Effect of supplemental glycerol monolaurate and oregano essential oil blend on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, and amino acid digestibility of broiler chickens

Background This experiment tested the impact of the combined supplementation of glycerol monolaurate (GLM) and oregano essential oil (EO) to broiler diets. Growth performance, metabolic response, immune status, apparent ileal digestibility coefficient (AID%), and intestinal histomorphology were assessed. Three-day-old Ross-308 broilers (76.62 g ± 0.50, n = 240) were randomly allocated into 4 experimental groups (6 replicates/group and 10 chicks/replicate). Birds were fed corn-soybean meal basal diets supplemented with four levels of GLM and oregano EO blend: 0, 0.15, 0.45, and 0.75% for 35 days. Results During the starter period, dietary GLM and oregano EO did not show significant (P > 0.05) changes in growth performance. During the grower period, GLM and oregano EO supplemented groups showed a linear and quadratic decline in FCR. During the finisher and overall performance, a linear increase in the body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), the protein efficiency ratio (PER), and relative growth rate (RGR), and a linear decrease in the FCR at 0.75% dietary level of GLM and oregano EO compared to the control. The broken-line regression model showed that the optimum dietary level of GLM and oregano EO blend was 0.58% based on final BW and FCR. The 0.45% or 0.15% dietary level of supplemented additives lowered (P < 0.05) the AID% of threonine and arginine, respectively, with no change in the AID% of other assessed amino acids at all dietary levels. Muscle thickness in jejunum and ileum in all dietary supplemented groups was increased (P < 0.05); however, such increase (P < 0.05) in the duodenum was shown at 0.45 and 0.75% dietary levels. All GLM and oregano EO supplemented groups showed increased (P < 0.05) duodenal, jejunal, and ileal villus height. The 0.15 and/or 0.75% dietary levels of supplemented additives increased (P < 0.05) the ileal and duodenal crypt depth, respectively, with a decreased (P < 0.05) duodenal crypt depth at 0.15% dietary level. The goblet cell count in ileum decreased (P < 0.05) in all GLM and oregano EO supplemented groups, but this decreased count (P < 0.05) was detected in jejunum at 0.45 and 0.75% dietary levels. The GLM and oregano EO supplemented groups did not show significant (P > 0.05) changes in the assessed metabolic and immune status parameters. Economically, the total return and performance index was increased at 0.75% dietary level. Conclusion Better growth performance was achieved at a 0.75 % dietary level of GLM and oregano EO by improving most intestinal morphometric measures. The optimum dietary level detected was 0.58%. The lack of influence of supplemented additives on chickens' immune and metabolic responses could indicate a lack of synergy between GLM and oregano EO.

Impact of dietary level and ratio of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids on disease progression and mRNA expression of immune and inflammatory markers in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) challenged with Paramoeba perurans

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of dietary level and ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids (FA) on growth, disease progression and expression of immune and inflammatory markers in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) following challenge with Paramoeba perurans. Fish (80 g) were fed four different diets with different ratios of n-6/n-3 FA; at 1.3, 2.4 and 6.0 and one diet with ratio of 1.3 combined with a higher level of n-3 FA and n-6 FA. The diet with the n-6/n-3 FA ratio of 6.0 was included to ensure potential n-6 FA effects were revealed, while the three other diets were more commercially relevant n-6/n-3 FA ratios and levels. After a pre-feeding period of 3 months, fish from each diet regime were challenged with a standardized laboratory challenge using a clonal culture of P. perurans at the concentration of 1,000 cells L−1. The subsequent development of the disease was monitored (by gross gill score), and sampling conducted before challenge and at weekly sampling points for 5 weeks post-challenge. Challenge with P. perurans did not have a significant impact on the growth of the fish during the challenge period, but fish given the feed with the highest n-6/n-3 FA ratio had reduced growth compared to the other groups. Total gill score for all surfaces showed a significant increase with time, reaching a maximum at 21 days post-challenge and declined thereafter, irrespective of diet groups. Challenge with P. perurans influenced the mRNA expression of examined genes involved in immune and inflammatory response (TNF-α, iNOS, IL4-13b, GATA-3, IL-1β, p53, COX2 and PGE2-EP4), but diet did not influence the gene expression. In conclusion, an increase in dietary n-6/n-3 FA ratio influenced the growth of Atlantic salmon challenged with P. perurans; however, it did not alter the mRNA expression of immune genes or progression of the disease.

