Broiler Chicken Diets Research Articles

O84 The effects of dietary protein reduction with stepwise addition of crystalline amino acids and formulating with a minimum glycine equivalent content in broiler chicken diets

O84 The effects of dietary protein reduction with stepwise addition of crystalline amino acids and formulating with a minimum glycine equivalent content in broiler chicken diets

Olive pomace oil and acid oil as alternative fat sources in growing-finishing broiler chicken diets

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of olive pomace oil and olive pomace acid oil, which are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (FA) but differ in free FA content, on growth performance, digestibility and FA profile of abdominal fat and breast meat. A total of 3,048 one-day-old mixed-sex broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly distributed into 24 pens and 3 dietary treatments (8 replicates per treatment). Experimental diets were administered for growing (from 22 to 29 d) and finishing (from 30 to 39 d) periods, consisting of a basal diet supplemented with 6% (as-fed basis) palm oil (PO), olive pomace oil (O), or olive pomace acid oil (OA). Animals fed O achieved the lowest feed conversion ratio (P < 0.01), together with the highest AME value (P = 0.003), but no differences were observed between OA and PO. Regarding FA digestibility, O and OA showed higher values than PO for all FA in both apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility. Comparing the AID between O and OA, no differences were observed for total FA, monounsaturated FA, or polyunsaturated FA, but animals fed OA showed lower AID values for saturated FA than those fed O (P < 0.001). The FA profile of abdominal fat and breast meat reflected that of the diet, with higher monounsaturated FA and lower saturated FA in animals fed O and OA compared to those fed PO. In sum, the inclusion of both olive pomace oil and acid oil in growing-finishing broiler chicken diets led to great performance parameters and high FA digestibility values, together with an enrichment with monounsaturated FA in abdominal fat and breast meat compared to the use of palm oil. However, a better AID of saturated FA and feed conversion ratio is achieved with O compared to OA.

Feed additive M-feed in the diets of broiler chickens and the effectiveness of its use

Recently, scientists and poultry farmers have been constantly searching, developing and testing multicomponent feed additives of natural origin, cheaper and environmentally friendly and safe, having specifi c properties and having a positive infl uence on the poultry body. The purpose of the work was the scientifi c and production-economic justifi cation of the use of the feed additive M-Feed in the diets of broiler chickens of the cross Ross-308. The paper scientifi cally substantiates the possibility of using the drug M-Feed as a biologically active additive in the diets of broiler chickens of the cross Ross-308. Its optimal dosage as part of compound feed was determined and the eff ect of the feed additive on the digestibility and use of nutrients in the diet, growth and development, meat productivity was studied. The production and economic feasibility of using feed additive M-Feed in the diets of broiler chickens has been determined. The results of scientifi c and economic experiment and farm testing fully confi rmed the eff ectiveness of the additional inclusion of M-Feed feed additive in the diet of broiler chickens in the amount of 250 mg/100 g of compound feed at the age of 1–30 days and 100 mg/100 g of compound feed at the age of 31–40 days of their rearing. According to the results of the farm testing, it was found that the inclusion of the feed additive M-Feed in the amount of 250 mg/100 g and 100 mg/100 g of compound feed (according to the rearing periods), allowed to reduce feed intake by 1 kg of gain from 1,70 to 1,57 kg or by 0,13 kg and to get additional profi t in the calculation for 1 head 7,93 rubles.

Performance and economic consideration of broiler chickens fed enzyme supplemented cassava fibre meal

