Md. Manirul Islam

Effects of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens as a probiotic strain on growth performance, cecal microflora, and fecal noxious gas emissions of broiler chickens

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens probiotic (BAP) as a direct-fed microbial on growth performance, cecal microflora, serum immunoglobulin levels, and fecal noxious gas emissions of broiler chickens. A total of 400 one-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 treatment diets formulated to supply 0, 1, 5, 10, and 20 g/kg of BAP and were fed for 35 d. Each treatment had 8 replicate pens with 10 birds per replicate. On completion of the growth trial, fecal samples were collected, and ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emissions were measured. Increasing concentration of BAP had positive linear effect on the ADG of broilers (P < 0.05) throughout the experimental period, with the highest values being observed in broilers offered 20 g/kg of BAP. The ADFI increased linearly (P < 0.02) with the inclusion of BAP during the overall experimental period (d 0 to 35). Providing BAP had a negative linear effect on FCR from d 0 to 21 and d 0 to 35 (P < 0.01). Supplementation with BAP did not affect cecal Lactobacillus and Bacillus content, but exerted negative linear effect on cecal Escherichia coli (P < 0.05) with increasing the level of BAP in broiler diets. Additionally, BAP modified immune response of broilers by linearly increasing serum IgG and IgA (P < 0.01). Dietary BAP resulted in decreased fecal NH3 emissions at 0 (linear, P < 0.001), 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h of incubation (linear, P < 0.05; quadratic, P < 0.01). Supplementation of BAP exerted negative linear and quadratic effects on fecal emissions of H2S (P < 0.001) throughout the incubation period except at 48 h, and the optimum effect was found when BAP was provided at 5 g/kg of diet. Based on these results, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens could be suggested as a potential feed additive of broiler diets.

Meat composition, fatty acid profile and oxidative stability of meat from broilers supplemented with pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) by-products

The effects of diets supplemented with four levels (0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0%) of pomegranate by-product (PB) on meat composition, fatty acid profile and oxidative stability of broiler meat were evaluated. The crude protein and moisture contents increased, whereas ether extract in breast and thigh meat and cholesterol in breast meat decreased in response to dietary PB supplementation (p<0.05). In breast and thigh meat, the sum of saturated fatty acids was lower, while the sum of mono-unsaturated and n-3 fatty acids were higher, alongside lower n-6/n-3 ratio in the 1.0% and 2.0% PB supplemented group (p<0.05). The TBARS values and pH of breast and thigh meat were reduced in the PB supplemented groups (p<0.05). Overall, the results presented herein indicate that supplementation of diets with up to 2% pomegranate by-products improved the meat composition, fatty acid profile and reduced lipid oxidation of broiler meat.

Effects of Citrus junos by-products fermented with multistrain probiotics on growth performance, immunity, caecal microbiology and meat oxidative stability in broilers

Abstract 1. The present study was conducted to develop Citrus junos probiotics (CJP), using by-products of Citrus junos fermented with multispecies probiotic bacteria including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis. The effects of dietary CJP on the growth performance, immune status, caecal microbiology and meat oxidative stability of broiler were investigated. 2. A total of 240 one-day-old Ross broiler chicks were used in a 35-d experiment in which the chicks were randomly allotted to one of the 4 dietary treatments (0, 5, 10 and 20 g CJP/kg diet) in a completely randomised design. 3. Dietary supplementation of 5 g/kg CJP significantly increased body weight, average daily gain and average daily feed intake of broiler during the overall experimental period. 4. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig)M concentration was significantly increased by 10 and 20 g/kg CJP, whereas the IgG and IgA concentration remained unaffected. In addition, 20 g/kg CJP significantly inhibited proliferation of Escherichia coli without affecting the concentration of Lactobacillus or Bacillus spp. 5. A significant reduction in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of breast and thigh meat was observed in response to increasing concentration of dietary CJP. 6. Thus, the results suggest that CJP up to a concentration of 20 g/kg can be used in the diet of broilers to improve immunity and to reduce caecal E. coli and TBARS values of breast and thigh meat without any adverse effects on growth performance.

Seamustard (Undaria pinnatifida) Improves Growth, Immunity, Fatty Acid Profile and Reduces Cholesterol in Hanwoo Steers

The study was designed to evaluate the effect of 2% seamustard (Undaria pinnatifida) by-product (SW) on growth performance, immunity, carcass characteristics, cholesterol content and fatty acid profile in Hanwoo steers. A total of 20 Hanwoo steers (ave. 22 months old; 619 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to control (basal diet) and 2% SW supplemented diet. Dietary SW supplementation significantly (p<0.05) improved average daily gain and gain:feed ratio as well as serum immunoglobulin G concentration. Chemical composition and quality grade of meat and carcass yield grades evaluated at the end of the trial were found to be unaffected by SW supplementation. Dietary SW significantly reduced meat cholesterol concentration (p<0.05). Dietary SW supplementation significantly reduced the myristic acid (C14:0) and palmitoleic acid (C16:ln-7) concentration, while SW increased the concentration of stearic acid (C18:0) and linolenic acid (C18:3n-3) compared to control (p<0.05). Dietary SW supplementation had no effect on saturated fatty acids (SFA), unsaturated fatty acids, poly unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) or mono unsaturated fatty acid content in muscles. A reduced ratio of PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 were found in SW supplemented group (p<0.05). In conclusion, 2% SW supplementation was found to improve growth, immunity and fatty acid profile with significantly reduced cholesterol of beef.

