No abstract

eventy two New Zealand White rabbits (NZW) at 25 days of age were used to study the effect of of different dietary starch and protein levels on productive performance, nutrients digestibility coefficients, carcass characteristics, digestive tract measurements, blood constituents, enzymes activity and economical evaluation. The rabbits were fed on six experimental diets containing 3 levels of starch {16 (LS), 19 (MS) and 22% (HS)} and 2 levels of protein {14 (LP) and 16% (OP)} in a factorial arrangement design. The results obtained are summarized as follows:-Best results for live body weight (LBW) were obtained for rabbits fed 16% starch and 14% protein diet at the end of growth period (81 days of age). Decreasing of dietary starch and protein levels had a positive effect on average daily body weight gain (DBWG) in overall growth period (25-81 d.). Daily feed consumption (DFC) was affected by different levels of starch, but no protein level. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was improved at moderate dietary starch and low dietary protein levels. Mortality rate of growing rabbits improved due to decreasing dietary protein levels. However, dietary starch levels had no effect.-Rabbits fed low levels of starch and protein in their rations significantly increased DM, OM, CP, NFE, starch and sugar digestibility coefficients and nutritive values (TDN and DCP). Neither dietary starch nor protein levels had impact on CF, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and EE digestibility.-There were not significant effects of starch and protein levels on dressing percentage, hot carcass weights (%), blood total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin/globulin ratio, liver activity enzymes (GOT and GPT). While, high starch level in the diet increased significantly liver weight (%) regardless of protein content.-Blood glucose, triglycerides and total protein content, amylase and protease enzymes activity in the stomach, ileum and cecum were significantly increased, while degree of pH for stomach, ileum and cecum contents was decreased by decreasing starch and protein levels in the diet. In addition, non-significant was observed in the cellulase and carboxymethylcellulase as affected by the different levels of protein and starch in all segents of the digestive tract. The results show that, total VFAs in the cecum and blood were high with 16% starch and 14% protein.-Economic efficiency and performance index were improved for rabbits fed (MS-LP) diet. However, production efficiency factor was improved for rabbits fed (LS-LP) diet. In growing rabbits, it was concluded that high correlation exists between dietary starch and protein levels which was reflected on productive performance, digestibility coefficients, digestive tract measurements and economic efficiency.

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding different levels of threonine and tryptophan on growth performance, some serum parameters and carcass traits of broiler chicks under Egyptian summer conditions. Three hundred and sixty Ross 308, one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated into nine treatments with 4 replicates of 10 chicks each. Three levels of threonine (100, 150 or 200 %) and three levels of tryptophan (100, 150 or 200%) according to dietary requirements for Ross 308 chick's guidebook were used in a factorial design arrangement to obtain nine experimental treatments. Two periodical diets were used (starter phase 1-21 days and grower phase 22-35 days). Growth performance traits including live body weight (LBW), Body weight gain (BWG), feed consumption (FC) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded at the end of each week. Carcasses were manually eviscerated and weighed. Components of total protein, albumin, cholesterol, and triglycerides were analyzed by using commercial kits. The results showed that chicks fed diet containing 200 % threonine had an improvement in live body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The performance index increased with the addition of threonine and tryptophan in the broiler diets. Serum total protein and globulin concentrations were affected by supplemental threonine and tryptophan. Dietary threonine, tryptophan did not affect serum albumin and triglycerides. Total cholesterol was increased with supplementation of threonine, tryptophan and interaction between them. Chicks fed 100% dietary threonine had the significantly better results in terms of the relative weights of carcass, edible parts and bursa compared to the chicks fed other dietary threonine levels, although tryptophan amino acid had not any significant effect on the above-mentioned traits. Giblets, liver, and heart weights percentage increase with increasing tryptophan level in the broiler diets. The relative weight of gizzard reduced with increasing level of both amino acids in the diets. In this study, it concluded that supplementation of threonine and tryptophan improves productive performance and health status of broiler chicks without imposing any toxicity as all blood components were in normal range.

No abstract

Animal production and its industrial investment is overwhelmed with various problems due to the insufficient animal feeding requirements and the competition with the human crop requirements. Therefore, about third of the total cultivated area of the world is covered with the animal feeding crops. In this regard, efforts have to be carried out to develop new techniques to face this competition. The aims of this study are to: 1) establish a hydroponic unit for intensive grass fodder production; 2) study the engineering parameters affecting the efficiency of the suggested unit such as light intensity and duration of aeration, nutrient solution and its characteristics and applied amounts of water, and 3) determine the total energy requirements for improving the unit production capacity.

