One hundred and eighty Isa Brown layers, 40 weeks old, were used to study the role of dietary yeast supplementation on productive performance and cholesterol levels in laying hens. All hens were equally classified into four groups. The 1 st group, hens were fed the basal diet without any supplementation (control), while those in the 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with yeast at levels of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6%, respectively. Feed consumption, feed conversion, egg production and eggshell traits, serum total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides concentrations as well as yolk and liver contents of cholesterol were measured. The obtained findings indicated that feed consumption for hens of yeast-supplemented groups was significantly lowered compared with control. The lowest amount of feed consumption was recorded for 0.6% yeast-treatment group. On the other hand, each of egg production, egg weight and feed conversion were not significantly influenced. The means of eggshell (weight, thickness, and breaking strength) for hens supplemented with 0.6% yeast were significantly improved compared with the other yeast-treated and control groups. Dietary yeast supplementation significantly reduced egg yolk and liver tissues cholesterol content comparing with control group. However, the lowest (P≤0.05) values were recorded for hens supplemented with yeast at 0.6%. Similarly, serum total lipids, and cholesterol as well as triglycerides levels were significantly lowered in yeasttreated groups than the control group. From the previous results, it could be recommended to use 0.6 % yeast in laying hen diets especially at late age to improve eggshell quality and produce low-cholesterol eggs.

The current experiment was carried out to test the ability of supplementing growing quail diet with silymarin and curcumin as natural antioxidants to improve antioxidant status of growing Japanese quail and alleviate aflatoxin B1 adverse effects during the summer season. Three levels each of curcumin and silymarin (zero, 250mg and 500mg/kg diet) were combined to compose 9 experimental diets and the diet that contains zero levels from each natural antioxidant acted as a control basal diet. Three hundred and sixty-one-day-old Japanese quail chicks were distributed randomly into nine experimental groups where each group contained 4 replicates with 10 chicks per each. Each experimental group fed only one diet for five weeks where growth performance parameters were recorded. Carcass characteristics, plasma proteins, liver enzymes and some antioxidant parameters were measured. The following results were obtained. Significant improvement was detected in final body weight and entire body weight gain for quail fed the diet supplemented with 250 mg /kg diet from both curcumin and silymarin compared with quail fed the control diet. Final body weight and entire body weight gain gained more improvement with increasing curcumin and silymarin up to 500mg/kg diet. Curcumin and silymarin supplementation didn't affect significantly the feed intake, feed conversion carcass parameters and plasma proteins fraction. Blood antioxidant parameters were improved by curcumin and silymarin supplementation. The level of aflatoxin B1 in liver and muscles were significantly decreased by curcumin and silymarin supplementation. From the current experimental results, we can recommend supplementing diets with curcumin and silymarin to improve growth performance and alleviate harms effects of free radicals and aflatoxin B1.

he aim of this study was to determine the effect of different levels of Selenomethionine (Sel-Plex) (0.0, 0.15, 0.30 and 0.45 mg/kg diet) on semen quality, fertility and hatchability of local strain (Inshas) cockerels. Thirty six mature cockerels at 28 weeks of age were divided into four group {(G1 (0.0), G2 (0.15), G3 (0.30) and G4 (0.45)} mg/kg diet (9 cockerels each). All birds were reared under similar management and housing-condition throughout the experimental period. Results revealed that, the final live body weight (LBW) and change of body weight of cocks in group 4 (G4) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than cockerels in group G1 and G2, but did not differ significantly with group G3 or between group G1 and group G2. Daily feed intake did not affected significantly by treatments. Testosterone concentration of cockerels in group 3 (G3) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in other groups, while the fertility rate of cockerels in G4 was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in other groups. However no significant differences between group G3 and G4 in hatchability rate. Percentages of progressive motility and livability of cockerel spermatozoa were significantly (P<0.05) higher in groups G3 and G4 as compared as in groups G1 and G2, but the opposite trend in percentages of abnormality and acrosome damage of spermatozoa. Total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) in serum of cockerel's in group 3 (G3) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in control G1, but no significant differences among selenium treatments, while SOD activity in serum of cockerel's was not influenced significantly by supplemented different levels of selenium. Activity Enzymes AST and ALT were significantly higher in G1 than in G3, while no significant differ among G2, G3 and G4. In conclusion, use of organic selenium supplementation (0.3 or 0.45 mg/Kg) in diet of cockerels could be recommended to improve semen quality, fertility, hatchability and oxidative status of roosters.

