Excreta Content Research Articles

Assessment of dietary supplementation of green iron oxide nanoparticles: impact on growth performance, ammonia emissions, carcass criteria, tissue iron content, and meat quality in broiler chickens under hot climate conditions.

The potential significance and importance of green iron nanoparticles (Nano-Fe) in poultry production lie in their capability to effectively tackle iron deficiency in poultry. Iron, an indispensable mineral for numerous physiological functions in birds, such as oxygen transport, energy metabolism, and immune response, underscores the critical need for adequate iron levels. Nevertheless, conventional iron supplementation methods frequently face hurdles like limited bioavailability rates in poultry. To enhance performance, and promote sustainable broiler productivity, Nano-Fe showed promise as an efficient feed supplement for broiler chickens. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of green Nano-Fe inclusions in diets on growth, ammonia excretion, carcass criteria, and meat quality in broiler chickens. A total of 192 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks, were assigned to three treatment diets including Nano-Fe oxide at 0, 20, or 40 mg/kg, respectively, for 42 days. Each treatment comprised eight replicates, each with eight broiler chicks. Two phases comprised the 42-day study (0 to 21 days for the starter and 21 to 42 days for the finisher). In comparison to the control group, the Nano-Fe oxide groups 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg linearly improved (p < 0.05) body weight (R 2 = 0.574) and body weight gain (R 2 = 0.367) under hot climatic conditions at 42 days of age. Furthermore, Nano-Fe oxide to broiler diets, improved (linear, p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (R 2 = 0.424) throughout whole periods. The feed intake did not show any significant difference (p > 0.05) among groups during the experimental periods under hot climatic conditions. The ammonia content of excreta (R 2 = 0.454) was linearly decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing Nano-Fe oxide levels in broiler diets compared to control at 21 and 42 days of age under hot climatic conditions. Nano-Fe oxide positively influences cook loss, water-holding capacity, and iron content in various tissues. Moreover, it contributes to a healthier carcass yield and reduced abdominal fat. In conclusion, broiler chickens fed diets containing Nano-Fe oxide at 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg demonstrated enhanced growth performance, improved meat quality, increased iron content in tissues, higher dressing percentage, and reduced abdominal fat deposition. Future research should explore the impact of green Nano-Fe oxide on additional factors such as the microbiome and gene expression related to immunity and heat stress.

The effect of combining green iron nanoparticles and algae on the sustainability of broiler production under heat stress conditions.

Natural feed additives in broiler feed contribute to the overall health, productivity, and economic viability of broiler chickens while meeting consumer demands and preferences for natural products. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of green iron nanoparticles (Nano-Fe) and Halimeda opuntia supplementation in broiler diets on performance, ammonia excretion in excreta, Fe retention in tissues and serum, carcass criteria, and meat quality under hot environmental conditions. A total of 256 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to one of four feeding treatments for 42 days. Each treatment had eight replications, with eight chicks per replicate. The treatments were Negative control (CON), positive control (POS) supplemented with 1 g/kg Halimeda opuntia as a carrier, POS + 20 mg/kg Nano-Fe (NFH1), POS + 40 mg/kg Nano-Fe (NFH2). When compared to CON and POS, dietary Nano-Fe up to 40 mg/kg enhanced (p < 0.001) growth performance in terms of body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Nano-Fe had the highest BWG and the most efficient FCR (linear, p < 0.01, and quadratic, p < 0.01) compared to POS. Without affecting internal organs, the addition of Nano-Fe and POS enhanced dressing and reduced (p < 0.001) abdominal fat compared to control (CON). Notably, the water-holding capacity of breast and leg meat was higher (p < 0.001), and cooking loss was lower in broilers given Nano-Fe and POS diets against CON. In comparison to POS, the ammonia content in excreta dropped linearly as green Nano-Fe levels increased. When compared to CON, increasing levels of Nano-Fe levels boosted Fe content in the breast, leg, liver, and serum. The birds fed on POS showed better performance than the birds fed on CON. Green Nano-Fe up to 40 mg/kg fed to broiler diets using 1 g/kg Halimeda opuntia as a carrier or in single can be utilized as an efficient feed supplement for increasing broiler performance, Fe retentions, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and reducing ammonia excretions, under hot conditions.

Effects of Various Copper Sources and Concentrations on Performance, Skeletal Growth, and Mineral Content of Excreta in Broiler Chickens.

