Weight Gain Of Broilers Research Articles

Innovation and Utilization of Functional Feed Additives from Maize By-Products in Broiler Chickens.

Supplementation with spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as an exogenous enzyme in broiler diets represents a promising nutritional strategy to enhance production efficiency and reduce costs. To assess the effects of SMS enzyme products on various parameters, including growth performance, blood chemistry, carcass and meat quality, and gut health, a study was conducted with one-day-old broilers (n = 500). The broilers were separated into five groups: a control diet (CON) and an antibiotic group (AGP) which were added to the diet at 0.25 g kg-1, and SMS from Flammulina velutipes supplementation groups which were added to the diet at 0.5 g kg-1 (SMS0.5), 1.0 g kg-1 (SMS1.0), and 2.0 g kg-1 (SMS2.0). Final body weight and average daily gain in broilers which were fed the AGP diet were higher than in broilers which were fed the CON, SMS0.5, and SMS1.0 diets. Broilers in the CON group had a decreased average daily feed intake compared to other groups. The addition of AGP and SMS2.0 diets improved the feed conversion ratio and reduced the feed cost per gain in broilers. Broilers that were fed the CON diet had the highest serum cholesterol, while the AGP diet increased triglyceride. Dietary supplementation of SMS improved some carcass characteristics and ceacum microbial content in broilers, especially with the SMS2.0 diet. Broiler fed CON and SMS0.5 worsened the villus height/crypt depth ratio of duodenum histology. In conclusion, SMS supplementation at 1.0 and 2.0 g kg-1 can improve productive performance and health in broiler diets; however, SMS2.0 had the best efficiency.

Replacing Hydrolyzed Soybean Meal with Recombinant β-Glucosidase Enhances Resistance to Clostridium perfringens in Broilers Through Immune Modulation.

Aglycone soy isoflavones have notable immune-regulatory bioactivity, while glycosidic forms in soybean meal pose challenges for absorption. β-Glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) catalyzes the non-reducing terminal β-d-glucosidic bonds, releasing β-d-glucan and aglycones. This study evaluated the impact of enzymatically hydrolyzed soybean meal (ESM) using recombinant β-glucosidase from Aspergillus niger on the growth performance and intestinal immune function of broilers under Clostridium perfringens infection. Prior to the feeding trial, soybean meal was enzymatically digested with recombinant β-glucosidase, ensuring almost complete conversion of glycosides to aglycones. After a week of pre-feeding, a total 180 healthy AA broilers were randomly assigned to three groups-control, semi-replacement of ESM (50% ESM), and full-replacement of ESM (100% ESM)-with 6 replicates of 10 chickens, and the trial lasted 28 days. On the 36th day, broilers were challenged with 1 mL of 1 × 1010 CFU/mL Clostridium perfringens (Cp) via gavage for 3 days. The results showed that the substitution of ESM had no effect on the body weight gain of broilers but significantly reduced the feed consumption and feed-to-gain ratio (p < 0.01). The study revealed that Cp significantly disrupted jejunal morphology, while ESM significantly mitigated this damage (p < 0.05). Real-time PCR results demonstrated that compared to the Cp group, ESM restored Cp-induced intestinal barrier impairments (e.g., Occludin, Claudin-1, Muc2), normalized aberrant cellular proliferation (PCNA) and apoptosis (Caspase-1 and Caspase-3), and upregulated the expression of anti-inflammatory factor Il-10 while suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines (Il-1β, Il-6, and Il-8) (p < 0.05). Moreover, flow cytometry analyses demonstrated that ESM promoted Treg cell-derived Il-10, which alleviated macrophage-derived inflammation. Substituting conventional soybean meal with β-glucosidase, enzymatically treated, significantly reduced feed consumption and alleviated the intestinal damage and immune dysfunctions induced by Clostridium perfringens infection in broilers.