Effect of Sea Tangle (Laminaria japonica) and Charcoal Supplementation as Alternatives to Antibiotics on Growth Performance and Meat Quality of Ducks

A total of 150 growing ducks were assigned to five dietary treatments to study the effect of sea tangle and charcoal (STC) supplementation on growth performance and meat characteristics in a completely randomized design. There were six replicates and five ducklings in each replication. The five dietary treatments were control, antibiotic, and 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% STC supplemented diets. No significant differences were found on ADG, ADFI, and gain:feed among treatments in different weeks. The overall (0 to 3 weeks) ADFI decreased in antibiotic treatment (p<0.05) whereas the gain:feed increased significantly upon 1.0% STC supplementation compared to control (p<0.05). No significant variation was found in meat chemical composition except crude fat content which was high in 1.0% STC dietary group (p<0.05). Meat cholesterol was reduced in 0.1% STC group (p<0.05) compared to other dose levels while serum cholesterol was unaffected. High density lipoprotein (HDL) content was high in 1.0% STC (p<0.05) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) was low in 0.1% and 1.0% STC dietary groups (p = 0.06). No significant effect was found on the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) of fresh meat, whereas the TBARS value of meat preserved for 1 week was reduced significantly in STC dietary groups (p<0.05). The 0.1% STC dietary group showed an increased myristic acid (p = 0.07) content whereas, the content of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids increased in STC supplementation than antibiotic group (p<0.05). An increased concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and a reduced ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio was found upon 1.0% STC supplementation compared to antibiotic dietary group (p<0.05). Therefore, 1.0% STC dietary supplementation can be used as alternatives to antibiotics in duck production.

Effects of dietary natural and fermented herb combination on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality in grower-finisher pigs

The effects of an herb combination (pomegranate, Ginkgo biloba, licorice) in natural (NPGL) or fermented (FPGL) form administered as 0.4% of the basal diet on the performance and meat quality of grower-finisher pigs were evaluated. Dietary supplementation with NPGL or FPGL reduced the feed intake and back fat thickness of pigs, while increasing lean production. Serum IgG was higher in the FPGL supplemented group. Remarkably, ingestion of NPGL and FPGL reduced the ether extract in the longissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) with increased moisture, whereas the cholesterol was lower in the NPGL group. Dietary supplementation of NPGL and FPGL increased the n-3 fatty acid in LDM with a reduced ratio of n-6/n-3. Both NPGL and FPGL significantly reduced the TBARS value of pig meat when fresh and after 2 and 3weeks of storage. Overall, dietary NPGL and FPGL improved the quality of pig meat by increasing the n-3 fatty acid levels while reducing the ether extract and TBARS value.

Effects of fermented corni fructus and fermented kelp on growth performance, meat quality, and emission of ammonia and hydrogen sulphide from broiler chicken droppings

Abstract 1. Corni fructus is the fruit of Cornus officinalis, a dogwood species. This study was conducted to prepare fermented corni fructus preparation (FCFP) and fermented kelp (FK) from corni fructus and by-products of Laminaria japonica fermented with Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae. 2. The effects of dietary FCFP and FK as replacer of oxytetracycline (OTC) on growth performance, meat composition, meat oxidative stability, and emissions of ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) from broiler chicken droppings were investigated. 3. A total of 140 d-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments including control, OTC (0.05 g/kg), FCFP (5 g/kg), and FK (5 g/kg). 4. Overall, inclusion of FCFP resulted in lower weight gain and feed intake during the overall experimental period. Broilers fed FCFP diets tended to have lower crude fat and higher crude ash content in the carcasses. 5. In the fresh state, the malondialdehyde (MDA) value of broiler meat was lower in the FK supplemented group. At one week, meat from broilers fed antibiotic and FK diets had lower MDA values, whereas at 2 weeks broiler meat from all dietary treatment groups had lower MDA values than the control. 6. Dietary supplementation with FK significantly reduced faecal NH3 emissions throughout the experimental period, whereas dietary OTC and FCFP supplementation increased NH3 emissions at 2 and 4 weeks. There were no significant effects of dietary treatments on H2S emissions throughout the experimental period, except during week one, when FCFP supplementation reduced the emission. 7. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 5 g/kg FK improved the oxidative stability of broiler meat and reduce faecal NH3 emissions without affecting growth performance.

