The Impact of Paulownia Leaves Extract on Performance, Blood Biochemical, Antioxidant, Immunological Indices, and Related Gene Expression of Broilers.

The current research sought to assess the effects of paulownia leaves extract (PLE) on performance, blood hematological, antioxidant activity, and immunological response of broiler chicken. In total, two hundred 1-day-old male Cobb 500 chicks were allocated randomly into four equal treatments with 5 replicates. The first treatment served as a control (CNT) and was fed the basal diet only, while the other treated treatments were fed on the basal diet supplemented with 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 g/kg diet of PLE, respectively. The performance results showed significant increments (P < 0.05) in live body weight (LBW), weight gain (WG), and European production efficiency factors (EPEIs) (linearly; p < 0.001) in cooperated with increasing PLE levels in broiler diets. At the same time, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and livability percentages were numerically enhanced under the effects of PLE supplementation. Moreover, a notable increase (P < 0.05 or 0.01) in oxidative remarks activity (GSH, glutathione; SOD, super oxide-dismutase and CAT, catalase) and elevated levels of immunoglobulin (IgM, immunoglobulin M and IgG, immunoglobulin G) were noted (P < 0.05) for treatments fed with PLE in a dose-dependent manner. Also, a dramatic linear increase was observed in mRNA expression of IGF-1, GHR, IL-1ß, and IL-10 genes of broiler chickens. This study concluded that enriched broiler feeds with 0.5 g/kg PLE might be a beneficial strategy to promote broiler health and production.

In ovo Inoculation of Bacillus subtilis and Raffinose Affects Growth Performance, Cecal Microbiota, Volatile Fatty Acid, Ileal Morphology and Gene Expression, and Sustainability of Broiler Chickens (Gallus gallus).

Banning antibiotic growth promoters has negatively impacted poultry production and sustainability, which led to exploring efficient alternatives such as probiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics. Effect of in ovo injection of Bacillus subtilis, raffinose, and their synbiotics on growth performance, cecal microbial population and volatile fatty acid concentration, ileal histomorphology, and ileal gene expression was investigated in broilers (Gallus gallus) raised for 21 days. On 300 h of incubation, a total of 1,500 embryonated eggs were equally allotted into 10 groups. The first was non-injected (NC) and the remaining in ovo injected with sterile distilled water (PC), B. subtilis 4 × 105 and 4 × 106 CFU (BS1 and BS2), Raffinose 2 and 3 mg (R1 and R2), B. subtilis 4 × 105 CFU + raffinose 2 mg (BS1R1), B. subtilis 4 × 105 CFU + raffinose 3 mg (BS1R2), B. subtilis 4 × 106 CFU + raffinose 2 mg (BS2R1), and B. subtilis 4 × 106 CFU + raffinose 3 mg (BS2R2). At hatch, 60 chicks from each group were randomly chosen, divided into groups of 6 replicates (10 birds/replicate), and fed with a corn-soybean-based diet. In ovo inoculation of B. subtilis and raffinose alone or combinations significantly improved body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio of 21-day-old broilers compared to NC. Cecal concentrations of butyric, pentanoic, propionic, and isobutyric acids were significantly elevated in R1, R2, BS2R1, and BS2R2, whereas isovaleric and acetic acids were significantly increased in R1 and BS2R1 compared to NC. Cecal microbial population was significantly altered in treated groups. Ileal villus height was increased (p < 0.001) in BS1, R2, and BS2R2 compared to NC. The mRNA expression of mucin-2 was upregulated (p < 0.05) in synbiotic groups except for BS1R1. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was increased (p < 0.05) in BS2, R1, BS1R1, and BS1R2 compared to NC. SGLT-1 expression was upregulated (p < 0.05) in all treated birds except those of R1 group compared to NC. The mRNA expressions of interleukin (IL)-2 and toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 were downregulated (p < 0.05) in BS2 and R1 for IL-2 and BS1R1 and BS2R2 for TLR-4. It was concluded that in ovo B. subtilis, raffinose, and synbiotics positively affected growth performance, cecal microbiota, gut health, immune responses, and thus the sustainability of production in 21-day-old broilers.

Effects of lighting source as an environmental strategy for heat stress amelioration in growing Californian rabbits during summer season.

The current work investigated the influences of different light sources on growth performance, carcass characteristics, blood biochemicals, physiological status and health aspects. One hundred and twenty growing California rabbits were assigned into four empirical collections in an experiment of completely randomized design. Rabbits of the first collection were reared under incandescent light bulbs (control), while the second, third and fourth collections were reared under fluorescent, saving light and LED light bulbs, respectively. The results indicated that rabbits reared under incandescent and LED had the heaviest body weight at 16-weeks-old. Rabbits reared under LED recorded the greatest gain during 14-16 weeks of age and 6-16 weeks of age. The lowest feed conversion ratio was observed in rabbits reared under LED lighting, during 14-16 weeks of age, and during the whole period without significant variations. Fat percentage (%) was low in rabbits exposed to fluorescent and LED. Rabbits grown under LED showed the lowest albumin/globulin and the highest glucose concentration. Rabbits kept under LED showed the lowest rectal temperature, mortality and health risks %. Conclusively, LED lighting source might be appropriate for alteration of incandescent and fluorescent light sources in rabbit farms to improve growth performance without compromising rabbit's carcass and welfare.

