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There has been a considerable and continuous interest to develop equations for rapid and accurate prediction of the ME of meat and bone meal. In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN), a partial least squares (PLS), and a multiple linear regression (MLR) statistical method were used to predict the TME(n) of meat and bone meal based on its CP, ether extract, and ash content. The accuracy of the models was calculated by R(2) value, MS error, mean absolute percentage error, mean absolute deviation, bias, and Theil's U. The predictive ability of an ANN was compared with a PLS and a MLR model using the same training data sets. The squared regression coefficients of prediction for the MLR, PLS, and ANN models were 0.38, 0.36, and 0.94, respectively. The results revealed that ANN produced more accurate predictions of TME(n) as compared with PLS and MLR methods. Based on the results of this study, ANN could be used as a promising approach for rapid prediction of nutritive value of meat and bone meal.

Three hundred female broilers were assigned to five groups with six replicates and were fed with either a basal diet (two control groups) or the basal diet supplemented with 800-mg vitamin C/kg (Vit C group), 1,200-μg Cr(+3) from chromium (Cr) chloride/kg (Cr group) or 800-mg Vit C and 1,200-μg Cr(+3) from Cr chloride/kg (Vit C + Cr group) from 42 to 49 days of age. Treatments did not affect performance. Transport decreased insulin level in the control and Cr groups and increased glucose/insulin (G/I) ratio in the groups. The level of insulin was higher in the Vit C + Cr group than those in the control and Cr groups after the transport. The G/I ratio was lowest in the Vit C + Cr group after the transport. The transport significantly decreased triiodothyronine (T3) concentration in the groups except the Vit C + Cr group and only increased thyroxin (T4) concentration in the Vit C + Cr group. The T3/T4 ratio was significantly decreased in the groups except the Cr group by transport. The T3/T4 ratio was greatest in the Vit C + Cr group before the transport. Alkaline phosphatase activity was decreased in the Vit C + Cr group due to transport. Transport decreased triglyceride levels in the groups and also decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the Vit-C-supplemented groups. Transport increased malondialdehyde concentration in the control and Vit C groups and also increased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in the Cr-fed groups. The GPx activity was higher in the Vit C + Cr group than those in the control and Cr groups after the transport. Ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) value was decreased in the Vit C and Cr groups by transport. Either alone or in combination, Cr increased the FRAP value before the transport. Neither transport nor treatments had significant effects on the duration of tonic immobility (TI) and number of inductions to induce TI.

Two inorganic (zinc sulfate and zinc oxide) and three organic (zinc acetate, zinc-methionine, and zinc-lysine) zinc sources were evaluated for their effects on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicks. The birds were randomly assigned to one control (non-supplemented) and 15 treatment (supplemented) groups consisting of four replicates of 10 chicks each in a 5×3 factorial arrangement of treatments (five zinc sources and three supplemental zinc levels). Birds were kept in floor pens in a temperature-controlled room from 1 to 42 d of age and fed a non-supplemented basal diet (control) or the basal diet supplemented with 40, 80 or 120 mg/kg of Zn as mentioned sources. Dietary zinc source had considerable effect on feed intake in all experimental periods. Increasing Zn level from 80 to 120 mg/kg decreased the average feed intake in the growth stage (p<0.01) and also in the entire experimental period (p<0.001). Similarly, the average daily gain during the entire trial period was affected by the type of Zn source (p<0.001) and supplemental level (p<0.01). One degree of freedom contrast comparisons showed that the inclusion of organic zinc sources into the diets caused significant increases in feed intake and body gain when compared with inorganic counterparts. Except in wk 1, dietary supplementation with organic sources improved (p<0.05) feed conversion ratio; FCR values were not affected by dietary Zn source or supplementation level. Breast meat yield increased with supplemental levels of organic Zn sources; however, other carcass parameters were not affected by dietary Zn source. On the other hand, organic versus inorganic zinc supplementation caused a significant increase in liver, breast and carcass weight percentages. The present findings suggest that supplemental levels of organic Zn compounds had beneficial effects on broiler performance, and Zn requirements can be reduced using these feed supplements in poultry rations.

