Effect of fennel essential oil on performance, serum biochemistry, immunity, ileum morphology and microbial population, and meat quality of broiler chickens fed corn or wheat-based diet.

1. The effect of Foeniculi aetheroleum essential oil (EO) on growth performance, nutrient utilisation, serum biochemistry, immune response, ileum morphology, microbial population and meat quality of broiler chickens fed a corn- or wheat-based diet were determined.2. A total of 360 broiler chickens were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial assay in a completely randomised design with six replicates and 15 birds per experimental unit. Birds were fed corn- or wheat-based diets supplemented with (200 mg/kg) or without fennel EO.3. Birds fed wheat-based diets had lower BWG and FCR during grower period and lower FI during finisher period as compared to those fed corn-based diet (P < 0.05) whereas addition of fennel EO decreased chickens BWG during finisher period and EPEF, both in wheat or in corn-based diets. Dietary treatments had no effect on serum glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, AST, ALT, ALP, and MDA concentrations (P < 0.05).4. Antibody titres against avian influenza and sheep red blood cell antibody titres, crude protein and crude fat utilisation, villus height, crypt depth and epithelium thickness were not influenced by dietary treatments (P > 0.05). Inclusion of Fennel EO to the corn-based diet resulted in greater villus width and villus surface area while it reduced lamina propria thickness (P < 0.05). Fennel EO reduced ileal E. coli and Lactobacillus spp. populations (P < 0.05). Dietary treatments had no significant effect on meat pH, cooking loss, drip loss, crude protein, crude fat content and cholesterol concentration of breast and thigh meat, total phenolic and MDA concentrations, and breast meat sensory parameters (P > 0.05).5. These results showed that addition of fennel EO to wheat-based diets had a negative effect on chicken growth performance variables and decreased gut E. coli populations. However, immunity, meat quality and nutrient utilisation were not affected by dietary treatments.

Effect of oak acorn level on colostrum composition and plasma immunoglobulin G of late-pregnant goats and their kids.

Oak acorn contains high levels of tannins which have capacity to form complexes with proteins and consequently reduce their availability and as a result it could reduce colostrum quality and immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis. Thus, the aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary oak (Quercus persica) acorn (OA) level during the last 60 days of pregnancy on colostrum composition and plasma metabolites and IgG level of goats and their kids. In all, 24 multiparous pregnant goats (41.7±2.3 kg BW) were assigned into one of the three experimental diets consisted of control diet (without OA) and diets containing 20% (OA20) or 40% (OA40) OA on dry matter basis. Goats fed OA40 had lower BW change compared with other groups (P⩽0.05). Kids birth weight was not affected by experimental diets (P>0.05). Goats fed OA containing diets had lower plasma glucose, triglyceride and Fe concentrations compared with those fed the control diet (P0.05), whereas kids born from goats fed OA containing diets had lower plasma IgG level compared with the control diet (P<0.01). It is concluded that feeding OA during the last 60 days of pregnancy decreased colostrum quality which may have adverse effect on kid's survival.

Comparison of single- and multi-strain probiotics effects on broiler breeder performance, egg production, egg quality and hatchability.

1. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of multi-strain probiotic (containing Lactobacillus acidophilus 2.5 × 107 cfu/g, Lactobacillus casei 2.5 × 107 cfu/g, Bifidobacterium thermophilum 2.5 × 107 cfu/g and Enterococcus faecium 2.5 × 107 cfu/g) and single-strain probiotic (Pediococcus acidilactici 1 × 1010 cfu/g) on broiler breeder performance and gastrointestinal health. 2. A completely randomised trial was conducted using 300 broiler breeder hens (Ross 308) aged 51 weeks old which were randomly allocated to 1 of 5 dietary treatments with 6 replicates per treatment in a 10 week trial. Treatments included (1) the basal diet a negative control, (2) basal diet supplemented with 0.1 g/kg multi-strain probiotic (MS), (3) basal diet supplemented with 0.1 g/kg single-strain probiotic (SS), (4) basal diet supplemented with 0.1 g/kg of both of probiotics (MS+ SS) and (5) positive control basal diet supplemented with 0.5 g/kg oxytetracycline antibiotic (OX). 3. Body weight, egg production, yolk weight, eggshell thickness and weight, Haugh unit, fertility and hatchability were determined. Results showed that dietary treatments had no significant effect on total hen house or total hatching egg production, egg weight, yolk colour index, shell weight, mortality, body weight, fertility, hatchability, oviduct and stroma weight or number of large and small yellow follicles (P > 0.05). None of the jejunum morphological parameters, apparent ileal digestibility of protein and ileal Lactobacillus population were influenced by supplemental probiotics (P > 0.05), although ileum Escherichia coli count was reduced by inclusion of dietary probiotics (P < 0.05). 4. It was concluded that although both probiotic treatments reduced coliforms, they did not improve broiler breeder performance or gastrointestinal tract (GIT) function.

