Improvements in semen quality, sperm fatty acids, and reproductive performance in aged Cobb 500 breeder roosters fed diets containing dried ginger rhizomes (Zingiber officinale).

Exposure to high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid predisposes spermatozoa to lipid peroxidation, resulting in their decreased fertility. Ginger powder (GP), which is high in antioxidative compounds, was fed to aged breeder roosters to improve their reproductive performance. Seventy-five 52-wk-old Cobb 500 breeder roosters randomly received either 0 (GP0), 15 (GP15), or 30 (GP30) g of GP/kg of diet for 14 consecutive wk, during which time their seminal characteristics were evaluated every 2 wk. At the end of the trial, semen samples were tested for determination of sperm fatty acid (FA) concentration and seminal plasma total antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, sperm penetration was assayed, and using 225 artificially inseminated hens, fertility and hatchability rates were determined. Dietary GP improved sperm forward motility, live sperm percentage, and sperm plasma membrane integrity. These were associated with a decrease in the percentage of abnormal sperm. The seminal TBA reactive species concentration was lower in birds belonging to the GP30 treatment in comparison with those in the GP15 and GP0 treatments. The feeding of GP resulted in overall decreases and increases in sperm saturated and unsaturated FA, respectively. The n-6:n-3 FA ratio of sperm was decreased in the GP30 group in comparison with controls. The highest levels of sperm C20:4(n-6) and C22:6(n-3) FA were recorded in the GP15 and GP30 treatments, respectively. A higher percentage of sperm C22:4(n-6) FA was found in GP-fed roosters. Seminal plasma total antioxidant capacity was considerably improved by the GP15 and GP30 treatments. Further, a higher number of perivitelline membrane sperm penetration holes was recorded for the GP30 treatment in comparison with the GP15 and GP0 treatments. Interestingly, although hatchability, chick quality, and embryonic mortality were not affected by dietary treatment, fertility rate was improved by the feeding of GP. In conclusion, dietary GP improved most of the seminal characteristics evaluated in aged roosters of this study, suggesting that it has potential for use in attenuating age-related subfertility in senescent male commercial broiler breeders.

Prestorage in ovo injection of biological buffers: an approach to improve hatchability in long-term stored eggs.

A hypothesis was tested that the in ovo injection of biological buffers may reinforce the buffering capacity of albumen, thereby withstanding the increase in albumen pH during storage and improving hatchability and chick quality in long-term stored eggs. Hatching eggs (n = 2,420) were randomly assigned to 11 treatment groups (4 replicates of 55 eggs each) and injected (d 1) with distilled water, 25 or 50 mM HEPES (H25 and H50), Bicine (B25 and B50), Tris (T25 and T50), and Bis-Tris-propane (BTP25 and BTP50) solutions or were not injected (intact: control; or pricked with a needle: N). The eggs were then stored for 14 d during which the egg internal characteristics were evaluated at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 13 d of storage (n = 924 in total) and the remaining eggs (n = 1,496) were incubated. A decrease in albumen pH was found for H25, H50, B50, and BTP25 groups from 2 through 5 d postinjection. Eggs receiving H25, H50, and B50 recorded a higher albumen index (at 13 d of storage) and Haugh unit (between 8 and 13 d of storage) compared with the control. Interestingly, the hatchability of fertile eggs was influenced by the treatment effect (P = 0.0001) where the eggs receiving H25 (88.3%), H50 (88.9%), B50 (88.4%), and BTP25 (87.6%) recorded higher values than that of control (82.1%), associated with a decreased early embryonic mortality rate (P < 0.0001). In ovo injection of Tris buffer, however, profoundly decreased the hatchability (47.2 and 29.0% for T25 and T50, respectively) and percentage of first-grade chicks (67.5 and 63.6% for T25 and T50, respectively) compared with the control (90.1%). In conclusion, prestorage in ovo injection of H25, H50, B50, and BTP25 improved hatchability in long-term stored eggs in which a decreased albumen pH during the d 2 through 5 of storage period might be involved.

Oral exposure of broiler breeder hens to extra thyroxine modulates early adaptive immune responses in progeny chicks.