Evaluation of protease plus a precision-biotic on body weight gain and feed conversion ratio in broilers from 0 to 42 days of age

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a protease combination with a precision biotic on body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers from day 0 to 42. 1,400 Cobb 500 male chicks were reared on seven different diets, including an unrestricted positive control (PC–Diet 1) and a negative control (NC–Diet 2) with slightly reduced crude protein, apparent metabolizable energy (AME), and digestible amino acids. Five additional treatment diets were formulated using the negative control and varying concentrations of a protease (Diets 3-4; 33ppm and 50ppm, respectively) and in combination with a precision biotic (Diets 5-7; 33ppm + 700ppm; 50ppm + 500ppm; and 50ppm + 700ppm, respectively). The PC treatment showed significantly different feed intake and FCR compared to all other treatments in all production phases (P &lt; 0.05). There are no significant differences in non-PC treatments in all production phases for BWG and FCR (starter p=0.230 and 0.300; grower p=0.443 and 0.237; finisher p=0.450 and 0.896; overall p=0.111 and 0.497, respectively), nor is there any in terms of mortality (p=0.800). These findings may provide valuable information to producers to optimize flock performance efficiently and cost-effectively.

Influence of different doses of essential amino acids on growth and development of broiler chickens

Optimization of the amino acid balance of essential amino acids, as well as individual amino acids and probiotics, allows improving production indicators such as poultry livability, live weight gain, feed conversion and increasing the economic efficiency of meat production. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the eff ect of diff erent levels of arginine in poultry diets on average daily live weight gain and determine its effect on the livability of broiler chickens, optimize the amino acid composition of broiler chicken diets in accordance with the recommended standards of essential amino acids. The experiment was conducted at Kuratye LLC in Verkhniy Tagil in the Sverdlovsk region on the cross Arbor Acres of broiler chickens. The diet of the experimental group of broilers diff ered from the control diet in that the content of the amino acid arginine was brought to the standards recommended by German poultry farmers. It was found that the average daily live weight gain of broilers in the experimental group for the entire growing period was 47.7 g in the control group, in the experimental group it was 9.0 % higher than in the control and was 52.0 g. The European productivity index, calculated taking into account live weight, livability, fattening period of poultry and costs per unit of production in the control group was 274.0, and in the experimental group it was 309.2 units. From the conducted studies it follows that it is necessary to take into account the ratio of arginine to lysine in the diets of broiler chickens at the level of 1.04, 1.06 and 1.07, respectively, for the rearing phases such as starting, growth and finishing periods.

Effects of Enzyme and Probiotic on the Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens: A Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effects of enzyme and probiotic on the growth performance of broiler chickens. A collection of publications covering the years from 2009 to 2021 was compiled using several keywords, such as enzyme, growth performance, and probiotic. A total of 136 comparisons from 19 in vivo investigations were used to create the final dataset. The data were analyzed using the OpenMEE software, considering the feed additives (enzymes and probiotics) as fixed effects and individual studies as random effects. The result showed an insignificant difference (P0.05) between enzymes and probiotics in terms of improving the body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers. In conclusion, both probiotics and enzymes improved broiler performances, such as body weight gain, feed intake and FCR. According to the meta-analysis, the ability of enzymes and probiotics to affect broiler performances was equal.

Effects of animal protein sources and sugarcane scraping-rumen content mixture on the performance of broiler chicken

The experiment was carried out to access the effect of animal protein sources (fishmeal and grasshopper meal) and sugarcane scrapping-rumen content mixture (SSRCM) on the performance of broiler chickens. The experiment lasted for 56 days. Two hundred and forty-one- day-old (Abor acre) was randomly allotted to eight dietary treatments with 30 birds per treatment. Each treatment was replicated three times in a 4 by 2 factorial arrangement having 10 birds per replicate, vaccinations was administered, feed and clean drinking water were provided ad libitum. The diets were compounded to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric with two animal protein sources. Treatments (FM + 0% SSRCM) and (GM + 0% SSRCM) were formulated without sugarcane scrapping-rumen content mixture (SSRCM) while (FM + 5% SSRCM), (GM + 5% SSRCM), (FM + 10% SSRCM), (GM + 10% SSRCM), (FM + 15% SSRCM) and (GM + 15% SSRCM) were formulated with SSRCM at 5, 10 and 15% inclusion level respectively with two animal protein sources (fishmeal and grasshopper meal) with (FM + 0% SSRCM) serving as the control diet. The results obtained showed that there was no significant (p &gt; 0.05) differences between fishmeal and grasshopper meal in growth performance of broiler chickens. The result also showed that there was no significant (p &gt; 0.05) difference between 0% SSRCM and 5% SSRCM on weight gain of broilers but there was significant (p &lt; 0.05) difference in growth performance of broiler chickens as the inclusion levels of SSRCM increased (10% and 15%). Based on these results, broiler chickens can strive well either grasshopper meal or fishmeal and sugarcane scrapping-rumen content mixture at 5% inclusion level relative to the other treatment.

