This experiment was conducted for comparison the effects of antibiotic (flavomycin), probiotic (primalac), prebiotic (Biolex-MB) and mixture ofprobiotic and prebiotic (primalac plus Biolex-MB) as dietary growth promoter on growth performance, carcass characteristics and hematological indices of broiler chickens. Three hundred day old Ross 308 broilers were equally distributed into 30 floor pens and reared for 42 day. A basal diet was formulated covering the recommendations of NRC (1994) for starter (0-21 days) and grower (22-42 days) periods and considered as control diet. Four tested diets were formulated by supplemented the basal control diet with antibiotic (flavomycin), probiotic (primalac), prebiotic (Biolex-MB) and mixture ofprimalac plus Biolex-MB, respectively. Six replicates were used for each treatment. The results of present study showed that all growth promoters used was improved growth indices of Ross 308 broilers. The highest significant (p<0.05) values of carcass and thigh were recorded for broilers fed diet supplemented with flavomycin. The highest (p>0.05) value of breast was recorded for broilers fed the diet supplemented with primalac, meanwhile the lower value were showed for birds fed either diet or diet supplemented with Biolex-MB. The percent of carcass and cuts followed the same trend. Hematological parameter including cholesterol was recorded the highest (p>0.05) values groups fed the diets either control or supplemented with flavomycin, meanwhile the lower value was showed for bird fed diet supplemented primalac plus Biolex-MB. Triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL) were recorded the highest concentration for bird fed both control and diet supplemented with flavomycin groups while least concentration was found for bird fed diet supplemented with primalac. The results of present study revealed that probiotic and prebiotic as growth promoters can use as alternatives non-antibiotic feed additives to their free harmful side effects on the consumers and to improve broiler chickens growth indices.

No abstract

The effect of date pits (DP) in diet of broiler chickens on performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters was studied. A total of 192 day-old commercial broiler chickens were assigned randomly to four experimental diets containing 0, 10, 20, and 30% of DP kg(1 dry matter. All diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric, and formulated according to nutrient requirements of poultry. The birds and feed of each treatment were weighted weekly. At 6 weeks of age, bleeding from cardiac puncture performed for serum biochemical analyses. DP significantly decreased final weight, average daily gain and feed consumption (p B0.05). Additionally 20 and 30% of date fibre caused a significant increase in the feed conversion ratio. DP caused a significant decrease in thigh and increase in heart weight, as percent of dressed weight, but had no significant effect on dressed weight and kitchen carcass weight, and percentage of breast, gizzard and liver. However, there was significant difference (p B0.05) in heart and thigh percentage between treatments. The diets had no significant effect on blood parameters including cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein (p!0.05). Blood glucose of birds fed diet containing 20% DP was significantly more than control diet (p B 0.05), but there was no significant difference with diet containing 30% DP (p !0.05). DP could provide a cheap source of feed to birds and using 10% had no negative effects on performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters.

No abstract

No abstract