The experiment was designed to study the effect of supplemental sources and concentrations of copper on the performance and development and mineralization of tibia bones in broiler chickens. A 42-day feeding experiment was conducted utilising three copper sources, including copper sulphate (CuS), copper chloride (CuCl), and copper propionate (CuP), each with four different concentrations, i.e. 8, 100, 150, and 200mg/kg. The body weight gain with 200mg Cu/kg food was noticeably higher during the first 4-6weeks of age. Due to the interaction between Cu sources and levels, there was no significant change in the body weight gained. The feed intake during various growing phases did differ significantly neither the main effect nor the interaction between different copper sources and levels. A CuP-supplemented diet (200mg/kg food) considerably (P ≤ 0.05) improved the feed conversion ratio between 4-6 and 0-6weeks. At the end of the experiment, a total of 72 tibia bones, i.e. six for each treatment were collected. A metabolic trial was conducted to look into mineral retention in broiler chickens on the final 3days of the trial (40-42days). Increased tibia bone zinc (Zn) levels were seen with the addition of 8mg Cu/kg of Cu chloride, 100mg Cu/kg of Cu propionate, 8mg Cu/kg of Cu sulphate, and 8mg/kg of Cu propionate to the diet. At higher levels of Cu (150 and 200mg/kg diet), there was a significantly (P ≤ 0.01) reduced tibia Zn content. Cu sulphate treatment group had higher (P ≤ 0.01) tibia Cu content (8mg Cu/kg diet). Cu sulphate supplemented diet had a greater excreta Zn content (P ≤ 0.01) than Cu chloride supplemented diet, and Cu propionate supplemented diet had the lowest excreta Zn content. Excreta with a higher Fe concentration were found in diets supplemented with copper sulphate and copper chloride (P ≤ 0.05) than in diets supplied with copper propionate. Thus, it may be concluded that feeding dietary Cu concentrations up to 200mg Cu/kg diet, regardless of the different sources, had no negative effects on bone morphometry and mineralization parameters with the exception of a decrease in the tibia's zinc content.

Effect of graded dietary inclusion levels of hybrid rye grain on productive performance, the cost-effectiveness of nutrition and egg quality in laying hens

Abstract The study was designed to investigate productivity parameters, egg quality and the cost effectiveness of feeding laying hens with diets where ground wheat was replaced with varying levels of whole hybrid rye grain cv. Brasetto. A total of 396 Hy-Line Brown hens at 34 weeks of age were allocated to three treatment groups with 66 replicates (cages) of two hens each, and were fed isocaloric and isonitrogenous pelleted diets for 12 weeks. The diet for control group hens (R0) did not contain rye grain. In diets for hens from groups R100 and R200, ground wheat grain was partially replaced with whole rye grain at 100 g/kg and 200 g/kg, respectively. Whole intact rye grains were included in the diets. The cost of diets containing 10% and 20% of whole rye grain was by approximately 1.0% and 1.9% lower, respectively, compared with the control diet that contained no rye grain. During the entire 12-week feeding period, dietary treatments had no effect on laying rate (95.64% to 97.07%), egg weight (62.51 g to 62.74 g) or egg mass output (5.04 kg to 5.12 kg per hen). The inclusion of whole rye grain in layer diets caused a linear increase in feed intake (P&lt;0.047) and tended to linearly increase the feed conversion ratio (FCR, P = 0.078). Both groups of hens fed diets containing whole rye grain were characterized by a linear decrease in the dry matter (DM) content of excreta (P = 0.001). Increased excreta moisture was accompanied by a tendency towards a higher incidence of dirty eggshells in R200 hens (P = 0.068). The inclusion of 100 g/kg of whole rye grain in layer diets decreased the cost of feed per kg of eggs by 1.9%. Dietary treatments had no significant effect on eggshell thickness (0.330 mm–0.345 mm), albumen quality (Haugh units, 83.46–85.84) or yolk color (3.8–4.0). The results of this experiment indicate that pre-pellet inclusion of whole rye (at up to 200 g/kg) in diets with supplemental NSP-degrading enzymes and phytase can be an effective and economically viable alternative to ground wheat in pelleted layer diets.

Combining Grape Byproducts to Maximise Biological Activity of Polyphenols in Chickens.

