Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui respon fisiologi darah dan organ limfoid ayam broiler akibat pemberian jintan hitam selama musim kemarau. Materi yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah 100 ekor DOC ayam broiler unsex strain CP 707, serta ransum broiler fase starter dan finisher yang ditambahkan tepung jintan hitam. Penelitian menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap dengan 5 perlakuan dan 4 ulangan, dan tiap ulangan terdiri atas 5 ekor ayam. Perlakuan yang diterapkan adalah T0 (Ransum basal); T1 (Ransum basal dan antibiotik dan multivitamin); T2 (Ransum yang ditambahkan jintan hitam 20 g/kg ransum); T3 (Ransum yang ditambahkan jintan hitam 40 gram/kg ransum); T4 (Ransum yang ditambahkan jintan hitam 60 g/kg ransum). Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa pemberian tepung jintan hitam (Nigella sativa) dalam pakan sebagai feed additive tidak dapat meningkatkan ketahanan tubuh pada ayam broiler, tetapi dapat meningkatkan persentase berat organ limpa pada level jintan hitam 60 g/kg ransum dimana dapat mengurangi dampak infeksi penyakit yang masuk ke dalam darah.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of dietary supplementation of formic acid, butyric acid or their combination on carcass and meat characteristics of broiler chicks. A number of 288 day-old-chicks (Lohmann MB-202 meat broilers) were distributed to four groups, including CONT (basal diet with no additive as a control), FORM (basal diet containing 0.1% formic acid), BUTR (basal diet with 0.03% butyric acid) and FORM+BUTR (basal diet with 0.1% formic and 0.03% butyric acid). At day 35 the birds were slaughtered and eviscerated, and from which the breast meat was obtained. Carcass and cut yields of broilers were not different (P>0.05) among CONT, FORM and BUTR birds. The combination of formic and butyric acids increased (P<0.05) the relative weight of back of broilers. Meat pH value was higher (P<0.05) in organic acids treated than in non-treated birds. Organic acids lowered (P<0.05) drip loss of broiler meat. Butyric acid increased (P<0.05) moisture and decreased (P<0.05) the content of meat protein. Formic acid increased (P<0.05), whereas butyric acid and combination of formic and butyric acids decreased (P<0.05) lightness values of breast meat. Yellowness values of meat increased (P<0.05) with organic acid administration. Intense bands of 25 kDa (phosphoglycerate mutase) was observed in most of meat samples from the treated birds, but not in meat from the control birds. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of organic acids was capable of improving the meat quality of broiler meats. The treatments may prevent the pale, soft and exudative (PSE)-like condition in broiler meats.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of two-stage fermented cassava pulp (FCP) on growth, blood parameters, intestinal microbiology and carcass characteristics of broilers. Two hundreds Lohmann broiler chicks were used from days 22 to 38 and allotted to CONT (maize-soybean-mealbased finisher diet), FCP-10 (finisher diet containing 10% FCP), FCP-15 (15% FCP) and FCP-20 (20% FCP). FCP was included into finisher diet at the expense of maize. On day 38, one bird per replicate was blood sampled and slaughtered. Ileal and caecal digesta and duodenal, jejunal and ileal segments were obtained for intestinal microbiology and villi height measurements. Breast muscle was obtained for meat colour determination. FCP-10 had a higher (p≤0.05) body weight gain than CONT. Feed intake was highest (p≤0.05) in FCP-15 and the lowest (p≤0.05) in CONT. Feed conversion ratio was lowest and highest in FCP-10 and FCP-15, respectively (p≤0.05). FCP-20 had a lower (p≤0.05) abdominal fat than CONT and FCP-10. CONT had lower (p≤0.05) serum total triglycerides than FCP-15 and FCP-20. Duodenal villi height for FCP-20 was higher (p≤0.05) than that for CONT and FCP-15. The ileal villi height for FCP-20 was lower (p≤0.05) than that for CONT and FCP-15. The wings relative weight was higher (p≤0.05) in FCP-20 than in FCP-10 and FCP-15. FCP-15 and FCP-20 had higher (p≤0.05) L* (lightness) values than CONT. In conclusion, feeding two-stage FCP up to 20% had no deleterious effect on growth, haematological parameters, intestinal microbiology and carcass characteristics. Feeding two-stage FCP at a level of 20% reduced the abdominal fat content and increased duodenal villi height of broilers.

The study investigated the influence of dietary incorporation of formic acid, butyric acid or their blends on growth rate, haematological indices and intestinal morphometric of broilers. A number of 240 Lohmann MB-202 chicks were pass rounded to four dietary groups, including CONT (chicks taking in basal feed with no additive), BTRT (chicks receiving basal feed with 0.03% butyric acid), FRMT (chicks receiving basal feed with 0.1% formic acid) and BTRT+FRMT (chicks receiving basal feed containing 0.03% butyric acid and 0.1% formic acid). Weight of chicks and intake were measured every week, while blood sample was collected at day 21 and 35. At day 35, birds were slaughtered and small intestinal segments and digesta were collected. At day 21, body weight was bigger (P<0.05) in BTRT+FRMT than in other birds. Feeding the blends of formic and butyric acids resulted in higher (P<0.05) value of mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) at day 21. Feeding organic acids was associated with the lower (P<0.05) proportion of thrombocytes in broilers at day 35. Supplementation of butyric acid resulted in higher (P<0.05) serum albumin concentration at day 35. Butyric acid produced higher (P<0.05) levels of triglyceride as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the serum. The mixture of formic and butyric acids resulted in higher (P<0.05) titer of antibody against Newcastle disease vaccine (NDV) at day 21. Feeding formic acid decreased (P<0.05) ileal population of lactose negative enterobacteria at day 35. Overall, dietary supplementation of the blends of formic and butyric acids resulted in improved growth and immune defence of broiler chicks.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of feeding fermented mixture of cassava pulp and M. oleifera leaf meal (FCPMO) on the breast meat characteristics of broiler chickens. From day 8 onward, 400 Lohmann broiler chicks were allotted to four dietary groups included CONT (maize-soybean-based feed with no additive), BACI (maize-soybean-based feed supplemented with 0.1% zinc bacitracin), FERM (feed containing 20% of FCPMO) and FERB (feed containing 20% of FCPMO and 0.1% probiotic Bacillus subtilis). At day 35, one male chick from each replicate (10 chicks per treatment group) was taken and slaughtered. After being eviscerated and de-feathered, sample of breast meat was obtained for the assessment of meat characteristics. Results showed that feeding FCPMO had no effect (P>0.05) on pH and water holding capacity (WHC) of breast meats. Compared to other groups, FERB meat had higher (P<0.05) cooking loss. FERM and FERB meats had lower (P<0.05) moisture content than that of CONT and BACI meats. Feeding FCPMO with or without B. subtilis increased (P<0.05) crude protein content of breast meats. Feeding FCPMO resulted in lower (P<0.05) fat content in the breast meat. Compared to other meats, breast meats from BACI had higher (P<0.05) ash content. Cholesterol was lower (P=0.08) in FERB than in BACI and FERM meats. The 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) IC50 values were higher (P<0.05) in meat of CONT than that in other groups. Feeding FCPMO resulted in higher (P<0.05) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), lower (P<0.05) monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and had no effect on saturated fatty acids (SFA) contents of broiler breast meats. In conclusion, feeding FCPMO produced healthy broiler meat as reflected by the higher contents of protein, PUFA and antioxidants, and lower fat in meats.