Twenty five males and 75 hens from Matrouh chicken strain at 32 weeks of age were kept as basic generation. Offspring produced from eggs of the base generation were termed as first generation (150 chicks represented each sex). Upon reaching twelve weeks of age, male and female birds were weighed individually and classified into three groups according to their shank lengths (SL). The classification of male SL was 5.0-5.9 cm for short group, 6.0-8.4 cm for medium group and >8.4 cm for long SL one. Also, females were classified for SL as follows (4.5-5.5 cm as a short group, 5.6-7.4 cm as medium group and > 7.4 cm as a long one). The birds were weighed individually with 0.01 g precision at 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32,36 and 38 wks of age. A total of 30 Matrouh birds (males and females) representing 10 birds for each SL group were slaughtered at 16 wks of age for detection calcium and phosphorus concentrations in the blood and bone. Also carcass traits were determined for the same birds. The age of sexual maturity was determined. Egg weight, egg mass, and egg production percentage for each SL groups were determined through different laying periods (22-38 wks of age). At 38 wks of age, blood samples were collected from the wing veins for detection of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB), ALP/GLB ratio, calcium, phosphorus and cholesterol concentrations. Obtained results are summarized as follows: Birds of long SL for Matrouh males and females represented heavier (P<0.05) weights compared with that of short SL among all experimental ages. Age at sexual maturity was significantly delayed for Matrouh hens with short SL compared with those for medium and long ones. Hens with short SL produced (P<0.05) less percentage of egg production compared with those for other SL groups throughout all experimental periods. Generally, egg weight and egg mass were not statistically influenced by SL through all experimental periods between 22-38 wks of age except that between 27-30 wks of age for egg weight and between 31-34 wks of age for egg mass. Long SL group at 16 wks of age represented significant increase of plasma calcium concentration compared to medium and short one for both sexes except that there was no significant difference between long and medium ones for females. Moreover, plasma phosphorus did not represent any significant difference between SL groups. Bone calcium and phosphorus at 16 wks of age did not represent any significant differences between SL groups for males and females except that for phosphorus in females. Long SL for males and females represented highest significant values of live body weight and empty carcass percentages compared with medium and short ones.

IntroductionThe increasing use of artificial insemination (AI) in poultry industry emphasizes the need for good quality sperm distribution. A proper evaluation of semen prior to AI or storage is very important to avoid losses in fertility. Because semen evaluation is extremely important for semen storage and AI programs, a rapid, economical, objective and fertility predictive method of semen evaluation would be beneficial for the poultry industry protocols. Determination of antioxidant enzymes concentration in semen has been practiced for a long time (Peters, 2008).Lipids are a basic component of semen, contributing to the membrane structure of spermatozoa, the metabolism of the sperm cells, and their ability to capacitate and fertilize the female gamete. In birds, the lipid composition of spermatozoa has an influence on fertility (Ansah and Buckland, 1982). El-Saadany (2002) reported that increasing storage time of diluted semen from local chicken breed for 0, 24, 48 and 72 hr decreased significantly (P<0.01) the fertility rate (FR) by 5.12, 9.55 and 12.53%, respectively. Shamiah et al. (2017) reported that GSH supplementation in semen extender significantly (P<0.05) increased FR. Semen supplemented with 0.2 mM GSH (74.5%) showed higher FR than those supplemented with 0.6 mM GSH or free semen (59.9 and 59.2%, respectively).Sperm cells have a high content of unsaturated T HIS STUDY was carried out to evaluate the effect of glutathione (GSH) supplementation at levels of 0.0 (control), 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mM to diluted semen stored for 0, 24, 48 and 72 hr at 5°C, on antioxidant enzymes activities in seminal plasma, semen characteristics and fertility rate (FR) of cocks Inshas strain. Supplementation of 0.6 mM GSH to the diluted cocks semen significantly increased (P<0.05) the concentration of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (40.2 u/ml) compared to other treatments (33.0, 27.8 and 28.3 u/ml). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentration in seminal plasma was not significantly affected (P<0.05) by different levels of GSH, storage period or interaction between levels of GSH and storage period. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) concentration in seminal plasma was not affected by different levels of GSH (P<0.05). Total antioxidant capacity (TACO) in seminal plasma was significantly affected (P<0.05) by different levels of GSH, storage period or interaction between them. There was a positive correlation (r=0.089 and r = 0.168) between SOD concentration and (GSH-Px and TAOC) concentration, but negative correlation (r=-0.119) with ALP concentration. Positive insignificant correlation between (ALP, SOD and TACO) concentration in seminal plasma with the progressive motility, live sperm, curled tail and fertility, while positive significant correlation between GSH-Px concentration with progressive motility, curled tail and fertility. It could be concluded that the addition of GSH to semen extender of cockerels especially at levels 0.2 mM improved the antioxidant enzymes activities, which play a vital role in lowering the deleterious effe...

The current study was carried out in the Animal Production Research Station, Sakha Kafr El-Sheikh Egypt belonging to Animal Production Research Institute (APRI Animal Production Research Institute (APRI), EGYPT. Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary amino acid supplementation (Methionine or lysine) in the diet of local chicken breed AL-SALAM on the performance and serum chemistry. The control group contained 0.2 g lysine / kg diet and 0.2 g methionine / kg diet. Lysine levels were 1.12, 1.37 and 1.6 g lysine / kg diet. Methionine levels were 0.60, 0.64 and 0.68 g methionine / kg diet. We found that when adding access amino acid lysine to the diet at level (1.6%) or adding access methionine at levels (0.64 % and 0.68 %) increased daily body weight gain significantly, compared with the control group. Lysozyme's activity was increased when adding access amino acid methionine (0.64 and 0.68%M) then levels (.12%L, 1.37%L, 1.60%L, and 0.60%M, respectively) than the control group. Relative economic efficiency was better when adding access levels (1.60%L or 0.64 and 0.68%M), than other groups. Finally, we suggest adding access lysine with levels 1.60 (%) or access methionine with levels 0.64 and 0.68 % to rations of local poultry breeds from 14 days to reach market weight to reveal the best economic profit gain and to promote the economic efficiency, with reasonable cost.

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