The search for alternative energy source to substitute for the expensive conventional energy feed resources in broiler chicken diet is the driving force of this study. Thus, the study assessed the performance and economics of the production of broiler chickens fed enzyme supplemented cassava fibre meal (CFM) in a 56-day feeding trial. A batch of three hundred and sixty (360) day-old Arbor acre broiler-chicks was allotted to twelve (12) diets replicated five (5) times of six (6) birds in a complete randomization. Cassava fibre was sun dried for 5 days with constant turning to prevent fermentation, reduce the moisture content and possibly reduce the cyanide content. Proximate composition, phytochemical components and cyanide contents were determined using appropriate standard methods. Cassava fibre meal was substituted for maize at 0, 20, 40, and 60% levels and Roxazyme® G2 supplementation was at 0, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Data collected on feed intake and weight gain were analysed using the General Linear Model (GLM), and differences in means where observed were separated using Duncan option of the SPSS 2006 version 15.0. The Economics of broiler chicken production was determined using economic tools such as gross margin and economic efficiency analyses. Results showed that CFM contained appreciable levels of nutrients that could promote broiler growth when substituted at optimum level as an energy source in broiler chicken diet. Substitution of CFM at 40 and 60% levels for maize led to a decrease (p&lt;0.05) in weight gain and feed conversion of broiler chickens. Feed intake and weight gain were not influenced by dietary substitution of CFM for maize in the broiler starter and broiler finisher stages of growth. The effect of enzyme supplementation was not significant in the birds’ physiological growth at both starter and finisher stages. The effect of interaction was not significant (p&gt;0.05) indicating that birds’ performance were not dependent on the two factors under investigation. Economics of broiler chicken production revealed that total cost was lower in birds fed CFM with or without enzyme supplementation compared with those fed the maize-based diets. Net revenue, economic efficiency and profitability ratio analysis showed better economic viability and profitability in birds fed CFM with or without enzyme supplementation compared with those fed maize-based diets. Key words: Broiler chickens, Cassava fibre meal, Profitability ratio, Roxazyme® G2, Weight gain

Growth performance and physiological status evaluation of Spirulina platensis algae supplementation in broiler chicken diet

Spirulina platensis algae (SPA) is a natural feed supplement with 40 to 45% crude protein, 2.44% Ca, and 6.27% P. It contains substances (e.g., β-carotene and zeaxanthin, and high Fe, vitamins and phycocyanin). These substances reveal potential biological properties such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidemic contain. The effects of dietary supplementation of SPA on growth performance, antioxidative, immune status, and intestinal histology were investigated. A total of 540 broiler chickens were randomly assigned into 3 treatments of 18 breeding pens each housed in 6 replicates per each experimental treatment (30 broiler chickens per pen). Three diets were formulated to contain 0, 3, and 6% of SPA and fed from d 7 to 35. Body weight and body weight gain at 5 wk of age were greater in the diet containing 6% SPA compared with the 0% SPA. The supplementation of SPA to a broiler chicken diet improved the feed conversion ratio. The obtained results of the experiment showed that broiler chicken fed with 3 and 6% of feed SPA increased RBC, Hb, and WBC and lymphocyte was greater (P ≤ 0.05) values compared to the 0% SPA. Serum total lipid, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations in the diet containing 3 or 6% SPA decreased compared with the 0% SPA. Furthermore, the concentration of high-density lipoprotein was increased , while the opposite is observed with low-density lipoprotein concentration. Serum Ca and P concentrations had greater in the diet containing 3 or 6% SPA compared to the 0% SPA. Both the 3 and 6% SPA groups increased (P ≤ 0.05) blood glutathione; however, the SPA groups decreased (P ≤ 0.05) malondialdehyde but increased blood immunity status relative to the control group. Moreover, the content of Ca and P in tibia ash increased in both broiler chicken fed the diets containing 3 and 6% SPA compared with those fed the diet containing 0% SPA. In comparison to the control treatment, all experimental chickens had increased villus height, goblet cells per 100 enterocytes and villus height per crypt depth in the jejunum histology examination. The inclusion of SPA in broiler chicken fed the diet containing of 6% had a considerably positive effect on growth performance and gut health status. In addition, it is a good source of Ca and P to increase tibia strength.