Based on the findings of a recent study suggesting a decreased cold-induced ascites incidence in broiler progeny from hyperthyroid (HYPER) breeder hens, and a controversy on the effects of hyperthyroidism on immunocompetence, the present study was conducted to determine the probable adverse effect of induced maternal hyperthyroidism on immune function in progeny chicks. Breeder hens (n = 88) were randomly allotted to the control or HYPER groups and received common or thyroxine (T4)-added (1 mg/L) water, respectively. The hens were artificially inseminated, and hatching eggs (n = 924) were incubated. Thereafter, the male hatchlings (n = 288) were reared for 42 d, and several cellular and humoral immune responses were evaluated at standard or low ambient temperature. Prevaccination antibody titers to Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, and infectious bursal disease virus were higher in HYPER chicks during 1 wk of age, although not different in their dams. For primary response to SRBC administered at 7 d of age, HYPER chicks recorded higher total, IgM (d 14), and IgG (d 21) anti-SRBC antibody titers. Higher cutaneous basophilic hypersensitivity response in HYPER chicks (d 10) was not observed at 35 d of age. Carbon clearance assay showed no difference, but in vitro lymphoproliferative response to concanavalin A was higher in 19-d-old HYPER chicks, independent of temperature treatment. An increase in lymphocyte percentage coincided with a decreased heterophil percentage and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (d 14) in the HYPER group. The weight of lymphoid organs in progeny was not influenced by the oral exposure of dams to extra T4. Independent of T4 treatment, cold exposure was generally associated with decreased immune functions at early stages. The data suggested that oral exposure of broiler breeder hens to 1 mg/L of T4 not only had no adverse effect on immune function, but also modulated early adaptive immune responses in progeny chicks for which the causal mechanisms remain to be unraveled.

The favorite dosage of garlic meal as a feed additive in broiler chickens ratios.

This experiment carried out as a completely randomized design with six treatments and 3 replicates pens of 100 birds each (total of 1800 birds). Treatments were consisted of a common corn-soybean meal based starter and grower diets supplemented by 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1 or 2% garlic meal. At 1-21 days of age, daily feed intake per chicks influences by dietary garlic meal level so that the birds fed diets with 0.125 and 0.25% garlic meal had a significantly higher daily feed intake (p < 0.05) than birds fed 0.5% dietary garlic meal. At 22-42 days of age and the whole experimental period (1-42 days of age), garlic meal level didn't affect daily feed intake. No significant difference recorded for daily weight gain of experimentally birds at 1-21 days of age, But at 22-42 days of age and the whole experimentally period (1-42 days of age) the birds fed the control diet (free of garlic meal) and the diet containing the highest garlic meal dosage (2%) had a significantly lower daily weight gain in compare to other birds (p < 0.05). At 1-21 days of age the birds fed diet supplemented with 0.5% garlic meal had a lower feed conversion ratio than the control birds (p < 0.05) but at 22-42 days of age and the whole experimentally period (1-42 days of age) birds fed the control diet and the diet whit 2% garlic meal supplement showed a higher feed conversion ratios in compare with birds fed diets containing 0.125, 0.5 or 1% garlic meal. No significant differences were detected in carcass percentage and interior organs between birds fed experimental diets. The weight gain reduction in birds fed 2% dietary garlic meal means that herbal additives have their limitations too and needs more investigation.

Effects of a locally produced blood meal on performance, carcass traits and nitrogen retention of broiler chickens.

The study was designed as a 2 x 5 factorial arrangement with main effects of feeding blood meal as a replacement of 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% of dietary fish meal and the duration of this substitution at 1-42 or 21-42 days of age. One thousand 1 day old male Cobb 500 broiler chicks assigned randomly to each of 40 floor pens (25 birds/pen) and were fed five isonitrogenous and isocaloric feeds formulated to contain 20.38 and 17% crude protein and 2900 and 3000 kcal kg(-1) metabolizable for starter and grower periods, respectively. Duration of dietary manipulation didn't affect the measured parameters. More than 25% blood meal/fish meal substitution ratios significantly increased chickens daily weight gain and decreased the cost of producing a unit of meat. Other traits didn't affect by dietary fish meal/blood meal replacement ratio. Spleen and proventriculus percents and small intestine length affected by level of replacement but didn't follow a distinct pattern. These results indicate that this locally produced blood meal is a suitable substitute for dietary fish meal and a full replacement didn't cause any adverse effect on performance, carcass important traits and dietary nitrogen retention of broiler chickens.