Metabolomic analysis reveals the molecular mechanism related to leg abnormality in broilers

AbstractRapid body weight gain in broilers overloads the metabolic system of the organism, resulting in leg abnormalities, which seriously affects animal welfare and industry economics. In this study, broilers with normal and deformed leg bones were examined. Serum biochemical indices showed that the serum calcium to phosphorus ratio was extremely decreased in leg deformed group. In addition, abnormal serum lipid levels suggested a disruption in lipid metabolism. Based on widely targeted metabonomic analysis of serum and cartilage tissues, a total of nine differential metabolites (DMs) significantly associated with leg abnormalities and serum calcium and phosphorus levels were screened, including carnitine C16:0, carnitine C18:1, 3‐hydroxymethyl‐L‐tyrosine, cis‐4‐hydroxy‐D‐proline, cis‐L‐3‐hydroxyproline, trans‐4‐hydroxy‐L‐proline, and so on. Pathway analysis revealed that fatty acid degradation and arachidonic acid metabolism were enriched. Analysis of DMs in these two pathways showed that prostaglandin D2, prostaglandin J2, prostaglandin A2, 15‐keto prostaglandin F2α, and Δ12‐prostaglandin J2 significantly differed between the normal and abnormal groups. It was hypothesized that these important metabolic pathways and metabolites were involved in the metabolic regulation of leg abnormalities.

Taurine amino acid supplementation impacts performance, blood hematology, oxidative stress, and jejunum morphology in broiler chickens.

Excess levels of free radicals cause oxidative damage to cells. Taurine is a rare amino acid with antioxidant effects whose dietary deficiency increases oxidative damage to the cell membrane. To investigate the effects of dietary taurine supplementation on performance, blood hematology, oxidative stress, and jejunum morphology in broilers, 300 broilers (Ras 308, 1D of age) were randomly allocated into 4 groups with 5 replicates of 15 birds. The experimental treatments included basic diet (control treatment) and basic diet with 1, 3, and 6g/kg taurine amino acid. During 1 to 45 days, the inclusion of taurine supplementation in diets improved the body weight gain (BWG), feed consumption (FC), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers (P < 0.05). In CBC tests, the experimental treatments were significantly different concerning the red blood cell (RBC) count, the average hemoglobin in the cell, the RBC width in the curve, and the hematocrit (P < 0.05). Despite the significance of oxidative stress among the treatments, the control and fourth treatments showed the highest and the lowest oxidative stress, respectively (P < 0.05). Also, in jejunum morphology, the fourth treatment showed the best performance in terms of villus length and width and the villus length to crypt depth (V/C) ratio (P < 0.05). Overall, 6g/kg taurine addition to the diet reduced oxidative stress and positive features in the jejunum morphology while improving the functional traits of broilers.

Effects of dietary digestible amino acids and a novel exogenous sfericase protease on growth performance of broilers