Comparing a single dose of xylanase to a double dose or cocktail of non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes in broiler chicken diets

This study compared supplementation with a single dose of xylanase to a double dose of xylanase or a non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) degrading enzyme cocktail (NSP-ase cocktail) on productive performance, nutrient utilisation and the gastrointestinal environment in broilers fed commercial diets. Cobb 500 broilers (n=1,080) were fed 12 dietary treatments; four Australian commercial diets (based on wheat-barley, wheat-maize, wheat-sorghum or wheat only) with three different enzyme treatments (single dose of xylanase (16,000 BXU/kg), double dose of xylanase (32,000 BXU/kg) or NSP-ase cocktail (xylanase, β-glucanase, cellulase, pectinase, mannanase, galactanase, arabinofuranosidase). There were 108 pens, nine replicates per dietary treatment, with 10 birds per pen. Performance (total pen body weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio corrected for mortality) was determined at d 0-35. On d 35, one male and one female were weighed individually and used to determine breast meat, thigh and drumstick weight, dry matter (DM) contents from the gizzard, jejunum and ileum, ileal protein, energy, starch and dry matter digestibility, ileal viscosity and xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS) concentration, caecal microbiota and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) composition. The double dose of xylanase and NSP-ase cocktail had no effect on bird performance, meat yield, ileal viscosity, ileal starch, energy or DM digestibility or digesta DM content. The double xylanase dose and NSP-ase cocktail increased protein digestibility in birds fed the wheat-sorghum based diet (P=0.041) and increased caecal concentration of butyric acid in birds fed the wheat-maize based diet (P=0.040), and propionic, valeric and lactic acid and Bifidobacteria and Enterobacteria spp. in birds fed the wheat-based diet (P&lt;0.05). The double xylanase dose increased XOS production, particularly in birds fed the wheat-barley based diets (P&lt;0.05). The lack of performance effects observed when feeding the double xylanase dose or NSP-ase cocktail suggested that the current recommended xylanase dose (16,000 BXU/kg) is sufficient.

Effect of adding sunflower seeds in broiler diet on serum lipids profile and some productive performance

The study determined the effect of the addition of 10,20 and 30 gm/kg of sunflower seeds (kernel) to diets for broiler chickens during 1–35 days of age on the blood serum chemistry. One hundred twenty one-day-old broiler chickens were assigned to eight groups (treatments) with two replicates (15 birds per cage). The experiment lasted 5weeks. Broiler chickens receiving diets supplemented with sunflower seeds (kernel). blood biochemical responses of broiler chicks to dietary supplementation with sunflower seeds (kernel) significantly increased HDL, phospholipids and decreased cholesterol, LDL of blood serum in broiler chicks. Adding sunflower seeds to broiler diet lead to improvement the productive parameter (body weight gain, live body weight ,feed intake and feed conversion ratio).

Effect of Raw Chickpea in the Broiler Chicken Diet on Intestinal Histomorphology and Intestinal Microbial Populations.

Simple SummaryRaw chickpea seed (CPR) can be an alternative source of cheaper native proteins in the diet of chickens, replacing the standard soybean meal. The present results were obtained in a study on the addition of raw chickpea seeds to replace 50% of soybean meal (SBM) protein in an experimental feed mixture for broiler chickens. We investigated the effect of the substitution on the intestinal histomorphology, intestinal microbial population, and health of broiler chickens.The aim of the study was to determine the effect of partial replacement of SBM protein with CPR-derived protein in the broiler rearing period from 22 to 42 days of age on the intestinal histomorphology and the composition of the intestinal microbial population. Male broiler chicks aged 1 day were assigned to two groups with different nutrition schemes (n = 100 in each, 5 cages of 20 chicks in each). The chickens were reared for 42 days. All birds were fed isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets: starter (1 to 21 d), grower (22 to 35 d), and finisher (36 to 42 d). From rearing day 22, different diets were provided to the birds: the SBM group received feed with 100% soybean meal protein, and the diet of the CPR group the protein originated from soybean meal was replaced by 50% chickpea protein. The study results indicated a significant impact of the inclusion of CPR in the diet on the basic intestinal structures (thickness of myenteron: submucosa, jejunum and duodenum mucosa, and jejunum transversal lamina). The addition of CPR led to shortening of intestinal villi, an increase in villus thickness, and reduced intestine absorptive surface in the duodenum and jejunum. The CPR group exhibited a significantly lower villus length-to-crypt depth ratio in the jejunum (p < 0.001). The inclusion of chickpeas in the diet increased the total count of mesophilic bacteria and coliforms in the intestinal contents (p < 0.05). In summary, it has been demonstrated that the inclusion of CPR in the diet induced considerable disturbances in metabolism and intestinal structure. Although CPR is a cheap protein source, its use in poultry diet does not ensure development of the intestinal structure comparable to that in the case of an SBM-only diet.

