[ effect of detoxification of aflatoxin-contaminated corn grain using thyme aqueous extract on performance and total blood protein of Japanese quail]

Background: In nature, there are herbal extracts, while capable of reducing aflatoxin B1 in agricultural product by different mechanisms, may also act as growth promoters

Objectives: In this study, aqueous extract of T. daenensis was evaluated to detoxify contaminated feed with aflatoxin B1 and to determine the effect of growth promoters in Japanese quail

METHODS: To this purpose, at 24 d of age, quails were separated by sex and 80 male quails were randomly divided into experimental units with equal weight and number. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1. basal diet [B], 2. B + AFB1 [500 g/kg of feed], 3. B + aqueous extract of T. daenensis [2000 mg/kg of feed], 4. B + AFB1 [500 g/kg of feed] + aqueous extract of T. daenensis [2000 mg/kg of feed]. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and serum total protein were determined at day 45

Results: The results showed that aflatoxin significantly decreased feed intake, body weight gain and total blood protein but increased FCR [p<0.05]. The extract significantly increased feed intake and body weight gain, but decreased FCR [p<0.05]. The extract did not have any effect on total blood protein. There was an interaction effect between aflatoxin and extract [p<0.05], so that feed intake, body weight gain, FCR and total blood protein were improved in birds offered diet with aflatoxin and extract

Conclusions: According to the study, the extract has improved the performance in birds and the negative effect of aflatoxin on performance was significantly decreased in birds offered diet with the extract

[Effect of essential oils and extracts of Satureja macrosiphon and Satureja khozistanica on mycelial growth and aflatoxin B1 production in Aspergillus flavus]

Background: The hazardous nature of aflatoxins to human and animals necessitate the establishment of control measures

Objectives: The effect of two medicinal plants, Satureja khozistanica and Satureja macrosiphon, was studied on inhibiting Aspergillus flavus growth and reducing aflatoxin B1-content in the liquid medium

Methods: Essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation method, using a Clevenger-type apparatus. Various extracts of plant materials were macerated with various extraction solvents [ethanol, ethanol70% and water extracts]. Essential oils [0, 62/5, 125, 250, 375 and 500 mg/l] and various extracts [0, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 6000 mg/l] of S. khozistanica and S. macrosiphon were examined for reducing A. flavus growth and it's AFB1-content in the liquid medium. Amount of aflatoxinB1 was evaluated by high performance thin layer chromatographymethod

Results: Essential oil of S. khozistanica at the concentration of 375 mg/l as well as its ethanol and ethanol 70% extracts at 4000 and 6000 mg/l respectively caused complete inhibition of fungus mycelial growth, whereas essential oil and extracts of S. macrosiphon couldn't inhibit Aspergillus growth completely even at the maximum concentration. Essential oils of S. khozistanica and S. macrosiphonia at the concentration of 250 mg/l reduced AFB1-production 98 and 33.52% respectively. Various Extracts of S. khozistanica exhibited stronger anti-AFB1-biosyntesis activity than those of S. macrosiphon, so that, ethanol, ehanol70% and aqueous extracts of S. khozistanica at 4000 mg/l reduced 100, 96 and 32.37% of AFB1-production, respectively. On the contrary, essential oils, ethanol and ehanol70% extracts of both plants couldn't significantly degrade AFB1- contamination, whereas aqueous extractsof S. khozistanica and S. macrosiphonia at the concentration of 4000 mg/l resulted in degradation of 25 and 32.16% AFB1-content, respectively

Conclusions: In general, Essential oil and ethanol extract of S. khozistanica considerably inhibited A. flavus growth as well as AFB1-biosynthesis while aqueous extract of S. macrosiphon showed strong AFB1-degradation activity

Bioavailability comparison between herbal methionine and DL-methionine on growth performance and immunocompetence basis in broiler chickens

Herbal methionine can be compared relative to Dl-methionine with evaluation of bioavailability of this source of methionine. An experiment was carried out to determine the relative bioefficacy of herbal methionine [H-Met][registered sign] relative to DL-methionine [DL-Met] on performance criteria and immunocompetence of Met sources in male broilers. Atotal of 160 male broilers were fed a Met-deficient basal diet or the basal diet supplemented with three or four concentrations of each Met sources. Multiexponential and multilinear regressions were used to determined bioavailability of herbal methionine [HMet] [registered sign]relative to DL-Met on performance and immunocompetence of broilers. Body weight gain and feed intake of the broilers fed H-Met or DL Met improved in the experiment, regardless of Met sources, relative to those broilers that were fed the basal diet. Immunocompetence of broilers were not significant at 28 day of age [p>0.05], whereas the broilers were significantly affected by the additional levels of Met sources at 42 day of age. The bioefficacy estimates for H-Met[registered sign] relative to DL-Met on a product basis were 55% for weight gain, 71% for feed intake, 78% for feed conversion ratio, 70% for dilution 1-choloro 2- 3-dinitrobenzene [DNCB], 67% for sheep red blood cell [SRBC], and 68% for phytohemagglutinine [PHA-P]. The relative effectiveness of H-Met[registered sign] compared to that of DL-Met is 68% on average across performance criteria and all immune criteria tested. H-Met[registered sign]can be supplemented as a new and natural source of Met for the poultry industry