Total of sixty New Zealand White rabbits (NZW) of 5 weeks of age were used to study the effect of diazepam administration on some nutritional and physiological parameters in growing rabbits. Rabbits were divided into five treatment groups, each of 12 rabbits. The first group was the control, and the other four groups were administered (orally) with graded doses of diazepam (2.5; 5.0; 7.5 and 10.0 mg, respectively).Results obtained could be summarized as follows: 1-Diazepam administration caused significant (P<0.05) increases in live body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio but decreased feed consumption 2-Digestibility coefficients of (DM, OM, CP, EE, CF and NFE), nutritive values of (TND and DCP%); nitrogen balance and nitrogen retained as a percent of nitrogen intake increased significantly by diazepam administration. 3-There were insignificant increases in both dressing percentage and hot carcass weight (%) in the drug treatment groups. 4-Diazepam administration had no significant effect on plasma protein fractions, lipid fractions, however, slight increase in the plasma total lipids of treated animals were observed. 5-There was no side effect of diazepam on liver function as observed from the GOT and GPT levels in the blood of treated animals. The same was also for kidney function where plasma urea and creatinine were insignificantly different. 6-Diazepam administration inhibited thyroid function as indicated by the decreased rate of T4 conversion to T3. 7-Plasma glucose level was significantly higher in the control group than treated groups. 8-A significant increase in plasma phosphorus level was obtained but no changes in calcium level were observed. 9-Blood packed cell volume and N/L ratio were not significantly different 10-Diazepam increased the economic efficiency (%), and the performance index of the growing rabbits.It is suggested that diazepam administration may enhance the nutritive value and digestibility of diets and enhance the rabbits performance and can maintain a normal homeostasis for rabbits without any undesirable effects.

he current study aimed to determine the impact of using silver nanoparticles (SNaPs) or graphene nanoparticles (GNaPs) as a water supplementation in broiler chicken on productive performance and microbial load in small intestine and ceca of broiler chicken at thirty five days of age. The study comprised of 270 unsexed broiler chicks (Cobb 500) one-day old, which were divided randomly into nine experimental treatments in 3 replicates for each treatment. Four levels of each types (SNaPs or GNaPs) of nanoparticles (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 ppm/ L) were used as well as control group. At thirty five days of age, four birds from each treatment were slaughtered to obtain intestinal content samples. Results showed that live body weight (LBW) and body weight gain (BWG) were differed significantly by different levels and different types of nanoparticles. However, LBW, BWG feed consumption (FC) were significantly higher in birds received drinking water supplemented with GNaPs than those received SNaPs, but they were not affected by different levels of nanoparticles. Also, feed conversion ratio (FCR) was not affected by neither types nor levels of nanoparticles. On the other hand, a bacterial count in small intestine was affected significantly by both types and levels of nanoparticles. Also bacterial counts in ceca was affected significantly by both types and levels of nanoparticles Lactobacillus spp. and E. Coli counts were decreased in small intestine and ceca with increasing nanoparticles levels in drinking water. However, the birds received drinking water supplemented with SNaPs, recorded significantly higher Lactobacillus spp. and E.Coli counts than those received GNaPs in both small intestine and ceca. It can be concluded that GNaPs have highest effects than SNaPs on productive performance and microorganism in small intestine and ceca.

An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of feeding some different plant diets containing different metabolizable energy (ME) supplemented with an enzyme preparation (Phytase) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass traits, some bone and blood parameters of broiler chicks. The current study was designed as a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement by using different levels of ME (3000, 2900 and 2800 kcal/kg starter diets and 3100, 3000 and 2900 kcal/kg grower diets and 3200, 3100 and 3000 kcal/kg finisher diets), with two levels of phytase (0 and 750 FTU/kg diet). Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous, containing 23% and 21% and 19% crude protein during starter, grower and finisher periods, respectively. The obtained data showed that regardless of phytase, decreasing dietary ME level in starter, grower and finisher periods 100 or 200 kcal/kg below control negatively affected economic efficiency and significant reduced percentage of abdominal fat, final live body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, liver percentage, spleen percentage and had no significant effect on all carcass traits and carcass parts or blood parameters of broiler chicks except triglyceride, total lipids, uric acid and GOT and finally length and width of tibia. Phytase supplementation had significant effect on weight gain, tibia ash, tibia Ca, tibia P, plasma P and digestibility of crude fiber, ether extract and ash retention. According to the economical study feeding chicks balanced diets supplemented with microbial phytase at level of 750 FTU/kg is more successful in view of growth and economical evaluation of broiler chicks.