Dietary threonine and lysophospholipid supplement in broiler chickens: effect on productive performance, carcass variables, cecal microbiota activity, and jejunal morphology.

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the efficacy of lysophospholipid (LPL) in combination with different levels of threonine (Thr) on productive performance, jejunal morphometric variables, cecal microbial population, and carcass characteristics of male broiler chickens. Four hundred 1-day-old male broiler chicks were distributed into eight experimental groups with five replicates, each of ten birds. Factors were two levels of 0 or 0.1% Lipidol as LPL supplement and four inclusion amount of Thr (100, 105, 110, or 115% of requirements) in the diets. During 1 to 35 days, inclusion of LPL supplementation in diets improved the body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers (P < 0.05). Besides, FCR was significantly greater in the birds fed with 100% Thr compared to the other inclusion rates of Thr (P < 0.05). The jejuna villus length (VL) and crypt depth (CD) were greater in the birds fed with LPL-supplemented diets (P < 0.05) while the greatest VH/CD and villus surface was observed in the birds fed with 105% of dietary Thr (P < 0.05). In cecal microbiota composition, Lactobacillus population was lower in broilers which received diet containing 100% Thr compared to the other group receiving more than 100% Thr (P < 0.05). In conclusion, inclusion of LPL supplements and amounts greater than Thr requirement in diet improved productive performance and jejunal morphology of male broiler chickens.

Effects of sesame meal bioactive peptides, individually or in combination with a mixture of essential oils, on growth performance, carcass, jejunal morphology, and microbial composition of broiler chickens.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the influence of sesame meal bioactive peptides (SMBP) individually or in combination with a mixture of savory (Satureja khuzestanica) and thyme (Thymus daenensis) essential oils (STEO) on growth performance, carcass, jejunal morphology, and cecal microbial composition of broiler chickens. A total number of 250-day-old male Ross broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 5 dietary treatments with 5 replicates per each. Dietary treatments were a corn-soybean meal diet as control; control diet supplemented with 0.5 g/kg of Bacitracin as antibiotic (A); 3 g/kg of SMBP; 0.5 g/kg of STEO; and a combination of 3 g/kg of SMBP and 0.5 g/kg of STEO. Results indicated that inclusion of SMBP + STEO in diet improved body weight gain and feed conversion ratio during 11 to 24 days (P < 0.05). Dietary treatments had no significant effect on the carcass characteristics and internal organs. In jejunal morphology, the villus length (VL) and the ratio of VL to crypt depth (CD) were greater in birds which received SMBP + STEO diets, while CD was lower in broilers fed with SMBP + STEO diet (P < 0.05). Inclusion of SMBP in combination with STEO increased viable count of Lactobacillus while the population of E. coli decreased in birds fed with SMBP + STEO diet (P < 0.05). According to the results of this experiment, it can be concluded that dietary SMBP in combination with STEO had positive effects on the growth performance, jejunal morphometric indices, and cecal microbial composition of broiler chickens.

Effects of phytase supplementation on growth performance, jejunum morphology, liver health, and serum metabolites of Japanese quails fed sesame (Sesamum indicum) meal-based diets containing graded levels of protein.

A 2 × 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments was used to investigate the effects of two levels of dietary crude protein (200 or 240 g kg(-1)) and two inclusion rates of phytase enzyme supplementation (with or without) on performance, jejunum morphology, and some hematological parameters of Japanese quails fed diets based on three graded levels of sesame (Sesamum indicum) meal (0, 120, and 240 g kg(-1) of the diet). A total of 480 Japanese quail chicks were randomly allocated to 12 treatments with 4 replicates of 10 Japanese quails. The results showed that feed intake was decreased in quails fed diets containing 240 g kg(-1) of sesame meal (P < 0.05). Diets with 120 and 240 g kg(-1) inclusion rates of sesame meal improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) in Japanese quail (P < 0.05). Results indicated that the higher level of crude protein improved protein efficiency ratio (PER) and increased feed intake (P < 0.05). The results of jejunum morphology showed that diets containing 120 and 240 g kg(-1) sesame meal increased villus height and the ratio of VH to CD and decreased crypt depth (P < 0.05). Enzyme addition increased serum calcium and phosphorous of Japanese quails (P < 0.05). The liver weight was greater in Japanese quails fed diets containing 200 g kg(-1) crude protein and 120 g kg(-1) sesame meal (P < 0.05). The serum concentration of uric acid was increased in birds that received 240 g kg(-1) protein (P < 0.05). It is concluded that the use of sesame meal improved growth performance (FCR) of Japanese quails. Moreover, serum concentration of calcium and phosphorous was greater in quails with phytase supplementation included in their diet.