Simple SummaryGrape byproducts (grape pomace, seeds and skins) contain a wide range of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties and thus can become functional ingredients in animal feeds. The dietary inclusion of grape pomace in chicken diets has been shown to increase plasma and meat α-tocopherol content and to mitigate meat lipid oxidation. However, the separate inclusion of the main components of grape pomace (grape seeds and skins) in the diet of chickens has been less studied. In the present research work, the dietary inclusion of grape byproducts did not compromise the growth of chickens nor did it affect ileal protein digestibility. Concerning plasma and meat α-tocopherol concentrations and meat lipid oxidation, the dietary combination of grape seeds and skins provided better results than the individual inclusion of these grape byproducts. Actually, combinations with a proportion of at least 50% of grape skins enabled optimal results of meat oxidative stability.Grape seeds (GS) and grape skins (GK) are natural sources of polyphenols with antioxidant capacity. An experiment was conducted to investigate in chickens the effect of including GS and GK (40 g/kg), individually or combined in different proportions (20 g/kg GS–20 g/kg GK; 30 g/kg GS–10 g/kg GK; 10 g/kg GS–30 g/kg GK), in a corn-soybean diet on growth performance, ileal and excreta contents of total extractable polyphenols (TEP) and tannins, ileal digestibility of protein, plasma and meat α-tocopherol concentration and lipid oxidation (assessed by measuring the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS) of stored thigh meat. Neither growth performance parameters nor ileal digestibility of protein were affected by dietary treatments. As compared with control birds, chickens fed the grape byproduct diets showed higher ileal (p < 0.001) and excreta (p < 0.001) TEP and tannins contents. Dietary inclusion of grape byproducts increased α-tocopherol concentration both in plasma (p < 0.001) and in thigh meat (p < 0.01 at 1 d; p < 0.001 at 7 d), as compared with the control group. The highest plasma α-tocopherol concentrations were reached with the 30 g/kg GS–10 g/kg GK and 20 g/kg GS–20 g/kg GK combinations. On day 1 of meat storage, no differences on meat α-tocopherol concentration were found among the grape byproducts treatments but on day 7 of storage, the 20 g/kg GS–20 g/kg GK and 10 g/kg GS–30 g/kg GK combinations led to the highest α-tocopherol concentrations in chicken thigh meat. After seven days of refrigerated storage of meat, the TBARS value was lower in chickens fed the grape byproducts diets than in control birds (1.27 vs. 2.49 mg MDA/kg, p < 0.001). Moreover, among the different grape byproduct treatments, the lowest MDA values were reached with the diets containing GK at rates from 20 to 40 g/kg. In conclusion, dietary incorporation of 40 g/kg of GS and GK added separately or combined increased the plasma and meat α-tocopherol content. Furthermore, the combinations of GS and GK with a proportion of GK of at least 50% optimised α-tocopherol concentration both in plasma and in thigh meat and mitigated lipid oxidation in 7-day stored meat.

Hot-melt extruded copper sulfate affects the growth performance, meat quality, and copper bioavailability of broiler chickens.

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the supplementation of diets of broiler chickens with hot-melt extruded CuSO4 (HME-Cu) on their growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut microbiota, small intestinal morphology, meat quality, and copper (Cu) bioavailability.MethodsA total of 225 broilers (Ross 308), one-day old and initial weight 39.14 g, were weighed and distributed between 15 cages (15 birds per cage) in a completely randomized experimental design with 3 treatments (diets) and 5 replicates per treatment. Cages were allotted to three treatments including control (without supplemental Cu), IN-Cu (16 mg/kg of CuSO4), and HME-Cu (16 mg/kg of HME processed CuSO4).ResultsThe HME-Cu treatment tended to increase the overall body weight gain (p<0.10). The apparent digestibility of Cu was increased by supplementation of HME-Cu at phase 2 (p<0.05). The Escherichia coli count in cecum tended to decrease with the supplementation with Cu (p<0.10). In addition, the HME-Cu treatment had a higher pH of breast meat than the control and IN-Cu treatments (p<0.05). Significant increases in the cooking loss, water-holding capacity, and lightness in the breast were observed in the HME-Cu treatment compared to the control (p<0.05). The Cu content of excreta increased with the Cu supplementation (p<0.05). The concentration of excreta Cu in broilers was decreased in the HME-Cu compared to the IN-Cu in phase 2 (p<0.05). The Cu concentration in the liver was increased with the HME-Cu supplementation, compared with the control diets (p<0.05).ConclusionThis study showed that HME-Cu supplementation at the requirement level (16 mg/kg diets) in broiler diets did not affect the growth performance and the physiological function of Cu in broilers. However, supplementation of Cu in HME form improved the meat quality and the bioavailability of Cu.