Insights into the Gut Microbial Communities of Broiler Chicken Fed Black Soldier Fly Larvae-Desmodium-Based Meal as a Dietary Protein Source.

The utilization of insect-based diets to improve gastrointestinal function and gut health in poultry is gaining global attention as a promising feed additive. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal inclusion level of the full-fat black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) and Desmodium intortum (DI) in broiler chicken diets and to evaluate their impact on the microbial community in the gut. The bacterial communities were characterized using Oxford nanopore sequencing of the full-length bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Four dietary treatments, T1 (25% DI + 75% BSFL), T2 (50% DI + 50% BSFL), T3 (75% DI + 25% BSFL) and T4 (100% fishmeal + 0% DI + BSFL), were fed to the broiler chickens for a period of 42 days. Out of the 395,034 classified reads analyzed, the most predominant phyla identified across all the four dietary treatments were Firmicutes (94%), Bacteroidetes (3%), and Proteobacteria (2%). The T1 diet showed the highest alpha diversity and richness according to the Chao1 and Shannon indices. Beta diversity assessment revealed a significant influence of diet on the abundance of the microbiome. There was an increase in beneficial lactic acid bacteria with increasing inclusion of BSFL in the diets. Our findings strongly support the inclusion of BSFL into poultry diet as a promising protein source to reshape the gut microbiota for improved gut health, immune response, and food safety.

Dietary potency of sun-dried turmeric powder on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and cost analysis of starter broiler chicks

The present study was carried out to assess the dietary potency of sun-dried turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder on the performance of the broiler chicks. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) day old abor acre plus chicks were randomly allocated to four (4) dietary treatments each with three replicates of ten (10) chicks. Four experimental diets were formulated in such a way that the control diet (T1) did not contain turmeric powder whereas birds in T2, T3 and T4 fed diets contained 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30% turmeric powder respectively. The feeding trial lasted for 28 days and parameters on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and cost analysis were evaluated. Proximate analysis showed that turmeric powder possesses some nutrients which make it nutritionally viable as a feed additive in the broiler chick diet. There were no significant differences among all the growth performance parameters evaluated across the dietary treatments. Broiler chicks fed 0.30% turmeric recorded numerically best value in terms of body weight and feed conversion ratio compared to other treatments including control. No significant difference was observed in nutrient utilization across the treatment groups. Turmeric powder resulted in efficient feed cost reduction, and among the treatments, the diet with 0.30 % of turmeric powder provides a better economic advantage in terms of feed cost per weight gain. It is concluded that supplementation of turmeric powder up to 0.30% as feed additives in broiler chicks’ diet had no negative impact on growth performance, nutrient utilization and production cost of the abor acre plus breed of chicks.

Evaluation of cassava distillers’ waste meal in the diet of Broiler Chicken

This study was designed to examine the growth properties, nutrient retention, blood components and carcass cuts of broiler chicken fed cassava distillers’ waste meal (CDWM) in place of maize. A total of three hundred (300) day old Abor-Acre strain chicks were stochastically assigned to five groups using completely randomized design at 60 birds each replicated thrice. The CDWM was included in the diets at 25, 50, 75, and 100% at the expense of maize in the control diet. Cassava distillers’ waste meal had a high protein and fibre content compared to maize. Significant differences (p&lt;0.05) were observed in the growth parameters, nutrient digestibility, packed cell volume and breast weight. The final weight and daily gain reduced as CDWM increased in the diet while average daily feed consumed and conversion ratio increased linearly; birds offered control diet had the lowest and best feed conversion ratio while those fed the 100% replacement had the highest feed conversion ratio. Thus, the optimal inclusion level of CDWM in broiler diets should not exceed 25% as a replacement for maize. Further study is required to determine if the addition of multi-carbohydrase enzyme will encourage higher replacement level of maize with CDWM in broiler diet.

