Highlights Effects of Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae meal in broiler quails diet. Affirmative TM effects on growth performance and carcass and breast yields. Positive effects of TM supplementation on gut morphology and meat quality.

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Abstract. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of sumac and dried whey powder on growth performance, carcass traits, intestinal morphology, microbial population, and some biochemical parameters and antibody titer against Newcastle disease of female broiler chicks. A total of 360 1-day-old female broiler chicks with an average weight of 38 ± 0.42 g were randomly divided into three treatments. Each treatment was further divided into six replicates. Three treatments were used: chicks were fed by basal diet as control group, basal diet + 0.02 % sumac powder (S), and basal diet + 0.02 % dried whey powder (DW) for 42 days. Results showed that feed intake of chicks increased significantly in S and DW in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05). Body weight gain was also significantly higher in the treated groups. The serum concentration triglyceride and cholesterol of chicks decreased significantly by S and DW feeding. While low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level decreased significantly, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels increased in the S group. Antibody level increased titer against Newcastle disease significantly by feeding treated diet compared to the control group. Data from microbial population investigation showed that E. coli population decreased while Lactobacillus increased in S and DW groups. The data revealed an improvement in the body weight gain, feed conversion ratio because of increased intestinal morphology, antibody level, and some useful microbial population in female broiler chicks receiving the sumac and dried whey powder.

Aim:The risk of bacteria resistance to specific antibiotics possibly by continuous subtherapeutical administration of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in poultry feed led to a ban on the use of AGP in poultry production. As a result of this ban, alternative substances for poultry growth promotion and disease prevention are being investigated, among which phytogenic and herbal products have received increased attention as natural additives because they have been accepted by consumers as natural additives. The effect of water supplementation of Aloe vera (AV) as an AGP substitute on performance, intestinal microflora, and immune responses of broilers.Materials and Methods:The five experimental treatments were allocated to four replicates. The following treatments were applied (1) a basal broiler diet (C) and normal drinking water, (2) 0.5% AV gel in drinking water, (3) 0.75% AV gel in drinking water, (4) 1% AV gel in drinking water, and (5) diet C supplemented with flavophospholipol at 4.5 mg/kg and drinking normal water. Vaccines against influenza disease and sheep red blood cell (SRBC) were administrated to immunological stimuli. The populations of Lactobacilli spp. and coliforms were enumerated in ileum.Results:Body weight of broilers supplemented with different levels of AV increased compared with control group (p<0.05). Birds supplemented with antibiotic had the best feed-to-gain ratio (F:G) in different periods. Supplementation of 0.5% and 0.75% AV improved F: G entire experimental period compared with control group (p<0.05). Coliform bacteria were reduced in broilers supplemented with different levels of AV or antibiotic (p<0.05). The Lactobacilli spp. population in birds supplemented with 0.75%, 1% AV or antibiotic significantly was higher than other groups (p<0.05). Supplementation with 1% AV led to greater antibody titers against SRBC compared with other groups (p<0.05).Conclusion:These findings demonstrated a possibility of supplementing broiler drinking water with 1% AV gel as an alternative for AGP substitution.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of milk or molasses kefir as a probiotic on growth performance, carcass traits, serum biochemistry and humoral immune responses in broiler chickens. A total of 192 one-d-old as hatched broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments, each with 4 replicate pens of 12 chicks. The following treatments were applied: 1) a basal diet (C) and normal drinking water, 2) 2% milk kefir in drinking water, 3) 2% molasses kefir in drinking water, and 4) the diet C supplemented with commercial probiotic. At d 42, eight birds per treatment were killed for determination of carcass traits. Broilers at 28 days of age were bled for measuring antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and avian influenza virus (AIV), at 30 days of age for antibody titers against sheep red blood cell (SRBC), and at 42 days of age for biochemical analysis. Supplementing 2% milk kefir increased body weight of broilers at 28 and 42 days of age (P < 0.05). Supplementing 2% molasses kefir improved feed conversation ratio (FCR) of broilers during growth period (P < 0.05), but FCR of broilers in other periods was not affected. Daily feed intake, internal organ weights, and carcass traits were not influenced by the treatments except for small intestine and ceca length. Small intestinal length significantly decreased in broilers supplemented with milk and molasses kefir (P < 0.05). Molasses kefir supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) increased antibody titer against SRBC at 31 days of age but other immune related parameters were not statistically different among treatments. Biochemical parameters including serum protein, albumin, and triglyceride concentrations were not statistically (P > 0.05) influenced. Broilers supplemented with molasses kefir, had a significantly lower concentration of serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and elevated high density lipoprotein cholesterol at 42 days of age (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results indicated that inclusion of 2% milk kefir in drinking water would improve growth performance of broiler chickens.

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