Performance Of Broiler Chickens Research Articles

Evaluation of Increasing Levels of Acacia mearnsii Tannins on Growth Performance and Intestinal Morphometrics of Broiler Chickens Undergoing a Salmonella Heidelberg Challenge

Phytogenic additives such as tannins are characterized as polyphenolic compounds known for their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunostimulatory properties that have been used to enhance the performance, intestinal health, and meat quality of broiler chickens. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of increasing dietary supplementation of tannins from Acacia mearnsii on the intestinal morphometrics, litter moisture, and growth performance of broiler chickens. A total of 1400 Cobb 500 one-day-old male chicks were randomly distributed into five dietary treatments with eight replicates (35 birds/pen) until 42 days of age. The treatments consisted of Salmonella Heidelberg-challenged groups supplemented with 0, 300, 500, 700, or 900 mg/kg tannin from Acacia mearnsii. A four-phase feeding program was used with pre-starter, starter, grower, and finisher feeds. At 3 days of age, birds were orally gavaged with an S. Heidelberg culture. Feed intake, body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were evaluated until day 42. The morphometry of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum was measured at 7 and 42 days of age. From 1 to 28, 1 to 35, and 1 to 42 days of age, tannin supplementation for broilers under S. Heidelberg challenge led to quadratic increases (p < 0.05) in BWG, with optimal responses at 265, 412, and 456 mg/kg, respectively. No effects of tannin were observed on FCR in all periods. Villus height was similar in all segments on day 7 (p > 0.05); however, on day 42, tannin supplementation that improved villus height of the ileum was 600 mg/kg (p = 0.0100). In conclusion, tannins from Acacia mearnsii were able to improve body weight gain and intestinal morphometry of broiler chickens under an imposed challenge of S. Heidelberg.

Effects of in ovo supplementation of selenium (Se) and zinc (zn) on hatchability and production performance of broiler chickens.

The current research was conducted to assess the effect of in ovo feeding (IOF) of selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) on hatchability, production performance, liver, intestinal morphology, antioxidant levels and expression levels of immune-related genes in broiler chickens. A total of 400 fertilized eggs were equally divided into four groups: control (non-injected), sham (in ovo injection of 0.75% NaCl), Se (@ 1.5µg/egg in ovo injection) and Zn (500µg/egg in ovo injection) groups respectively. On the seventeenth day of incubation, treatment solutions were administered into amniotic fluid of fertilized eggs. The results revealed that Se and Zn supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced hatchability, post-hatch growth, organ development, and liver antioxidant capability. Histopathological examination revealed a typical hepatocyte morphology, well-arranged cells, and a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in apoptosis in both selenium and zinc groups. Additionally, selenium and zinc produced auspicious effects on intestinal epithelium and villi surface area. Interestingly, our results revealed that IOF of Se and Zn modulated the expression of immune-related genes in comparison to the control and sham groups. Conclusively, IOF of Se and Zn augmented health and productivity by enhancing the cellular immunity in the broiler chickens, thus IOF can be utilized as an effective strategy to promote health and immunity in broiler chickens.

Cholecalciferol combined with Satureja rechingeri essential oils improves growth performance and immune response of broiler chickens.