Supplementation of Broiler Chicken Feed Mixtures with Micronised Oilseeds and the Effects on Nutrient Contents and Mineral Profiles of Meat and Some Organs, Carcass Composition Parameters, and Health Status.

Simple SummaryIn the present study, the inclusion of micronised camelina, flax, and sunflower seeds in the diets of broiler chickens improved the slaughter parameters, for example, the share of commercial cuts in the carcass (breast, thigh, and drumstick muscle), and reduced the content of abdominal fat. The addition of oilseeds in the diets also modified the calorific value of the breast, thigh, and drumstick muscles as well as some organs by reducing the content of ether extract. In addition, the flax seeds increased the content of Ca, Cu, and Fe in the muscles and organs. At the same time, there were no abnormalities in the health status of the birds.In this study, we included 15% doses of infrared-irradiated camelina, flax, and sunflower seeds in the diets of broiler chickens (grower and finisher) and focused on assessing the effects on the production traits, selected slaughter analysis parameters, nutrients, and minerals in breast and drumstick meat and some organs, i.e., liver, proventriculus, and heart. In total, 200 one-day-old broiler chickens were assigned randomly to four treatments with five replicate cages of 10 broiler chickens per cage (five females and five males). The experiment lasted 6 weeks. In the group of broiler chickens in which diets were supplemented with micronised camelina and flax seeds, there was an increase in (p < 0.05) breast, thigh, and drumstick weight and a decrease (p < 0.05) in the abdominal fat of the carcasses. The oilseed treatments reduced the ether extract content and the calorific value in the breast and drumstick muscles and organs. The flax seeds contributed to an increase in the contents of Ca (breast muscle and liver), Cu (breast muscle and proventriculus), and Fe (drumstick muscle and heart). Likewise, some blood parameters were influenced by supplementation with infrared-irradiated camelina and flax seeds, for example, there was a decrease in the haemoglobin level and the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (p < 0.05). The oilseed treatments also modified the contents of Fe and Ca in the blood plasma of broiler chickens (p < 0.05). It may be concluded that infrared-irradiated camelina, flax, and sunflower seeds can be regarded as good diet components exerting positive effects on the dietary value of poultry meat and organs used in dietetics.

Calcium anacardate in the diet of broiler chickens: Performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of adding calcium anacardate as a source of anacardic acid in the diet of broiler chickens on performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and lipid stability of the meat. A total of 840 one-day-old male chicks with initial body weights of 47.99 ± 0.81 g, were distributed in a completely randomised design with six treatments and seven replications of 20 birds each. The treatments applied were: diet with no growth promoter; diet with growth promoter; and four diets with no growth promoter but with the addition of calcium anacardate at levels of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1%. As a result of this study the feed intake was not significantly affected by the treatments in any of the studied periods. The addition of calcium anacardate from 1 to 21 days of age starting at 0.75% reduced weight gain and worsened feed conversion, however, these variables were not significantly affected when the total period, from 1 to 42 days of age, was evaluated. There was also no significant effect of the treatments on the yields of carcass, breast, drumstick + thigh and abdominal fat, as well as on the proportions of dry matter, crude protein and mineral matter in the carcass, nor on color, cooking weight loss, water-holding capacity and meat pH. However, the proportion of fat in the carcass and lipid oxidation linearly decreased as the levels of calcium anacardate increased in the diet. In conclusion, the addition of calcium anacardate starting at 0.75% can reduce the proportion of fat in the carcass and improve the lipid stability of the meat, without impairing performance at 42 days of age.