Increased Dietary Inclusion Levels of Lysine Are More Effective than Arginine in Supporting the Functional Status of the Gut in Growing Turkeys

Arginine (Arg) and lysine (Lys) may be important for the overall health of turkeys. The aim of this study was to determine whether low (consistent with the guidelines) and high (10% higher than recommended) levels of dietary Arg and Lys can modulate performance and the functional status of the gut. Female turkeys were allocated to four dietary treatments (two levels of Lys (low or high) and two levels of Arg (low or high)) for a 16 wk feeding period. The treatments did not affect turkey performance determined separately for four feeding phases and for the entire 16 wk experiment (p > 0.05). They had no significant influence on carcass yield, meat characteristics or the associated traits either (p > 0.05). High-Lys diets contributed to a decrease in cecal pH, a significant increase in the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and a decrease in the concentrations of putrefactive SCFA and ammonia in the cecum. High dietary levels of both amino acids significantly enhanced the activity of cecal microbiota evaluated based on extracellular enzyme activity. These findings indicate that the higher dietary level of Lys was more effective in modulating the physiological status of the gut in turkeys than Arg.

Dietary glycine equivalent and SID methionine+ cysteine levels for male broiler chickens fed low crude protein diets

This study was conducted to determine the optimum dietary glycine equivalent (Glyequi) level in low crude protein (LCP) diets of 181 g/kg containing varied concentrations of standardized ileal digestible (SID) methionine+cysteine (Met+Cys) for broiler chicks (1-21d old). A total of 1275, 1-d-old Cobb-Vantress® male broilers were distributed in a 5 × 3 factorial arrangement of completely randomized design of 15 treatments with five replicates of 17 birds each. Treatments consisted of 5 levels of dietary Glyequi (14.9, 16.4, 17.9, 19.4 and 20.6 g/kg) and three concentrations of SID Met+Cys (7.70, 9.0 and 10.3 g/kg). Interactions between Glyequi and SID Met+Cys levels were observed for feed:gain (P = 0.055) and breast meat yield (BMY) (P = 0.017). In 7.7 and 9.0 g SID Met+Cys/kg diets, optimal feed:gain and increased BMY were observed at the Glyequi level not lower than 17.9 g/kg. In 10.3 g SID Met+Cys/kg diet, a lower feed:gain was achieved at 19.4 g Glyequi/kg. Therefore, a minimum dietary level of 17.9 g Glyequi/kg is needed to increase growth of broilers fed diets containing 7.7 or 9.0 g/kg SID Met+Cys while 19.4 g/kg Glyequi is necessary in diets containing 10.3 g/kg SID Met+Cys for optimum growth.

Effect of dietary raw, cooked and toasted mucuna pruriens seeds (velvet bean) on the performance of Finisher broilers

A 5-week feeding trial was conducted to determine the effect of dietary raw, cooked and toasted Mucuna puriens seeds contained 30.3% crude protein. At 10% dietary level, raw and toasted Mucuna puriens seed meals significantly (P<0.05) depressed growth rate of broilers. At 20% dietary level, cooked Mucuna puriensseedmeal also significantly (P<0.05) depressed growth rate of the birds. Feed intake was also significantly (P<0.05) reduced at 20% and 10% dietary levels of cooked and toasted meals, respectively. The feed intake of the group on 10% raw Mucuna diet remained unexpectedly high

POULTRY OFFAL MEAL AS A PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT FOR GROWER PIGS

A 16-week feeding trial, involving 18 weaner pigs in a randomized complete block design, was carried out to determine the value of poultry offal meal (POM) as a protein supplement for grower pigs at three dietary levels, 0%, 10% and 20%. Liveweight gain, dressing percentage and backfat thickness were significantly (<0.05) higher in pigs fed 20% POM dietary level. The cut parts, heart, liver and kidney, also increased with increasing level of POM), the diets. The poultry offal meal (POM), the processed, edible and inedible parts of poultry (viscera feathers, beaks blood, discarded eggs and dead birds) used for this study, contained 56.4% crude protein 20.9% crude fat, 7.7% total ash 4.6% crude fibre and 3.18Kcal/gin metabolizable energy. The results of this study suggest that POM could be incorporated in grower pig rations up to 20% with good results.

