Probiotics, toxin binders, and plant extracts improve health and immunity of broiler chickens exposed to aflatoxin. The effects of licorice extract ( LE ), Protexin probiotic, toxin binder (Agrabound), and poultry litter biochar ( PLB ) in experimental aflatoxicosis were evaluated. In a completely randomized design, 504 broiler chickens were allotted to 7 treatments and 6 replicates with 12 broiler chickens in each. The experimental groups were as follows: T1) basal diet ( B ) without any feed additive or aflatoxin B 1 ( AFB 1 ); T2) B + 0.5 mg AFB 1 /kg; T3) T2 + 3 g LE/kg; T4) T2 + 6 g LE/kg; T5) T2 + 0.5 g Protexin/kg; T6) T2 + 1 g toxin binder/kg, and T7) T2 + 5 g/kg PLB. Broiler chickens fed AFB diet (T2) had lower body weight gain at the end of grower period and higher feed conversion ratio at the end of the finisher period, whereas inclusion of LE, probiotic, toxin binder, or PLB restores body weight of broiler chickens to that of the control group. Aflatoxicosis decreased total protein, TG, albumin, Ca, and P concentrations and greater uric acid concentration in broiler chickens as compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). As compared with the T2 group, inclusion of 3 mg LE/kg increased serum total protein; inclusion of 3 mg LE/kg, probiotic, and toxin binder increased TG; inclusion of 3 and 6 mg LE/kg, probiotic, and PLB increased serum albumin; and the whole additive decreased serum uric acid of broiler chickens comparing with the control group. Lymphocyte percentage, avian influenza antibody titer, thymus relative weight, and immune response to phytohemagglutinin were decreased in the T2 group, whereas heterophil percentage and heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were increased ( P < 0.05). Aflatoxicosis increased breast meat malondialdehyde concentration, liver enzymes activities, and number of fat vacuoles ( P < 0.05). As compared with the T2 group, all of the additives lowered alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine transaminase activities, breast meat malondialdehyde concentration, and liver pathological damages ( P < 0.05). It can be concluded that all of the additives are capable to decrease the negative impact of AFB 1 on broiler chickens' performance, blood indices, and immunity.

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The objective of this study was to determine the effect of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs; C4 powder) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs; Bergaprime) on performance, carcass characteristics, and some serum parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 200 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were assigned to five dietary treatments, including control diets (C), C plus Virginiamycin (200 g/ton; ANTI) as positive control, C plus MCFAs supplement (1 kg Bergaprime/ton; M), C plus SCFAs supplement (3 kg C4 powder/ton in starter and 1.5 kg/ton in grower and finisher diets; S), and C plus the combination of SCFAs and MCFAs supplement (SM), as mentioned above according to a completely randomized design. Each treatment consisted of 4 replicates with 10 chicks each. There were no significant differences in body weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio, and carcass traits among the treatments. SCFAs and MCFAs treatments had higher heterophil and lower lymphocyte percentage compared to the control treatment. Blood glucose and cholesterol concentrations were decreased in MCFAs and SCFAs (p < .05). Lipid percentage of thigh meat of MCFAs and SCFAs was decreased. These results indicated that dietary MCFAs and SCFAs positively decreased broiler chicken meat. ARTICLE HISTORY

1. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of multi-strain probiotic (containing Lactobacillus acidophilus 2.5 × 10 cfu/g, Lactobacillus casei 2.5 × 10 cfu/g, Bifidobacterium thermophilum 2.5 × 10 cfu/g and Enterococcus faecium 2.5 × 10 cfu/g) and single-strain probiotic (Pediococcus acidilactici 1 × 10 cfu/g) on broiler breeder performance and gastrointestinal health. 2. A completely randomised trial was conducted using 300 broiler breeder hens (Ross 308) aged 51 weeks old which were randomly allocated to 1 of 5 dietary treatments with 6 replicates per treatment in a 10 week trial. Treatments included (1) the basal diet a negative control, (2) basal diet supplemented with 0.1 g/kg multi-strain probiotic (MS), (3) basal diet supplemented with 0.1 g/kg single-strain probiotic (SS), (4) basal diet supplemented with 0.1 g/kg of both of probiotics (MS+ SS) and (5) positive control basal diet supplemented with 0.5 g/kg oxytetracycline antibiotic (OX). 3. Body weight, egg production, yolk weight, eggshell thickness and weight, Haugh unit, fertility and hatchability were determined. Results showed that dietary treatments had no significant effect on total hen house or total hatching egg production, egg weight, yolk colour index, shell weight, mortality, body weight, fertility, hatchability, oviduct and stroma weight or number of large and small yellow follicles (P > 0.05). None of the jejunum morphological parameters, apparent ileal digestibility of protein and ileal Lactobacillus population were influenced by supplemental probiotics (P > 0.05), although ileum Escherichia coli count was reduced by inclusion of dietary probiotics (P < 0.05). 4. It was concluded that although both probiotic treatments reduced coliforms, they did not improve broiler breeder performance or gastrointestinal tract (GIT) function.

Effects of multi-strain (Lactofeed) and mono-strain (Pediguard) probiotics on broiler breeder performance and expression of toll-like receptors (TLR) were evaluated. Three hundred broiler breeder hens (Ross 308) at the age of 51 weeks were randomly allocated into 1 of 5 dietary treatments with 6 replicates in each in a completely randomized design. The dietary treatments included (1) the basal diet (control), ( 2) control + 0.1 g/kg Lactofeed, (3) control + 0.1 g/kg Pediguard, (4) control + 0.1 g/kg Lactofeed + 0.1 g/kg Pediguard and ( 5) control + 0.5 g/kg oxytetracycline antibiotic. Compared to the control group, treatments had no effect on hen-day egg production and body weight of broiler breeders (P > .05). The egg yolk cholesterol concentration of broiler breeders fed probiotic-supplemented diet was decreased (P < .05). There were no differences in the immune response to PHA-P injection, serum glutathione peroxidase activity, malondialdehyde and cholesterol concentration and blood haematology of broiler breeder among different dietary treatments (P > .05) while TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA expression up-regulated (P < .05). It can be concluded Lactofeed and Pediguard did not improve broiler breeder performance and T-cell-mediated immune response and are not advisable for breeder nutrition.