Abstract. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of in ovo feeding (IOF) of glutamine on hatchability, development of the gastrointestinal tract, growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. Fertilized eggs were subjected to injections with glutamine (Gln) (10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 mg dissolved in 0.5 mL of dionized water) on day 7 of incubation. Hatchability, growth performance, carcass characteristics (carcass weight and relative weights of breast, thigh, heart, liver, gizzard, abdominal fat, intestine, pancreas and spleen) and jejunal morphometry (measurement of villus height and width and crypt depth) were determined during the experiment. The weight of newly hatched chickens was significantly greater in groups with Gln injection than in control and sham groups. But IOF caused lower hatchability than in the control group (non-injected eggs) (p < 0.05). Chickens from IOF of Gln showed better weight gain and feed conversion ratio (0–42 days of age), when compared to chickens hatched from control and sham groups. The IOF of Gln significantly increased villus height, villus width and crypt depth at hatch period and villus height at 42 days of age. In addition, carcass weights and relative weights of breast, thigh and gizzard were also markedly increased in chickens treated in ovo with Gln; whereas heart, liver, abdominal fat, intestine, pancreas and spleen were not significantly altered at the end of the experimental period. These data suggest that the IOF of Gln may improve jejunum development, leading to an increased nutrient assimilation and consequently to greater performance in broiler chickens.

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An experiment was conducted to investigate the e ects of supplementation of broilers diet with both citric acid and microbial phytase on performance criteria and utilization of phytate phosphorus (P) in broiler chicks from day old to d of age. The experiment was carried out using a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement of (,. and percentage of citric acid and and IU of phytase enzyme per kg). Experimental diets were formulated so that had. lower available P than positive control diet. Four replicates of et al.,

This study was conducted to determine the effects of fermented milk products and probiotic on performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, and gut microbial population in broiler chickens. A total of 480 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were allocated to 30 floor pens in a completely randomized design with six treatments, five replicates, and 16 chicks (eight males and eight females) in each replicate. On the first day, the male and female chicks were weighed and divided by the feather sexing method so that the average body weight of chicks was approximately equal in each pen. Treatments consisted of six groups (including control): group 1 had a basal diet and normal drinking water, group 2 had a basal diet and probiotics (PrimaLac®) in drinking water as recommended by the manufacturer, group 3 had a basal diet and 2 % yogurt in drinking water, group 4 had a basal diet and 4 % yogurt in drinking water, group 5 had a basal diet and 2 % kefir in drinking water, and group 6 had a basal diet and 4 % kefir in drinking water. Chemical and microbiological characteristics of kefir and yogurt were measured after each production. The results showed that 4 % kefir, yogurt, and probiotic at the recommend level in water improved body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio compared with other groups (P<0.05). The results indicated that treatment had a significant effect on the carcass yield, intestinal length, thigh yield, and abdominal fat in male and female chickens (P<0.05). There were no effects on total bacteria population but the lactobacilli and coliform bacteria populations showed increasing and decreasing trends, respectively, with 4 % kefir, yogurt, and probiotic supplementation at 28 and 42 d (P<0.05). In addition, blood glucose and total protein increased when using a high levels of kefir, yogurt, and probiotic in water, while cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) concentrations were lower in 4 % kefir, yogurt, and probiotic at the recommended level. Consequently, the results of this study showed that the use of 4 % kefir, yogurt, and probiotic at recommended level in water had beneficial effects on the growth performance, intestinal bacteria population, and blood biochemical parameters in male and female broiler chickens.

KeywordsGrowth performance, Japanese quails, native lactobacilli, serum biochemical parameters. ABStRACtThe objective of the present study was to evaluate the probiotic effects of different concentrations of four selected native Lactobacillus strains on the growth performance and serum biochemical parameters of Japanese quails. A completely randomized design (CRD) was applied, including seven probiotic treatments with four replicates of 20 quails each, totaling 560 quails. Treatments were applied for five weeks. Four native Lactobacillus strains were anaerobically grown in a 10-L batch fermenter and lyophilized (10 10 CFU/g). Treatments were as follows: T1: control (basal diet); T2: commercial probiotic CP1; T3: commercial probiotic CP2; and T4, T5, T6, and T7: four native strains added at levels of 50, 100, 150, and 200 g/ton diet, respectively. The native probiotics significantly improved body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the starter, finisher, and overall periods (35 days) (p<0.05), whereas no significant effect was observed on feed intake. The native strains significantly influenced the serum glucose, total protein, globulin, phosphorus, uric acid, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), LDL/HDL ratio, white blood cell counts (WBC), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) of quails during the rearing period (p<0.05), whereas treatments had no influence (p>0.05) on blood cholesterol, calcium, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or hemoglobin (HB) levels or on red blood cell counts (RBC). The cecal and small intestine samples of the quails fed the native Lactobacillus strains contained significantly higher Lactobacillus spp. and lower E. coli populations compared with the control diet and those supplemented with commercial probiotics. It was concluded that the use of the native Lactobacillus strains (150 g/ ton diet) promoted the best performance of Japanese quails.

Abstract. The effects of a probiotic (protexin), a medicinal plant (basil essential oil) and an antibiotic growth promoter (avilamycin) as broiler feed additives on performance, carcass characteristics and some blood parameters of broilers were studied. A total of 600 Arian broilers were divided into six treatments, with four replicates of 25 birds. Treatments were a plant essential oil in three levels (200, 400 and 600 ppm), the probiotic (150 ppm), the antibiotic (150 ppm) and a control group with no additives. Birds in different treatments received the same diets during the experimental period. Growth performance, blood biochemical parameters and carcass traits were measured. There were no effects of dietary treatment on body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of the broilers. Internal organ weights and carcass characteristics were not influenced by treatments; however, 200 ppm basil essential oil supplementation decreased abdominal fat (P < 0.05). Biochemical parameters including serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and total cholesterol were not statistically influenced. However, addition of 400 ppm basil essential oil into diet increased serum triglyceride as compared to the control (P < 0.05). Results of this experiment demonstrated that the herbal natural feed additives such as basil may be used as alternatives to an antibiotic growth promoter without any adverse effects on broiler production.

This study was carried out to determination of in vitro binding capacity of wheat bran, rice bran, and perlite for Mn, Zn, Cu, and Fe. For this reason, wheat bran and rice bran were chemically analysed for moisture, protein, ash, ether extract, total carbohydrate, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, crude fibre, cellulose, hemicelluloses, phytic acid, Non-Fiber Carbohydrate, total dietary fibre, soluble dietary fibre, insoluble dietary fibre, DF + lignin, and endogenous minerals. Mineral binding capacity of wheat bran, rice bran, and perlite for Mn, Zn, Fe, and Cu under sequential simulated physiological conditions of the stomach, small intestine, and colon was investigated and compared. Rice bran showed the highest mineral-binding capacity in small intestine for Mn, Zn, and Cu. Among the minerals, Mn exhibited the lowest percentage of binding under the simulated physiological conditions of the small intestine and the highest percentage of removing occurred in the stomach for all of the treatments. Cereal bran's had an affinity for Cu > Zn > Fe > Mn. The amounts of minerals bound varied among samples. Rice bran showed the highest and perlite had lowest mineral-binding capacity in small intestine for Mn, Zn, and Cu. ARTICLE HISTORY

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