Vitamin D possesses an important role in the maintenance and health of broiler chickens. Herbal essential oils (EOs) have been proposed as a suitable alternative to chemical drugs in intensive production management systems for better performance of broilers with slight side effects and admirable therapeutic properties. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding cholecalciferol (VD) in combination of Satureja rechingeri EO (SREO) on growth performance, haematological indicators and immunological response of broilers. A total of 540 1-day-old mixed-sex broiler chickens (Ross 308) were used in a completely randomized design with a 3×3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Experimental treatments included different concentrations of cholecalciferol (VD) (0, 2000 and 4000IU/kg=0, 0.05 and 0.1mg/kg) and SREO (0, 200 and 400mg/kg) on growth performance, haematological indicators and immunological responses of broiler chickens were investigated. The results showed that the chicken fed diet supplemented with 0.1mg/kg VD (VD0.1) in combination of 200mg/kg SREO (SREO200) increased the feed intake during the overall and first 14-day periods of the trial when compared with other dietary treatments. Interaction of VD0.1×SREO200 led to more body weight gain (BWG) in the grower and finisher phases than all other feed treatment groups. The blood level of lymphocyte at day 42, heterophil at days 28 and 42 and heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio at 14 and 28 days of age were affected by VD0.1+SREO200 in comparison with VD0+SREO0 group. Feeding VD and/or SREO decreased triglyceride, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein concentrations at days 28 and 42 of the study, especially in VD0.1+SREO200 treatment. Feeding VD0.1+SREO200 also resulted in higher serum status of immunoglobulin M, lysozymes and phagocytic percentage among all treatments. Considering the outcomes, it is suggested that the combination of suitable concentration of VD and EO of the plant had favourable effects on the immune system and performance criteria of broiler chickens.

Suitability of raw and heat-treated Amaranthus spinosus in broiler diets: Effects on growth performance, meat antioxidant capacity, haemato-biochemical parameters, intestinal histomorphometry, and cecal volatile fatty acid profile

This study aimed to examine the effects of incorporating amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus, either raw or heat-treated) into broiler diets on growth performance, meat antioxidant capacity, haemato-biochemical parameters, intestinal histomorphometry, and cecal volatile fatty acid profile. A total of 210 male Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design, with each treatment comprising six replicates of seven birds each. The control group received a diet based on maize and soybean meal, while the remaining dietary groups were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric to the control, with exact levels of 10% and 20% raw or heat-treated amaranth in the diet. Body weight and feed intake were monitored on days 0, 10, 24, and 39 of the study. On day 39, two birds per replicate were randomly selected for blood sampling, followed by slaughtering for further parameter examination. Incorporating A. spinosus up to 20% in broiler diets had no adverse effect on body weight gain compared to the control. However, higher levels of amaranth led to a negative impact on the feed conversion ratio, attributed to increased feed intake. Furthermore, amaranth supplementation did not negatively influence carcass yield or various organ weights, except for the gizzard, which was heavier in the amaranth-fed groups. Notably, amaranth supplementation reduced abdominal fat, enhanced meat antioxidant status, and had no detrimental effects on blood biochemical or hematological indices. Additionally, amaranth feeding resulted in decreased blood triglyceride levels but had no effect on cholesterol levels. While heat treatment of amaranth did not significantly alter the performance of broiler chickens, it enhanced the beneficial effects of amaranth feeding on the histomorphological features of the duodenum and ileum, and increased blood IgG levels. The cecal volatile fatty acid profile remained largely unaffected by amaranth inclusion, although heat-treated amaranth led to increased levels of branched-chain fatty acids and valerate. Overall, the findings suggest A. spinosus as a promising alternative feed ingredient for broilers when included at 10% of the diet. However, further research is needed to investigate the effect of various amaranth species, processing methods and enzyme supplementation on poultry nutrition to expand its inclusion rate.

Selenium nanoparticle inclusion in broiler diets for enhancing sustainable production and health

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of nanoparticles of Selenium (Nano-Se) on productive performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass criteria, selenium retention, blood biochemistry, and histopathological examination of broiler chicken. A total of 192 1-day-old male broiler chickens (Cobb 500) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment diets, with each diet given to six replicates of eight chicks. The birds were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups, each of which included Nano-Se at levels of 0, 0.2, 0.3, or 0.4 mg/kg. The feeding experiment lasted 35 days. Nano-Se addition to broiler diets at 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg enhanced body weight and body weight gain linearly compared to the control diet and 0.4 mg/kg. The apparent digestibility coefficient of ether extracts linearly increased with increasing Nano-Se levels up to 0.4 mg/kg. Increasing Nano-Se decreased serum cholesterol, triglycerides, alanine aminotransaminase, aspartate aminotransaminase, and creatinine in broiler chickens. Also, serum antioxidants showed a significant increase with increasing Nano-Se levels. As Nano-Se levels were supplemented, improvements in cooking loss, water-holding capacity, and antioxidants were observed as compared to the control. Additionally, a noticeable improvement in meat quality was observed regarding the obtained meat characters. It was preferred to use low doses of Nano-Se (0.3 mg/kg), as tissue retention of Se for both meat and liver was more comparable to the control. In conclusion, nutritional supplementation with Nano-Se increased growth performance, nutrient digestibility, selenium retention, meat quality, blood biochemistry, histological indices, and antioxidant activity of broiler chickens. Overall, the best performance of broilers was observed with Nano-Se supplementation at 0.3 mg/kg, highlighting its potential as a novel supplement for broiler diets.