Managing Gut Microbiota through In Ovo Nutrition Influences Early-Life Programming in Broiler Chickens.

The chicken gut is the habitat to trillions of microorganisms that affect physiological functions and immune status through metabolic activities and host interaction. Gut microbiota research previously focused on inflammation; however, it is now clear that these microbial communities play an essential role in maintaining normal homeostatic conditions by regulating the immune system. In addition, the microbiota helps reduce and prevent pathogen colonization of the gut via the mechanism of competitive exclusion and the synthesis of bactericidal molecules. Under commercial conditions, newly hatched chicks have access to feed after 36-72 h of hatching due to the hatch window and routine hatchery practices. This delay adversely affects the potential inoculation of the healthy microbiota and impairs the development and maturation of muscle, the immune system, and the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Modulating the gut microbiota has been proposed as a potential strategy for improving host health and productivity and avoiding undesirable effects on gut health and the immune system. Using early-life programming via in ovo stimulation with probiotics and prebiotics, it may be possible to avoid selected metabolic disorders, poor immunity, and pathogen resistance, which the broiler industry now faces due to commercial hatching and selection pressures imposed by an increasingly demanding market.

Growth, carcass traits, immunity and oxidative status of broilers exposed to continuous or intermittent lighting programs.

OBJECTIVE: An experiment was conducted to investigate the continuous and intermittent lighting program effects on terms of the productive performance, carcass traits, blood biochemical parameters, innate immune and oxidative status in broiler chicks. METHODS: A total of 600 Cobb-500 one day old chicks were randomly allocated into six equal groups (100 chicks per treated group with five replicates of 20 chicks each) based on lighting program; 22 continuous lighting (22 C), 11 h lighting+1 darkness twice daily (11 L/1 D), 20 h continuous lighting (20 C), 5 h lighting+1 darkness four times daily (5 L/1 D), 18 h continuous lighting (18 C) and the final group subjected for 3 h lighting+1 h darkness six times daily (3 L/1 D). The experimental period lasted 42 days. RESULTS: Compared with those under the intermittent light program, broiler chicks exposed to continuous lighting for 22 h had significant improvement in live body weight and carcass (dressing and breast percentage) measured traits. Though reducing lighting hours significantly reduced feed intake and feed conversion ratio values. Different lighting programs revealed no significant effect on all blood biochemical parameters. Oxidative stress and innate immunity parameters significantly enhance by reducing lighting hours (3L/1D). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that reducing lighting hours up to 3L/1D would be more useful in enhancing feed efficiency, innate immunity, and oxidative status compared with continuous lighting programs on broilers.

Lighting programs as an appliance to improve growing New Zealand white rabbit's performance.

Lighting regimes are possibly used as a strategy to improve rabbit production in tropical regions; on this background, this study was conducted to assess the possible role of different light (L):dark (D) regimes in improving growing New Zealand white rabbit's performance. Sixty-four growing rabbits were randomly divided into four groups. Rabbits of the first group (C) were exposed to 12 h of light (from 10.00 to 22.00 h). Rabbits of the second group (T1) were exposed to 12 h of light (from 22.00 to 10.00 h). The third group (T2) was exposed to 8 h of light (from 10.00 to 18.00 h), while the fourth group (T3) was exposed to 8 h of light (from 22.00 to 06.00 h). Temperature-humidity index values ranged between 27.00 and 28.87, indicating exposure of growing rabbits to very severe heat stress. Body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed consumption (FC), feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass traits, blood parameters, and some physiological (rectum temperature, respiration rate) and health aspects (morbidity, mortality, and health risks %) were investigated. Rabbits of T1 showed the highest (P < 0.05) averages of BW and BWG in comparison with their counterparts. There were no significant differences in FC; however, rabbits of T1 had the lowest value of FCR at marketing. The percentages of dressed carcass, liver, and kidney in T1 and T3 were the highest. Non-significant changes were observed among the groups in most of the metabolic and hematology parameters of blood, except for ALT and N/L ratio. Further, rabbits of T1 showed the lowest rectal temperature and respiration rate in comparison with their counterparts. Conclusively, the utilization of photoperiod of afternoon program for over a short period of time in rabbitry brought in beneficial effects on growth performance and other productive and physiological parameters of growing rabbits.