An experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of citric acid (CA) (0, 3 and 6%) and microbial phytase (MP) (0, 500 and 1000 U/kg) on morphology of different segments of small intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) in broiler chickens fed on corn and soybean meal based diets. The effect of 9 experimental treatments (3×3 factorial design) were assessed using 270 7-d-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks in a randomized complete block design in three replicates of 10 birds each. The mean villi length (VL), crypt depth (CD) and goblet cell number (GCN) in duodenum, jejunum and ileum and villi width (VW) and VL:CD ratio in duodenum was significantly greater for the birds fed on acidified diets compared to the control birds at day 42 of age (P<0.01). Inclusion of 3% CA in diet significantly decreased the epithelial thickness (ET) in duodenum, jejunum and ileum (P<0.01). The birds received diets with 1000 U/kg of MP showed significant increase in CD (P<0.01) and GCN in jejunum (P<0.05), and significant decrease in VL:CD ratio and ET in the duodenum (P<0.01), jejunum (P<0.05) and ileum (P<0.01) segments. No variable of interest were affected by CA × MP interaction. It was concluded that CA and MP independently exhibit positive impact on morphometery of small intestine, toward facilitating the nutrient absorption and reducing the metabolic demands of the intestinal tract in broiler chickens.

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The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of bee glue (BG) on the performance, relative visceral weights, some blood parameters, and immune status of broilers. A total of 200 male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments: basal diet (BD), and basal diet supplemented with 600, 700, 800, and 900 mg kg −1 of BG. Each of the 5 diets was fed to 4 replicates of 10 chicks each from 0 to 42 days of age. The results indicated that the highest body weight, average daily gain, average daily feed intake, carcass weight, and carcass yield were observed in broilers offered 800 mg kg −1 of BG (P < .05). Inclusion of BG improved the feed conversion ratio compared with the control group (P < .01). The calculated European broiler index and crop percentage were greater for the birds received 800 and 900 mg kg −1 of BG compared with that of the control birds (P < .05). Inclusion of 900 mg kg −1 of BG significantly increased the relative weight of spleen and bursa, but reduced total triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL, and LDL: HDL ratio than the control group (P < .05). The serum IgG and IgM levels were increased for the birds received 700 to 900 mg kg −1 BG (P < .01), and addition of BG to the basal diet significantly increased antibody response against sheep red blood cell at 35 days of age (P < .05). It was concluded that an addition of 800 mg kg −1 BG to diet improves economic efficiency possibly by creating miniscule improvement in FCR and promoting immune response of broilers. ARTICLE HISTORY

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of esterified glucomannan (E-GM) on performance, immunity, blood haematological and serum biochemical parameters in broilers exposed to diets naturally contaminated with mycotoxins. A total of 630 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to 9 treatments and 5 replicates of 14 chicks based on factorial (3 × 3) arrangement in completely randomized design. The dietary treatments included 3 levels of substituting naturally contaminated corn (0%, 50% and 100%), three levels of E-GM (0%, 0.05% and 0.1%) and their interaction. Body weight gains (BWG), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were evaluated from 7 to 49 days of age. Haematology, serum biochemical and enzyme activities were assessed. Antibody titre against Newcastle disease virus and infectious bursal disease was measured to evaluate the humoral immunity. In comparison to diets with no contamination, 50% and 100% naturally contaminated corn significantly decreased FI, BWG and FCR (P < .05). Supplementing 0.05% and 0.1% E-GM considerably improved the decreased BWG and FI (P < .05). However, only 0.1% binder ameliorated the negative impact of mycotoxins on FCR (P < .05). Replacement of contaminated corn remarkably diminished humoral immunity of chickens and increased liver enzyme activities which ameliorated by supplementing 0.05% and 0.1% of binder inclusion (P < .05). Results indicated that supplementing E-GM particularly at 0.1% level efficiently reversed the adverse effects of mycotoxins on broiler chickens. ARTICLE HISTORY

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feed form and xylanase supplementation on the growth performance, energetic efficiencies, energy partitioning, and nitrogen (N) balance of Ross 308 male broilers fed wheat-based diets. The experiment was conducted as a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial arrangement with 2 levels of feed forms (mash or pellets) and xylanase (0 or 500 mg/kg), and five feeding levels (ad libitum, 85%, 70%, 55%, and 40% of ad libitum intake). Each of the 20 dietary treatments was fed to 5 replicate pens (5 birds/pen) from 22 to 42 days of age. A significant interaction between feed form and xylanase on was observed for average daily feed intake and heat production (p < 0.01). Pelleting and dietary supplementation with xylanase increased average daily gain and feed conversion ratio but decreased (p < 0.05) average daily feed intake. Broilers fed xylanase-supplemented diet ingested and pelleted diet retained more than in those fed the mash form or the diet without xylanase. Xylanase and pellets decreased (p < 0.01) heat production and metabolizable energy intake (MEI), but increased retained energy (p < 0.05). The birds fed xylanase also needed less MEI per gram of N retained than those fed the diets without enzyme (p < 0.01). Estimation of both metabolizable and net energy requirements for maintenance as a function of BW showed that requirements for broilers fed pelleted diet and xylanase-supplemented diet were lower than in those fed mash form or the diet without xylanase (p < 0.01). The higher energetic efficiencies for retention were estimated in the birds offered pelleted and xylanase-supplemented diets compared with the values determined for those fed the diet with mash form or the diet without xylanase (p < 0.05). The efficiency of energy utilization for protein for birds fed xylanase-supplemented diets was higher (p < 0.01) than those fed diets without xylanase, and fat deposition for broilers fed the pelleted diet was greater than those fed the mash diet (p < 0.01). Because MEI for maintenance requirements represents a large portion of the MEI, the results from this experiment could be considered in calculation of energy requirements for finishing broilers fed wheat-based diets.

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A 35-day experiment was carried out to study the effects of acidified and alkalinized diets on zootechnical indices, tibial calcium and phosphorous retention, bone mineralization and liver enzymes activity using 250 Ross 308 male broiler chicks. Five treatments consisting of a control diet (CD), CD acidified using 10, 20 and 30 g/kg citric acid (CA) and CD alkalinized with Ca (OH) 2 (8.9 g/kg in growth period and 8.6 g/kg in finisher period) were examined in 5 replicates of 10 birds each from day 7 up to day 42 of age. Inclusion of 30 g/kg CA significantly increased body weight, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed efficiency, tibia ash, tibia Ca content, at day 42 of age (P<0.05). Serum alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were elevated in the birds fed with the 30 g/kg CA-treated diet at day 42 of age (P<0.05). Alkalinized diet significantly reduced ADFI, tibia ash, tibial P and Ca contents, bone breaking strength and plasma Ca concentration (P<0.05). It was concluded that the diet acidified with 30 g/kg CA promoted productive performance and tibia mineralization in broiler chicken. Alkalinized diet suppressed growth performance of the birds perhaps through disrupted mineral absorption and altered liver enzymes activity.