Effect of in-ovo inoculation of betaine on hatchability, serum antioxidant levels, muscle gene expression and intestinal development of broiler chicks.

This study investigated the effects of in-ovo inoculation of betaine on hatchability, hatching weight, and intestinal development, as well as serum and expression levels of some antioxidants in the posthatched chicks. A total of 350 fertile eggs of Hubbard efficiency plus breeder's flock were incubated at normal incubation temperature (37.5°C) and randomly assembled into 3 groups with 4 replicates, and 25 eggs per each. The experimental groups were allocated as noninjected control group (CN), diluent-injected group (CP, 0.1 mL saline), and betaine-injected group (B, 2.5 mg in 0.1 mL saline). The injections were performed in the air cells of the eggs on the 12th day of the embryonic phase. Hatchability percentage, hatching weight, serum-reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were estimated in 7-day-old chicks. Moreover, expression levels of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and SOD were determined in the breast skeletal muscles of chicks. Jejunum histo-morphometric analysis was assessed with computerised morphometric measurements. The results revealed that the hatchability percentage was not influenced by in-ovo injection of betaine or vehicle while betaine significantly increased the hatchling's weight of chicks. Moreover, there were a significant increase in SOD and Nrf2 mRNA expression levels. In-ovo injection of betaine significantly induced positive effects on intestinal morphometry by ameliorating the jejunal villus length, the ratio of villus height to villus width, and absorptive surface area.

Comparative Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of marbofloxacin in geese (Anser Anser domesticus) after two sites of intramuscular administrations.

The pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin (MAR) was compared in geese (Anser Anser domesticus) after single intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) (thigh and pectoral muscles) administrations of 5 mg/kg. Serum concentrations of MAR were determined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Serum MAR concentrations versus time were analyzed by a noncompartmental method. After IV administration, MAR showed high volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss ) of 5.24 ± 1.08 L/kg. The serum body clearance (Cl) and elimination half-life (T1/2 λz) of MAR were 0.79 ± 0.07 L hr-1  kg-1 and 6.94 ± 1.12 hr, respectively. The peak of MAR serum concentrations Cmax achieved at one and 0.50 hr after thigh and pectoral IM sites of injections, respectively, were 1.20 and 0.91 µg/ml. Significant differences were found in the mean absorption time (MAT), the systemic bioavailability (F%), and elimination parameters of MAR between two sites of injections, indicating that the absorption was fairly slow and complete after thigh IM injection. The pharmacokinetics of MAR in geese diverged according to the site of IM injection following a parallel study design. We recommend the thigh muscle as IM site of injection to obtain maximum concentrations of the administered drug in geese.