The effect of different dietary levels of sodium and chloride on performance, blood parameters and excreta quality in goslings at 29 to 70 days of age.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the appropriate levels of dietary sodium (Na+ ) and chloride (Cl- ) for 29- to 70-day-old goslings and to investigate the effects of different levels of Na+ and Cl- on the growth performance, water consumption, blood parameters and excreta quality of goslings to provide a reference for the healthy production of goslings. In Experiment 1, a total of 432 29-day-old male Jiangnan White goslings were randomly allotted to nine treatments according to a 3×3 factorial design, with six pens containing eight birds per treatment. The goslings were fed diets with three concentrations of Na+ (0.10%, 0.15% and 0.20%) and three concentrations of Cl- (0.15%, 0.20% and 0.25%). The experimental period was 42days. In Experiment 2, a total of 24 70-day-old Jiangnan White goslings were selected for four treatments (0.10% Na+ ×0.15% Cl- ; 0.10% Na+ ×0.25% Cl- ; 0.20% Na+ ×0.15% Cl- and 0.20% Na+ ×0.25% Cl- ) and housed separately in metabolic cages. The faeces were collected for 3 consecutive days. In Experiment 1, the average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed/gain (F/G) ratio of goslings were unaffected by the treatments. However, low levels of Na+ and Cl- significantly reduced the water consumption of goslings in the later growth period (p<0.05). The average water consumption of goslings fed with 0.10% Na+ ×0.15% Cl- was significantly lower than that of the goslings fed with 0.20% Na+ ×0.25% Cl- (56days, 1304.2ml vs. 1471.7ml; 63days, 1452.8ml vs. 1610.8ml; 70days, 1540.0ml vs. 1775.4ml; p<0.05). The interaction between Na+ and Cl- (Na+ ×Cl- ) had a significant impact on the blood haemoglobin (HGB) and haematocrit (HCT) levels in the goslings (p<0.05). HGB increased linearly with increasing levels of Na+ . HGB and HCT first increased and then decreased with increasing levels of Cl- . In Experiment 2, Na+ and Cl- levels had significant effects on the excreta moisture content (p<0.05). Goslings fed with 0.10% Na+ ×0.15% Cl- had a low moisture content of 5.58% compared to the goslings fed with 0.20% Na+ ×0.25% Cl- (87.51% vs. 93.09%; p<0.05). The levels of dietary Na+ had a significant effect on the retention ratio of Na (p<0.05), with the value for the 0.20% Na+ group being significantly higher than that for the 0.10% Na+ group (p<0.05). In summary, different levels of Na+ and Cl- did not affect the growth of goslings. To reduce the water consumption and moisture content of excreta, the Na+ and Cl- levels in the diet can be as low as 0.10% and 0.15%, respectively.

The effect of manganese oxide nanoparticles on chicken growth and manganese content in excreta

Manganese in animal organisms is responsible for proper bone formation and many biochemical processes. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of manganese oxide nanoparticles (NanoMn2O3) as a mineral additive to the feed mixture on the growth, slaughter characteristics, femur bone strength, mineral content of tissues and Mn excretion. The male chickens were randomly divided between a control group without Mn2O3 in a premix, three groups receiving NanoMn2O3 (nano group 30, 60 and 100 % of the standard level) and three groups receiving Mn2O3 (30, 60 and 100 % of the standard level). Each group consisted of seven birds. The highest feed intake and body weight at 42 day was in the 60 % nano group, but there were no differences in the feed conversion rate. Slaughter characteristics, physicochemical properties, bone morphometry, the content of Mn in tissues and health status evaluated by blood parameters were not affected by supplying different forms of Mn2O3. Furthermore, the excretion of Mn was lower in NanoMn2O3 than in Mn2O3 groups. The results indicate that the application of NanoMn2O3 had no negative effects on chicken growth and development, but reduces Mn excretion, suggesting that commercial Mn2O3 can be replaced by NanoMn2O3 in broiler diets. However, follow-up research at farm conditions is necessary to validate the results.

The Effects of Poor Sanitation on the People of Sagnarigu in Northern Region of Ghana

Poor sanitation in Sagnarigu Municipality of Northern Region was conducted from January to October 2018. Three communities (Fuo, Kpalsi and Sognayili) in the municipality were studied and compared with the engineered land field site at Gbalahi in the municipality as the control site. The sampling techniques used were cluster and purposive. The USEPA approved method for wastewater analysis (APHA, AWWA, WEF, 1998) was used to analyse physicochemical and bacterial load of leachate from unapproved dumpsites and wastewater from the engineering landfill site. Whiles Gbalahi had 5.2× 104 coliform units, Fuo, Kpalsi and Sognayili respectively had 6.8×104, 8.0×104 7.6×104 coliform units and showed that unapproved dump sites had more excreta content than engineered landfill sites. However, Cu (18 mg/l) and Zn (8 mg/l) at Gbalahi were more than those at the study sites and so electrical conductivity at Gbalahi (3589.00 µS/cm) was more than the average 1597 EC (µS/cm) electrical conductivity of the study sites. The study concludes that, lack of public toilets and the absence of household latrines were the factors responsible for open defecation in Sagnarigu. The challenges in using public toilets were; smelly and poor hygienic condition of the toilets, distance and cost of using them. The study recommends that, the Municipal Assembly should intensify education and sensitization of open defecation and enforce by-laws regarding open defecation.

