Background and Aim: Tannins are functional secondary metabolites that may provide benefits to ruminants. However, to date, their effects on broiler chickens remain inconclusive. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of dietary tannin levels on the performance, body organs, and amino acid (AA) digestibility of broiler chickens using a meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: After verification and evaluation, a total of 22 articles were included in the present study. All data regarding dietary tannin dosages, performance, digestibility, and gastrointestinal physiology of broiler chickens were tabulated into a database. The database data were then statistically analyzed using mixed models, with tannin dose as a fixed effect and study as a random effect. Results: High levels of dietary tannins negatively affected the average daily gain and average daily feed intake of broiler chickens according to linear patterns (p<0.001). In addition, dietary tannins decreased drumstick and liver weights, as well as bursa of Fabricius and spleen weight (p<0.05). Meanwhile, other carcass traits (i.e., thigh, wings, and body fat) were not influenced by dietary tannins. Regarding AA digestibility, high dietary tannin concentrations induced negative responses on isoleucine, leucine, and methionine digestibility (p<0.05). Conclusion: Dietary tannins appear to have a negative effect on broiler performance, lymphoid organ weight, and AA ileal digestibility. Hence, the addition of tannins to broiler diets is not recommended.

Background and Aim: The presence of free radicals may lower chicken's performance. Thus, the antioxidant defense is needed and can be made through a nutritional approach such as selenium supplementation before hatches. This study aimed to investigate the type of selenium that, as an in ovo feeding (IOF) material, can provide the most enhancement of immunity, villi surface area, and early growth performance of local chickens. Materials and Methods: This study, with a completely randomized design, used 480 fertile Kampung Unggul Balitbangtan (KUB, a selected local breed) chicken eggs, with 120 eggs per treatment for four treatments. The four treatments of IOF material included the treatment with organic selenium yeast (SY), organic hydroxy-selenomethionine (HSM), inorganic sodium selenite (SS), and uninjected selenium (control). A solution containing 0.15 ppm of different selenium was injected into the egg amnion after 18 days of incubation. Once hatched, the chicks were placed in three individual cages for each treatment (capacity of eight birds per cage). The parameters observed were the villi surface area, antibody titer, the number of total and differentiated leucocytes, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity levels, and growth and feed efficiency of the early growth performance. Results: All the in ovo selenium feeding, except SS, significantly affected the villi surface area, antibody titer, and lymphocyte and heterophil percentages; however, the feedings were still not optimal for enhancing antibody titers and total and differentiated leukocytes. All types of selenium were demonstrated to increase the activity of GSH-Px significantly compared to the control treatment (p<0.05). Furthermore, the daily gain and feed conversion ratio of the groups treated with SY and HSM was significantly improved compared to that of the control group. Conclusion: In ovo SY and HSM improve immunity significantly, villi surface areas and performance. Therefore, both types are the best nutrient ingredients of IOF for building immunity and producing good performance in chickens.

BackgroundThe effect of choline chloride supplementation through forced drinking combined with concentrate diets containing Ca-fish oil on milk production and milk composition of Etawah Grade goats was evaluated. Choline chloride is an essential component in ruminant diets as it is required for fat metabolism.MethodThe experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with three types of treatments and eight replications. The trial had two successive experimental periods; the first, during the eight weeks of late pregnancy, and the second, during the first 12 weeks of lactation. Twenty-four Etawah Grade does in the second gestation period were divided into three treatment groups. Commercial choline chloride 60 % in corncobs-based powder was used as a source of choline chloride. The treatments were no supplementation (control) and supplemented with either 4 g or 8 g/2days of choline chloride. Choline chloride was given to the animals through a forced drinking technique, after dissolving it in 60 ml drinking water. The initial body weight of does was 38.81 ± 3.66 kg. The does were penned individually, and were given fresh chopped King Grass ad libitum and 700 g/day of concentrate diets containing Ca-fish oil, starting eight weeks prior to expecting kidding and continuing for 12 weeks of parturition.ResultsAll nutrient intakes were not significantly different (p > 0.05) among the treatments during the late pregnancy and the lactation periods. Supplementation did not affect (p > 0.05) the average daily gains and feed conversion ratio during pregnancy but gave effects (p < 0.05) on the average daily gains, feed conversion ratio and income over feed cost during lactation. The highest average daily milk yields and 4 % fat corrected milk yields were found in goats supplemented with 4 g/2days of choline chloride and increased by 17.00 % and 24.67 %, respectively, compared to the control. Moreover, milk composition percentage and milk constituent yields improved significantly (p < 0.05) in those supplemented with 4 g/2days of choline chloride.ConclusionThe supplementation of 4 g/2days of choline chloride through forced drinking increased milk yields, the 4 % fat corrected milk yields, milk composition, milk constituent yields, and improved feed conversion ratio and income over feed cost of Etawah Grade goats.

Demand of goat milk has been increasing, however, the milk production of local dairy goat, Etawah Grade (PE) is low. Crossbreeding was applied to increase milk production of PE. The objective was to evaluate reproductive traits and their heterocyst effects of F1 AN×PE (NE) does. Records of 39 F1 NE, 23 AN and 24 PE does were used. The age at first kidding (AFK), postpartum estrus (PPE) and kidding interval (KI) were affected by genotypes (P<0.05). The number services to conception (NSC), litter size (LS) and gestation length (GL) were not different (P>0.05). GL were 6.30, 1.27, 2.47, 0.40, 6.0, -0.97%, respectively. The F1 AN×PE crossbred does showed better reproduction performance than PE due to heterocyst effects caused by crossbreeding. The results of this study were an information base of the reproductive characteristics of F1 NE does used to improving their reproductive efficiency.

Livestock manure is reported to be one source of methane (CH4) emission. The objective of this study was to measure methane production from several types of livestock manure. The experiment used a completely randomized design (CRD), with 6 kinds of livestock manure (cow, buffalo, goat, rabbit, chicken, and duck). Each treatment was repeated three times during 8 weeks. The research method used to measure methane production was a closed chamber method, with intervals of 5 minutes. Methane samples were analyzed using gas chromatography. The results of the study showed that during eight weeks of observation, the kinds of livestock manure significantly (p <0.05) affected methane production at weeks 3, 6, 7, and 8. In those weeks, duck manure produced the highest methane production compared to other manure. Total methane gas production during 8 weeks observation which produced by duck manure was 97.99 mg g−1. Meanwhile, the lowest methane produced by rabbit manure (2.70 mg g−1). The study concluded that duck manure produced the highest methane, conversely, rabbit manure produced the lowest methane. The characteristics of fresh manure determine the level of methane production from manure. Making biogas is the best effort in mitigating methane from manure.