The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of nano-selenium on growth performance, antioxidative status, and immune function in broiler chickens reared under thermoneutral (22±1℃) or high ambient temperature (35±1℃) conditions. Thirty-six broiler chicks at 15d old were randomly divided into 6 treatments in a 3 ×2 factorial design. The main factors included the dietary supplementation (basal diet without Se supplementation [control], basal diet with 0.3 mg of nano-elemental Se per kilogram of diet [nano-Se], and basal diet with 0.3 mg of sodium selenite per kilogram of diet [SSe]) and the ambient temperature challenge (22±1℃ or 35±1℃). The birds were given the experimental diets from 15 to 30 d of age. High ambient temperature significantly depressed body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, breast muscle weight, and abdominal fat weight, while feeding nanoSe clearly alleviated these negative effects of high ambient temperature. In addition, feeding nano-Se increased glutathione peroxidase mRNA expression in liver and alleviated the negative effects of high ambient temperature via reducing the malondialdehyde content in liver and breast muscle. Furthermore, feeding nano-Se increased mRNA expression of cytokine genes (interleukins 2 and 6) under both thermoneutral and high ambient temperature conditions. Under both thermoneutral and high-temperature conditions, broiler chickens fed nano-Se had higher Se and vitamin E concentrations in breast muscle than broiler chickens fed the control diet. In contrast, feeding SSe at the same dose as nano-Se did not alleviate the negative effects of high ambient temperature on broiler chickens. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with nano-Se at 0.3 mg/kg diet might enhance growth performance by improving antioxidative or immune properties in broilers reared under high ambient temperature.

No abstract

No abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with Aspergillus awamori on the growth performance and antioxidative status in male broiler chickens exposed to high ambient temperatures. Twentyfour 15-d-old male broiler chickens were randomly divided into 2 dietary groups fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet supplemented without or with 0.05% of Asp. awamori. Six birds of each dietary group were kept under a thermoneutral condition (22℃), and 6 birds were exposed to heat stress (35℃, 9 h/d) for 15 d. Dietary Asp. awamori decreased feed intake and improved the feed conversion ratio in chickens kept at 22℃. Body weight gain and feed intake were decreased in chickens exposed to heat stress. There was no beneficial effect of dietary Asp. awamori on growth performance under the heat stress condition. However, the malondialdehyde content in skeletal muscle, as an index of lipid peroxidation, was decreased by dietary Asp. awamori in chickens kept at 22℃. Although the malondialdehyde content increased under the heat stress condition, dietary Asp. awamori alleviated the increased malondialdehyde. In addition, the α-tocopherol content in skeletal muscle was negatively affected by the exposure to heat stress, and dietary Asp. awamori recovered the reduction in the α-tocopherol content. Moreover, mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase in liver was increased by dietary Asp. awamori under both of the thermal conditions. In conclusion, this study shows that dietary Asp. awamori improves the diminished antioxidative status under the heat stress condition partially because of its effect on the expression of hepatic antioxidant enzymes in broilers.

The present study was carried out to compare the efficiency of different selenium (Se) sources [sodium selenite (SS), Se enriched yeast (Sel-Plex) and Nano-Se] on productive performance, lipid peroxidation, antioxidative status and immunity function of local chickens strain exposed to summer condition (high ambient temperature). One hundred and twenty birds, were randomly divided into 4 treatments: (1) control (basal diet without any supplementation of selenium), (2) SS (basal diet + 0.3 mg Se as SS / kg diet); (3) basal diet + 0.3 mg Nano-Se/ kg diet (Nano-Se); and (4) basal diet + 0.3 mg organic Se/ kg diet (Sel-Plex). The experimental diets are given to birds from 30 to 42 wk of age. Under hyperthermia, dietary 0.3 ppm Sel-Plex or Nano-Se improved feed conversion (g feed/g egg mass), egg production percentage and egg mass (g/d) (P < 0.05). Supplementing diets with Nano-Se increased total protein and globulin content compared with control diet. While, addition different sources of selenium significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content compared with treat (1) diet. Interestingly, under rise ambient temperature, the inclusion of 0.3 ppm Sel-Plex or Nano-Se in the chikens diet significantly enhanced the antioxidant enzyme (GSH-Px) activity being greater than 2-folds of the controls. Chickens fed diet supplemented with Sel-Plex or Nano-Se showed about 1.5-folds increase in seminal plasma (GSH-Px) compared with control diet. Dietary 0.3 ppm Sel-Plex or Nano-Se had a positive significant effect on Phagocytic activity (PA) and Phagocytic index (PI) on high ambient temperature. In conclusion, dietary 0.3 ppm organic Se or Nano-Se enhanced productive performance, antioxidative properties and immunity in chickens reared under heat stress conditions.

