Poultry meat is a valuable source of nutrients and the enrichment with health-promoting substances such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) is an important factor for consumers’ choice. Camelina meal (Camelina sativa) is an animal feedstuff used to achieve this goal, but the administration of n-3 PUFA-enriched diets in broiler nutrition can accelerate the oxidative processes in meat leading to a decreased quality of final product. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the organic Cr as chromium picolinate (CrPic) on meat quality, fatty acid profile of fat and oxidative stability of meat from broilers fed supplemented dietary Camelina meal. An experiment was conducted on 240 Ross 308 broiler chicken aged 14 days which were assigned to 6 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Within the treatment arrangement two concentrations of Camelina meal (0% and 3%) and three concentrations of Cr3+ (0, 200 and 400 μg/kg) were used. Dietary treatments were: (1) Control diet (C) containing a corn–soybean diet with no added Camelina meal or Cr3+; (2) a C diet containing an additional 200 μg/kg of Cr3+ as CrPic; (3) a C diet containing an additional 400 μg/kg of Cr3+ as CrPic; (4) a C diet containing an additional 3% Camelina meal; (5) diet 2 containing an additional 3% Camelina meal; (6) diet 3 containing an additional 3% Camelina meal. Chromium supplementation significantly (P<0.05) increased the CP concentrations and significantly (P<0.05) decreased the crude fat concentrations in breast samples. The Camelina meal groups presented higher values of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly n-3 fatty acids (P<0.05). In CrPic groups, increased retention of Zn and Fe (P < 0.05) was observed in breast samples, compared to control group, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values were significantly (P<0.05) smaller. Myoglobin fraction (metmyoglobin and oximyoglobin) concentrations differ significantly (P<0.05) from the control group, under the influence of Cr3+ supplements. This study found that broilers fed with CrPic supplements showed improved mineral composition and oxidative stability of breast meat, proving an effective protection of lipid molecules from oxidation in PUFA-enriched meat.

A study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary hydroalcoholic willow bark extract powder (HWE) supplemented to broilers (14-42 days old) that were exposed to heat stress, on the performance, serum biochemical parameters, liver oxidative status and caecal microflora. The feeding trial was conducted on 120 Cobb 500 broilers (14 days old), assigned to three treatments (T0, T25, and T50), each treatment consisting of eight replicates (five chicks per replicate). The broilers were housed in an experimental hall at a 32 °C constant temperature and 23 hours light regimen. Unlike the dietary control treatment (T0), the experimental treatments were supplemented with 25 g HWE powder/100 kg diet (T25), and 50 g HWE powder 100 kg diet (T50), respectively. Dietary HWE powder did not affect the broilers' performance significantly (14-42 days). A significantly lower amount of malondialdehyde was noticed in the liver of broilers from T25 and T50 treatments in comparison with broilers from T0. Also, the serum cholesterol, triglycerides and alanine aminotransferase were significantly lower in broilers fed with T50, compared with those fed with T0. At 35 and at 42 days, the broilers from T25 and T50 recorded a significantly lower number of E. coli and staphylococci and a higher number of lactobacilli in the caecum than those of T0. It could be concluded that supplementation of dietary HWE powder reduced some of the adverse effects of heat stress, the most effective being the level of 50 g/100 kg diet.

Trichotecenes are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium sp., which may contaminate animal feeds and human food. A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of a fusarotoxin-contaminated diet, and to explore the counteracting potential of a calcium fructoborate (CFrB) additive on performance, typical health biochemistry parameters and immune response in weaned pigs. A naturally contaminated maize, containing low doses of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisins and T-2/HT-2 toxins (1790, 20, 0·6 and 90 parts per billion), was included in a maize-soyabean meal diet, and given ad libitum to eight weaned piglets (two groups: four pigs/group) for a period of 24 d. CFrB was administered to one of the contaminated groups and to another four piglets as a daily supplement, following the manufacturer's recommendation. A decrease in performance was observed in contaminated animals at this concentration of feed toxins, which was ameliorated by the dietary CFrB supplementation. Fusarium toxins also altered the pig immune response by increasing (P, 0·05) the ex vivo peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation (111·7 % in comparison with control), the respiratory burst of porcine granulocytes (15·4 % for responsive cells v. 5·1 % for unstimulated cells and 70·95 v. 22·65 % for stimulated cells, respectively), the percentage of peripheral T, CD3þ CD4 þ and CD3 þ CD8 þ subsets and the synthesis of IL-1b, TNF-a and IL-8 (123·8, 217·1 and 255·1 %, respectively). The diet containing the CFrB additive reduced these exacerbated cellular immune responses induced by Fusarium toxins. However, consumption of CFrB did not counteract the effect of mycotoxins on biochemistry parameters, and increased plasma IgM and IgG of contaminated pigs.