Two experiments (Exp.) were conducted to evaluate the effects of a novel exogenous sfericase protease on growth performance and ileal digestibility of broiler chickens until day 35 of age. In Exp. 1, 1350 one-day-old male chicks (Cobb 500) were allocated in 54 floor pens and fed one of the three dietary treatments, with 18 replicates of 25 birds each in a completely randomized design. Diets consisted of positive control [PC; commercially relevant ME and balanced amino acids (AA)]; negative control (NC; with reduction of 6% dig. Lys and proportional reductions for adjacent AA compared to the PC), and NC supplemented with sfericase protease [30,000 New Feed Protease units (NFP)/kg]. On day 35, ileal digesta was collected to determine apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen (N). In Exp. 2, 1620 one-day-old male chicks (Cobb 500) were allocated in 54 floor pens having three treatments and 18 replicates of 30 birds each in a completely randomized design from day 1–35. Broilers were fed a control basal diet (Control); Control supplemented with sfericase at 30,000 NFP/kg and at 60,000 NFP/kg. In Exp. 1, from day 1–35, body weight gain (BW gain) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers improved 3.4 and 2.5% when diets were supplemented with sfericase, respectively, whereas the digestibility of N increased by 2.7% compared to the NC. In Exp. 2, diets with usual protein and AA levels and supplemented with 30,000 NFP/kg had 2.3 and 1.75% improved BW gain and FCR from day 1–35, respectively. When diets were supplemented with 60,000 NFP/kg, BW gain and FCR were enhanced by 3.9 and 3.2%, respectively compared to the Control. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that the novel sfericase protease could be successfully used in corn-soy diets with protein and AA reductions or in feed formulations with usual digestible AA levels to enhance growth performance of broilers.

Curcumin Mitigates Oxidative Damage in Broiler Liver and Ileum Caused by Aflatoxin B1-Contaminated Feed through Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

This experiment aimed to investigate the mitigating effect of CUR on the growth performance and liver and intestinal health of broilers fed AFB1-contaminated diets. In this study, 320 one-day-old healthy male Arbor Acres (AA) broilers were randomly divided into four groups, including the Control group (fed the basal diet), the AFB1 group (fed the AFB1-contaminated diet containing 1 mg/kg AFB1), the AFB1+CUR group (fed the AFB1-contaminated diet with 500 mg/kg CUR), and the CUR group (fed the basal diet containing 500 mg/kg CUR), with eight replicates of ten animals per group and a 28 d experimental period. In terms of the growth performance, the addition of 500 mg/kg CUR significantly improved AFB1-induced significant reductions in the final body weight on day 28 and mean daily gain (p &lt; 0.05) and increased the ratio of the mean daily feed intake to mean daily weight gain in broilers (p &lt; 0.05). In terms of liver health, significant improvements in liver histological lesions occurred in broilers in the AFB1+CUR group compared to the AFB1 group, with significantly higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities (p &lt; 0.05) and significantly higher levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap-1), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1) gene expression (p &lt; 0.05). In terms of intestinal health, CUR addition significantly increased the relative length of ileum (p &lt; 0.05), significantly elevated the height of ileal villi (p &lt; 0.05), significantly reduced D-Lactate (D-LA) and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities in broiler serum (p &lt; 0.05), significantly increased GSH, CAT, and T-SOD activities in ileal tissues (p &lt; 0.05), and significantly elevated the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO-1 genes (p &lt; 0.05) compared to the AFB1 group. In conclusion, CUR showed a protective effect against damage to the liver and intestine caused by AFB1 in broilers through the Nrf2 signaling pathway, thereby improving the growth performance of broilers exposed to AFB1.

Inclusion of a Bacillus-based probiotic in non-starch polysaccharides-rich broiler diets

