Alaeldein M. Abudabos

Nutritional value of green seaweed (Ulva lactuca) for broiler chickens

The current work aimed to assess the potential of the green seaweed Ulva lactuca (U. lactuca) as an alternative ingredient in broiler chicken diets. The effect of substituting 1.0 or 3.0% of corn with U. lactuca on performance, carcass characteristics and serum constituents of broilers from 12 to 33 d of age was evaluated. Three treatments were distributed in a RCBD design: T1, control diet (0% U. lactuca); T2, 1.0 % U. lactuca; T3, 3.0 % U. lactuca. A total of 45 chicks were assigned to three treatments (5 replicates per treatment) used in this experiment. Cumulative feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and nutrients retention from 12 to 33 d of age were not affected by treatment (P>0.05). Birds which had received T3 had a higher dressing percentage and breast muscle yield compared to those which had received T1 or T2. Serum total lipid, cholesterol and uric acid concentrations were significantly lower in birds which had received T2 and T3 (P<0.05). Serum enzymes and electrolytes were not influenced by any dietary treatment except for alanine transaminase (ALT) which was significantly lower for the treated groups. Based on presented evidences, it is recommended to substitute 3.0% of corn with green seaweed (U. lactuca).

Effect of organic acid blend and Bacillus subtilis alone or in combination on growth traits, blood biochemical and antioxidant status in broilers exposed to Salmonella typhimurium challenge during the starter phase

ABSTRACT The present study was designed to find the effect of an antibiotic, an organic acid and a probiotic on performance traits, blood biochemical parameters and antioxidant status during the starter phase exposed to Salmonella typhimurium challenge. A total of 300 day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated to control (basal diet), T1: infected with Salmonella enteric subsp. Typhimurium; T2: infected + avilamycin; T3: infected + organic acid; T4: infected + Bacillus subtilis; T5: infected + organic acid + probiotic. The results showed that body weight, feed conversion ratio and production efficiency factor did not differ (P > .05) between the control and treated groups. Blood albumin and aspartate aminotransferase increased significantly (P < .05) in birds in T5 during the first week. Similarly, total protein and triglyceride concentration increased significantly (P < .05) in T4 and T5. The total antioxidant capacity in the second week decreased significantly in T4 compared to the control. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances during the first and second weeks did not differ significantly (P > .05) between the control and treated groups. We concluded that the effect of organic acid blend and B. subtilis was similar to that of the antibiotic in broilers during the starter phase exposed to S. typhimurium challenge.

Impacts of Stocking Density on the Performance and Welfare of Broiler Chickens

The current study was performed to investigate the influence of different stocking density rates on the performance, thermophysiological measurements as well as blood parameters of 0 to 30 d of age female Ross broiler. A total of 96 chicks were randomly distributed in a randomized complete block design among 12 cages. Three stocking density rates were applied; low (28.0 kg/m2), medium (37.0 kg/m2) and high (40.0 kg/m2). Results revealed that cumulative body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) were influenced (P<0.01) by the rate of stocking density, while no effect (P>0.05) were observed for broilers mortalitycorrected feed conversion ratio (FCR). Higher BWG (P<0.01) and FI (P<0.05) were reported for low and medium density rates broilers in comparison to the high density rate broilers. Overall means of body temperature as well as head, neck, wing, body and shank surface temperatures have displayed (P<0.05) higher values in medium and high density rates broilers compared to the low density rate broilers. Furthermore, increasing the stocking density from 28 to 40 kg/m2 induced a state of hemodilution in higher density rate broilers, which might explain the noticeable decrease in packed cell volume (PCV). Meanwhile, an increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was observed in the higher density group, which might indicate hepatocellular injures. It can be concluded that increasing the stocking density rate from 28 to 40 kg of BW/m2 had evident impingement effects on the performance of broiler chicken and could jeopardize their welfare.