The 7-week feeding trial evaluated the effect of 2% grapeseed meal used as natural antioxidant in the diets for slow-growing Hubbard broiler chicks, aged 14 days. The chicks were weighed individually and assigned to two groups (C and E), with 40 chicks per group, housed under conditions of temperature, humidity and light regimen according to the hybrid management guide. The basal ingredients of the conventional diet were corn, wheat, gluten, soybean meal and 2% flaxseed meal, which is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Compared to the control formulation, the experimental formulation included 2% grapeseed meal, both in the growing and finishing stages. The broilers had free access to feed and water. In the end of the feeding trial, blood samples were collected for serum biochemical determinations and six broilers per group were slaughtered and samples of breast and thigh meat were collected. The meat samples were assayed for the basic chemical composition, fatty acids profile and cholesterol content using standardized methods. The content of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was significantly higher (p<0.05) in breast samples, while cholesterol content was significantly lower (p<0.05) in thigh samples from E group, compared to C. Blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower (p<0.05) in group E than in group C. The study showed that the grapeseed meal used as natural antioxidant in broiler diets enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids given to Hubbard broilers had beneficial effects on broiler meat quality and on the metabolic profile of the blood plasma.

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The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of chromium picolinate (CrPic) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and protein and lipid quality of five anatomical parts in growing pigs. The 30-day study was conducted on eight castrated Topigs growing male pigs, with an initial bodyweight of 17.16 ± 0.62 kg. The pigs were assigned to two groups (C, E), housed in individual metabolic cages, and fed on conventional diets with 17.80% crude protein (CP) and 3078 kcal/kg metabolizable energy (ME). The diet of E was supplemented with 200 ppm CrPic. Samples of ingesta and faeces were collected in three balance periods of five days each. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected, all pigs were slaughtered, and meat (tenderloin, loin, ham, shoulder, and belly) samples were collected. No significant differences of productive or plasma parameters were noticed. The results of the balance study showed that CrPic did not influence the digestibility of nitrogen, but the digestibility of fat was significantly decreased for group E. The nutritional quality of the collected samples was evaluated for proximate analysis. The tenderloin and ham samples had increased protein concentrations compared with C group. For belly and ham, the fat concentrations decreased significantly. As a result of this observation, amino acids and fatty acid profiles were analysed and a significant improvement were determined for E regarding essential amino acids. The conclusion of the study was that CrPic had positive effects on protein and fat metabolism and the meat had functional food attributes. ______________________________________________________________________________________

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The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Artemisia (Artemisia annua) supplementation as essential oil and powder, in broiler diet on performance and intestinal microflora. One hundred and eighty Cobb 500 broiler chicks assigned to three experimental groups (six replicates with 10 broilers per replicate) were housed in an environment-controlled house. Compared to the control diet, the experimental diets included 0.05 g kg-1 Artemisia essential oil (E1), 0.05 g kg-1 essential oil plus 0.1 g kg-1 powder of Artemisia (E2), respectively. Growth performance was monitored throughout days 14-42. Artemisia supplementation (E1, E2) did not influence growth performance of the chicks. Compared to the C and E1, the chicks from E2 group had a lower count of Enterobacteriaceae in the intestinal and caecal content, both at 35 and at 42 days. The Artemisia supplements did not influence the staphylococci populations from the intestinal content of the chicks (42 days), but in the caecal content samples, this count was lower in E2 (8.836 log10 cfu g-1) than in C (8.876 log10 cfu g-1) and E1 (8.870 log10 cfu g-1). The count of lactobacilli increased in the intestinal and caecal contents of chickens fed the diet supplemented with Artemisia at the 35 th and 42 nd day. Diet supplementation with A. annua essential oil and powder could be an effective solution in maintaining the proper microflora balance in the chicks' intestine.