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
Thyme extract had shown to have antimicrobial and autoxidative activities. It is claimed that it causes reduction in serum cholesterol and improves immune system. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary Thyme extract on serum cholesterol, yolk cholesterol and immune system under heat stress in laying hens. for six weeks with 108 hens from Lohman strain of 45 weeks old. The experiment had a 2× 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Treatments include cyclic hot and neutral temperature, two fat sources of saturated and unsaturated and tree experimental treatments of control group [without additive], vitamin E and thyme extract. To determine the factors which affect on antibody production, the Sheep Red Blood Cell [SRBC] was injected on the day 30 and 37 following the start of experiment. Statistical analysis has shown a significant increase differences between the level of serum cholesterol and yolk cholesterol significantly under heat stress [p<0.05]. Saturated fat significantly increased yolk cholesterol [p<0.05]. However, thyme treatment decreased serum and yolk cholesterol [p<0.05]. In addition, temperature had significant effect on first and second antibody titer [p<0.05]. Furthermore, in second SRBC injection, thyme had the highest significant effect on antibody increment [p<0.05]. Phenolic compounds within thymol reduced serum cholesterol and improved immune response especially in high environment temperature
ABSTRACT
Poultry requirements for vitamins and minerals are met from two sources feed ingredients and premixes. In practical poultry nutrition, the role of feed ingredients is over looked. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of the time of vitamin and mineral premixes withdrawal on growth and economic performance of broilers. Four hundred and fifty, one day-old male broiler chickens [Ross 308] were used in a completely randomized design with 6 treatments of 5 replicates. Chicks were fed on a common starter diet formulated based on corn and soybean meal, with common vitamin and mineral premix [VMP] levels [0.25% each] for the first week. Then, the treatments 1 to 6 were constructed, on the basis of withdrawal time of VMP, in a way that treatment numbers were represented the number of weeks fed on VMP supplemented diet. The results showed that VMP withdrawal from 7,14 and 21 days of age decreased daily weight gain and feed intake significantly [p<0.01], and impaired feed efficiency [p<0.01]. While VMP withdrawal from day 28 and day 35, did not influence weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency. Relative weights of abdominal fat, bursa of fabricius and spleen, and carcass yields were not influenced by VMP withdrawal. The overall results of the present study, considering economical aspects showed that the removal of vitamin and trace mineral supplements from 7 days prior to slaughter can reduce production costs without negative consequences on growth performance of broiler chickens
Subject(s)
Male , Animals , Minerals , Chickens/growth & development , Economics , GrowthABSTRACT
Probiotics are live microorganisms with beneficial health effects on host animals which exert their effects on performance, gastrointestinal tract and immune system. Various probiotic products are available in the market. This study compared the effects of various probiotic products on broiler performance, intestinal morphology and some immunological and hematological parameters. Five probiotic products were fed to v480 1-d old broilers for 49 days. Performance was studied in starting, growing, finishing and whole periods. Samples of small intestine were studied at 21.35 and 49 days of age. Antibody titers against sheep red blood cells and new castle vaccine virus determined as immune response of birds. Probiotic type influenced the performance of birds. Morphological characteristics of intenstine have been affected by probiotic type. Probiotic type has not been affected by immune and blood related factors [p>0.05]. Type and ingredients of probiotcs should be considered when used for a special goal
Subject(s)
Animals , Intestine, Small/drug effects , Immune System/drug effects , Hematology , ChickensABSTRACT
Probiotics arc beneficial microorganisms which will be considered as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of probiotic administration in hatchery on performance, blood parameters and immune response of' broilers. Three hundereds 1-d-old male chicks [Ross 308] were assigned to five experimental groups of three replications. Birds of control group did not receive any probiotic. Birds of the remaining 4 experimental groups received probiotics in hatchery via following routes of administration including: in ovo injection, oral, spray and cloacal. respectively. Administration methods of probiotic in hatchery significantly influenced body weight gain in finisher period [p<0.05]. feed intakes in finisher and total periods[p<0.05], relative weight of bursaoffabricius inday28[p<0.05].cell mediated immunity. Interms of mean skin thickness sensitivity to dinitrochlorobenzene [DNCB] in days 28 and 38 [p<0.05], body weight gains in total period and relative weight of spleen in day 42 [p<0.01]. Concentration of blood haemoglobin, plasma cholesterol and triglyceride, SRBC antibody. the T-cell mediated response against PHA-M mitogen, relative weight of spleen in day 28 and relative weight of bursa of Fabricius in day 42, were not influenced by various methods of probiotic administration in hatchery [p>0.05]. Additionally. these data suggest that oral administration of probiotic in hatchery improved broilers performance
Subject(s)
Animals , Animal Feed/analysis , Chickens/immunology , Dietary Supplements , Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena , Chickens/growth & developmentABSTRACT
A 42-day study was conducted to evaluate the influence of full-fat flaxseed [FS] and canola seed [CS] on broiler performance, fatty acid [FA] profile of meat, serum lipid content and antibody response to sheep red blood cells antigen [SRBC]. A total of 324 one-day-old chicks were attributed to 6 experimental groups. C: control [soybean-corn]; CS1:7.5% CS; CS2:15% CS; CS-FS:10% FS + 10% CS; FS1:7.5% FS; FS2:15% FS. The diets containing FS and CS had a significant negative effect on performance parameters [P<0.01], however, feed consumption was not significantly [P>0.05] different among treatments. Inclusion of FS and CS significantly increased [P<0.01] the concentration of omega-3 FA and decreased the content of the arachidonic acid and n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated FA ratio. The serum lipid content and antibody titre against SRBC were not affected by dietary oil seeds [P>0.05]