Effect of dietary mannan oligosaccharide from Saccharomyces cerevisiae on live performance of broilers under Clostridium perfringens challenge

A 30-day broiler cage trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) from one commercial product (SAF-Mannan) on growth parameters, gut health and control pathogen colonization of broilers under Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) challenge. One hundred, 0-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were allocated in 4 experimental treatments for 30 days. The four dietary treatments were T1, standard broiler basal diets without any medication as a control (+CONT); T2, basal diets as in T1 plus C. perfringens challenge (-CONT); T3, enramycin 0.1 g/kg of feed plus C. perfringens challenge (ENRA); T4, SAF-Mannan at 0.5 g/kg in starter and finisher diets plus C. perfringens challenge (SAF). Overall, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and body weight gain (BWG) in treatments ENRA and SAF were significantly better (P<0.01) than the –CONT treatment, whereas treatment +CONT was intermediate and not different from SAF. Feed intake (FI) was not influenced by treatment. SAF-Mannan supplementation was able to lower the ileal C. perfringens count as compared to all other treatments (P<0.05). The changes in C. perfringens count appear in parallel to observed improvement in the cumulative FCR. The results from this study clearly indicated that SAF-Mannan could act as a replacement for antimicrobial growth promoters in broilers (AGPs). SAF-Mannan level of 0.05% was enough to achieve a response competitive with that of the antibiotic.

The effect of phytogenics on growth traits, blood biochemical and intestinal histology in broiler chickens exposed to Clostridium perfringens challenge

ABSTRACT A total 560 day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) was randomly allocated to seven treatments (eight replicates). Control (basal diet), T1, infected with Clostridium perfringens, T2, infected + Avilamycin at the rate of 0.2 g/kg T3, infected + essential oil of thyme, T4, infected + Sanguinarine, T5, infected + Anti-Salmonella phytobiotic, T6., infected + essential oils of thyme, anise and others (oregano, carvacol, yucca extract and cinnamaldehyde). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly (P<0.05) high in the T2 during the third week. The dressing percentage decreased significantly (P<0.05) and intestinal weight increased (P<0.05) in T1. Blood protein, and globulin increased significantly (P<0.05) in birds in T6 during fourth weeks, while blood alanine transaminase (ALT) increased significantly (P<0.05) in T5. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) increased significantly (P<0.05) in T5 and T6. Similarly, villus height and width increased significantly (P<0.05) in T5 and T6. From the results of the present study, it was concluded that different feed additives could be substituted with antibiotics in the feed of broiler exposed to Clostridium perfringens challenge.

Effect of different probiotics on breast quality characteristics of broilers under Salmonella challenge

The current study was performed to investigate the influence of probiotics or antibiotic on breast quality characteristics of broiler chickens that were subjected to Salmonella challenge. Two hundred, one-day-old Cobb 500 chicks were allocated in five experimental treatments for 42 d. Ten cages of birds received one of the following treatments: T1=positive control (+CONT), unsupplemented, unchallenged; T2=negative control (-CONT), unsupplemented, challenged; T3=supplemented with antibiotic neoxyval (NEOX), challenged; T4=supplemented with probiotic Toyocerin (TOYO), challenged; and T5=supplemented with probiotic CloSTAT™ (CLOS), challenged. Birds in treatments T2 to T5 were challenged with 3x109 CFU/mL of Salmonella enterica subsp. typhimurium on day 16. Nine birds per treatment were sampled at the end of the trial for breast characteristics. Overall, pH and temperature values of the breast muscle were similar among all groups tested. Cooking loss results indicated that breasts from T3 birds had the highest degree of shrinkage upon cooking while those of the probiotic group had similar control values (P<0.0001). Probiotic supplementation reduced the extent of destruction of myofibrils caused by homogenisation (P<0.0001). Warner-Bratzler shear test and texture profile analysis showed that neither treatments nor Salmonella challenge had any negative impact on texture or sensory attributes of chicken breast. In conclusion, results show that breast characteristics were better when probiotics were supplemented in the diets.

The relationship between guanidino acetic acid and metabolisable energy level of diets on performance of broiler chickens

