Aim: This study aimed to contribute to the productivity improvement of the local chickens by enhancing their egg production traits using a crossbreeding program between Alexandria (local strain) and Lohmann White (commercial strain). Materials and Methods: One thousand two-hundred and eighty-five 4-week-old chicks from two strains: Alexandria local strain (AA) and Lohmann White commercial strain (LL) and their reciprocal crosses obtained from 16 males and 160 females, were used to produce four genetic groups (AA, LL, AL, and LA). Differences among genotypes, direct additive, heterosis, and reciprocal effects were investigated regarding the following traits: Body weight at 4 and 8 weeks and at the age of sexual maturity, age at sexual maturity, egg production, average egg weight, and egg mass during the first 90 days of laying. Results: Statistically significant effects of the genotypes were observed on traits studied. Analysis of direct additive effects showed that AA was superior as a sire strain for improving body weight at early age. For egg traits (age at sexual maturity, egg production, average egg weight, and egg mass), LL was better as a sire strain to improve these traits. Significant positive heterosis percentages were observed for body weight. The crosses (AL and reciprocal) were significantly superior in egg traits (egg production, average egg weight, and egg mass) compared to the local strain. The cross (LA) laid significantly earlier than the local strain. Analysis of reciprocal effects cleared that the local strain could be used as a strain of dam to improve body weight and egg traits. Conclusion: Crossing improved egg production, egg weight, and egg mass in hybrids compared to the local strain.

As the construction industry grows, it produces large volumes of construction waste, which has a tremendous environmental impact and generates public concern in the neighbouring towns. The construction industry generates a significant volume of waste and faces a challenge with poor construction waste minimisation in order to prevent adverse environmental and dumping impacts worldwide. In developing countries, regional waste management systems have increased problems. Environmental pollution (air, water, and soil) and human health issues are caused by waste produced in a country as a result of different cultural, social, and religious activities. Prior studies were reviewed to choose dimensions and items for the data gathering instrument. A pilot test was conducted to identify potential questionnaire adjustments, and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). A total of 220 Malaysian construction professionals answered the survey, which yielded the results. Five hypotheses have direct correlations based on the findings, three of which have a significant effect. Furthermore, the findings reveal that policy-related factors mediate the relationship between improving factors and sustainable construction waste minimisation. In contrast, they did not mediate the relationship between current practices/generation and sustainable construction waste management. The established framework can help improve construction waste management and help achieve global sustainable development goals. The data reveal that adopting preventive plans to reduce construction waste is one of the most important aspects of enhancing profitability. This study could aid construction industry players in evaluating waste management components during the construction and design stages of a building project.

Aim:This research was conducted to determine the most affecting parameters on hatchability of indigenous and improved local chickens’ eggs.Materials and Methods:Five parameters were studied (fertility, early and late embryonic mortalities, shape index, egg weight, and egg weight loss) on four strains, namely Fayoumi, Alexandria, Matrouh, and Montazah. Multiple linear regression was performed on the studied parameters to determine the most influencing one on hatchability.Results:The results showed significant differences in commercial and scientific hatchability among strains. Alexandria strain has the highest significant commercial hatchability (80.70%). Regarding the studied strains, highly significant differences in hatching chick weight among strains were observed. Using multiple linear regression analysis, fertility made the greatest percent contribution (71.31%) to hatchability, and the lowest percent contributions were made by shape index and egg weight loss.Conclusion:A prediction of hatchability using multiple regression analysis could be a good tool to improve hatchability percentage in chickens.

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Researchers are trying to boost the immune system of poultry birds through the use of natural immune-stimulants including bee venom. There is a scarcity in literature about the use of bee venom for in ovo injection studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of in ovo injection of two levels of freeze-dried bee venom (BV) (10 and 20 µg/egg) into eggs of Alexandria breeder hens at 18-day of incubation on the hatchability percentage, hatching weight per egg weight, and immune response of the young chickens. The doses of BV used in the current work were based on a pilot trial obtained directly before the main experiment of this work. A total number of 900 fertile eggs at day 18 of incubation were used in this study. Eggs were weighed and randomly allocated into three experimental groups as: control (C), low dose of BV and high dose of BV with 300 eggs each. Results showed that inovo injection with 10 µg/egg BV significantly increased hatchability percentage (89.45%) over the control (87.5%) and 20 µg/egg BV (77.73%). The highest relative chick weight was observed with eggs of control group followed by lower and higher dose of BV groups. The increase of dose has reduction effect on the relative chick weight. The total protein and albumin values decrease significantly (P≤0.001) in 10 and 20 µg BV/egg groups compared to control group. Results for triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) concentrations of chick's blood at hatch showed that in-ovo injection of BV decrease significantly both of T3 and T4 concentrations in Alexandria chick serum at hatch. In addition, results of showed that the spleen relative weight increased significantly in 20 BV dose in-ovo group compared to control group. Also, the same trend was observed with bursa relative weight compared to the control group. In conclusion, the in-ovo injection with 10 µg BV/egg resulted in better hatchability percentage with Alexandria breeder eggs.