ABSTRACT:A study was conducted to study the effects of feeding a spray-dried metabolite (SDM) produced by Lb. plantarum I-UL4 in the diets of postweaning rats on growth performance, faecal pH, Enterobacteriaceae bacterial and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts in the faeces and on plasma cholesterol concentrations. A total of 15 female 4-weeks-old Sprague dawley rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups of diets: basal diet (control), 0.25% SDM and 0.5% SDM diets. Daily feed intake, daily growth rate, blood plasma for total cholesterol concentration and faecal Enterobacteriaceae and LAB were measured. The growth rate, total feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and pH were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among all the treatment groups. The faecal Enterobacteriaceae counts in the 0.25% and 0.5% groups were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in the control group. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the LAB counts among all the treatment groups. The plasma cholesterol concentration was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) following the feeding of the metabolite. The control had the highest concentration of cholesterol. However, the 0.5% SDM group had the lowest plasma cholesterol concentration, followed by the 0.25% SDM group.

The study investigated the effects of varying dietary calcium (Ca) levels and sources of oil on performance of broiler chickens. A total of 378 one-day-old birds were fed 6% palm oil (PO), soybean oil (SO) or linseed oil (LO) in combination with three levels of Ca, 1%, 1.25% and 1.5%, for six weeks in a 3 x 3 factorial experiment. Birds fed diet supplemented with SO and PO had higher average daily gains, more abdominal fat and greater villi height compared with those fed LO. However, feed efficiency, apparent digestibility of organic matter, ether extract, crude protein and ash were similar across treatments. Regardless of oil source, the chickens fed diets containing 1.5% Ca had a lower bodyweight and apparent digestibility of organic matter, crude protein, ether extract and phosphorus (P) than those fed 1% and 1.25% Ca. In contrast, the birds fed 1.25% Ca had higher ash, Ca and P digestibility than did the 1% Ca birds. Interaction between source of oil and Ca level on mineral digestibility was significant. It can be concluded that palm oil could be used as an alternative to soybean and linseed oils to improve growth performance in broiler chickens. Moreover, increasing the level of Ca to 1.25% can improve broiler performance and apparent nutrient digestibility, regardless of the type of oil used in the current study. ______________________________________________________________________________________

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Aims: Postbiotic metabolites are metabolic compounds produced by probiotic lactic acid bacteria. These compounds produced by Lactobacillus sp. have been shown to be effective substitutes for in-feed antibiotic in livestock due to their broad inhibitory activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of various carbon and nitrogen sources on the bacteriocin-inhibitory activity of postbiotic metabolites produced by Lactobacillus plantarum I-UL4. Methodology and results:The effects of various combinations of carbon and nitrogen sources on the bacteriocininhibitory activity (expressed as modified bacteriocin activity, MAU/mL) of postbiotic metabolites produced by L. plantarum I-UL4 were determined in basal media without micronutrients. The combination of glucose (20 g/L) and yeast extract (22 g/L) gave the best bacteriocin-inhibitory activity as compared to other combinations. Maximum bacteriocininhibitory activity of 1440 MAU/mL was achieved when 36.20 g/L of yeast extract was added as the sole nitrogen source in modified de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) medium. The glucose concentration was further optimised to enhance the bacteriocin-inhibitory activity of the postbiotic metabolites. Lower bacteriocin-inhibitory activity was observed at 5, 10, 15 and 40 g/L in comparison to 20 g/L of glucose. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Maximum bacteriocin-inhibitory activity of postbiotic metabolites was achieved at 1440 MAU/mL when 20 g/L of glucose and 36.20 g/L of yeast extract were added as the sole carbon and nitrogen sources respectively in the modified MRS medium. Optimisation of other micronutrients present in MRS media is necessary to further enhance the bacteriocin-inhibitory activity of postbiotic metabolites produced by L. plantarum I-UL4.

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Larvae meal has been reported as a suitable alternative protein source to fish meal and soybean meal. It contains necessary essential amino acids required in poultry feeding. A feeding trial was conducted to assess the effects of feeding different levels of larvae meal on broiler performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass and meat quality, and bacterial count. Day-old male broiler chicks (216) were raised for 42 days. Birds were weighed and randomly allotted into 6 dietary treatments consisting of 6 replicates (pens) per treatment and 6 birds in each replicate. The dietary treatments were supplemented with earth larvae meal by 0% (control group), 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%. The feed and drinking water were provided ad lib. The findings showed that body weight, average daily gain and total weight gain for group of birds fed 0% larvae meal significantly decreased compared to those chickens fed 8% and 10% larvae meal. A higher crude protein digestibility was found in birds fed with larvae meal. Control group had the highest Enterobacteriaceae count compared to the other treatments. Larvae meal supplementation improved the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and meat quality of broiler chicken and decreased excreta Enterobacteriaceae counts.

This study compares the effects of sodium selenite, selenium yeast, and enriched bacterial organic selenium protein on antioxidant enzyme activity, serum biochemical pro les, and egg yolk, serum, and tissue selenium concentration in laying hens. In a 112-d experiment, 144 Lohman Brown Classic hens, 23wks old were divided into four equal groups, each has six replicates. They were assigned to 4 treatments: 1) a basal diet (Con), 2) Con plus 0.3 mg/kg feed sodium selenite (SS); 3) Con plus 0.3 mg/kg feed Seyeast (SY): 4) Con plus 0.3 mg/kg feed bacterial enriched organic Se protein (ADS18) from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia bacteria. On d 116, hens were euthanized (slaughtered) to obtain blood (serum), liver organ, and breast tissue to measure antioxidant enzyme activity, biochemical pro les, and selenium concentration. The results show that antioxidant enzyme activity of hens was increased when fed bacterial organic Se (ADS18), resulting in a signi cant (P < 0.05) increase in serum GSH-Px, SOD, and CAT activity compared to other treatment groups. However, ADS18 and SY supplementation increase (P < 0.05) hepatic TAC, GSH-Px, and CAT activity, unlike the SS and Con group. Similarly, dietary Se treatment reduced total cholesterol and serum triglycerides concentrations signi cantly (P < 0.05) compared to the Con group. At 16 and 18 weeks, selenium concentration in hen egg yolks supplemented with dietary Se was higher (P < 0.05) than in Con, with similar patterns in breast tissue and serum. Supplementation with bacterial organic Se (ADS18) improved antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased total serum cholesterol and serum lipids, and increased Se deposition in egg yolk, tissue, and serum. Hence, organic Se may be considered a viable source of Se in laying hens.