Calcium particle size and feeding time influence egg shell quality in laying hens

An experiment with Leghorn laying hens was undertaken to determine the effect of oyster shell particle size and feeding time on different production variables, calcium retention, plasma calcium content and egg internal and external quality. Two hundred Leghorn layers (40 weeks old old) were allocated in five dietary treatments with four replicates during ten weeks. Two particle size combinations (wherein 50% of calcium substituted by medium or coarse particles (1-2 mmand 2-4 mmrespectively) and two feeding time (8-pm or 9-am) were compared against a control diet (100% ground, 0.05). Hens fed diets containing coarse Ca had significantly greater feed intake and calcium content of excreta (p > 0.05), whereas medium particle size reduced feed intake compared to control. Coarse particle size and feeding time at 9-pm significantly increased the calcium content of egg shell, egg shell thickness, egg surface area (ESA) and shell weight per unit surface area (SWUSA) (p 0.05). Providing of calcium at 9-pm resulted an increase of egg shell (%), shell weight and thickness (p < 0.05). The results have shown that substitution of fine oyster shell with 50% coarse particles (2-4 mm) and feeding time at 9-pm have better effects on egg shell quality.

The Excretion of Ca, Mg, Zn and Cu Through Excreta of Laying Hens Fed Two Different Levels of Protein with and without Phytase

An 8-week experiment was conducted to study the effect of added Natuphos® 5000 phytase in corn–soybean meal-based diets on laying hens fed different levels of crude protein (CP) (14 and 17%). Two levels of phytase enzyme were used: 0 and 600 Phytase Units (FTU)/kg feed. The experiment used 144 Hisex Brown laying hens in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Four treatments and three replicates per treatment with 12 hens per replicate were used. Egg production was recorded daily while egg weight was assessed on 13th and 14th day of each two-week period to calculate total egg mass. Total excreta were collected and approximately 10% of the amount was used for analysis after drying in a forced draft oven. The results showed no significant effect of added phytase on excreta Calcium (Ca) content, but significantly lower Magnesium (Mg) content was observed with phytase (3.54, 2.48, 3.13 and 2.75 % for hens fed 14% CP no phytase, 14% CP + phytase, 17% CP no phytase, and 17% CP + phytase, respectively). Added phytase also significantly decreased Mg excretion measured as grams/kg of egg mass (21.43, 12.47, 16.76 and 14.75 g/kg egg mass for hens of respective dietary treatments. Phytase had a strong effect on Zink (Zn) levels with 438.96, 369.17, 434.38 and 374.58 mg Zn/kg dry excreta of hens. Similar results were observed with Cu. Added phytase significantly reduced the excreta content and the excretion of Cu. The results of this experiment indicate that adding 600 FTU to laying hen diets containing 14% CP decreases the excretion of Mg, Zn and Cu without any adverse effects on the egg mass produced of laying hens.

Predators buffer the effects of variation in prey nutrient content for nutrient deposition

Predator feeding behavior and digestion regulate the flow of nutrients through ecosystems by determining the fate of prey nutrients. Most predators feed on a diversity of prey items, which differ widely in traits including their nutrient content. Yet, relatively little is known of the mechanisms through which variation in prey nutrient content affects the form by which nutrients are deposited into the environment. The overall goal of this study was to test how variation in the nutrient content of prey affected the fate of nutrients following predation by an arthropod carnivore, the Carolina wolf spider Hogna carolinensis. We manipulated the macronutrient content of prey by varying the diet on which crickets were fed to produce prey treatments that differed in lipid and protein content. Nutrients were measured as both macronutrients and elements in prey and elements in excreta. We found that there was no effect of diet treatment on the amounts of elements or macronutrients in prey carcasses and excreta despite significant variation in the nutrient content of those prey. This is in contrast to studies of some aquatic systems where mass balance by consumers results in variation in excreta content depending on the nutrient content of food. Wolf spiders assimilated the majority of prey nutrients and deposited relatively small and similar amounts of nutrients following feeding. Hence, while prey can vary widely in nutrient content, our findings suggest that this variation has little effect on the amounts of nutrients deposited by predators.

Phytase supplementation in diets rich in fiber from rapeseed enhances phosphorus and calcium digestibility but not retention in broiler chickens

Two experiments were conducted on broilers to assess the effect of dietary fiber from 00-rapeseed meal (RSM) on phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and retention (AR) during the growing (Exp1: 10 to 21 d) or finishing period (Exp2: 21 to 31 d) in diets supplemented or not with microbial phytase. Each experiment involved 144 male Cobb 500 fed one of 8 diets. Fiber content was modulated by incorporating whole RSM, RSM from dehulled rapeseeds, either raw or supplemented with 2 levels of defatted rapeseed hulls. Diets were supplemented or not with 750 phytase units of microbial phytase per kg. Excreta were collected from d 14 to d 17 (Exp1) and from d 27 to d 30 (Exp2) to measure AR. At the end of experiments, digestive tracts were sampled and weighed. The distal ileum and tibias were collected to measure AID and bone mineralization, respectively. Age did not significantly alter the response of birds to the addition of dietary fiber. Inclusion of hulls decreased growth performance (P < 0.05). The weight of the proventriculus-gizzard (PG) increased with the dietary fiber content in Exp1: The decreased weight observed using dehulled RSM was reversed following the inclusion of hulls. In both trials, while the presence of phytase increased the AID of P (P < 0.001) but not Ca, the inclusion of hulls with phytase improved the AID of P and Ca [linear (Lin), P < 0.05]. This effect could depend on the effect of fiber on PG development and physiology. Hulls decreased the moisture content of excreta (P < 0.01), suggesting higher water retention or lower water consumption with fiber. The AR of P was lower than AID of P with hulls, contrary to Ca, suggesting a metabolic imbalance. The decrease of AR together with the decrease of bone characteristics indicates a lack of Ca in diets with hulls and suggests that P and Ca provision should be adapted to the level and the origin of fiber inclusion.

