The impact of dietary probiotic supplementation on welfare and growth performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Background: The usage of commercial probiotic products as alternatives to traditional antibiotics in fish culture is initiated to be a potential factor for Nile tilapia fish's welfare and growth. Aim: The purpose of the current study is to show the influence of commercial probiotics (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) dietary supplementation at different levels on Nile tilapia welfare and growth. Methods: Apparently healthy fingerlings of Nile Tilapia with a total number of 120 with an average initial weight (26.2 ± 0.3 g) were distributed into four groups (each group had 30 fingerlings). The first group (G1) was given a basal diet without additional probiotics, while other groups [second group (G2), the third group (G3), and the fourth group (G4)] were given basal diets supplemented with different levels of commercial probiotics (1 g, 2 g, and 3 g of probiotics per kilogram of diet), respectively (15 fish in each sub group as replicate), in eight glass aquaria (30 × 40 × 100 cm) for 2 months as an experimental period. Results: The results revealed that the probiotic-treated groups especially G4 (3 g probiotics/kg diet) showed a marked increase in the following behavioral patterns such as feeding and swimming behaviors, while G2 (1 g probiotic/kg diet) had an increase in the foraging behavior compared with G1 control group. While surfacing, body care, and aggressive behaviors with all patterns were the highest in the control group (G1) than all probiotics-treated groups. The crossing test showed that fish rose in the probiotic-treated groups (G3 and G4) were more active and could achieve the highest growth rates. While water quality was better in G4 (3 g probiotic /kg diet) than in other groups. Moreover, G4 (3 g probiotic/kg diet) showed a marked increase in all serum biochemical parameters than the control group (G1). Conclusion: The current study proved that the best level of commercial probiotics (B. amyloliquefaciens) was (3 g probiotic/kg diet) for achieving optimal Nile tilapia fingerlings' growth performance under these experimental conditions. Finally, this work confirms the significance of the addition of probiotics as a feed additive to enhance both growth performance and immunity response, improve water quality, and achieve the welfare of Nile tilapia fingerlings.

Impact of Dietary Egg Yolk IgY Powder on Behavior, Meat Quality, Physiology, and Intestinal Escherichia coli Colonization of Broiler Chicks.

The current study investigated the impact of different concentrations of purified egg yolk immunoglobulin Y (IgY) supplemental food on the growth performance, behaviors, cecal contents of Escherichia coli, and the meat quality of broiler chicks. Four dietary groups were given to 180 female Ross broiler chicks at random (n = 45 for each). The control group was fed a standard diet only, whereas the other three experimental groups were fed the same basic diet supplemented with 1,500, 3,000, and 4,000 µg/ml IgY for a duration of 42 days. Significant greater behavioral activities, including, feeding, drinking, and dust bathing (p < 0.05), in the birds fed 4,000 µg/ml of IgY compared to the control group were observed. Greater weight gains of the crop, proventriculus, gizzard, and intestine (p < 0.05) were observed for broiler chicks fed 4,000 µg/ml of IgY when compared to the control group. After 3 weeks of feeding, the groups fed 3,000 and 4,000 µg/ml IgY had significant lower E. coli counts in the muscle and cecal contents (p < 0.05) when compared to the control group. Moreover, dietary supplementation with 4,000 µg/ml IgY in the third week and 3,000 µg/ml IgY in the sixth week resulted in greater weight gain (p < 0.01) when compared to the control group. Also, at week 3, chicks fed 4,000 µg/ml of IgY had a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). At week 6, chicks fed 3,000 µg/ml of IgY had lower FCR than the control (p < 0.05). The circulating heterophile/lymphocyte ratio was simply altered in birds fed variable IgY concentrations (1,500, 3,000, and 4,000 µg/ml), with no significant differences compared to the control group due to the individual resistance of each bird to physiological stress. The addition of 4,000 µg/ml IgY to the diet enhanced the nutritive value of meat, including protein, fat, and ash content (p < 0.05). Our study concluded that dietary supplementation of 3,000 and/or 4,000 µg/ml IgY improved the growth rates, behavioral activities, intestinal health indices, and meat quality of broiler chicks.