No abstract

In ovo injection of nano‐selenium (Se) produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB–nano‐Se) was investigated on the hatchability, immune responses and the histopathological alterations in hatched chicks. The eggs (18 day age) were injected with 0.5 ml of 0.9% NaCl (normal saline, NS), while the control group was kept without injection. In the third, fourth and fifth groups, the eggs were injected with 0.5 ml of NS and LAB–nano‐Se at 10, 20 and 30 μg/egg. The results revealed improved growth performance in groups injected with LAB–nano‐Se when compared to the control treatment. The highest final weight and weight gain were noticed in 20 μg LAB–nano‐Se/egg group (p < .05). The feed conversion ratio was reduced in all treated groups when compared to the control group (p < .05). Groups injected with LAB–nano‐Se showed enhanced hatchability of the whole incubated eggs (p < .05). Total lipids and cholesterol levels were decreased significantly in groups treated with LAB–nano‐Se at 10 and 20 μg/egg when compared to the non‐treated group. At the same time, globulin was increased by LAB–nano‐Se in ovo injection. Furthermore, the total antioxidant capacity, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase increased in groups treated with LAB–nano‐Se at 10 and 20 μg/egg with insignificant (p > .05) differences with those treated with LAB–nano‐Se at 30 μg/egg using in ovo injection technique. Also, higher total blood protein and phagocytosis were significantly observed in groups treated with at 10, 20 and 30 μg LAB–nano‐Se/egg. The histopathological images of hatched chicks revealed that nano‐Se presented normal effects on liver and kidney tissues and restored the parameters as mentioned earlier. To conclude, LAB–nano‐Se exhibited beneficial effects in hatched chicks through improving immune and antioxidant activities as well as histopathological effects by using in ovo technique.

In this study, we explored the effects of dietary administration of Aspergillus awamori on the growth, intestinal histomorphology, immune parameters and antioxidant enzyme activity of growing rabbits. The rabbits of 5 weeks of age (body weight, 855 ± 5.53 g) were allotted into four groups (12 rabbits per group) and fed four experimental diets enriched with A. awamori at 0, 50, 100 and 150 mg per kg diet for 8 weeks. After the feeding trial, an equal number of male APRI rabbits (3 months old; 4 groups, 5 rabbits per group) were housed in metabolism cages and fed the test diets for 14 days for the digestibility trial. All A. awamori‐enriched diets induced a significant increase in the average body weight and weight gain of rabbits and significantly decreased the feed conversion ratio. In rabbits fed with A. awamori at 100 or 150 mg per kg diet, protein, lipid and fibber digestibility coefficients significantly increased compared with the control group. Intestinal villi measurements (length and thickness) were also enhanced in all rabbits fed with A. awamori. Adding A. awamori as a food supplement generally did not affect rabbit haematology and blood biochemistry values; however, at 150 mg per kg diet, it significantly increased the levels of haemoglobin and total protein, as well as red blood cell count. Furthermore, all enriched diets significantly increased rabbits’ phagocytic activity and their phagocytic index. Rabbits fed with A. awamori also showed decreased malondialdehyde but increased catalase activity. In conclusion, A. awamori administered as feed supplement at 100–150 mg per kg of growing rabbits’ diet enhances their growth, intestinal health and nutrient digestibility, and it raises the levels of their immune and antioxidative responses.