This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of nanosilicon dioxide (nSiO 2 ) on performance, egg quality, liver histopathology and concentration of calcium (Ca), phosphorus and silicon (Si) in egg, liver and bone in laying quails. The experiment was administered using 60 laying quails at 16-26 weeks of age with five treatments [0 (control), 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg nSiO 2 per kg of diet] and four replicates in a completely randomized design. During the experiment, the amount of feed intake was recorded weekly and performance parameters were measured. During the last 3 days of the experiment, all of the eggs in each replicate were collected and egg quality parameters were measured. At the end of 26 weeks of age, the birds were sacrificed and blood samples were collected. Liver samples from each treatment were fixed in 10% buffered formalin for histopathological assessment. The right thigh bone and a portion of liver were inserted in plastic bags and stored at -20. The results showed that nSiO 2 supplementation significantly affected egg weight and egg mass (P \ 0.05). Also, dietary nSiO 2 supplementation decreased the yolk weight and increased the shell weight (P \ 0.05). Moreover, nSiO 2 increased bone ash content, Ca and Si concentration in the bone (P \ 0.05). The liver enzymes in plasma and the liver tissue histopathology were not significantly affected (P [ 0.05) by dietary treatments. In conclusion, the results indicated that dietary supplementation of nSiO 2 could improve bone density and performance without any adverse effect on the health of laying quails.
To determine effects of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) and zinc supplementation in lead exposed quails, 180 adult female quails allocated into 9 groups. 1. Negative Control (NC, Fed with a corn-soy-based diet), 2. Cornsoy-based diet supplemented with 500 mg/kg lead acetate (Positive control), 3. Positive control supplemented with 0.5 % Purslane powder (PP), 4. Positive control supplemented with 1 % PP, 5. Positive control supplemented with 1.5 % PP, 6. Positive control supplemented with 140 mg/kg zinc, 7. Positive control supplemented with 0.5 % PP + 140 mg/kg zinc, 8. Positive control supplemented with 1 % PP + 140 mg/kg zinc, 9. Positive control supplemented with 1.5 % PP + 140 mg/kg zinc. Lead administration significantly decreased body weight, egg mass, egg production, liver weight, Haugh unit, serum concentrations of hematocrit, total protein, triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein concentration of quails (P<0.05). Serum alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activity significantly increased when compared with the NC (P<0.05). Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver and erythrocyte showed significant decrease (P<0.05). Lead administration resulted in a significant decrease (P<0.05) in total antioxidant capacity and increase in serum malondialdehyde. However, supplementation diet with 1.5% of PP reduced serum and liver malondialdehyde (P <0.05). Liver tissue of the birds in NC showed normal lobular architecture with central veins, radiating hepatic cords and portal triads, while this organ showed mild to severe tissue changes in lead exposed groups (P<0.05). It can be concluded that lead-exposure induced production of free radicals and weakened the antioxidant defenses of the quails. However, antioxidant status of quails partially improved when fed diets supplemented with 1.5 % PP and 140 ppm Zn.
Study evaluated effects of including soluble and insoluble dietary fiber sources in soybean oil-containing diet for broiler chickens on coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of amino acids, coefficient of apparent retention (AR) of nutrients, and nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn). A total of 180 broilers were divided into 30 groups and fed 3 diets from day 14 to 21 of age. The diets were corn-soybean meal containing 6.8% soybean oil without or with soybean hulls (SBH) or sugar beet pulp (SBP) at 8.0% as sources of insoluble and soluble fiber, respectively. The SBH and SBP contained 6.0 and 14.7% of soluble dietary fiber, and 60.5 and 37.0% of insoluble dietary fiber, respectively. The AID of indispensable amino acids was decreased (P< 0.05) due to dietary inclusion of SBH, but not of SBP. Dietary SBH and SBP reduced the AR of gross energy (by 14 and 8%, respectively) and AMEn (by 20 and 14%, respectively) Overall, inclusion of SBH or SBP at 8.0% in a corn-soybean meal-based diet for broilers that contains high level of soybean oil might not improve nutrient digestibility. However, SBP has less detrimental effects on nutrient digestibility than SBH.
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