[Effects of commercial synbiotic and electrolyte-multivitamin solution on performance of Japanese quail in a physiological stress model]

Background: study on the effects of some additives to reduce the negative effects of physiological stress in poultry

Objectives: this study was conducted to investigate the effects of the dietary synbiotic Biomin-IMBO and electrolytes-multivitamin solution in drinking water on performance of Japanese quail under physiological stress

Methods: a total of 240 one-day-old Japanese quail [Coturnix Coturnix japonica] were randomly assigned to 4 treatments with 4 replicates and 15 birds each. Experimental diets were 1- diets based on corn and soybean meal [negative control], 2- basal diets+ dexamethasone [positive control], 3- positive control+ 1gr/kg diet Biomin-IMBO[registered sign], 4- positive control+ 2 ml/li water electrolyte-multi vitamin

Results: physiological stress significantly reduced feed intake and live body weights of quails [p<0.05]. Feed consumption of stressed bird increased by adding electrolytes-multivitamin to drinking water [p<0.05]. Dietary Biomin-IMBO supplementation decreased significantly heterophil:lymphosyte ratio in blood of stressed birds [p<0.05]. The concentration of glucose in serum of positive control and water electrolyte-multivitamin group were lower than birds in negative control at stress period [p<0.05]

Conclusions: dietary Biomin-IMBO supplementation could reduce negative effect of physiological stress in Japanese quails

[ effect of four medicinal plants on performance and concentration of serum lipids in broiler chicks]

The usage of "growth promoter" antibiotics has been banned recently. This is due to the possibility of bacterial resistance and the risk of transferring to consumers. Herbs with antimicrobial and hypolipidemic properties can suggest as proper alternatives for antibiotic. Comparative investigation of growth promoting effect of four medicinal plants [Cuminum L., Mentha piperita L., Achillea L., Teucrium Polium L.] on performance and concentration of serum lipids of broiler. Total 280 day-old male Ross broiler chicks were used in a CRD design with 5 treatments, and 4 replicates and 56 birds per each treatment. Cuminum, Mentha piperita, Achillea and Teucrium Polium was added to diets in levels of 1.5, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.2 percent, respectively. A treatment without any additive was considered as control group. Feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio were recorded weekly. Total cholesterol, Triglycerides, LDL and HDL were measured at 35 days of age. Among the medicinal plants that used in this study, inclusion Mentha piperita in finisher diets increased feed intake [2196.4 g] and weight gain [1005.3 g], significantly [p < 0.05]. At total rearing period, addition of Teucrium Polium to diets decreased weight gain [1821.3 g] of chicks compared to control [1963.7 g], decreased total cholesterol [151.33 mg/dl] and LDL [29.06 mg/dl]; but it increased HDL [120.16 mg/dl] of serum [p < 0.05]. The results of this experiment suggest that Mentha piperita L., in diet, improves broiler performance compared to control and it can be used as growth promoter in broiler nutrition

[Study the effects of different levels of hull-less barley on caecal micro flora of broiler chicks]

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of diets containing different levels of hull-less barley on caecal microflora of broiler chicks. Two hundred and forty one-day old male broiler chicks [Arbor Acres strain] were used in a completely randomized design with 4 tratments, and 3 replicates were allocated to each treatment. Different levels of hull-less barley in diets had not significant effects on total bacterial count, E.coli, Clostridia and Lactobacillus population in caeca at starter period [21 days old], but at 49 days of age, caecal Lactobacilus population increased significantly by increasing the levels of hull-less barley in diets[p<0.05]. Based on the results of the present study, it can be stated that inclusion of hull-less barley in diets, changes the caecal microflora of broiler chicks. These components reduced pathogenic bacteria [Clostridia] and increased the usefull bacteria [Lactobacillus]

Effects of different concentrations of soluble non-statch polysaccharides in diet, on morpholigical characteristics of the small intestine and performance of broiler chickens

In this study, 480 on-day-old Arbor broiler chicks were used in a 2 [asterisk] 3 factorial arrangement with 2 levels of hull-less barley [0.30%] and 3 levels of enzyme [0.300 and 600 g/ton], to investigate the effect of diets containing high soluble non-starch polysaccharides [NSPs] concentrations on morphological characteristics of small intestine and performance of broilers. Increasing in concentration of soluble NSPs significantly decreased feed intake and body weight gains of broilers, [p<0.05] height and width of villi and tongue shaped villi percentage but increased other types of villi and crypt depth in small intestine [p<0.01], Enzyme supplementation of diets had no significant effects on studied traits, results show increase in the concentration of soluble NSPs of diet causes negative effects on morphological characteristics of small intestine in broiler chicks. Therefore, it could reduce absorption surface in digestive tract, and consequently decrease broiler performance