Expression profiling of immune genes associated with black pepper (Piper nigrum) powder supplementation in the diets of broiler chickens

The present study was conducted on three hundred commercial broiler chicks with the aim to evaluate the effect of black pepper supplementation on expression of TLR gene where the negative control (T1) group was given basal diet without antibiotic and in the control group (T2) basal diet with antibiotic was fed, third (T3), fourth (T4), fifth (T5) and sixth (T6) groups were supplemented with black pepper powder (BPP) at levels 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1%, respectively in diet. After 42 days, a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in ileal E. coli count and a higher value of Lactobacilli was recorded in the various black pepper powder supplemented groups, and they differed significantly (p < 0.05) from negative control. The mRNA expression levels of Toll-like receptors (TLR 2 and TLR 4) had shown significant (p < 0.05) changes in experimental groups. The TLR 2 and TLR 4 genes revealed differential expression in all black pepper supplemented groups in comparison to negative control and control group, while TLR 7 did not show any significant change. Thus, supplementation of black pepper powder can be exploited as an immunomodulator to enhance adaptive immune response of broiler chicks after validation on large number of samples.

Innovative Use of Olive, Winery and Cheese Waste By-Products as Functional Ingredients in Broiler Nutrition.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dietary use of novel silage that was created by combining three agro-industrial wastes produced in bulk, i.e., olive mill wastewater, grape pomace, and deproteinized feta cheese whey, in the diets of broiler chickens. A total of 216 one-day-old male Ross-308 chicks were randomly allocated to three treatment groups with six replications (12 chicks per pen). Three isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets were formulated to include the examined silage at 0%, 5%, or 10%. Commercial breeding and management procedures were employed throughout the trial. At the end of the trial (day 35), tissue samples were collected for analysis. Feeding 10% silage resulted in increased (p ≤ 0.001) final body weight (p ≤ 0.001) and feed intake. Jejunum and cecum microflora, as well as breast and thigh meat microflora, were modified (p ≤ 0.05) by the dietary inclusion. Thigh meat oxidative stability was improved (p < 0.01) by the silage supplementation. In addition, breast and thigh meat fatty acid profiles were different, respectively, (p < 0.05) in the supplemented treatments compared to the control. The examined silage was successfully tested in broiler diets with potential benefits for their performance and meat quality.

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Marine Algae (Spirulina platensis) and Toxin Binder Powders in the Diets of Broiler Chickens Exposed to Aflatoxin-B1: Growth Performance, Humoral Immune Response and Cecal Microbiota

This research was performed to investigate the effects of milk thistle (MT), toxin binder (TB) and marine algae (Spirulina platensis; SP) on the performance, blood indices, humoral immunity and cecal microbiota of broiler chickens exposed to aflatoxin-B1 (AFB1). A total of 300 one-day-old male chicks were equally divided into five treatments, with six replicates with 10 birds per treatment. Dietary treatments included: (T1) a control diet (without any feed additive or AFB1); (T2) control diet + 0.6 mg AFB1/kg; (T3) T2 + 10 g/kg MT; (T4) T2 + 1 g/kg TB; and (T5) T2 + 10 g/kg SP. BWG and FI were found to be considerably reduced in broilers given AFB1-contaminated diets (p &lt; 0.05). The FCR was negatively influenced in birds fed AFB1-contaminated diets (p &lt; 0.05). MT, TB, and SP powders also reduced the deleterious effects of AFB1 on the growth of chickens (p &lt; 0.05). In comparison with the control birds and the other treatments, broilers given AFB1-contaminated diets had a higher relative weight of abdominal fat (p &lt; 0.05). The feeding of AFB1 resulted in a substantial rise in AST and ALT activity (p &lt; 0.05). MT, TB, and SP powders significantly decreased blood AST and ALT activity in broilers (p &lt; 0.05). The AFB1 and MT groups had the lowest skin thickness (p &lt; 0.05) twenty-four hours after injection. The phytohemagglutinin injection results showed that the TB and SP were more efficient than the other additives in removing toxins from the feed sources (p &lt; 0.05). The antibody titer against sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) was lower in the AFB1 group compared to the control group at 28 days of age (p &lt; 0.05). When comparing AFB1-fed chicks to the control treatment, there was a significant (p &lt; 0.05) concentration of cecal Coliform bacteria. When MT, TB, and SP powders were added to AFB1-contaminated diet, cecal Coliforms were decreased (p &lt; 0.05). When fed AFB1-contaminated diets, it can be concluded that MT, TB, and SP are suitable for supporting growth performance, immunological function, and the serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens.