Evaluation and economics of enzyme supplementation on the performance of broiler finishers fed soybean hull meal based diets

Twenty-eight day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the performance of broiler finisher fed soybean hull based diets supplemented with “Safzyme®”, an exogenous cellulolytic enzyme. Soybean hull also referred to as soyhull, soybean millrun or soybean flakes are by-products of the soybean milling industry. Five broiler finisher diets were formulated such that the diets contained soybean hull meal at 0%, 10% and 20% dietary levels (without enzyme supplementation) and 10%, and 20% dietary levels (with 1.0% enzyme supplementation) respectively. One-hundred and fifty (150) four-week-old Hubbard broiler chicks were divided into five groups of thirty (30) birds each and randomly assigned to five treatment diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). Data were collected on feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and economics of production was also computed. Feed intake increased progressively as dietary inclusion of soybean hull was increased with or without enzyme supplementation. This increase became significant (P<0.05) at 20% dietary level of soybean hull. Daily body weight gains of birds on soybean hull meal diets with enzyme supplementation did not significantly differ (P<0.05) from birds on soybean hull meal diets without enzyme supplementation. Feed conversion ratio and feed efficiency were both significant (P<0.05) at 20% dietary levels of soybean hulls with or without enzyme supplementation. Dietary inclusion of soybean hull without enzyme supplementation reduced cost of feed and production of 1kg of meat while enzyme supplementation negatively affected percent feed cost savings. The results of this trial suggest that supplementation of diets containing soybean hull meal at 20% dietary levels with Safztme®, an exogenous cellulolytic enzyme, at 10% dietary level could not improve the nutritive value of the hulls for broiler finisher birds and also affected negatively percent feed cost saving.

Comparative performance of broiler chicks fed diets containing differently processed Mucuna pruriens seed meals

A 28-day feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of dietary inclusion of Mucuna seeds: soaked in Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) solution, soaked in Ca(OH)2 and cracked water-soaked and cooked, on the performance of broiler chicks. Two batches of raw Mucuna seeds were used. The first batch was soaked in 3% Ca(OH)2 for 48 hours. Part of the soaked seeds were sun-dried and milled. The remaining part were cooked, sun-dried and milled. The second batch was cracked, soaked in water for 48 hours and cooked before sun drying and milling. Both meals were analyzed for their proximate composition and included in broiler starter diets at 20% dietary level respectively. The control diet contained no mucuna meal. Each diet was fed to a group of 40 broiler chicks in a completely randomized design replicated four times. At 20% dietary level containing Ca(OH)2 soaked seed meal significantly (P<0.05) depressed the performance of the birds in terms of feed intake, growth rate and feed conversion ratio. However, soaking in Ca(OH)2, prior to cooking and cracking prior to soaking in water and cooking did not adversely affect the performance of the birds in all parameters measured.

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF RAW AND UREA/TOASTED VELVET BEAN (Mucuna pruriens) FOR BROILER CHICKS

Feeding trials lasting 28 days were conducted to investigate the nutritive value of raw and urea treated/toasted mucuna bean for broiler chicks. Raw mucuna bean contains 30.33& crude protein, 7.20% crude fibre, 6.9% ether extract and 5.0% ash. Mucuna bean seeds were divided into two batches. One batch was ground raw and the other batch was ground raw, treated with 3% of its weight of urea and toasted. Mucuna bean meals so produced were then used to formulate broiler chick diets incorporfating these meals at 5% and 10% respectively. One hundred and fifty (150), 7-day-old Anak broiler chicks were randomly assigned to the five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD) and each treatment group was further sub-divided into three replicates. Feed intake of the birds was inconsistent with the treatments, increasing at 5% inclusion level and decreasing at 10% inclusion level (P<0.05). Body weight gain of the birds followed the same pattern as feed intake, decreasing at a higher dietary level of mucuna bean meal at all levels reduced cost of feed and meat production. The results of this trial suggest that broiler chicks could not tolerate raw mucuna bean meal beyond 5% dietary level. Urea treatment at this level (3% of the weight of mucuna bean) and toasting did not improve the nutritive value of mucuna been beyond 5% dietary level.