ABSTRACT This study examined the effects of a 3-strain Bacillus-based probiotic (BP; Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and two Bacillus subtilis) in broiler diets with different rye levels on performance, mucus, viscosity, and nutrient digestibility. We distributed 720 one-d-old female broilers into 72 pens and designed nine diets using a 3 × 3 factorial approach, varying BP levels (0, 1.2 × 106, and 1.2 × 107 CFU/g) and rye concentrations (0, 200, 400 g/kg). On d 35, diets with 200 or 400 g/kg rye reduced broiler weight gain (BWG). Diets with 400 g/kg rye had the highest FCR, while rye-free diets had the lowest (p ≤0.05). Adding BP increased feed intake and BWG in weeks two and three (p ≤0.05). It should be noted that the overall performance fell below the goals of the breed. Including rye in diets reduced the coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility (CAID) for protein, ether extract (EE), calcium, phosphorus, and all amino acids (p ≤0.05). Rye-free diets exhibited the highest CAID for all nutrients, except for methionine, EE, and calcium, while diets with 400 g/kg of rye demonstrated the lowest CAID (p ≤0.05). BP in diets decreased phosphorus CAID (p ≤0.05). Diets containing 1.2 × 107 CFU/g (10X) of BP exhibited higher CAID of methionine than the other two diets (p ≤0.05). Diets containing 10X of BP showed higher CAID of cysteine than diets with no BP (p ≤0.05). Ileal viscosity increased as the inclusion level of rye in the diets increased (p ≤0.05). The ileal concentration of glucosamine in chickens fed diets with 400 g/kg of rye was higher than in those fed diets with no rye (p ≤0.05). Furthermore, ileal galactosamine concentrations were elevated in diets with 200 and 400 g/kg of rye when compared to rye-free diets (p ≤0.05). However, BP in diets had no impact on ileal viscosity, galactosamine, or glucosamine (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the applied Bacillus strains appeared to have a limited capacity to produce arabinoxylan-degrading enzymes and were only partially effective in mitigating the negative impacts of rye arabinoxylans on broilers.

The effects of improved water quality with zeolite addition and/or water magnetization on broiler performance, meat quality, and immunity

In this study, 120 male day-old Cobb broiler chickens from Kafrelsheikh, Egypt, were divided into four groups to assess the effects of different water treatments on their growth and health. The control group had access to conventional roof-top tank water, while the other groups received magnetic treated water, zeolite treated water, and a combination of both, with changes made every 72 hours based on manufacturer recommendations. This setup aimed to explore the potential benefits of magnetic and zeolite treatments on poultry development and welfare.The study investigates the impact of magnetic and zeolite-treated water on broiler chickens, showing significant physico-chemical and bacteriological changes. Magnetic water increased pH, Ca2+, and Na+ levels, while zeolite and combined treatments notably reduced hardness, ammonia, and turbidity. Magnetic water decreased total and fecal coliform counts, whereas zeolite water excelled in lowering ammonia levels but increased total bacterial counts. Zeolite treatment alone improved final weight and body weight gain in broilers without affecting feed intake or conversion. Carcass traits and meat quality were also influenced, with zeolite-treated groups showing better outcomes in carcass weight and gene expression related to nutrient absorption and growth, suggesting its potential to enhance broiler health and production efficiency.

Changes in the morphology, chemical composition of carbohydrates and fat content of hydroponically grown wheat

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, but in water or a nutrient-rich solution. In the hydroponics method, feed is converted from various seeds into high-quality, nutritious, green mass animal feed in a natural environment. Green mass is the main fodder for most farm animals, with a high nutritional value. Wheat grown hydroponically is a food rich in many vitamins and estrogenic substances. The use of this feed is especially important in poultry farming. In our study, changes in the morphology, biomass yield, and chemical composition of hydroponic wheat were studied depending on the growing days. In this article, the chemical composition of hydroponically grown wheat, which is used as a nutritional supplement in broiler chickens’ diet, as well as the quantitative changes of carbohydrates and fat in it, as well as the effect on broiler weight gain, were determined and analyzed. Key words: hydroponics, hydroponic wheat, green biomass, chemical composition, carbohydrate content, fat

Buriti oil as an alternative to the use of antimicrobials in broiler diets.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects and economic viability of diets containing different levels of antibiotic and buriti oil (BO) on performance, carcass and cut yields, and relative weight of organs of broilers. A total of 432 one- to 42-day-old male chicks were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with six treatments, each consisting of six replicates of 12 birds. The treatments consisted of one diet with antibiotic without BO, one diet without antibiotic (DWA) without BO, and four DWA containing increasing levels of BO (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8%). Average weight and weight gain (WG) of broilers fed with DWA + BO were similar to those of birds fed control diet. Feed intake and feed conversion (FC) were not different among treatments. Relative weight of pancreas linearly increased in the birds fed diets containing BO. The inclusion of 0.45 and 0.40% of BO in the diets promoted the improvement of WG and FC, respectively. Cost of feed management, ratio, gross margin, and gross income did not differ among treatments. It was concluded that the inclusion of 0.45% of BO in diets without antibiotics is economically feasible and allows recovering the performance of broilers.