This work aimed to investigate the effects on performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens of 2 levels of guanidino acetic acid (GAA) in a commercial form (CreAMINO®) and 4 levels of metabolisable energy. The eight dietary regimens were tested for starter (0-10 d), grower (11-22 d) and finisher (23-35 d) peri ods on a total of 200 male ROSS 308 broiler chickens in a factorial arrangements of treat ments (2 4), with experimental diet fed to 5 replicate pens with 4 birds each. The results revealed a positive effect for CreAMINO® supplementation on feed conversion ratio (FCR) for the starter, grower, finisher and cumulative periods (P<0.05, 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001, respectively); feed conversion was significantly improved in the treatment with CreAMINO® supplementation vs unsupplemented group. During the grower period, a significant difference in FCR was observed for metabolisable energy (ME) level (P<0.01). When examining the cumulative period of the trial (0 to 35 days of age), two-way interaction was significant for feed intake and body weight gain. Birds receiving the control level of energy, 75 or 50 kcal/kg lower ME than the control, consumed less feed when supplemented with CreAMINO®. Birds receiving 25 kcal/kg lower ME or the control energy levels gained more weight when supplemented with CreAMINO®. In summary, GAA (as CreAMINO) improved FCR of broilers in each period as well as cumulatively, while ME level also affected FCR. CreAMINO® supplementation to reduced-energy diets showed FCR improvements, while the best performance was detected for the diet with 50 kcal/kg lower ME.

Effect of enzyme supplementation and wheat middlings as an alternative to corn on laying hens performance

A 7-wk trial examined the effects of dietary enzyme supplementation (ES), a combination of xylanase, amylase and protease on egg production, egg mass, egg composition, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and nutrient retention in Hy-Line W-36 strain fed diets containing wheat middlings (WM) combined with Avizyme 1500 enzyme (xylanase, protease and amylase) at different dietary metabolizable energy (ME) levels. Seven diets were assigned to five replicate pens with 4 hens per pen from 44 to 51 week of age. The collected data indicated no significant difference in feed consumption, egg production, egg mass and body weight occurred among hens fed the dietary treatments. Egg weight responded significantly to ES (P<0.01), especially when hens were fed the low energy diet with ES. Egg components were not affected by diet or by ES. Apparent ME was affected significantly by diet (3071 for control vs 2920 kcal/kg for WM diets). Type of diet had the most significant effect on performance while ES to WM diets at this phase of production had little effect on performance or apparent nutrient retention especially when it was supplemented to the low energy diets. Including WM in laying hen diets up to 30% did not affect most measured parameters and could serve as a good alternative to corn depending on the price of corn.

Influence of stocking density on welfare indices of broilers

The current study was conducted to identify the influence of short-term (five days) high stocking density (SD) on broilers’ welfare by assessing several thermophysiological parameters in 32 birds of 43 days of age Ross male broiler chickens. Based on broiler’s body weight, broilers were randomly allotted into two SD rates; control (26.5 kg/m2) or high (45.0 kg/m2). It appears evident that placing broilers at high SD as 45.0 kg/m2had manifested noticeable impacts on their thermophysiological responses. This conclusion was demonstrated by the existence of results of the current study showed a major displacements in broilers’ homeothermic status, high SD broilers experienced pronounced elevations of their body temperatures as well as head, body and shank surface temperatures over the control SD broilers. Additionally, this was further emphasized by the noticeable displacements of body internal, external and total thermal gradients as well as heat loss index of high SD broilers compared to the control broilers. Based on the presented evidences, short-term high SD markedly increased broilers stress and jeopardize their welfare. Measuring broilers’ thermophysiological responses under different rates of SD can be adapted to assess their welfare.

Phytate phosphorus utilization and intestinal phytase activity in laying hens

The first aim of this study was to examine the effects of strain and age on phytate phosphorus (PP) utilization and intestinal phytase activity (IPA) in two strains of laying hens, Hy-line Brown (HB) and Hy-line White W-36 (HW) at 32, 52 and 72 weeks of age. A digestion trial was conducted using the indicator method and birds were sampled to measure IPA. The second aim was to examine the effect of feed grade exogenous phytase enzyme on total (TP), water soluble (WSP) and phytate phosphorus (PP) excretion in the HW strain fed varying levels of phosphorus. Hens were fed three concentrations of available P (AP): 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4%. Each level of P was supplemented with three levels of commercial feed grade exogenous phytase enzyme (0, 300, and 600 FTU/kg) and the amount of TP, WSP and PP in excreta per 100 g of feed consumed was calculated. The HB retained more PP as compared to HW. Intestinal phytase activity showed a significant (P<0.01) age effect with the highest activity occurring at 32 weeks. There were significant differences in the amount of TP and SP excreted between birds receiving the 3 levels of phosphorus with 300 units phytase (P<0.01). The results of this study showed that layers are capable of utilizing PP, and that utilization is regulated by IPA and varies with age. Exogenous phytase improved PP utilization but it increased the amount of TP and WSP in excreta.