Combination of emulsifier and xylanase in wheat diets of broiler chickens

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of emulsifier, xylanase, and a combination of both on the digestibility of nutrients and growth performance of broiler chickens. A total of 480 1-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatment groups (15 replicate pens with 8 birds each): control (CON), control plus xylanase (XYL), control plus emulsifier (EMU), and control plus xylanase and emulsifier (XYL+EMU). The experiment was conducted for a period of 42 days, and the diets were based mainly on wheat, soybean meal, tallow, and rapeseed oil. The addition of emulsifiers to the diet showed a significant effect on body weight gain (BWG) (P < 0.001) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the chickens during the grower period (P < 0.001) and on the overall FCR (P < 0.001). The analysis of the digestibility of fatty acids on day 35 of the study indicated a positive influence of emulsifier addition, with the highest increase recorded for polyunsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.001). No significant differences in gene expression were noted on the 35th day of birds’ life, but an increase in the expression of some proteins encoding membrane transporters was observed (P < 0.05). The combined use of xylanase and emulsifier resulted in more than a threefold increase in the degradation of neutral detergent fiber (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the combined use of emulsifier and xylanase in wheat–soy-based diets for poultry improves apparent prececal digestibility of fatty acids, and crude protein, apparent metabolizable energy corrected to N equilibrium, and total tract neutral detergent fiber degradation, resulting in better BWG and FCR values. However, the use of emulsifier and xylanase combination showed no additive effect on the investigated variables. The results obtained in the current study indicate that supplementation with a combination of emulsifier and xylanase can be an effective feeding strategy to improve poultry production and nutrient utilization. Future studies are warranted to investigate the effect of emulsifier and xylanase combination on amylase secretion, as well as on the digestibility of other nutrients (crude protein).

Development and Evaluation of a Commercial Direct-Fed Microbial (Zymospore®) on the Fecal Microbiome and Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens under Experimental Challenge Conditions.

Simple SummaryProbiotics are recognized for their beneficial health-promoting properties, through competitive exclusion, promoting maintenance of intestinal epithelial integrity and host immune system homeostasis. The use of some spore-forming bacteria from the genus Bacillus has earned interest as a direct-fed microbial in recent years as a potential alternative to antibiotic growth promoters and growth enhancers. The present study evaluates the use of a Bacillus subtilis spore-based direct-fed microbial (Zymospore®, Vetanco, Villa Martelli, Argentina) compared to an antibiotic growth promoter on the performance of broiler chickens under experimental intestinal challenge conditions. The results suggest that Zymospore® increases the diversity of the broiler fecal microbiota and is an acceptable substitute for commonly used antibiotic growth promoters under defined and non-defined intestinal dysbiosis conditions.Direct-fed microbials (DFM) are added to broiler chicken diets in order to promote the proliferation of beneficial intestinal bacterial populations, which may lead to gains in performance efficiency and, potentially, reduce the level of enteric pathogens in the broiler chickens. The selection and laboratory evaluation of Bacillus subtilis strains as well as the experimental trial results of a novel Bacillus-based commercial DFM product are described. Fifteen wild-type Bacillus subtilis strains were characterized and assayed for their enzyme production capability, spore resistance to pH, salinity, and temperature, and ability to inhibit the growth of E. coli and Salmonella spp. The final DFM formulation was evaluated and compared to an antibiotic growth promoter (AGPs) in two experimental trials. In Experiment 1, broilers were given a defined challenge of Eimeria spp. and Clostridium perfringens to induce intestinal dysbiosis. The optimal dose of the DFM was determined to be 0.3 kg/ton of feed. At this dose, the broilers fed the DFM performed as well as the Flavomycin®-fed broilers. Further, intestinal microbiome analysis indicates that the use of the DFM enhances bacterial diversity of the gut flora by day 5 of age, increasing levels of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Clostridiales by 25 days of age, which may enhance the digestion of feed and promote growth of the birds. In Experiment 2, the broilers were raised on recycled litter and given an undefined challenge orally to mimic commercial growth conditions. In this trial, the DFM performed as well as the bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD)-11%-fed birds. The results of the present studies suggest that this novel DFM, Zymospore®, improves the performance of broiler chickens under experimental challenge conditions as effective as an AGP, providing a safe and effective substitute to the poultry industry.