Relative effectiveness of herbal methionine compared to DL-methionine on growth, performance and carcass responses basis in broiler chickens

The degree to which the amount of an ingested nutrient is absorbed and available to the body is called bioavailability. Relative effectiveness of herbal methionine [H-Met[R]] compared to DL-methionine [DL-Met] was investigated in this experiment. Exponential regression analysis was used to determine bioefficacy of H-Met[R] based on body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion. DLMet and H-Met[R] were added to a basal diet in 3 and 4 levels, respectively, in starter, grower and finisher periods. Therefore, that met the nutrient and energy requirements of broiler chickens, with the exception of Met+Cys. In the 42-d trial, broilers growth increased significantly [p<0.05], relative to those broilers fed basal diet, regardless of Met sources. Carcass characteristics did not respond significantly to the supplemental Met. Regression analysis revealed that H-Met[R] was 52% [body weight gain], 72% [feed intake] and 77% [feed conversion ratio] as efficacious as DL-Met. H-Met[R] can be administered as a new and a natural source of Met in poultry industry

[Comparison of physical feed restriction methods during rearing on broiler breeder performance [growth and metabolic parameters]]

To compare the effects of four physical feed restriction methods during rearing broiler breeder on growth, metabolic status and blood indices of stress. A 4x2 factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design. On hundred and sixty pullets and 160 roosters of broiler breeder. The pullets and roosters were housed in pens and consumed the same amount of feed in both treatments. The effects of feed restriction methods [every day, six days a week, five days a week and skip-a-day] during 3 to 22 weeks of age on body weight, uniformity [coefficient variation], feed efficiency, serum biochemical parameters [glucose, triglyceride, total protein, cholesterol and uric acid] blood indices of stress [such as heterophil to lymphocyte ratio and basophil, monocyte and eosinophil counts] were determint. Analysis of variance [ANOVA]. While in the skip-a-day method the body weight and the feed efficiency were lower, the plasma cholesterol [P<0/05] and heterophil: lymphocyte ratio were higher in females. Because of higher body weight uniformity in five days a week and six days a week methods, these methods can be recommended

[Influence of citric acid and microbial phytase on performance and phytate utilization in broiler chicks fed a corn-soybean meal diet]

Survey on influence of citric acid and microbial phytase enzyme on performance and phytate phosphorus utilization in broiler chicks fed a corn-soybean meal diet. Completely randomized design with a 3x2 factorial arrangement. Two hundred and fifty two one-day-old commercial broiler chicks [Ross -308] were divided into 7 groups of 36 chicks each. Three levels of citric acid [0.0, 2.5% and 5%] and two levels of microbial phytase [0.0 and 500 units/kg] in low available phosphorus diets were used. The criteria used to assess were growth performance, alkaline phosphatase [ALP] enzyme activity, plasma calcium and phosphorus [P] levels, tibia ash and carcass yield. Citric acid significantly improved weight gain and feed conversion ratio [p<0.05]. It had no effect on feed consumption, tibia ash and carcass yield in different growth performance periods Interaction of the effect citric acid x phytase on the body weight gain and feed conversion ratio was significant [p<0.01]. Inclusion of microbial phytase improved growth performance, plasma P levels and tibia ash. Adding of citric acid and microbial phytase did not affect carcass yield. While, adding of citric acid to low available phosphrus diets reduced plasma ALP and mortality rate [p<0.01], increased plasma P levels [p<0.01]

pathological study of hepatic lesions after experimental aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens

To study gross and histopathologic lesions and also relative weight of liver in experimental aflatoxicosis in Ross broiler chicks. Experimental study. Two hundred and forty 1-day-old Ross broiler chicken. Linear model analysis and Duncan's method for mean values with S AS package. The chickens were fed by NRC [1994] diet. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. The diets were divided into 3 groups: control [0 or basal] and treatment with 1 and 2 ppm of aflatoxin. Aflatoxin was produced by infecting of autoclaved rice with Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL-2999 in the flasks and titrated by TLC and HPLC. After 21 and 42 days, three chickens from each group randomly killed and their livers were weighed. Tissue samples were collected and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 5 um and stained by haematoxylin and eosin [H and E]. Relative weights of the livers [g/l00g.b.w] in treatment groups were significantly increased as compared with control [p<0.05]. Histopathologic examination revealed severe fatty change, regeneration foci of liver cells, fibrosis of portal regions and bile ductule hyperplasia. The lesions were very severe in 42-days-old chickens and had the lesser severity in 21-days-old chickens. Liver is the target organ for aflatoxin. Aflatoxin causes severe lesions in the liver and increases its relative weight.Prolonged exposure to low concentrations of toxin produces severe changes in fat metabolism and bile ductules proliferation