Effects of nutrient variability in corn and xylanase inclusion on broiler performance, nutrient utilisation, and volatile fatty acid profiles

AbstractThe objective of the trial was to determine the impact of corn source and xylanase on broiler performance, digestibility, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles. Six corn samples were obtained from different regions of the US. Twelve treatments were derived using corn source, with each corn diet being fed with or without xylanase. Three dietary phases were used throughout the trial, starter (d 1–18), grower (d 19–31), and finisher (d 32–41). On d 18 and 41, ileal and excreta contents were collected for the determination of ileal digestible energy (IDE), ileal energy and nitrogen digestibility coefficients (IEDC and INDC), apparent metabolisable energy (AME), and caecal VFA profiles. Day 18 body weight (BW) was affected by corn source and varied between 724 and 764g (P = 0.001). For d 31 BW, there was an interaction of corn source with xylanase (P = 0.001), with the effect of xylanase being inconsistent. The effect of xylanase on feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the grower phase depended on corn source (interactive term, P = 0.021). Xylanase reduced (P = 0.026) FCR during the finisher phase (1.943 vs. 1.992). Variation of corn source influenced digestibility on all evaluated parameters. A range of 152 and 213 kcal/kg for IDE was observed on d 18 and 41, respectively (P = 0.005 and 0.001). The range of AME was 176 kcal/kg on d 18 of age which increased to 194 kcal/kg on d 41. Nitrogen digestibility was influenced by corn source, with an observed range of 4.4 and 6.1% for d 18 and 41, respectively, amongst all corn sources (P = 0.001). Xylanase increased (P = 0.031) the concentration of butyrate in the caecum on d 18. On d 41, an interaction between corn source and xylanase was observed with isovalerate in the caecal contents (P = 0.038). These data demonstrate the impact of varying corn nutrient profiles on nutrient utilisation and growth performance.

Effects of a carbohydrase complex added in different inclusion rates in feeds for broilers on growth performance, digesta viscosity and foot pad health.

Foot pad dermatitis (FPD) is a widespread disease in poultry and important for economic and animal welfare reasons. It is well recognized that using non-starch polysaccharide (NSP)-degrading enzymes can affect excreta/litter quality (not only in terms of moisture content but also regarding water evaporation) at high stocking densities and might help to prevent FPD and further negative effects of NSP. This study aimed to evaluate effects of a carbohydrase complex (CC) in different dietary inclusion rates on performance, digesta viscosity and foot pad health in broilers from 9 to 37days of life. In total, 240 broilers were divided into 12 floor pens of 20 birds and received one of four different experimental diets. The four wheat- and soyabean meal-based diets only differed in the inclusion rate of CC: 0%, 50%, 100% and 500% of the recommended dose of CC (Endo-1,4-ß-xylanase and Endo-1,3(4)-ß-glucanase; 50g/t). The addition of CC led to a significant decrease of digesta viscosity in the proximal small intestine, a tendency of improved feed conversion ratio, and significantly favoured FPD-scores (Treatment 2). At the higher tested inclusion rate of CC (500% of recommended dose), the FPD score was worser than in the treatments with 50% and 100% of the recommended enzyme dosage. No improvements among treatments were observed in terms of body weight and dry matter content of excreta and litter at the end of trial. The low positive effects on foot pad health in this study were presumably associated with the low NSP content in the experimental diets (soluble arabinoxylans: 7.38g/kg as fed). In conclusion, the addition of the evaluated CC reduced digesta viscosity. An improvement of foot pad health could only be seen in the treatment with 50% of the recommended enzyme dosage in the diet.

