An Analytical Study of the Outcomes and Impacts of Religious Education of Pakistan, the Challenges and Opportunities

This study focuses on the impact of Religious Education in Pakistan at individual and collective levels. The research discusses the educational basis for the study of religion and analyzes the contribution of religious education towards the intellectual growth of individuals. The study raises few questions regarding religious education in Pakistan such as; why has our education system been divided into religious and secular education system. Whether the existing religious education is able to create a linkage between religion and society or not, if not what are the areas which need to be focused. What are the possibilities of sidelining the religious education and what could be its effects. The research focuses on the aims and objectives or religious education in Pakistan by analyzing the nature of curriculums of religious education at various levels. This study highlights the deficiency of the inclusion of the teachings of other religions in our religious education. The research consists of a current survey of the said topic, some findings and conclusions on the issue and few recommendations as well.

Carcass Quality and Physiological Response of Broilers Affected by Crating, Transportation and Climate Indices

A study was conducted to determine the impact of transportation distance and crating density, on live losses, meat quality and physiological response of broilers in winter and summer season. ROSS-308 broilers (straight run; body weight 1900-2050g; age: 35 day) were divided into nine treatment groups based on three transportation distances (80, 160, and 240 km) under three crating densities (10, 12, and 15 birds/crate). Each treatment was replicated 10 times with individually tagged birds in each crate placed at various locations in the truck. The birds were transported in commercial trucks (capacity 144 crates) in loose plastic crates (Engi Plastic Industries Pvt. Ltd., Sundar, Lahore-Pakistan) having a dimension of 0.91 m (length) × 0.55 m (width) × 0.30 m (height). The 1st experiment was conducted during the winter season at 3.6 – 9.5ºC temperature and 63.3 – 78.8% relative humidity, while the 2nd experiment, conducted during the summer season, 27.2 – 33.6ºC temperature and 52.7 – 62.9 % relative humidity were observed during transportation. Upon reaching the slaughtering point, data were collected for rectal temperature (oF), body weight loss % and mortality %. The birds were then slaughtered and dressed to observe injuries %, bruises % (leg, breast, wing), carcass cut-up yield % and morphometric measurements. Breast meat quality parameters including pH, color, drip loss, shear force (N/cm2), marination uptake and retention, cooking losses and yield were also studied. Blood was collected during slaughtering and serum was extracted to evaluate blood metabolites, including serum total proteins (g/dL), albumin (g/dL), globulin (g/dL), calcium (mg/dL), creatinine (mg/dL), cholesterol (mg/dL), glucose (mg/dL), triglycerides (mg/dL), uric acid (mg/dL), Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxine (T4), and catalase activity. Meat oxidation parameters, including meat total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were also measured. In experiment 1 (winter season), Body weight loss increased significantly (P<0.05) with the increase in transportation distance and number of birds per crate, whereas dead on arrival, physical injuries and bruises were not different (P>0.05) among different treatments. Significant reduction in carcass and breast yield was observed with the increase in transportation distance, whereas an increase in crating density above 12 birds per crated resulted in increase (P<0.05) in breast yield. Birds transported for 240 km had the highest serum catalase activity and the lowest rectal body temperature as compared to rest of the treatments. Similarly, increase in crating density resulted in gradual increase (P<0.05) in thyroxine concentration and reduction in rectal temperature. In blood metabolites, serum glucose, albumin and uric acid concertation increased significantly above 160 km transportation, but serum triglyceride contents decreased. Whereas, increase in crating density resulted in significant increase in serum glucose, triglyceride and calcium contents. Regarding meat quality characteristics, birds transported up to 240 km had significantly higher ultimate pH, lower drip loss, meat redness and chroma as compared to those transported for 80 and 160 km. An increase in transportation distance resulted in a significant decrease in marinade uptake along with an increase in marinade retention and cooking yield. The birds transported for 160 km had significantly higher meat shear force as compared to rest of the treatments. Among different crating densities, transportation with 10 birds per crate resulted in significantly higher ultimate pH, redness, marinade retention, and cooking yield. Similarly, transportation at 15 birds per crate resulted in significantly higher lightness, hue, cooking loss, and shear force as compared to rest of the treatments. Transportation distance and crating density did not affect meat total phenolic contents, flavonoid contents and meat thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. In experiment 2 (summer season), a significant increase in body weight loss and dead on arrival (%) was observed with each level increase in transportation distance and increase of crating density above 12 birds per crate. The longer journey (160 km and above) and higher crating density (above 12 birds/crate) was associated with significantly higher catalase activity and lower carcass and breast yield. Blood glucose, triglyceride and calcium level decreases while uric acid and creatinine level increases with the increase in transportation distance. Similarly increasing crating density resulted in an increase in serum total protein contents and decreases creatine contents. However, physical injuries, bruises, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), albumin, globulin, cholesterol contents remained unaffected from transportation distance, crating density or their interaction. Similarly, meat pH observed at 2 hour (h) postmortem (PM) was significantly higher in birds transported for 80 and 160 km as compared to those transported up to 240 km while meat pH 24 h PM was higher in birds transported up to 160 km as compared to rest of the treatments, but no effect of different crating densities were observed. Losses from meat such as drip loss, thaw loss, cooking loss in raw and marinated breast and meat shear force were significantly higher in birds transported up to 240 km as compared to rest of the treatments, while birds in this treatment showed lowest marinade retention. An increase in crating density also increased drip, thaw, and cooking losses and meat shear force. Meat lightness (L*) increased significantly with the increase in transportation distance and crating density. Whereas, remaining meat color parameters remained unaffected by both treatments. Meat thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) also increase significantly with the increase in transportation distance and crating density. The distance × density interaction was significant in drip loss, thaw loss, raw breast shear force and marinated breast cooking yield. Thus, an inference could be drawn that a traveling distance up to 80 km has the least economic losses associated with live body weight shrinkage and mortality. The per bird crating density during winter season should be 12 birds or higher, while during summer season transportation, above 10 birds per crate will increase economic and qualitative losses. During winter season transportation, meat has darker color, but better cooking yield. While the summer transportation not only increases losses due to body weight shrinkage and mortality, it is also associated with poor meat quality, higher drip losses and relatively higher susceptibility to oxidation.