Dietary Effect of Artificial Zeolite on Performance, Immunity, Faecal Microflora Concentration and Noxious Gas Emissions in Pigs

A total of 48 crossbred (Landrace×Yorkshire×Duroc) pigs (2 months old; 28.38±2.62 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to either a control (basal diet) or 0.5% artificial zeolite (AZ) [basal diet + 0.5% AZ, dry matter (DM) basis] dietary treatment group in a completely randomized block design. Growth performance, immunity, muscle composition, carcass quality, faecal microflora concentration and noxious gas emissions were then investigated. No significant variation was observed in average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) or gain:feed [kg gain/kg dry matter intake (DMI)] ratio between treatments. The IgM and IgA levels remained unchanged, whereas the IgG level increased in the AZ dietary group relative to the control (P<0.05). Carcass quality, muscle composition and cholesterol level were also unaffected by AZ supplementation (P>0.05). Although AZ had no significant effect on fecal yeast and Lactobacillus spp. concentrations, a significant reduction was observed for Bacillus spp. in growing and E. coli both in growing and finishing pigs (P<0.05). Additionally, AZ supplementation led to a reduction in faecal ammonia (NH3), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gases relative to the control (P<0.05). Based on these results, AZ had positive effects on faecal E. coli concentration and noxious gas emissions; however, further study with different levels of AZ to better understand its effects on growth performance of grower to finisher pigs is warranted.

Monitoring Activity for Recognition of Illness in Experimentally Infected Weaned Piglets Using Received Signal Strength Indication ZigBee-based Wireless Acceleration Sensor

In this experiment, we proposed and implemented a disease forecasting system using a received signal strength indication ZigBee-based wireless network with a 3-axis acceleration sensor to detect illness at an early stage by monitoring movement of experimentally infected weaned piglets. Twenty seven piglets were divided into control, Salmonella enteritidis (SE) infection, and Escherichia coli (EC) infection group, and their movements were monitored for five days using wireless sensor nodes on their backs. Data generated showed the 3-axis movement of piglets (X-axis: left and right direction, Y-axis: anteroposterior direction, and Z-axis: up and down direction) at five different time periods. Piglets in both infected groups had lower weight gain and feed intake, as well as higher feed conversion ratios than the control group (p<0.05). Infection with SE and EC resulted in reduced body temperature of the piglets at day 2, 4, and 5 (p<0.05). The early morning X-axis movement did not differ between groups; however, the Y-axis movement was higher in the EC group (day 1 and 2), and the Z-axis movement was higher in the EC (day 1) and SE group (day 4) during different experimental periods (p<0.05). The morning X and Y-axis movement did not differ between treatment groups. However, the Z-axis movement was higher in both infected groups at day 1 and lower at day 4 compared to the control (p<0.05). The midday X-axis movement was significantly lower in both infected groups (day 4 and 5) compared to the control (p<0.05), whereas the Y-axis movement did not differ. The Z-axis movement was highest in the SE group at day 1 and 2 and lower at day 4 and 5 (p<0.05). Evening X-axis movement was highest in the control group throughout the experimental period. During day 1 and 2, the Z-axis movement was higher in both of the infected groups; whereas it was lower in the SE group during day 3 and 4 (p<0.05). During day 1 and 2, the night X-axis movement was lower and the Z-axis movement was higher in the infected piglets (p<0.05). Overall, the movement of infected piglets was altered, and the acceleration sensor could be successfully employed for monitoring pig activity.

Effect of fermented seaweed by-product supplementation on reproduction of Hanwoo cows and growth and immunity of their calves

The study was conducted to evaluate the supplementation of fermented seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida) by-product (FSB) on colostrum composition and immunoglobulin level in breeding Hanwoo cows and growth and immunity of their suckling calves. A total of 32 breeding Hanwoo cows with different parities were assigned to Control (basal diet) and FSB (basal diet + 10% FSB) dietary groups in a randomised block design for 2 months before parturition until weaning of their calves. Calves with FSB supplementation had greater weaning weight and average daily gain (P < 0.05). Dietary FSB supplementation increased calf serum immunoglobulin G level in the first parity (P < 0.05), whereas it was reduced in the second to fourth parities on Days 15 and 45. The immunoglobulin M level increased on Day 15 in the first parity and on Day 45 in the second to fourth parities (P < 0.05), whereas it decreased on Day 45 in the first parity (P < 0.05). Dietary FSB supplementation also elevated moisture, crude fat and crude protein content whereas it reduced the total solids content in colostrum for both parities (P < 0.05). Colostrum immunoglobulin G level was also increased in the first parity, whereas it was reduced in the second to fourth parities in FSB supplementation (P < 0.05). Overall, dietary FSB supplementation increased suckling calves weaning weight, average daily gain, serum immunoglobulin G level and colostrum immunoglobulin G level in the first parity. Moreover, moisture, crude fat and crude protein content of colostrum were elevated significantly in both parities in breeding Hanwoo cows. Therefore, FSB can be used as a functional feed additive to the basal diet in breeding Hanwoo cows.