ABSTRACT
To investigate the effect of two dietary levels of l-carnitine and vegetable fat powder on the quality of cockerels' sperm and broiler breeder fertility and hatchability. Two hundred and fifty female and twenty five male broiler breeders. were studied Classic Hubbard parent stocks were randomly distributed in five groups of 50 with five replicates of 10 females and one male. Two levels of l-carnitine 0, 60 ppm [for females] and 0, 500 ppm [for males] and vegetable fat powder [0, 1. 5%] were used in a completely random design. At first, data were analyzed in factorial arrangement but no interaction was observed and then a completely randomized design was employed. A diet with high lysine and methionine was fed to one group of birds. Determined variables were hatchability, fertility, egg production, egg weight, albumen height, Hugh unit, color of yolk, shell thickness, shell strength, semen volume, sperm motility, live sperm percent, sperm count and normal sperm percent. Supplemented diet with l-carnitine had significant effects during the hatchability [p < 0. 01-0. 05], fertility [p < 0. 01], semen quantity and sperm quality [p < 0. 01]. L-carnitine had no effect on egg production except on fifth and sixth weeks of experiment [p < 0. 01]; also, l-carnitine had no effect on egg characteristics. Supplementation of l-carnitine in broiler breeders rations increases their fertility, hatchability and sperm quality
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Male , Chickens , Carnitine , Fertility , Spermatozoa , SemenABSTRACT
Effects of n-3 or n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids alone or in combination with vitamin E on male breeders' fatty acid composition of spermatozoa, fertility and lipid peroxidation were studied. Fish oil increased C22:6 n-3 and decreased C22:4 n-6 in the spermatozoa [p < 0.05]. Susceptibility of spermatozoa to lipid peroxidation was higher in treatments containing either corn oil or fish oil [p < 0.05]. The fish oil treatments had higher fertility rate compared to the other treatments[p < 0.05].The results of this study suggest that changes in fatty acids profile of roosters's spermatozoa via manipulation of diet is possible and may have significant influence on fertility
Subject(s)
Animals , Fertility , Spermatozoa , Lipid Peroxidation , ChickensABSTRACT
An investigation was carried out to evaluate the growth performance of six commercial broiler hybrids available in Iran [Arbor Acres, Arian, Cobb 500, Hubbard, Lohmann and Ross 508]. Two hundred and fifty fertile eggs of each hybrid were taken from different breeder farms, all over the country. The similarity of flocks ages and their health conditions were considered. After hatching, the sexed chicks were randomly assigned to six replicates of floor pens of 17 chicks, except the male Cobb hybrid which had five replications. All groups were managed in a similar way throughout the 56 days of study. Daily feed intake [FI] and daily body weight gain [BWG] were measured on weekly basis and the European production index [EPI] were calculated at 49 and 56 days of age. There were no significant differences among hybrids in FI during starter and grower periods [P>0.05], although significant differences were observed in finisher period [P<0.0 1]. Differences in daily Fl were significant between male and female chicks in grower and finisher periods [P<0.05], but not in starter period. Differences in daily BWG were significant among hybrids throughout the experiment [P<0.01]. Sex significantly affected the daily BWG in all periods [P<0.01]. The calculated EPI showed significant differences for both 49 and 56 days of age among hybrids and between two sexes [P<0.0 1]. There were no significant differences among hybrids in carcass yield, percentage of breast and abdominal fat to carcass weight at 42 and 56 days of age. On day 42, males had more percentage of carcass and breast yield compared with females [P<0.01]. Percent of abdominal fat in females on day 56 was more than that of the males [P<0.01], while on day 42 no significant differences were found in this respect
Subject(s)
Animals , Chickens , Animals , Eggs , Weight GainABSTRACT
Isolation of lactic acid bacteria with the potential to inhibit the growth of pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella.Samples from different parts of digestive tract of healthy chickens were cultured in MRS broth and incubated at 37°C for 24-48 hours in anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Then, plates containing MRS agar and Rogosa agar were inoculated with cells grown in MRS broth previously. Plates were incubated at 37°C for 24-48 hours. Different colonies on MRS agar plates were studied for cultural and morphological characters. The gram positive, catalase negative, non-spore forming cocci and bacilli which were unable to produce haemolysis were selected for inhibition assay against E. coli serotypes [O78:K80, O2:K1, O1 :K1] and Salmonella serotypes [pullorum, enteritidis, typhimurium]. The antagonistic properties of isolated lactic acid bacteria were studied by using agar spot test.Out of 659 isolated lactic acid bacteria, 139 isolates [21.09%] were able to inhibit growth of indicator strains used in this study. From 139 isolated lactic acid bacteria, of those which demonstrated antagonistic activity against the pathogens, 31 isolates were identified as Lactobacillus spp., and the 108 reminder isolates were Enterococcous spp. The isolated lactic acid bacteria were more efficient in inhibition of Salmonella than E. coli. The antagonistic activity observed in this experiment can be attributed to organic acids and bacteriocin production by lactic acid bacteria. As the source of isolation of lactic acid bacteria in this study was poultry, and their potential inhibitory effects against mentioned pathogens and considerto other essential criteria, it is foreseen that it would be possible to use these isolates as a feed additive in poultry production in order to reduce the risk of infection