The study aimed to estimate the incidence of bites caused by stray and owned dogs in the population of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia in the period from 1st January 2003 to 31st December 2006. Also, the seasonal influence on dog biting was estimated for the same time period. All data on total, stray and owned dog bites in Belgrade in the analyzed period were obtained from the Institute for Infectious and Tropical Diseases of The Medical School in Belgrade and from the Secretariat for Environmental Protection of the City Assembly of Belgrade. The average annual incidence of bites caused by strays was 95.64 per 100 000 residents; 52.84 per 100 000 residents caused by owned dogs and 148.48 per 100 000 residents caused by both categories of dogs. In this period stray dogs caused a significantly higher (P<0.0001) number of bites to humans than owned dogs. The average value for dog bites was 1507.50±143.57/year for strays and 832.75±211.31/year for owned dogs. The highest average value of total dog bites was observed in the spring months in 2005 (263.67±28.01), as well in the spring months (497.33 ± 36.53) for two consecutive years (2005 and 2006). From the aspect of dog bites our results point to the following risk factors for residents in the Belgrade area: the first is the population of stray dogs without owners and the second is the population of irresponsible and uneducated owners of dogs

In order to investigate the effects of substitution of fish meal with fresh and dried housefly larvae (Musca domestica L) on productive performance and health status of broilers a study was conducted on a poultry farm in the vicinity of Belgrade. Two hundred Hybro-G broilers, of both sexes, originating from the same parent flock, of standardized body mass, were divided into four equal experimental groups. The experiment lasted 42 days. The control group (C) was fed standard diets. The broilers of the first and second experimental groups (O-I and O-II) were fed diets in which 50%, and 100%, fish meal had been substituted with housefly larvae meal (HLM). The third experimental group (O-III) was fed diets without fish meal, but supplemented with no fresh larvae in special feeders. The chemical analysis showed that dehydrated HLM contained 59.48% dry matter (DM) protein; whereas fresh larvae, prepared by a special technological method, contained 59.10% DM protein; whereas fish meal contained 67.39% DM protein. Viewed in total, the obtained productive results for the experimental groups (O-I, O-II, O-III) were approximately the same as those for the control group (C); whereas the results obtained per phase show statistically significant differences, due to the influence of the applied treatments (p<0.05; p<0.01). The fresh and dehydrated larvae, used as substitutes for fish meal, had a positive effect on productive performance and health status of broilers, which provides a good possibility for using them in diets intended for feeding broilers

The research was performed to determine the nutritive value of raw earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) and dried earthworm powder, or earthworm meal (EM). In addition, the effects of a diet in which fi sh meal was substituted with EM or fresh earthworms on the health and productive performance of broilers were monitored. The experiment, which lasted 42 days, was conducted on one hundred Hybro G broilers divided into four equal groups. The control group was fed a standard feed, whereas, the fi rst and the second one were given diets in which 50% or 100% of fi sh meal had been substituted with EM. The third experimental group received no fi sh meal but was given fresh earthworms ad libitum. The results of chemical analyses showed that earthworm meal contained 41.42% proteins (in dry matter) and satisfactory amounts of amino acids. Microbiological examination and tests for heavy metals suggest that earthworm meal and fresh earthworms did not contain heavy metals and harmful bacteria. Therefore, these feeds may be considered suitable for chickens. In the experiment as a whole no statistically signifi cant difference (p>0.05) was observed in the productive performance between the experimental groups of broiler chickens. These results suggest that dehydrated earthworm meal can be an adequate substitute for fi sh meal in the broilers' feed.Key words: broilers, earthworm meal, nutrition, performance INTRODUCTIONOrganic waste processing with earthworms -vermicomposting -has become very popular lately. During this process, besides a high-quality organic fertilizer (humus), a great amount of earthworm biomass is obtained. Either fresh or dried, this can serve as an alternative source of high-quality proteins for non-ruminants (fattening poultry, Unauthenticated Download Date | 5/10/18 2:23 PM Acta Veterinaria-Beograd 2015, 65 (2), 271-286 272 pigs and fi sh) [1][2][3][4][5][6]. By means of extraction as much as 25 to 50% of their need in proteins can be satisfi ed with EM.The red earthworm, Lumbricus rubellus, contains more protein per unit of dry matter than soy bean or sunfl ower pellets, but less than fi sh meal [1,7], dehydrated housefl y larvae [8] and maggot meal [9]. The dominant essential amino acid in fresh earthworms was histidin and in earthworm meal isoleucine [10]. Among the non-essential amino acids the most common was glutamic acid both in fresh earthworms and earthworm meal.Due to their relatively high fat content compared to other feeds, red earthworms represent a rich source of energy if dry matter content is taken into consideration [4,7,11,12]. Research revealed that the lipid content in earthworms varies between 1% and 20% in dry matter and is of a composition similar to that of fi sh oil. More than 70 fatty acids can be extracted from earthworm meal [13]. Earthworms lipid fatty acid composition depends on their nutrition and season when they were collected.Fresh earthworms and EM are readily consumed by broilers [2,6,7]. Feeding experiments confi rmed that EM is a good source of protein for chickens [4...

The goal of the work was to investigate the physical and chemical characteristics of the meat of broilers fed with mixtures in which fishmeal had been replaced with fresh earthworms and worm meal. The experiment was carried out on 100 day-old chickens of both sexes, Hybro provenance, divided into 4 groups, 25 broilers each. The experiment lasted for 42 days and had three phases: the first lasted for 3 weeks, the second 2 weeks and the third 1 week. The control group of broilers were fed with complete feed for chickens for fattening, of standard fiber and chemical composition, while I and II experimental groups were fed with mixture in which fishmeal had been replaced by worm meal in an amount of 50 and 100 %, and III experimental group obtained a mixture with no fishmeal, but fresh, chopped earthworms ad libitum instead, from the 1st day to the end of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, on the 42nd day, the broilers were transported to a slaughterhouse. After individual weighing they were slaughtered, and primary processing and cooling of the carcasses were performed. Then the carcasses were cut up to the main parts and the breast samples were taken for examining the physical and sensory properties of the meat. The results of the investigation have shown that there was no difference in physical properties (colour, pH) of the breast meat (p>0.05) among the experimental groups. The breast meat sample ranking has shown that the E-II group samples were rated as the most acceptable while the least acceptable were the meat samples of the control group as well as of the group fed with food in which fishmeal was completely replaced with fresh earthworms.