ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In the current Iranian poultry industry, antibiotics are the most frequently used additive in poultry feeds to increase productivity. The negative effects on human health, resulting from the consumption of chicken whose feeds contain antibiotics, makes finding an appropriate alternative of great importance. As a result of their nature, herbal extracts could be specifically considered for this purpose.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to find an appropriate and harmless feed additive to increase the quality and quantity of poultry eggs.
METHODS: A completely randomized design including 4 treatments, 4 replications and 4 birds in each experimental unit was applied. Herbal extracts were added to drinking water of treatments in ratio of 1:1000, with the control group containing no additives in their water. The number and weight of produced eggs were measured on a daily basis, feed consumption on weekly basis and the egg quality, yolk cholesterol, hatchability and intestinal bacterial population were measured at the end of experiment after 8 weeks.
RESULTS: Herbal extract treatments showed no overall effect on quality and quantity of produced eggs in comparison with control; however, the thyme and garlic extracts reduced the cholesterol of serum and yolk relative to the control. Herbal extracts did not significantly affect the hatchability of fertile eggs. The herbal extracts caused a significant decrease in the intestinal bacterial population of laying quails.
CONCLUSIONS: The garlic extract had the most decreasing effect on the cholesterol of serum and egg yolk. Furthermore, thyme extract had the most decreasing effect on the intestinal bacterial population.
ABSTRACT
Use of different estrus synchronization protocols and artificial insemination methods made variations in fecundity of Iranian Zell ewes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate pregnancy and lambing rates in Zell breed ewes following diverse progesterone treatment durations, eCG treatment doses and artificial insemination by transvaginal and/or laparoscopy methods. 180 cyclic, multiparous Iranian Zell ewes 45.5 +/- 2.5kg, were used in this experiment. The ewes were allocated randomly to 3 different groups [n = 60]. Estrus was synchronized using CIDR for 10 [A group], 12 [B group] and 14 [C group] days. At CIDR removal time, the ewes in each group was assigned into 3 subgroups [n = 20 and received eCG [0, 400 and 500 IU], respectively. 54 hours after CIDR removal, the ewes in each subgroup was randomly divided into 2 equal groups [n=10] and inseminated by transvaginal and laparoscopy, respectively. While combination of eCG treatment and CIDR removal increased pregnancy rate in all groups, the number of estrus have been augmented only in A and B groups. The artificial insemination by laparoscopy method made higher pregnancy and lambing rate compared to transvaginal technique. 500 IU eCG administration simultaneous with CIDR removal and artificial insemination by laparoscopy exhibited the best performance for pregnancy and lambing rate in Iranian Zell ewes