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Key words:Broiler chickens -sunflower meal -Essential oil -Growth performanceImmune response -Intestinal villi.One hundred and eighty one-day-old dual purpose chicks of mixed sex were used to investigate the effect of partial replacement of soybean protein by sunflower meal (SFM) without or with essential oil mixture (EOM) supplementation on growth performance, immune response, carcass characteristics and intestinal histopathology of broiler chickens. The birds were divided into 6 groups of a completely randomized design of 3 levels of sunflower meal (0, 15 and 30 %) as a substitute for soybean meal with or without essential oil mixture supplementation. The basal diets were formulated based on corn and soybean meal to meet the nutrient requirements of broiler chickens. Broilers fed on diets containing sunflower meal had a good growth performance comparable to those fed on diets without sunflower meal. Moreover, the replacement of soybean protein by SFM with EOM supplementation improved phagocytic activity, phagocytic index and antibody titer against Newcastle disease vaccine at 21th, 35 th and 49 th of broiler age when compared with groups fed on the same diets without EOM supplementation. SFM containing diets significantly (P≤0.05) increased total bacterial counts compared with control group fed on corn -soybean based diet. However, it was observed that 0%, 15% or 30% of soybean protein replacement by SFM with EOM supplementation had no significant effect on intestinal total bacterial counts compared with groups fed on the same diet without EOM supplementation. Moreover, 15% of soybean protein replacement by SFM significantly (P≤0.05) increased ileum villi length and nonsignificantly improved crypt depth and width when compared with control group. On the other hand, 30% of soybean protein replacement by SFM had no significant effect on ileum villi length while, significantly (P≤0.05) reduced ileum crypt depth and width compared with control. In addition to that, it was observed that 0.0, 15% or 30% of soybean protein replacement by SFM with EOM supplementation improved ileum villi length, crypt depth and width compared with broiler chicks group fed on the same diet without EOM supplementation. , it can be concluded that sunflower meal without or with essential oil mixture supplementation could be successfully incorporated in broiler diets as a substitute of soybean protein.

The present study investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of turmeric with fresh oil or oxidized oil on the growth performance, blood biochemical, intestinal and liver histopathology in Japanese Quail. Birds were divided into 8 groups; G1- G4 which were fed on diets containing 2 % fresh vegetable oil supplemented with turmeric 0.0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 % respectively. While groups G5- G8 had the same previously mentioned design but with replacing the fresh oil with oxidized oil. Substitution of the fresh oil with oxidized oil showed non-significant difference in quail body weight and feed conversion ratio, increased feed intake (FI), non-significantly affected serum lipid profile parameters (P˃ 0.05). Turmeric supplementation at 0.75 % to the fresh or oxidized oil containing diets improved feed efficiency utilization, while reduced the FI compared to control (P< 0.05). Feeding quail on oxidized oil containing diet showed no changes in serum MDA concentration, however reduced serum GPx enzyme (P˃ 0.05) compared to birds fed on fresh oil. Turmeric addition reduced serum concentration of MDA, while increased GPx activity (P˃ 0.05). Increasing turmeric level supplemented to the fresh or oxidized oil was associated with reduced serum lipid profile parameters. Addition of turmeric to the oxidized oil-based diets ameliorated the negative effects on the immune related parameters (phagocytic activity and index, lysosomal activity and WBCs count) especially with 0.5% level. Increasing the turmeric supplementation to the oxidized oil containing diet improved the intestinal morphology and hepatic parenchyma. In conclusion, oxidized oil inclusion in Japanese quail diet (2 %) showed no adverse effects on their performance or intestinal morphology however, negatively affected some immune related parameters which could be ameliorated by turmeric supplementation especially at 0.5% of diet.

Punica Grantum L is an ancient, magical and distinctive fruit. It is local to the Mediterranean basin and has been broadly utilized in traditional pharmaceuticals in numerous nations. The extracts collected from various parts (peels, seeds, juice and flowers) of this natural fruit can be used as multiple additives for practice because of its polyphenolic contents. Polyphenols found in P. Grantum have been shown to have various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diarrheal, immunomodulatory, anti-carcinogenic, and wound healing promotors. Moreover, they are reported to have anti-cestodial, anti-nematodal and anti-protozoan activities. P. Grantum L or its by-products supplementation can play a major role in poultry nutrition by enhancing immunity, scavenging free radicals, and inhibiting antimicrobial activity, leading to improved poultry performance. Owing to its functions above, it can be a potential substitute for modulating immune functions and gut microbiota to relieve diarrhea and enteritis, preventing colibacillosis and coccidiosis in chickens. Moreover, it is reported that polyphenols and tannins of P. Grantum act as an antioxidant by scavenging reactive oxygen species and preventing lipid oxidation and inflammatory molecule production. This chapter highlights the work done in the recent past on P. Grantum. Despite the voluminous pharmacological properties of P. Grantum, its usage in the chicken ration is limited. So, this chapter aims to broaden the information of researchers, veterinary advisors, and poultry nutritionists to recommend P. Grantum as a safe, natural added substance in poultry feed to substitute the synthetic additives for nourishment purposes.