Exploring the functional and metabolic effects of adding garra fish meal to a plant-based broiler chicken diet.

The present study evaluated the metabolic and functional effects of adding garra meal to a broiler chicken diet. Three hundred twenty Sasso-breed day-old chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with either 0, 10, 20 or 30% garra meal added on top of formulated starter and grower basal diets. The experiment lasted for 42days. Feed intake and body weight gain increased at the starter and grower phases of broilers with garra meal addition (P < 0.05). Broiler chickens fed 30% garra meal were more efficient in converting feed to body weight and yielded the highest carcass weight (P < 0.05). Crude protein ileal digestibility coefficient was higher with 20% (76.2%), and crude fat with 20 (92.1) and 30% (92.6%) garra meal receiving groups (P < 0.05). The increase in individual and total esterified carnitine concentrations in dried blood spots demonstrated the elevated metabolic rate with garra meal addition (P < 0.05). A better supply of glucogenic substrate to the citric acid cycle was seen with garra meal addition due to the increase of propionylcarnitine to acetylcarnitine ratio (P < 0.05) without any apparent effect on ketogenesis in terms of serum 3-hydroxybutyrylcarnitine to acetylcarnitine ratio. Yet, it likely showed that part of the amino acids from garra meal were used as glucogenic substrate (P < 0.05). Histomorphometry data showed 20% garra meal addition elevated villus height, crypt depth and their ratio in the proximal parts of the small intestine (duodenum and jejunum) with the opposite results observed in the more distal part (ileum) with the highest for the control group (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that garra meal improved broiler performance when added to a plant-based diet and only few parameters warranted for caution when using more up to 30% garra meal addition. Beyond growth performance, garra meal generated a shift to a more efficient digestion, absorption and nutrient metabolism.

Meat productivity of broiler chickens depending on the conditions of keeping and feeding when using microbial additives in the diet

The publication presents the results of the study of the influence of conditions of keeping and feeding with the use of a microbial feed additive in the diet of broiler chickens of the Ross 308 cross. The birds were kept both in the outdoor way and in cages. The additive is a lyophilized mass of beneficial microorganisms (Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus) and vegetable fillers (edible citrus fiber and maltodextrin). The conducted scientific, production and laboratory studies have demonstrated that the conditions of broiler chickens did not have a significant impact on the studied parameters, however, the use of probiotics in the poultry diet contributed to the improvement of the safety, live weight and meat productivity of the cross. It was found that the safety of the experimental poultry contained by outdoor and cage methods, which additionally received the studied microbial additive in the diet, increased compared to similar groups, but without additives by 4.0 and 6.0 %, the live weight of broiler chickens on the last day of the experiment was 5.5 and 5.6 % more, there was also a decrease in feed costs by 1.0 kg of poultry growth by 3.9 and 4.4 %. The use of microbial additive contributed to an increase in the slaughter yield of the gutted carcass of experimental groups of broiler chickens by 3.2-4.0 % with statistically significant differences in the mass of the body parts of experimental birds compared with control groups.