits. Statistical analysis was made with Basic Statistics Xs Display Descriptive Statistics in Minitab 16 ready-made package program. Biochemical parameters studied in sera obtained from 5 different groups from the lowest to the highest were found to be statistically significant with a positive correlation. Total oxidant level, total antioxidant level and oxidative stress indices, in which the general oxidant status was screened, were found to be correlated with milk yield in proportion to the intense metabolic and physiological status of the animals and were found to be significant. With this study, the data obtained by eliminating a deficiency in this field both contribute to the literature knowledge in the scientific area and provide useful knowledge in the field.

This study compared egg quality parameters in layers under free-range system with prefabricated pens and backyard while emphasizing hen age. A total of 300 eggs collected from prefabricated pens and backyard farming families in the Çamardı District of Niğde Province were used as study materials. The assessed external and internal egg quality characteristics included egg weight, shape index, shell thickness, shell breaking strength, albumen index, Haugh unit, yolk index, and yolk colour. The effect of production system on albumen index, Haugh unit, and yolk colour score was found statistically significant. There was a significant effect of age on shape index, shell thickness, shell breaking strength, albumen index, Haugh Unit, yolk index, and yolk colour score. The effect of interaction between age and production system was statistically significant for shape index, shell thickness, yolk index, Haugh Unit, and yolk colour score. It was determined that the egg`s meat and blood spots percentages from the free-range and backyard systems were 10.6% and 15.3%, respectively. It was concluded that while eggs produced from free-range system are superior in terms of egg weight, shape index, and Haugh unit those obtained from backyard hens are higher in eggshell thickness, eggshell breaking strength, and egg yolk colour.

To improve hen welfare, several studies have investigated various environmental enrichments that suit different laying hen production systems. The positive results of these studies can enable such environmental enrichments to be utilized in commercial laying hen production. This paper reviewed the effects of environmental enrichments in different laying hen production systems on hen welfare and egg quality. The successfully proven environmental enrichments in free-range production system include forage, shelterbelt, and artificial shade in outdoor area and novel objects and H-shaped perching structures in indoor. These are associated with increased range use that positively affects hen welfare. In aviary system, perches, and litter materials (e.g., straw, sand) as environmental enrichments are linked to improved behavioral expression, reduced stress, and enhanced immune system. Under the litter system, environmental enrichment with substrates (e.g., pecking stones, alfalfa blocks, silage, straw, barley) has been found to increase the foraging behavior of laying hens. This reduces severe feather pecking thus, improving the plumage condition of hens. Although the effects of environmental enrichments on hen welfare have been assessed and scientifically proven in the reviewed studies, significant progress of their impact on egg quality traits has not been reported. The studies have shown that environmental enrichments have no significant effect on egg quality traits. Also, appropriate pasture or plant species as environmental enrichments in free-range production system in relation to hen welfare and egg quality have not been identified. Therefore, it is important to continue studies on environmental enrichments while emphasizing their influence on egg quality since it is a major performance trait in the egg industry. In addition, there is a need for studies to identify ideal pasture or plant species for free-range production system that positively affects hen welfare and egg quality.

In this study, Hubbard Red JA57 genotype, which growing slowly in mixed sex, were examined in indoor (KYS) and free-range raising systems (SYS). The study was carried out at the Kahramanmaraş Sutcu Imam University (KSU), Animal Production Application and Research Center for 12 weeks. Each treatment was represented by 3 groups containing 28 male chick (total 168 chick). During the indoor treatment, the chicks were raised in floor pens in a conventional house (3.7 birds/m2). In the free-range treatment, the chickens were housed in a similar indoor house (3.7 birds/m2); in addition, they also had a free-range clover paddock (0.9 bird/m2). All birds were provided with the same diets as ad-libitum. In two different raising systems; live weight, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, survival rate, carcass and parts rates, edible giblets weight and rates, testicular weights and rates, rectal temperature and tonic immobility were examined. Results showed that the weekly feed conversion ratio was found to be significant at the 11th week and the additive feed conversion ratio at the 12th week. The difference between the groups in terms of rectal temperature and tonic immobility values, testicular weights and rates were found to be significant. In terms of average interaction; While the average rates of hot carcass, cold carcass, back, breast meat and neck were the same, the averages of thigh, bony breast and wing ratios were different. The highest mean abdominal fat rate was found in KYS females, the highest average gizzard rate in SYS females, the highest mean liver in KYS females, and the highest heart weight in SYS males.

Honey bee queen quality is a critical factor of colony performance. Indications of such qualities can manifest themselves through morphological traits such as wet weight and thorax width. Improving such characteristics is driven in part by nutritional provision in queen-cell-builder hives. We investigated the potential to improve queen quality by adding coenzyme Q10 (endogenous antioxidant) and caffeine (central nervous system stimulator) to feeder syrup in queen-cell-builder colonies for 15 and 20 days prior to grafting, two sets of queens were reared. We recorded subsequent wet weight, body length, head width and length, thorax and wing width and length, and spermathecae diameter. The queen-cell acceptance rate was not affected by either treatment or graft period. Coenzyme Q10 increased wet weight, body and wing length in the first graft, and thorax width, wing length and spermathecae diameter in the second graft. The caffeine treatment increased head and thorax length in first graft and thorax width in the second. A mix of the two substances (coenzyme Q10 and caffeine) increased head width in the first graft and spermathecae diameter in the second graft. This study suggests that the application of coenzyme Q10 to cell-builder colonies at least 15 days prior to grafting can increase reared wet weight (the most significant quality indicator) and thorax width of queen bees.