This study evaluated the effect of dietary calcium (Ca) and available phosphorus (aP) restriction on growth performance, nutrients retention (ATTR), serum metabolites, and tibia in broiler chickens. A total of 720 one-day-old Ross-308 broilers were used in this study. Broilers were fed with 0 (control), 10 (L 1 ), 20 (L 2 ), and 30% (L 3 ) aP-deficient starting (ST) diets during 1-10 days. In ST period, control included 6 and others included 18 replicates of 12 chicks. In post-starter (PST) period, control was still fed with standard diets, while restricted groups were divided into 3 groups and fed with L 1 , L 2 , and L 3 diets. Each PST treatment included 6 replicates of 12 chicks. Data were analysed using a completely randomised design in a 1 (control)þ3 Â 3 factorial arrangement. Factors included aP levels in ST and PST diets. Results showed that L 3 diet decreased feed intake and weight gain but increased ATTR of Ca in starter phase in compare with control group (p<.05). Retarded growth of birds was compensated in post-starter phase. The Ca, P and ALP levels in blood serum were not significantly influenced by aP levels on day 10 and day 42. The ATTR of Ca and tP on day 42, were higher in birds fed L 3 diets than L 2 or L 1 groups (p<.05). The main effect of L 3 group in both ST and PST, decreased (p<.05) tibia ash, Ca, and P in compare with L 1 group. Main effect of post-starter L 3 group had lowest femur breaking strength (p¼.007). In general, restriction in dietary aP increased nutrients ATTR, impaired bone mineralisation and strength without affecting growth performance. HIGHLIGHTSPhosphorus is one of the most important environmental pollutants that is excreted through broilers manure. Birds exposed to aP and Ca restriction increased the retention of these minerals. Dietary aP and Ca restriction impaired bone mineralisation and strength.

Male broiler chicks were fed graded levels of organic zinc (zinc-methionine) supplementation to investigate the effects of partial or complete substitution of the organic zinc source for inorganic ones on the development of lymphoid organs and immunological responses. A total of 450 day-old male broilers were distributed into groups of 10 chicks and randomly assigned to nine experimental diets during a 42-day feeding trial. Dietary treatments consisted of two basal diets supplemented with 40 mg/kg added zinc as feed-grade Zn sulfate or Zn oxide in which, Zn was replaced with that provided from zinc-methionine (ZnMet) complex at the levels

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of various levels of full-fat sunflower seeds (FFSS) on broiler performance and carcass characteristics. In the first experiment, FFSS was included in a basal diet at 70, 140, and 210 g/kg and the AME n values of the experimental diets were determined. The linear regression equation of AME n values on rate of inclusion was calculated. Extrapolation value for the AME n of FFSS at 100% inclusion was 14.22 MJ/kg. In the second experiment, diets containing various levels (0, 70, 140, and 210 g/kg) of FFSS were given to broilers (Ross strain) from 0 to 49 d. At 28 days of age, blood parameters and digestive enzyme activities were determined and carcass parameters were evaluated at 49 days of age. Weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were improved (p<0.05) when broilers were fed various levels of FFSS in the starter and finisher diets. Breast, thigh, gastrointestinal tract and gizzard weight percentages were not affected by dietary treatments; however, liver weight percentage was decreased significantly (p<0.05) and weight of abdominal fat decreased but this effect was not significant. The activities of digestive enzyme (protease and α-amylase) were not influenced by the treatments. Activity of alkaline phosphatase, concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, glucose, triglyceride, protein, high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were not affected by incorporation of FFSS in the broiler diet. Although concentration of HDL increased and LDL decreased, these effects were not significant. The results of this study indicate that FFSS can be used at up to 21% in broiler diets without adverse effects on performance or other parameters of chickens.

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