The effect of dietary faba bean and non-starch polysaccharide degrading enzymes on the growth performance and gut physiology of young turkeys

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary replacement of soya bean meal (SBM) with faba bean (FB) and a blend of non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) degrading enzymes on the gastrointestinal function, growth performance and welfare of young turkeys (1 to 56 days of age). An experiment with a 2×2 factorial design was performed to compare the efficacy of four diets: a SBM-based diet and a diet containing FB, with and without enzyme supplementation (C, FB, CE and FBE, respectively). In comparison with groups C, higher dry matter content and lower viscosity of the small intestinal digesta were noted in groups FB. The content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the small intestinal digesta was higher in groups FB, but SCFA concentrations in the caecal digesta were comparable in groups C and FB. In comparison with control groups, similar BW gains, higher feed conversion ratio (FCR), higher dry matter content of excreta and milder symptoms of footpad dermatitis (FPD) were noted in groups FB. Enzyme supplementation increased the concentrations of acetate, butyrate and total SCFAs, but it did not increase the SCFA pool in the caecal digesta. The enzymatic preparation significantly improved FCR, reduced excreta hydration and the severity of FPD in turkeys. It can be concluded that in comparison with the SBM-based diet, the diet containing 30% of FB enables to achieve comparable BW gains accompanied by lower feed efficiency during the first 8 weeks of rearing. Non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes can be used to improve the nutritional value of diets for young turkeys, but more desirable results of enzyme supplementation were noted in the SBM-based diet than in the FB-based diet.

Effects of replacement of corn with potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber meal in broiler chicken diets

This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of potato tuber meal (PTM) for broiler chickens during growing (22–42 days) and finishing (43–49 days) periods. A total of 360 1-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet until 21 days of age, then randomly assigned to six experimental diets, in which corn was replaced by PTM at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% levels by weight, respectively. Replacement of corn with 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% PTM had no effect on feed intake, bodyweight gain, and feed conversion ratio (P &gt; 0.05). However, replacing 50% of corn with PTM resulted in a significant reduction (P &lt; 0.05) in bodyweight gains from 22 to 42, and 22 to 49 days of age. Moreover, there was a significant (P &lt; 0.05) increase in feed conversion ratio when 50% of corn was replaced by PTM. Corn replacement with PTM did not affect (P &gt; 0.05) carcass and organ weights of broilers at 42 days of age. However, compared with the Control group, the relative length of the ileum was increased (P &lt; 0.05) by inclusion of PTM in the diets, and it was statistically different for broiler fed diets in which 20% or 50% of corn was replaced by PTM. The serum concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, urea, and uric acid were not affected (P &gt; 0.05) by diet inclusion of PTM. Replacing 50% of dietary corn with PTM significantly (P &lt; 0.05) decreased apparent ileal digestibility of protein at 42 days of age. The excreta content of uric acid was not affected by diet inclusion of PTM. In conclusion, our results showed that PTM can replace dietary corn up to 40% during the growing and finishing periods with no adverse effects on growth performance of broiler chickens. Also, replacing up to 40% of corn with PTM in broiler diet had no adverse effect on carcass composition, blood constituents, and apparent ileal digestibility of protein at 42 days of age.

Effects of fat content and source as well as of calcium and potassium content in the diet on fat excretion and saponification, litter quality and foot pad health in broilers

Summary Fat content of poultry diets and a formation of soaps from fatty acids and macro minerals in the intestinal tract of animals are often discussed in regard to nutrient digestibility and energy value, but the information about the effects on litter quality and foot pad health is limited. Therefore this study was conducted to investigate the potential impact of fat and soap contents in broilers’ excreta on dry matter (dm) content of excreta and litter as well as on development and severity of foot pad dermatitis. In a first experiment a total of 200 broilers (in two consecutive trials) were housed in floor pens littered with wood shavings and were fed diets differing in fat content (55 or 110Â g/kg dm), fat source (mixed fat, palm oil and palm fatty acid distillate, PFAD) and also in dietary calcium and potassium levels (7.5/6.0 resp. 15.0/14.5Â g/kg dm). Samples of excreta and litter were taken and foot pad health of the birds was recorded weekly according to a macroscopic score of 0 to 8. In a second experiment with 104 broilers half of the birds were exposed daily for 8 hours to litter (wood shavings) enriched with a mix of two soaps (potassium oleat and stearate, 50:50) in a concentration of 2 resp. 5% at different dm contents of the litter (85 resp. 65%). A weekly macroscopically assessment of the foot pad health was done. In Trial 1 high dietary fat contents or the use of palm oil or PFAD led to considerable fat losses via excreta (up to 134Â g/kg dm). If there were, in parallel, high dietary contents of Ca and K, a remarkable saponification was observed (up to 92.9Â g/kg dm), but this did not go along with lower litter quality or higher FPD scores. Also in the 2nd experiment the exposure to high soap contents in the litter did not have negative effects on foot pad health. Only slight lesions were observed over the experimental period. As a result of this study it can be assumed that the formation of soaps in the intestinal tract of broilers from fatty acids and minerals did not have marked influences on the development and severity of foot pad dermatitis. Overall, foot pad health was enhanced by high fat excretion, which might be due to the binding of potassium in soaps. Thus, it could not be absorbed – and therefore would not be excreted via urine and cause poorer litter quality. The observed effect of high dietary fat contents on fat and soap excretion may give reason for a critical assessment regarding energy value and costs, when fat is used at higher dietary levels, especially when substituting cereal energy.