Dietary fat content and supplementation with sodium butyrate: effects on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and myopathies in broiler chickens

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the dietary inclusion of microencapsulated sodium butyrate (Na-butyrate; 0, 150, and 300 mg Na-butyrate/kg diet) and dietary fat reduction (7.7% vs. 6.7% in the grower diet; 8.9% vs. 7.7% in the finisher diet) in 792 (half male and half female) broiler chickens on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality and the occurrence of wooden breast (WB), white striping (WS), and spaghetti meat (SM). Dietary supplementation with Na-butyrate did not affect the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality traits, or myopathy rates. Dietary fat reduction did not influence feed intake (FI) but decreased average daily gain (ADG); increased feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P < 0.001); and decreased the occurrence of WS (-38%; P < 0.01), WB (-48%; P < 0.05), and SM (-90%; P < 0.01). Dietary fat reduction also increased cold carcass weight (P < 0.01), carcass yield (P < 0.05), and pectoralis major yield (P < 0.05), whereas meat quality was not affected. Compared to females, males had high body weight, ADG, and FI and low FCR (P < 0.001) at the end of the trial. Moreover, cold carcass weight and hind leg yield were higher in males than in females (P < 0.001), whereas females had higher carcass, breast, and p. major yields (P < 0.001). Males showed a higher rate of WB (P < 0.001) and a lower rate of SM (P < 0.01) than females, whereas WS occurrence did not differ between sexes. In conclusion, Na-butyrate supplementation did not affect growth performance, carcass traits, or meat quality. Conversely, the reduction in dietary fat greatly decreased myopathy occurrence, whereas moderately impaired growth performance.

Effect of Honey and Vitamin C on the Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens

Effect of Honey and Vitamin C on the Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens

Meta-analysis of the Use of Leaf Extract as Alternative Growth Promoter in Broiler Chickens

Plants, especially on the leaves, have various bioactive compounds capable of becoming natural growth promoters. Plant leaf extracts have been widely studied for their ability as an antibiotic substitute for broiler chickens. This meta-analysis study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of supplementations with leaf extract on the growth performance of broiler chickens, using average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), final body weight (FBW), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) as responses observed criteria. The meta-analysis study was based on the articles published from 2006 to recent years as several countries started to ban in-feed antibiotics. Databases (PubMed, Scopus, Directory of Open Access Journals [DOAJ], and ScienceDirect) were searched for peer-reviewed randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in English. The meta-analysis included 19 research papers that met the criteria. Overall results showed a significant increase (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001) in ADFI by 0.56 g/day (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02 to 1.11), in ADG by 1.57 g/day (95% CI = 0.77 to 2.36), and in FBW by 2.28 (95% CI = 1.40 to 3.16). At the same time, the FCR was reduced (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001) by -1.25 (95% CI = -1.76 to -0.73) relative to controls taking cognisance of publication bias and heterogeneity. Results in the current meta-analysis study indicated that herbal feed additives were proven to be effective as growth promoters in broiler chickens.

Impact of dietary arginine supplementation on immune responses and growth performance in Newcastle disease virus-infected broiler chicks.