Spiders are one of the groups that best adapted to terrestrial life among in invertebrates and are represented by approximately 48,000 species in the world. Although all spiders do not weave webs, the webs of spiders are literally a work of art. The main reason for spider web weaving is hunting. Some spider species live in the nature dependent on the own web, while others continue to live without being dependent on the own web. Although basic taxonomic features generally remain unchanged, some spider-silk weaving apparatus may undergo adaptive variations. In this study, the web structure of the weaving web spider, Argiope bruennichi (Scopoli, 1772) and the structural organization of the web weaving apparatus was observed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The web structure of A. bruennichi, spinnerets especially posterior spinneret and arrangement of its spigots are shown and discussed in the light of the literature.

Marketplace waste collection is one of the crucial services provided by the district municipalities in Turkey. A significant amount of food waste is periodically collected from marketplaces. However, an important opportunity for recycling and mitigation climate change is missed because these waste are sent to landfills. Composting, one of the waste management technologies applied to organic waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and produce compost, is often preferred for the management of marketplace waste. This study aims to determine suitable locations for compost facilities to manage marketplace waste with the help of GIS considering economic, environmental, and topographic factors in Izmir, Turkey. There are 199 marketplaces in Izmir and each has at least one market a week. Each marketplace was weighted by means of population served by using location-allocation analysis since the amount of waste collected from the marketplaces is not known. First, an exclusion analysis was performed to remove limited use areas. Then, a preference analysis was performed. Factors affecting plant site selection process for composting marketplace waste, including marketplace locations and weights, were determined. Since all factors do not have equal importance, the analytical hierarchy process was used to determine weights for each factor based on their influence. The study area was spatially evaluated for each preference factor and a suitability map was created for each factor. Finally, a high-resolution final suitability map was obtained by combining each factor’s suitability map along with their weights. Areas with a suitability index greater than 80% have been defined as suitable areas for compost facility installation. The results indicate that there are 323 potential locations suitable for compost facilities in Izmir.

A research was carried out to assess the suitability of surface water for irrigation purposes. For this reason, 56 samples of surface water were collected from each union of Dinajpur sadar upazilla, Dinajpur. The analysis was included pH, EC, TDS, Ca, Mg, S, P, Na, K, Cl- and HCO3- to evaluate the suitability of surface water for irrigation purposes. Almost all the water samples were within the recommended pH value for irrigation and a great impact on crop production. With respect to electrical conductivity (EC) samples were low to medium salinity. For total dissolved solids (TDS), all samples were considered as freshwater for irrigation. On the basis of Ca, Mg, S, P, Na, K, Cl- and HCO3- all samples could safely be used for irrigation and would not affect the soils.

This study examined farmers’ level of use of climate change adaptation strategies across selected agro-ecological zones in Nigeria. Edo and Ondo States were selected for the study with three major agro-ecological zones. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used. The correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between year of education and level of use of adaptation strategies (r = 0.15, P = 0.02). The result of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed that significant differences existed in most of the adaptation strategies employed except planting different varieties (F = 1.672, P = 0.190), intercropping (F = 0.646, P = 0.525), crop rotation (F = 2.436, P = 0.090) and migration to different sites (F = 0.661, P = 0.517). The study recommended that the issue of climate change should not be taken lightly by all stakeholders as its effect differs among various agro-ecological zones.

This study established an efficient in vitro callus formation and plant regeneration protocol for a prevıously reported Cu accumulator, Brassica nigra, black mustard collected from Diyarbakir (Station site). Node explants from 10-day old mature plants were used for callus formation and shoot regeneration. The highest callus formation frequency (100%) was observed on Murasige Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.1 mg/L Benzylaminopurine (BAP) + 0.5 mg/L Naphthylacetic acid (NAA) (MS 2), 0.6 mg/L BAP + 0.2 mg/L NAA (MS 7), the highest shoot regeneration frequency (100%) was achieved on MS medium containing 0.6 mg/L BAP + 0.05 mg/L Indole butyric acid (IBA) (MS 8), 0.2 mg/L IBA + 0.2 mg/L NAA (MS 10) and the highest number of shoots per explant (3,25) was obtained on MS medium supplemented 0.6 mg/L BAP + 0.05 mg/L IBA (MS 8). After root, stem, and leaf formation from explants in MS medium, these plants were transferred to soil and grown in the plant growth room for one month. A dependable and effective shoot regeneration procedure was developed, laying the groundwork for genetic transformation in Brassica nigra.