1. A total of 2208 broiler chicks were used in two growth experiments (8 treatments and 12 replicate pens in each experiment) to assess the effects of xylanase, amylase, protease and phytase in maize-based diets. 2. A positive control diet was formulated containing adequate nutrient concentrations. A negative control diet was formulated to contain approximately 628 kJ/kg, 0.13%, 0.12% and 1 to 2% less metabolisable energy (ME), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and amino acids, respectively, than the positive control. In addition, two further negative control diets that contained 167 or 334 kJ/kg more ME, respectively, than negative control 1 were formulated. 3. A further 4 dietary treatments were made by supplementing each of the 4 negative control diets with a combination of xylanase, amylase, protease and phytase, resulting in 8 dietary treatments in a 4 by 2 factorial arrangement. 4. The scale of the removal of energy, P, Ca and amino acids from the positive control diet was determined using least square models based on in vivo data for both the xylanase/amylase/protease cocktail and for phytase and it was predicted that performance of birds fed on negative control 1 would be returned by supplemental enzymes to that of those fed on the positive control. 5. In both experiments there was a significantly poorer performance in birds fed on the negative control 1 than in those fed on the positive control. The poorer weight gain and feed conversion ratio could be attributed in part to a reduced intake of digestible energy, P, nitrogen (N) and amino acids associated with birds fed on the negative control diet. 6. Supplementation of the negative control diets with the enzyme combination returned performance to that of the positive control in both experiments. 7. These data indicate that exogenous xylanase, amylase, protease and phytase can be used successfully in a strategically formulated low nutrient density diet to maintain performance to that of birds fed on a nutritionally adequate diet.

1. In order to investigate the effects of xylanase, amylase, protease and phytase in the diets of broiler chickens containing graded concentrations of metabolisable energy (ME), two 42-d experiments were conducted using a total of 2208 broiler chicks (8 treatments with 12 replicate pens in each experiment). 2. Four diets including one positive and three negative control diets were used. Three maize/soybean meal-based negative control (NC) diets were formulated to be identical in available phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and amino acids but NC1 contained approximately 0.17 MJ/kg less ME than NC2 and approximately 0.34 MJ/kg less ME than NC3. A positive control (PC) was fed for comparison and was formulated to be adequate in all nutrients, providing approximately 0.63 MJ/kg ME, 0.13% available P, 0.12% Ca and 1 to 2% amino acids more than NC1. 3. The reduction in nutrient density between NC1 and PC was determined using ingredient quality models Avichecktrade mark Corn and Phychecktrade mark that can predict the response to exogenous enzymes in maize/soybean meal-based broiler diets. Supplementation of each diet with or without a cocktail of xylanase, amylase, protease and phytase gave a total of 8 dietary treatments in a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement. The same treatments and diet designs were used in both experiments but conducted in different locations using different batches of maize, soybean meal and minor ingredients. 4. In both experiments, digestibility was improved by the addition of exogenous enzymes, particularly those for P, Ca and certain amino acids. In addition, the supplementation of the PC with enzymes elicited a positive response indicating that over-the-top addition of xylanase, amylase, protease and phytase may offer a nutritionally and economically viable alternative to feed cost reduction. 5. It can be concluded that the digestibility of nutrients by broilers fed on maize/soybean meal-based diets can be improved by the use of a combination of xylanase, amylase, protease and phytase.

The present experiment was conducted to study the effect of dietary supplementation of sea buckthorn leaf meal (SBTLM) in breeder chicken and their post hatch growth performance and serum biochemical attributes during summer season. Ninety coloured Chabro breeder hens and eighteen viable cocks in 1:5 sex ratio were randomly distributed into three treatment groups: Control (Basal), standard breeder diet (BB); basal+0.5% and basal+1.0% SBTLM. Thereafter, ninety chicks from each breeder groups were further subdivided into three groups: Control (Basal), Broiler starter till 4 weeks, broiler finisher till 8 weeks of age, (BP); basal+0.5% supplementation and basal+1.0% supplementation of SBTLM. The weekly body weight gain (g) was significantly higher (plessthan0.05) in 0.5% SBTLM supplemented breeder group during 0-4 week and significantly higher plessthan0.01) in 0.5% SBTLM supplemented post hatch group during 0-8 week of the study period. Similarly, weekly FCR were also significantly better (plessthan0.05) in 0.5% SBTLM supplemented breeder group during 0-4 week and significantly higher (plessthan0.01) in 0.5% SBTLM supplemented post hatch group during 0-8 week of the study period. Serum HDL was significantly higher (plessthan0.05), where as serum cholesterol was significantly lower (plessthan0.05) and serum triglyceride was significantly lower plessthan0.01) in both post hatch SBTLM supplemented groups as compared to control group. No significant difference were observed in other serum biochemical attributes viz. total protein, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio, uric acid, creatinine, SGOT, SGPT and ALP among the treatment groups. Thus, it may be concluded that dietary supplementation of sea buckthorn leaf meal in coloured chicken @ 0.5% resulted in higher phase wise body weight gain, FCR, serum HDL, lower cholesterol and triglyceride without any adverse effect on other biochemical attributes.

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of two different beats {100 and 150 BPM (Beat Per Minute)} of musical sound signals {intensity below 85 dB(decibel)} on reproductive performance of Hariana bulls maintained at semen biology lab of DDD (District Dairy Demonstration) Farm within the premises of Instructional Livestock Farm Complex (ILFC). The present experiment was carried out for an aggregate time period of three and half months (within autumn season) and was accomplished in three phases. Same four Hariana bulls were used as experimental animals in three different phases of experiments to avoid individual effect of bulls as well as to overcome the limitations of limited numbers of bulls. During the first (control) phase of experiment the bulls were not exposed to any additional source of sound (T1) except the normal environmental sound in the semen collection area. In second and third phase, bulls were exposed to a musical instrumental sound signal of 100 (T2) and 150 (T3) BPM with intensity below 85 dB. Each phase of the experiment was done for a period of one month (four weeks) one after another in continuation but the third phase was started after a gap of three weeks from the second in order to cancel out the persistent effect of sound exposure to bulls during second phase of investigation. The effect of exposure of sound signals on volume (6.58±0.29) ml, concentration (1018.72±49.92) millions/ml, mass (3.98±0.07) and progressive motility (72.97±0.80%), head (1.93±0.21%), middle piece (0.63±0.15%), and tail (2.56±0.28%) of sperm and HOST (79.22±0.69) was highly significantly better (P is less than 0.01), with an exposure of a sound signal of 150 BPM with intensity below 85 dB.

No abstract