The present study was designed to evaluate the productive performance of commercial broiler chicks fed Spirulina platensis and chlorella vulgaris algae containing diets. Four hundred and twenty day-old unsexed Cobb broilers chicks were used in this experiment. Birds were legs-banded, individually weighed, and randomly distributed into seven equal experimental groups; with three replicates of 20 chicks each. The average initial body weights of the treatments groups were nearly similar without significant differences. Chicks were kept in floor pens and subjected to 23 h. lighting along the experimental period which extended to 6 weeks of age. The house temperature was maintained at about 34ºC during the first 3 days, 32ºC during next 4 days and thereafter, gradually decreased by 3ºC weekly down to 24ºC. Basal control diet was formulated to contain 3100 kcal ME/kg and 23.01% crude protein during the starting period (till 21 days of age) followed by 3200 kcal ME/kg and 20.05% crude protein during the finishing period (21-42 days of age). The basal control diet was supplemented with spirulina and/or chlorella powder at levels of (1 g spirulina), (2 g spirulina), (1 g chlorella), (2 g chlorella), (0.5 g spirulina + 0.5 g chlorella), and (1 g spirulina+1 g chlorella/kg of diet, respectively). The obtained results cleared that birds fed 2 g spirulina/kg diet achieved superior means of body weight, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio compared to the control group and the other treatments.

trial was carried out to determine the effects of diet supplementation with propolis on performance and activity of antioxidant enzymes in broiler chickens. Two hundred and forty oneday-old unsexed Cobb broilers chicks were randomly distributed into four equal experimental groups; with three replicates of 20 chicks each. Chicks were fed different levels of propolis including 0, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg diet for 6 weeks. The mean weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio were recorded weekly. Carcass traits and hematological parameters were determined at the end of the experiment. Also, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH) and catalase (CAT) activities were determined. The results showed that, Using of propolis at 125 mg/kg in the diet lead to significant increase (P<0.001) in body weight (2866.67g); final weight gain (2825.67g) and improve feed conversion ratio (1.62). Relative organs weight, dressing and carcass percentage were improved in the supplementation groups. In addition, propolis supplementation showed significant improvement in the WBCs, RBCs, Hb, PCV and MCHC. Also, the results showed that the administration of propolis causes significant (P<0.01) decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) level and significant (P<0.001) increase of antioxidant system as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, CAT and glutathione peroxidase (GSH) levels in blood. Supplementation of natural antioxidant (propolis) facilitates reduction of the negative effects on performance and enhanced the antioxidant system which resulted in decreased mortality as compared to the control. Economic efficiency of groups fed supplemented diet with propolis had improved significantly compared to control.

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An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary supplementation of two Cu sources: inorganic (copper sulfate) and organic (copper yeast) with different levels of metabolizable energy on productive performance of broiler chickens. Three dietary metabolizable energy levels were used in starter period from 1 to 28 days old (2900, 2800 and 3000 kcal/kg); the corresponding values in finisher period (29 to 42 days old) were 3000, 2900 and 3100 kcal/kg, respectively. One-day-old Cobb broiler chicks were randomly assigned into nine experimental groups, each with three replicate groups. Diets containing 2900 and 3000 kcal ME were used as controls for the starter and finisher periods, respectively. In the starter diets (2800 and 3000 kcal ME/kg) Cu was supplemented at 50 and 100 mg/kg as copper yeast and at 50 and 100 mg/kg as copper sulfate. In the finisher diets (2900 and 3100 kcal ME/kg) the same sources and levels of Cu were added. During the whole experimental period, dietary supplementation with organic and inorganic copper caused a significant increase in LBW of birds compared with their controls. Birds fed the high ME diets plus Cu yeast consumed significantly less feed compared with the control group, but chicks fed the low ME diets plus copper consumed approximately similar amounts of feed compared with the control. Birds fed the high ME diets plus organic or inorganic copper displayed significantly better FCR than the control. Dietary Cu supplementation had no significant effect on carcass yield of broilers, expect those fed the high ME diet plus 100 ppm Cu yeast which exhibited significantly higher carcass yield compared with their control group. Birds fed the low ME diets plus 50 ppm Cu yeast or 100 ppm CuSO4 and those fed the high ME diets plus 100 ppm Cu yeast and those given diets plus 50 or 100 ppm CuSO4 displayed significantly higher total edible parts compared with the control group. Broiler fed diets containing the high ME diets supplemented with 50 or 100 mg/kg organic copper had higher means of net revenue and economic efficiency compared with the control birds. It can be concluded that birds fed the high ME diets plus 100 ppm organic copper can improve productive performance of broilers.

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