Effects of copper nanoparticles on performance, muscle and bone characteristics and serum metabolites in broilers.

Three hundred and twenty day old Hubbard broilers were randomly allocated to four treatments (8 replicates, 10 birds/pen) and were raised under standard management conditions. Birds in the first group served as control and were fed a corn based diet, while birds in the remaining three groups i.e.; A, B and C were fed with a basal diet supplemented with copper nanoparticles (CuNP) at 5, 10 and 15 mg /kg of diet respectively for 35 days. Supplementation of CuNP linearly increased (P≤0.05) body weight (BW), average daily weight gain (ADWG) and feed intake (FI) in broilers. Uric acid, glucose levels in blood and feed conversion ratio (FCR) reduced linearly (P≤0.05) with CuNP supplementation in diet. Supplementation of CuNP in the diet also linearly increased (P≤0.05) tibia weight, length, diameter, weight/length index (W/L) and Tibiotarsal index (TT index). Inclusion of CuNP in broilers diet linearly increased the measured parameters of muscle i.e.; pH, fiber diameter, fiber cross-sectional area, fascicle diameter, fascicle cross-sectional area (P≤0.05). Concentration of copper, iron, calcium and phosphorous in blood also increased line-arly (P ≤ 0.05) with CuNP supplementation. Overall, CuNP positively affected the growth performance, histological characteristics of muscles, bone strength and serum metabolites in broilers.

Effect of dietary supplementation of black cumin (Nigella sativa) and garlic (Allium sativum L.) powder on live weight gain of broilers

Effect of dietary supplementation of black cumin (Nigella sativa) and garlic (Allium sativum L.) powder on live weight gain of broilers

Influence of phytobiotics and organic acid on nutrient utilization efficiency and carcass characteristics of broiler

A total of 120-day old straight run broiler chicks (cobb 500) were randomly assigned into four groups having three replications in each. In control group (To) only mash feed (ME- 3028 kcal/kg, CP- 22.72%) was supplied and in other groups (TN, TM, TC), control + 1% dried Neem leaf powder, Control + 1% dried Moringa leaf powder and control + 1% Citric acid were supplied respectively. The entire period for feeding trial was 28 days. At last day of the feeding trial blood and meat samples were collected. The body weight gain of broilers was observed as the highest in Tc group (p&amp;lt;0.05). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) and Metabolizable energy (ME) intake per gram gain (4.63) was lower (p &amp;lt; 0.05) in TM than the other groups of birds. Energy efficiency ratio in TM and protein efficiency ratio in TN was higher (p &amp;lt; 0.05) than other groups of birds. CP content was high (p &amp;lt; 0.05) in TN. Drip loss and cooking loss was lower (p &amp;lt; 0.05) in TM than other groups. Based on the findings of the present experiment, it could be concluded that, supplementation of dried Moringa leaf powder has stimulating effect on nutrient utilization and carcass characteristics of broiler and useful phytobiotics for safe and high-quality broiler meat production.

Use of wheat dilution to improve digestive function in broilers: application in low protein diets