Newcastle disease (ND) poses significant challenges within the poultry industry, leading to increased mortality rates, compromised growth, weakened immunity and elevated levels of inflammation. This study explores the potential of dietary arginine supplementation to ameliorate these adverse effects of ND, leveraging arginine's well-documented benefits in enhancing growth and immune responses. A total of 480 one-day-old male broiler chicks were meticulously categorised into eight groups, encompassing both infected and noninfected cohorts. These chicks received diets with arginine levels at 85%, 100%, 125% and 150% of recommended standards. The study entailed a comprehensive examination of clinical manifestations, growth performance metrics, haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test results, and serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol (CORT). The infection significantly curtailed feed consumption (p = 0.0001) and weight gain (p = 0.0001) while concurrently depressing HI titres. Additionally, infected chicks experienced an exacerbated feed conversion ratio (p = 0.0001), escalated mortality rates (p = 0.0001), and elevated serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines (p = 0.0001), ACTH (p = 0.0001), and CORT (p = 0.0001). Remarkably, dietary arginine supplementation effectively mitigated the adverse impacts of ND infection on growth, immune responses and proinflammatory cytokine levels. In the context of ND infection, mortality rates and inflammation surge, while growth and immunity are significantly compromised. The strategic inclusion of arginine in the diet emerges as a potent strategy to counteract the deleterious effects of ND. Supplementation with arginine at levels exceeding the conventional dietary recommendations is recommended to alleviate the detrimental consequences of ND effectively.

GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS, IMMUNE RESPONSE AND MEAT QUALITY OF BROILER CHICKENS FED MUNTINGIA CALABURA LEAF EXTRACT

This experiment was carried out to determine the effect of feeding Muntingia calabura leaf extract on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, immune response and meat quality of broiler chickens. 500 1-day old broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were randomly distributed into five treatments of five replicates consisting of ten birds each in a completely randomized design model. Birds in treatment one (control) was fed basal diet alone which is adequate in all nutrients according to the recommendation of broilers while treatment two, three, four and five were fed same diet with Muntingia calabura leaf extract at 0.3 mL, 0.6 mL, 0.9 mL and 1.2 mL per liter of water correspondingly. The duration of the experiment was 56 days and birds had unrestricted access to feed and fresh water. Body weight gain was higher in birds fed treatment four (2555.3 g) and five (2646.1 g), intermediate in treatment two (2346.6 g) and three (2365.1 g) and lower in treatment one (1948.8 g) (P&lt;0.05). Total feed intake and dressing percentage was higher among birds fed Muntingia calabura leaf extract relative to the control (P&lt;0.05). Conversely, mortality of 2.5 % was recorded in control followed by treatment two with 1.00 % none was recorded in the other treatment (P&lt;0.05). Results on the breast muscle revealed that saturated and unsaturated fatty acid was 29.80 %, 41.83 % in control, treatment two (28.11 %, 55.94 %), three (27.19 %, 56.97 %), four (23.15 %, 73.69 %) and five (22.90 %, 73.74 %) in each case (P&lt;0.05). Immunoglobulin A, G and M values were influenced (P&lt;0.05) by the treatments. In conclusion, feeding Muntingia calabura leaf extract up to 1.2 mL/liter of water had no negative effect on the performance and health status of birds.

Investigation into the supplementation of a ferric sillen core-linked polymer on the health and physiological performance of broiler chickens

Poultry is a ubiquitous and highly sought-after protein source valued for its accessibility, notable protein content, and lack of religious constraints. However, the demand for poultry has resulted in a surge in intensive production practices. The transition from subsistence agricultural practices to intensive food production resulted in the widespread adoption of antibiotics for both therapeutic and economic purposes. These interventions were intended to enhance meat yield, promote bird health, and enhance cost-effectiveness of production. However, this inadvertently contributed to the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Therefore, the need to explore alternative approaches to mitigate the problems associated with AMR has become increasingly pressing. In response, metal-based compounds have emerged as a promising substitute to conventional antibiotics. In this study, the effects of a water soluble metallo-antimicrobial supplement, ferric sillen core-linked polymer (FSCLP), on body weight gain, feed conversion, water intake, volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, cecal microbiome and intestinal morphology in broilers was examined. The findings of this study suggested that the addition of the FSCLP resulted in better bird performance, even during a period of heat stress. Volatile fatty acids (VFA) analysis of cecal contents indicated that there were significantly higher levels (p < 0.05) of butyric and valeric acids. Cecal microbiome analysis confirmed significantly lower abundance (p < 0.05) of Proteobacteria (e.g., E. coli) and a significantly greater abundance of VFA-producing bacteria such as Intestinimonas butyriciproducens, Blautia and Lachnospiraceae. The intestinal morphology data showed supplementation with the FSCLP at 80 ppm resulted in a significantly higher (p < 0.05) villus height of the jejunum.This study emphasises the potential of FSCLP as a feasible solution to the issues faced by AMR in chicken production, providing insights into its beneficial impacts on performance, microbial composition, and intestinal health.