Effect of oak (Quercus persica) acorn level on apparent digestibility, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen balance and urinary purine derivatives in pregnant goats.

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary oak (Quercus persica) acorn (OA) level on dry matter intake (DMI), apparent nutrient digestibility, nitrogen (N) utilization, ruminal fermentation, protozoa population and urinary purine derivatives (PD) during the last 60 days of goat pregnancy. Twenty-four multiparous pregnant goats (41.7 ± 2.3 kg BW) were assigned to one of three experimental diets consisted of control diet (C, without OA) and diets containing 20 (OA20 ) or 40 g/100 g of OA (OA40 ) on a DM basis in a completely randomized block design. Goats fed OA40 had lower DMI (p < .01), DM (p < .01), OM (p < .01) and NDF (p < .05) digestibility, ruminal NH3 -N concentration (p < .01), N intake (p < .01) and N retention (p < .01). Crude protein digestibility and ruminal acetate and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration were lower in animals fed OA-contained diets (p < .01), whereas ruminal propionate concentration was higher in goats fed the C diet (p < .01). Animals fed OA40 had higher faecal N excretion and lower urinary N excretion (p < .01). Urinary PD was lower in goats fed diets containing OA in relation to those fed the C diet (p < .01). Total protozoa population decreased linearly with increasing OA level in the diet (p < .05). These results suggest that feeding OA, especially high level, has negative impacts on DMI, nutrient digestibility, VFA concentration, N retention and urinary PD excretion that may have adverse effects on metabolism and performance of pregnant goats.

The effect of n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratios on broiler breeder performance, hatchability, fatty acid profile and reproduction.

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of dietary omega6 (n-6) to omega3 (n-3) fatty acid (FA) ratios on performance and reproduction of broiler breeders. In experiment 1, 400 females and 40 males (30 week age) of Ross 308 broiler breeder (20 females and two males in each pen) were randomly assigned to one of the four diets with n-6/n-3 FA ratios of 4, 6, 8 and 16 (control). As a measure of hatchability, fertility of eggs and general incubation traits, 1,200 eggs (60 eggs from each pen) were collected and incubated for 21 days and embryo liver and brain fatty acid profile in 14 and 21 days were determined. In experiment 2, 48 males (three males in each pen) randomly assigned to one of the four diets with n-6/n-3 FA ratios of 4, 6, 8 and 16 (control). Semen was collected twice weekly, and semen volume, spermatozoa concentration and motility and alive and dead spermatozoa were estimated. Egg production and egg mass were decreased by n-6/n-3 FA ratios of 4:1 and 6:1 (p < .05). There were no significant differences between treatments on breeder's body weight, eggs fertility and hatchability, embryonic mortality and semen features. Linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and total n-3 of egg yolk, semen, testis and liver and brain of embryo and day-old chicken were increased while concentration of linoleic acid, arachidonic acid and docosatetraenoic acid of mentioned tissues were decreased by increasing n-6/n-3 FA ratios (p > .05). In conclusion, absolute amount of n-3 and n-6 FAs in broiler breeder diet may be more important than n-6/n-3 FA ratios and to consider reproductive and performance traits of breeders, it is necessary to supply higher levels of n-3 and n-6 FA with respect to n-6/n-3 FA ratios.

The effect of dietary n-6:n-3 ratio and sex on broiler breeder immunity.

A study was conducted with male and female adult broiler breeders to determine the effect of feeding a fish oil supplement on selected immune activities. The fish oil was added to the diet such that the n-6:n-3 ratios could meet certain levels. Four hundred Ross 308 broiler breeder hens and 48 Ross 308 broiler breeder roosters at 30 wk of age were randomly assigned to diets containing 3.5% fat with n-6:n-3 ratios of 4, 6, 8, and 16. As a measure of cell-mediated immunity, thickness of the toe web was measured at 4, 8, 24, and 48 h after injection of phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) at 32 wk of age. Total antibodies were quantified 6 and 9 d after the injection of SRBC at 33 wk of age. Blood lymphocyte proliferation was assayed after in vitro stimulation with PHA-P at 34 wk of age. The fatty acid profile of the spleen was determined in roosters. The effects of dietary n-6:n-3 ratios on total antibodies and in vitro lymphocyte proliferation were not significant (P > 0.05). However, the birds fed diets containing an n-6:n-3 ratio of 8 showed the greatest toe web thickness (P < 0.05). Total antibodies in hens at 9 d after SRBC injection were significantly greater than those of roosters. Conversely, toe web thickness in roosters was greater than that of hens (P < 0.05). Although the increase in the dietary n-6:n-3 ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids significantly decreased the concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, total n-3 (P < 0.05), linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and total n-6, the n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratios of the entire spleen were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Results indicated that under the conditions of this study, the n-6:n-3 ratios seemed to influence the toe web response to PHA-P, but not the antibody response or the cell proliferation response in vitro.