ABSTRACT 1. This study evaluated the effect of wheat dilution increasing in particle size in low crude protein diets on growth performance, digestive tract, nitrogen efficiency and litter quality in broiler chickens. 2. Ross 308 male broiler chicks (n = 336) were allocated to one of four dietary treatments (each with 7 pens, 12 chicks per pen); Control (CON; commercial pellet diet with standard crude protein, CP: 22.50%), W578 (CON +20% wheat of geometric mean diameter (GMD) of 578 µm; CP: 20.25%), W1326 (CON +20% wheat of GMD 1326 µm; CP: 20.25%) and WW (CON +20% whole wheat, CP: 20.25%), from d 0 to 21 of age. 3. Body weight gain was increased (P < 0.05) for birds fed CON compared to the low crude protein diets. However, WW increased (P < 0.05) body weight gain compared to W578 and W1326, while feed intake and feed conversion ratio on CON and WW were similar (P > 0.05). Birds fed W1326 showed the poorest (P < 0.05) FCR compared to CON, W578 and WW. 4. Gizzard relative weight (g/kg body weight) was increased (P < 0.05) on WW compared to CON on d 14 and 21, whereas gastric isthmus diameter was significantly reduced on W1326 and WW compared with CON and W578. 5. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in the depth of gizzard mucosa of lamina propria between CON and WW at d 14 and 21. Birds fed WW increased (P < 0.05) gizzard tensile strength compared to W578 and W1326, whereas no difference was observed between WW and CON on d 14. 6. No significant differences were seen for ileum villus height and mucosal layer between CON and WW on d 21, however, feeding CON increased the extent of the mucosal layer compared to W578 and W1326. 7. Nitrogen excretion (g/kg BWG) was significantly lower (P > 0.05) on W1326 and WW compared with CON and W578. Litter nitrogen, moisture, and footpad scores significantly decreased (P < 0.05) for birds fed WW compared with CON. 8. Diluting dietary protein content from 22.50 to 20.25% resulted in lower body weight gain in broilers. However, dilution with whole wheat resulted in comparable FCR, reduced nitrogen excretion, litter moisture and footpad dermatitis compared with a standard protein diet.

The Effect of Adding Lemongrass Leaf Powder (Cymbopogon Citratus) to the Diet as a Natural Supplement on Some Productive Traits and Oxidation Indicators in Broiler (Ross 308)

The experiment aimed to demonstrate the effect of feeding vitamin E and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) to broiler chickens on production performance and physiology. 144 chicks were obtained and randomly assigned to four treatments, each with three replications and 12 birds in each replication. First and foremost, there is no addition to the control group. The second treatment T2 included 300 mg of vitamin E per kilogram of feed; the third treatment T3 included 5 g of lemongrass powder per kilogram of feed; and the fourth treatment T4 included 10 g of lemongrass powder per kilogram of feed. The following characteristics were investigated in the experiment: broiler weight gain rate; dressing percentage without edible giblets; dressing percentage with edible giblets; relative weights of edible giblets; estimation of fat oxidation in tissues by measuring the amount of Malondialdehyde in the liver; percentage of free fatty acids (FFA); and peroxide values (P.V) found in liver tissue. When compared to the control treatment, the fourth and third treatments were significantly superior (P≤0.05) in the rate of weight gain, while the second, third, and fourth treatments excelled in dressing percentage with edible giblets and without edible giblets, and there was no significant difference in the relative weights of edible giblets.

Effects of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel on the growth performance and intestinal microbiota of broilers challenged with Escherichia coli

The effects of pomegranate peel on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, and the cecal microbial community were investigated in broilers challenged with avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) O78. A total of 240 one-day-old chicks (120 males and 120 females) were randomly and evenly allotted into 4 treatment groups (each with 6 biological replicates each of 10 chicks), i.e., negative control (NC), positive control (PC), and 2 experimental groups treated with 0.2% fermented pomegranate peel (FP) and 0.2% unfermented pomegranate peel (UFP), respectively, with PC, FP, and UFP groups challenged with APEC O78 (5 × 108 CFU) on day 14. Results showed that the challenge of APEC O78 decreased the body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) of broilers from 1 to 28 d (P < 0.01). These broilers exhibited more pathological conditions in the heart and liver and higher mortality rates in 28 d compared to the NC group. Diet supplemented with pomegranate peel (either fermented or unfermented) significantly increased BW, ADG, and the villus height/crypt depth ratio (VCR) of small intestine in 28 d compared to the NC group (P < 0.05). Results of the taxonomic structure of the gut microbiota showed that compared to the NC group, the APEC challenge significantly decreased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes (P < 0.01). Compared to the PC group, the relative abundance of Ruminococcus_torques_group in FP group was increased, while the relative abundance of Alistipes was decreased. In summary, our study showed that the dietary supplementation of pomegranate peel could maintain the intestinal microbiota at a state favorable to the host, effectively reduce the abnormal changes in the taxonomic structure of the intestinal microbiota, and improve the growth performance in broilers treated with APEC.