Organic egg production. I: Effects of different dietary protein contents and forage material on organic egg production, nitrogen and mineral retention and total tract digestibility of nutrients of two hen genotypes

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of organic layer diets differing in protein and amino acid content on egg production and feed intake with two hen genotypes. Three experimental layer diets A, B and C were formulated to contain decreasing content of protein (A: 193g/kg, B: 187g/kg, C: 170g/kg) but with similar energy content (average: 11.3MJ ME/kg). No synthetic amino acids were added to the diets in line with the organic legislation, so the content of amino acids changed with the different protein content (e.g. methionine, A: 3.6g/kg, B: 2.8g/kg, C: 2.6g/kg). Diets A, B and C were fed to both genotypes (Lohmann Silver (LS); New Hampshire (NH)), together with maize silage and carrots or alfalfa silage in a complete randomised design with 4 replicate pens each of 25 hens (total 1200 hens). Each pen had a separate house and outdoor hen yard of 4m2/hen. The experiment was carried out from 18 to 41 weeks of age, and layer diets and foraging material were fed ad libitum. A balance and digestibility experiment was performed at the end of the production study. The production parameters were significantly affected by genotype, diet and foraging material. The NH genotype had an average laying rate of 70%, compared to 85% for LS, (P<0.001). The FCR was also most efficient with LS hens fed diet A, and there was a significant effect of genotype (P=0.001; LS<NH) and diet (P=0.008; A<B=C) on FCR. Both genotypes showed preference for maize silage and carrots (104g/hen/d) compared to alfalfa silage (57g/hen/d), which reduced diet intake for both NH and LS given maize silage and carrots (P=0.002). This decreased laying rate with diet B and C, which could indicate insufficient supply of essential amino acids. The retentions of N and P were low, however, the N content in excreta was significantly influenced by both genotype (P=0.002; NH>LS), diet (P=0.004; A>B=C) and forage material (P<0.001; Alfalfa silage>maize silage plus carrots). Ca retention was significantly higher with LS hens (P<0.001), and with diet A compared to diet B and C (P=0.015). The coefficient of total tract digestibility (CTTAD) of the different nutrients was affected differently, having only minor effect on CTTAD of starch, being high in all groups. The CTTAD of methionine and cysteine was higher with diet A, compared with B and C (P<0.001). It is concluded that protein and amino acid content and high intake of foraging material influence production parameters in both genotypes, where LS performed more efficiently than NH. The hens obtain most likely some nutrients from the high intake of maize silage plus carrots and alfalfa silage, however, the foraging material have diluted the total intake of nutrients to some extent, which possibly influenced the results obtained on the overall production parameters.

Effects of dietary polysaccharides from the submerged fermentation concentrate of Hericium caput-medusae (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. on performance, gut microflora, and cholesterol metabolism in broiler chickens

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of polysaccharides from the submerged fermentation concentrate of Hericium caput-medusae (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. (HFCP) on growth performance, gut microflora, and cholesterol metabolism in broiler chickens. A total of 480 one-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups with 6 pens per treatment and 20 broilers per pen. Diets containing 4 concentrations of HFCP (0, 1, 3, and 5g/kg) were fed to the broiler chickens. The experimental diets were fed in 2 phases, starter period (d 0 to 21) and finisher period (d 21 to 42). The results indicated that the average daily gain and the average daily feed intake increased (P<0.01) both linearly and quadratically when the HFCP levels increased. However, there was no difference in feed conversion observed among different treatment groups in each period. The serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased (P<0.001) linearly and quadratically, while the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level increased (linear and quadratic, P<0.001) with increasing dietary HFCP levels. The caecum Escherichia coli count and pH decreased (P<0.001) linearly and quadratically, while the caecum lactobacilli count, bifidobacteria count, and propionic acid concentration increased (linear and quadratic, P<0.01) as the HFCP levels increased. On d 21 and 42, the cholesterol content in liver, thigh, and breast muscle decreased (P<0.01) linearly and quadratically, while the bile acid excretion increased (linear and quadratic, P<0.001) with increasing dietary HFCP levels. Different doses of HFCP supplementation in broiler diets had no effect on cholesterol content in excreta. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with HFCP may lead to the production of low-cholesterol broiler meat demanded by health conscious consumers, and its effect might be due to the increase in bacterial count and short chain fatty acids production in the large intestine, and the accelerated rate of catabolism of cholesterol to bile acids by HFCP.