Camelina sativa (L. Crantz) products; an alternative feed ingredient for poultry diets with its nutritional and physiological consequences.

Due to increased demand for common feedstuffs such as corn, soybean and fish meals for poultry diets, the search for alternative sources of energy and protein for feed production could help to reduce production costs in the commercial poultry industry. Camelina sativa might be considered a new source of protein, energy and n-3 fatty acids (FA) in poultry diets. The oil content of camelina seeds (CS) is about 35 to 40%. Approximately 50% of this oil is composed of polyunsaturated FA. Moreover, camelina meal (CM) has 16% crude fat. The major n-3 FA of CS and CM is α-linolenic acid (about 30%) which is considered to be nutritionally important. The oil contains other bio-active compounds such as γ-tocopherol, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Camelina seeds and meal can produce 6258 and 5110 kcal/kg of gross energy, 245-292 and 315-398 g/kg crude protein and 248 and 127 g/kg crude fibre, respectively. However, CS and CM contain 21.77 and 28.08 µmol/g glucosinolates and 12.10 and 12.93 TIU /mg trypsin inhibitors, respectively as anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) that can affect poultry performance adversely. Overall, dietary inclusion of camelina products will supply energy and protein for bird, enhance the antioxidant capacity and lipid stability of poultry products and provide health-promoting n-3 FA and tocopherol rich-foods to humans. However, raw CS contains some ANFs, and its maximum safe level (MSL) is 5% meal or seed, and 2% oil for all type of birds. Hence, it is necessary to establish suitable techniques for removing anti-nutritional factors from CS and increase its MSL in poultry diets.

Improvement of Drought Tolerance by Exogenous Spermidine in Germinating Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plants Is Accompanied with Changes in Metabolite Composition.

Drought is one of the most important environmental factors reducing the yield and production of crops, including wheat. Polyamines are closely associated with plant stress tolerance. The present study investigated the mechanisms through seed germination with spermidine protecting wheat varieties from drought stress. In the first experiment, the effects of spermidine on the germination of wheat varieties, namely Rakhshan, Mihan, Sirvan and Pishgam, were investigated in three drought levels, namely 0, -2, and -4 MPa induced by polyethylene glycol 6000. Analysis of variance indicated that spermidine, drought stress and interaction between varieties and drought stress were significant for all traits, and with severity of stress, all traits significantly decreased. In the second experiment, detailed gene expression and non-targeted metabolomics analyses were carried out using the Rakhshan and Mihan varieties after germination, with or without spermidine treatment and/or drought stress. According to the biomass parameters, the Mihan variety showed relatively better growth compared to the other variety, but the Rakhshan one showed more pronounced responses at gene expression level to exogenous spermidine than the Mihan variety. Overall, these results showed that spermidine increased the drought tolerance of wheat at the germination stage, due to specific role of polyamine metabolism in the development of effective responses under drought stress.

The effects of dietary inclusion of Camelina sativa on performance and ascites incidence in broilers subjected to cold exposure.

BACKGROUND: Camelina sativa oilseed has a high amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) especially α-linolenic acid. n - 3 FA can improve the deformability of erythrocytes and mediate relaxations in coronary artery such as nitric oxide (NO) that is the principal vasodilator responsible for diminution the pulmonary arterial hypertension response. METHODS: To investigate the effects of camelina sources on ascites incidence in broilers kept on altitude, 672 male chicks were fed with 7 dietary treatments, including control, 2% or 4% camelina oil (CO), 5% or 10% camelina meal (CM) and 5% or 10% camelina seeds (CS) diets. RESULTS: Supplementation of 2% CO had no negative impact on performance, whereas feed intake and body weight gains decreased (p < 0.05) by adding 4% CO, CM and CS. Birds fed camelina diets had lower serum triglyceride at day 42, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol at both 28 and 42 days. Plasma aspartate aminotransferase decreased (p < 0.001) among 5% and 10% CS groups on day 42. Serum and liver concentrations of malondialdehyde declined (p < 0.05) by camelina treatments, whereas serum NO and liver glutathione peroxidase activity significantly elevated. Red blood cell, heterophils and H:L ratio were lower but lymphocyte was higher in camelina groups. Inclusion of camelina reduced (p < 0.05) relative weights of heart and right ventricle, the weight of right ventricle to total ventricle ratio and ascites mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Use of 2% CO as a source of n - 3 FA can improve ascites condition and mortality in broilers reared at high altitude without the reduction of growth performance. However, feeding 4% CO or 5% and 10% CS or CM reduced broiler performance.

Effect of IOF and its interaction with post-hatch feeding procedure on hatchability, some organs development and post-hatch performance in broiler chickens.

BACKGROUND: Under commercial conditions, chickens are fasted for the first 36 to 72 h post-hatch. Delayed access to feed and water causes delayed development of the intestinal tract and retarded performance. OBJECTIVES: This study focused on the chick's life as affected by in ovo feeding (IOF) and the animal's interaction with the feeding procedure. The birds in a factorial arrangement (2 × 3) were placed into six treatment groups in a completely randomised design. The treatment groups differed in feed procedure, 6 h [early feeding (EF)] or 36 h [common feeding (CF)] post-hatch, with or without IOF with beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl butyrate (HMB) or calcium gluconate (CG) in a saline solution, and were examined for hatchability and performance parameters until 24 h post-hatch. In addition, physical and histological characteristics of breast, jejunum and serum indices in 14 days post-hatch and performance criteria until 35 days of age were recorded. METHODS: On day 17 of the incubation period, eggs were subjected to the IOF procedure. One mL of sterile IOF solution including 0.1% HMB or 0.4% CG dissolved in 5% saline solution was injected into the eggs. RESULTS: Results showed that IOF groups had lower (p < 0.05) FCR than the control group. The highest mortality rate was noted in the control-CF group. The lowest myofibril density was related to the HMB-CF group. Myofibril periphery, area and diameter for the HMB-CF group were larger (p < 0.05) than those of the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that injection of HMB increased hatchability by almost 15%. The IOF of HMB improved the digestive tract and breast muscle development and improved FCR.

Methionine supplementation improves reproductive performance, antioxidant status, immunity and maternal antibody transmission in breeder Japanese quail under heat stress conditions.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of methionine (Met) supplementation on productive and reproductive performance, immune response and antioxidant status in breeder quails reared under heat stress (HS). A total of 125 breeder quails were divided into five groups. One group was kept in an environmentally controlled room at 22  ∘ C and considered as thermoneutral, and four groups were kept at 34  ∘ C and fed a basal diet (heat stressed) or a basal diet with Met concentrations 1.15, 1.30 and 1.45 times the quail requirements per NRC (1994) recommendations. HS decreased egg production in birds fed the basal diet ( P < 0.05 ). Higher feed intake ( P < 0.05 ), egg production ( P < 0.05 ), improved feed efficiency ( P < 0.05 ) and Haugh unit and hatchability variables ( P < 0.05 ) occurred in Met supplemented groups. Birds receiving Met under HS had higher maternal serum IgG, egg yolk IgY and offspring serum IgG (mg mL - 1 ). Quails receiving the Met supplementation diets exhibited higher ( P < 0.05 ) plasma levels and liver activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase as well as lower ( P < 0.05 ) plasma and liver levels of malondialdehyde compared to the HS group fed the basal diet. All breeder quails receiving the Met supplement had lower ( P < 0.05 ) heterophil and H / L ratios as well as higher ( P < 0.05 ) lymphocytes than quails fed the basal diet under the same stress conditions. Our results suggest that dietary supplementation with Met could improve the performance, immunity and antioxidant status of quails by reducing the negative effects of HS.