Bee venom Apis mellifera lamarckii rescues blood brain barrier damage and neurobehavioral changes induced by methyl mercury via regulating tight junction proteins expression in rat cerebellum.

The objective of the current study is to investigate the protective effect of Egyptian bee venom (BV) against methyl mercury chloride (MMC) induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage and neurobehavioral changes. Eighty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly grouped into 1st control (C), 2nd BV (0.5 mg/kg S/C for14 days), 3rd MMC (6.7 mg/kg orally/14 days), and 4th MMC + BV group. MMC exposure significantly altered rat cognitive behavior, auditory startle habituation, and swimming performance, increased the exploratory, grooming, and stereotypic behavior. MMC significantly impaired BBB integrity via induction of inflammation, oxidative stress, and down-regulation of tight junction proteins genes (TJPs) mRNA expression levels: Occludin (OCC), Claudins-5 (CLDN5), Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), while up-regulated the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) mRNA expression levels. MMC revealed a significantly higher percentage of IgG positive area ratio, a higher index ratio of Iba1, Sox10, and ss-DNA, while index ratio of CD31, neurofilament, and pan neuron showed a significant reduction. Administration of BV significantly regulates the MMC altered behavioral responses, TJPs relative mRNA expression, and the immune-expression markers for specific neural cell types. It could be concluded for the first time that BV retains a promising in vivo protection against MMC-induced BBB dysfunction and neurobehavioral toxicity.

Influence of housing systems on duck behavior and welfare.

OBJECTIVE: This experiment was conducted to assess the effects of the housing system on the welfare and growth performance of the Muscovy duck. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total number of 48 Muscovy duck aged 3-week old were divided randomly into two groups (24 duck on each): deep litter system and cage system. Each group was subdivided into three replicates (8 birds on each) were identified with wing rings. RESULTS: The study showed that feeding and drinking behaviors significantly increased (p < 0.05) in duck reared at the cage system. While there was no noticeable effect on lying and feather pecking, duck raised in the deep litter had better growth performance with a substantial difference, which achieve a higher feed conversion rate with lower feed efficiency. Physical conditions were significantly better at cage management. The level of stress indicating hormones indicating free Thyroxin was increased with the cage. Therefore, the litter system improves duck welfare and their performance. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the duck managed under the litter system has more opportunities that facilitate the expression of more natural behavior, and thus improve their health and performance, as a result of improved feed conversion rate and feed efficiency.

Influence of gender, neuter status, and training method on police dog narcotics olfaction performance, behavior and welfare.

OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to study the influence of gender, neuter status, and training method on police dog narcotics olfaction performance, behavior, and welfare. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 German Shepherds aged 1-3 years were used for this study. The dogs were separated into two experiments. The first experiment (32 dogs and 28 bitches) was used to study the influence of gender on olfaction and smell to narcotics in police dog performance and training methods with behavioral problems and welfare. The second experiment (30 dogs and 30 bitches) was used to study the influence of sexual status (entire or neutered) on the smelling of narcotics in police dog performance by comparing with intact dogs and bitches. RESULTS: We found that there were significant differences in sex in training to detect narcotics. Male German Shepherds were found to be significantly more trainable than females. Neutering causes a difference in trainability in male and female dogs. Gonadectomy had adverse effects on training. The intact male and female German Shepherds were found to be significantly more trainable than the neutered ones, and the reward-based method was found to be significantly more trainable than punishment. Dog training methods incorporated by punishment result in pain, suffering, emotional instability, symptoms of depression, aggression, unwanted barking, growling at other people, not under control all time, less trainability, increased problematic behavior, and decreased dog welfare. CONCLUSION: Reward-based method is associated with lower lousy behavior and dogs with good behavior, such as, attachment attention behavior, dogs under the control of handler all times, higher trainability, less problematic behavior, and increased dog welfare.