Effects of high-level dietary distillers dried grains with solubles supplemented with multienzymes on growth performance, nutrient utilization, intestinal morphology, and pellet quality in broiler chickens.

With the increasing cost of bulk raw materials and advancements in the feed enzyme industry, corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) have shown more opportunities for use in broiler diets. Supplementation with multiple enzymes could mitigate anti-nutritional factors in DDGS, enhance nutrient digestibility, and thereby increase its utilization in broiler diets, leading to reduced feed costs. This study evaluated the effects of multienzyme supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization, intestinal morphology, and pellet quality in broiler chickens fed diets containing conventional levels of DDGS (C-DDGS) and higher levels of DDGS (H-DDGS). A total of 800 1-day-old Cobb 500 chicks was assigned to four dietary treatments with eight replicates of 25 birds each: C-DDGS (5% DDGS in Starter and 10% in Grower), C-DDGS + Enzyme (C-DDGS diet supplemented with multienzyme), H-DDGS (10% and 20%) + Enzyme (H-DDGS diet supplemented with multienzyme, 10% DDGS in Starter and 20% in Grower), and H-DDGS (15% and 30%) + Enzyme. The C-DDGS + enzyme diet increased (p < 0.05) body weight gain (BWG), reduced the feed conversion ratio, enhanced (p < 0.05) digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein, and hemicellulose (HC), and improved (p < 0.05) intestinal villus height and villus: crypt ratio of broilers. The H-DDGS (10% and 20%) + enzyme diet exhibited no difference in (p > 0.05) growth performance, nutrient digestibility (except HC), and intestinal morphological parameters, whereas the H-DDGS (15% and 30%) + enzyme diet decreased (p < 0.05) feed intake and BWG and reduced (p < 0.05) energy and DM digestibility by impact (p < 0.05) intestinal morphology compared with the C-DDGS enzyme-free diet. The H-DDGS diet had lower (p < 0.05) pellet hardness and poorer durability than the C-DDGS diet. Supplementing multienzyme in the C-DDGS (5% and 10%) diet improved growth performance from day 0 to 28 and diminished growth performance in the H-DDGS (15% and 30%) diet by influencing intestinal morphology and feed pellet quality in broiler chickens. In addition, when supplemented with multienzyme, the dietary DDGS level can be safely included at levels of 10% in 0-7 days and 20% in 8-28 days of age.

Effect of Probiotic and β-Mannanase Supplementation on the Productive Performance and Intestinal Health of Broiler Chickens Challenged by Eimeria maxima and Clostridium perfringens

Effect of Probiotic and β-Mannanase Supplementation on the Productive Performance and Intestinal Health of Broiler Chickens Challenged by Eimeria maxima and Clostridium perfringens

Inclusion of complexed trace minerals enhances performance of broiler chickens

Inclusion of complexed trace minerals enhances performance of broiler chickens

Nutrient utilisation and growth performance of broiler chickens fed standard or moderately reduced dietary protein diets with and without β-mannanase supplementation

Use of reduced protein diets in broiler chicken production provides potential benefits for performance and environmental footprint of production. The effectiveness of β-mannanase supplementation in wheat and soy based standard protein (SP) and reduced protein (RP) diets was tested for growth performance, nutrient utilisation and selected intestinal gene expression of broiler chickens. In a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments, two main factors included dietary protein (standard and reduced protein) and β-mannanase supplementation (with or without). All diets contained phytase and carbohydrases (xylanase and glucanase). A total of 480 Ross 308 male off-sex day-old chickens were assigned to the four experimental diets in a 35-d study. Each diet was replicated 12 times with 10 birds per replicate. Using an additional 160 birds, separate apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nutrient digestibility assays were undertaken for the 4 experimental diets from d 21 to 24 of age. Selected gene involved in gut integrity, inflammation and immune response were quantified using quantitative PCR assays. There was no interaction between β-mannanase and dietary protein for any of the studied parameters except ileal viscosity. Enzyme had no effect on feed intake but tended to increase body weight gain (BWG) from d 0 to 35 of age (P=0.079). Birds fed RP diet consumed more feed when assessed from d 0 to 35 of age (P=0.029). At the same time, β-mannanase tended to reduce feed conversion ratio independent of dietary protein (P=0.069). β-mannanase reduced ileal viscosity of the birds fed RP diet (P<0.001). Reducing dietary protein increased nitrogen retention, nitrogen digestibility coefficient and digestibility coefficients of 11 amino acids (P<0.001). β-mannanase significantly improved digestibility coefficients of nitrogen and Arg, Gly, Thr, Lys, and Ile (P<0.05). Dietary treatments had no effect on AME or gene expression of selected tight junction proteins, interleukin-10, interleukin-1β, mucin-2 and nuclear factor-kappa B. In conclusion, supplementation of β-mannanase tended to improve feed efficiency and increased nutrient digestibility of broilers fed wheat-based diets independent of a moderate reduction in dietary protein. Complementary mode of actions of β-mannanase for intestinal health requires further investigation.

Comparative effects of dietary muramidase and phytogenics on the growth performance and gastrointestinal functionality of broiler chickens

The objective of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of dietary supplementation of muramidase (MUR) and 2 phytogenic additives on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, bacteria load, and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) of broiler chickens raised under field-like conditions. A total of 6,400 day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly selected and distributed into 32 floor pens, with 200 chicks (100 males and 100 females)/pen. The treatment groups were an unsupplemented control, and the experimental groups supplemented with MUR at 35,000 LSU(F)/kg of feed, phytogenic 1 (Phyto 1, based on thymol) at 100g/ton feed, or phytogenic 2 (Phyto 2, based on alkaloids) at 60g/ton feed, for a total period of 41 d. A 4-phase feeding program was applied (starter, grower, finisher and withdrawal). The paramenters evaluated were: growth performance, carcass yield, concentration of muranic acid in the jejunum content and excreta, liver enzyme concentration, intestinal morphology, and bacteria enumeration and short and branch chain fatty acids (SCFA and BCFA) in the cecal content. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test was used to separate the means. Soluble muramic acid (MurN) in the jejunum increased with the supplementation of MUR and Phyto 2 when compared to the other groups (P = 0.0001), but only the supplementation of MUR increased the concentration of MurN in the excreta. The supplementation of all feed additives improved the body weight gain and the body weight corrected feed conversion ratio when compared to the control group (P = 0.0001). MUR increased villus heigh (VH) when compared to the control or the other supplemented groups (P = 0.0001), and led to the highest concentration of most SCFA, total BCFA, and total SCFA (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of MUR and phytogenics to the diets of broiler chickens improved the growth performance, but MUR, only, was capable of effectively degrading peptidoglycans (PGNs) in both intestinal segments, as well as to increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria and SCFA production.

Response of Broiler Chicken Fed Graded Levels of Cassava Peel Leaf Meal (CPLM) Mix on Carcass Characteristics and Organ Weights

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing maize with different levels of Cassava Peel Leaf Meal mix on carcass traits and relative organ weights of broiler chickens. The study determined an optimum level of maize replacement by CPLM that would not compromise growth performance, carcass yield, and organ health. The broiler chicken were fed 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% maize replaced by CPLM mix (9:1 ratio) diets for a certain duration of time. Variations in DW% and EW%; even the relative organ weights like heart, liver, and gizzard showed significant differences. The outcome indicated that up to 50% maize replacement with the CPLM mix seemed feasible without showing any negative impact on the performance of broiler chickens and eventually providing a possibly low-cost alternative feed resource. Keywords: Maize, Alternative Feed stuff, Poultry, Carcass, Organ Proceedings Citation Format Olowoyeye, Janet Chinwe (2024): Response of Broiler Chicken Fed Graded Levels of Cassava Peel Leaf Meal (CPLM) Mix on Carcass Characteristics and Organ Weights. Proceedings of the 38th iSTEAMS Multidisciplinary Bespoke Conference. 17th – 19th July, 2024. University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. Pp 183-190. dx.doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/ACCRABESPOKE2024P19

Dietary supplementation of Cannabis sativa residues in broiler chickens affects performance, carcass characteristics, intestinal morphology, blood biochemistry profile and oxidative stability

Public interest in the cannabis plant has increased after its legalization in many countries. Cannabis sativa residues (CR) are a part of the plant waste in the cannabis industry. The CR contain medicinal properties that could be used as a feed additive in poultry production. The trial was conducted to investigate the effects of CR on growth performance, carcass characteristics, intestinal morphology, and blood biochemistry profile of broiler chickens. In a completely randomized design, 256 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly allocated to 4 treatments with 8 replicates and 8 birds per replicate. These 4 dietary treatments included a basal diet with 0, 0.5, 1 and 2% CR for 40 d. The results showed that 2% CR supplementation reduced feed intake (FI) in the starter phase (d 3-23, P < 0.05). The birds in the CR groups had lower FI in the finishing phase (d 24-40, P < 0.01) and the whole raising period (d 3-40, P < 0.01) than the control. However, the body weight and carcass yield were not different (P > 0.05). In addition, the CR diet had no adverse effects on the blood biochemistry profile, including total cholesterol, triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, globulin, albumin, and direct bilirubin (P > 0.05). In addition, total bilirubin and malondialdehyde were better in the plasma of CR-supplemented birds than in the control groups (P < 0.05). The observations on intestinal morphology showed that CR supplementation improved the ratio between villus height and crypt depth in the ileum (P < 0.05). In conclusion, CR supplementation can improve intestinal morphology and oxidative stability of broiler chickens. This suggests that CR could potentially be used as an alternative feed additive in broiler production.

RETRACTION: The effects of probiotic and phytase on growth performance, biochemical parameters and antioxidant capacity in broiler chickens.

RETRACTION: The effects of probiotic and phytase on growth performance, biochemical parameters and antioxidant capacity in broiler chickens.

Dietary Inclusion of Triticale and Bentonite Enhances Productive Performance and Carcass Meat Characteristics of Broiler Chickens

Background: Poultry production quality could be adjusted or improved through the introduction of local plant resources into the diet. The current study evaluated the effects of total corn substitution with triticale and bentonite supplementation on broiler performance, carcass meat characteristics and blood profiles. Methods: Ninety one-day old broiler Cobb 500 chicks were allocated in a completely randomized experimental design, with three dietary treatments totaling 30 birds per treatment. The treatments contained either corn as a control group (BD), triticale (TRT) as a sole grain source, or triticale + 2% bentonite (TRT2%). The diets were provided from 14 to 47 days of age. Growth performance, carcass and breast meat quality and serum components were measured. Result: The chicks fed a triticale-based diet (TRT2%) had a higher final body weight and weight gain (P less than 0.05), while the FCR increased in the birds fed a triticale-bentonite-based diet (TRT2%). The data obtained indicated that total replacement of triticale for corn and dietary supplementation with bentonite resulted in better growth performance and an increase in breast yield (P less than 0.05). Moreover, the dietary supplementation of bentonite and triticale had a significant influence (P less than 0.05) on the serum levels of triglycerides and calcium. The chicks fed a basal diet had significantly (P less than 0.05) higher triglycerides and lower calcium blood serum levels than those fed experimental diets. However, there was no significant effect on breast meat traits (P greater than 0.05).