Administration of fish oil (FO) in broiler diets can elevate a-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) levels, which are protective against cardiovascular disease. However, optimization based solely on n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) enrichment in chicken meat could lead to lower meat quality, unless the withdrawal period (plan) is applied for 1 week. The present study investigated whether the incorporation of FO in the diet for 32 days followed by its withdrawal for 1 week affected blood lipid profiles, lipoprotein particles, performance and meat flavor in male broiler chickens. Two hundred and forty birds (1-day-old, Ross 308) were assigned to 1 of 4 dietary groups: 0%, 1%, 2% or 3% FO with four replicates. Broilers were fed for 49 days according to a 4-phase feeding program. The experimental phase comprised day 11 to 42, and FO was removed on day 42. Blood samples were collected during the pre-and post-withdrawal period after the recordings before slaughter. The FO groups demonstrated decreased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and increased high-density lipoprotein levels on day 42 (P , 0.01); however, these values were not significant after design withdrawal. Diet supplementation with FO elevated the blood levels of palmitic acid (C16:0) and n-3 PUFAs, especially long-chain (LC) PUFAs (EPA, C20:5n-3 and DHA, C22:6n-3), and caused a decline in the level of arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4n-6; P , 0.05). Application of a one-week withdrawal period resulted in a decrease in (P , 0.05) linoleic acid (C18:2n-6) and an increase in the level of AA, unlike their amounts on day 42. Although blood and tissue LC n-3 PUFA levels on day 49 were significantly higher in the FO groups compared with the control, they demonstrated a substantial decrease on day 49 compared with day 42. The best results, mainly the lowest n-6/n-3 fatty acids (FAs) and feed conversion ratio (FCRs), were observed for 3% FO (group T4), even after institution of the withdrawal design. Degradation of total n-3 FAs deposited in tissues occurred after instituting the withdrawal plan diet, but deposited levels of EPA and DHA in tissues could ensure omega-3 enrichment of broiler meat in groups 3 and 4. On the basis of the dissatisfaction of the panelists toward group 4 meats (scored as near to acceptable) and their satisfaction with cooked samples of T3 (scored as good), group 3 meats were selected as good-quality n-3-enriched broiler meat.

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The Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) is farmed for its eggs and meat across the globe. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of the permanent or intermittent use of different levels of BC (bovine colostrum) on the egg performance and traits, carcass characteristics, blood biochemical and antioxidant status of laying Japanese quails. In this study, 200 laying quails were used for a duration of six weeks (week 24 to 30) to measure the selected parameters. Treatments included: (1) control (without BC); (2) 2% continuous BC; (3) 4% BC permanently; and (4) and (5) 2% and 4% BC intermittently (every other week), respectively. According to the results, performance, egg quality, carcass traits, biochemical indices and antioxidant status of BC-fed (continuous and intermittent mode) quails were improved compared to the control-diet-fed birds (p < 0.01). Per our observations, quails fed daily with 4% BC had the highest performance, best egg and carcass quality traits, best blood composition and best antioxidant status of serum, although the same parameters were also improved in birds fed intermittently with 4% BC. The final conclusion is that, although quails fed daily with 4% BC showed the best performance, intermittent feeding exerted comparable effects. Therefore, the intermittent-feeding approach could benefit the birds when colostrum preparation is limited due to the high cost of the related process. This approach could improve the economics of poultry breeding while reducing environmental problems, such as antibiotic resistance.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of colostrum powder on performance, intestinal morphology, blood biochemical parameters and antioxidant status of broilers in heat stress. In this experiment 224 Ross-308 broiler chicks were used from 1 to 42 days in 5 treatments and 4 replicates (12 birds per replicate) in a completely randomized design. Treatments included: 1) control (without using colostrum), 2) 0.5% of colostrum, 3) 1% of colostrum, 4) 1.5% of colostrum, and 5) 2% of colostrum powder. Colostrum powder was added in first 10 days of broilers breeding period in their diets. Colostrum powder had significant effects on performance, carcass traits and intestinal cells morphology of broilers in heat stress (P < 0.05). In grower period the highest amounts of final body weight and body weight gain were obtained with 2% of colostrum powder. Colostrum powder in contrast to control improved the percentages of gizzard, liver, bursa of fabricious, thighs and breast (P > 0.05). The highest villies, the lowest crypts and the highest ratio of villies/crypts were obtained with colostrum powder adding (P > 0.05). Colostrum powder had no significant effects on blood biochemical parameters and antioxidant status of broilers. The overall resulted showed that in broilers in heat stress condition using colostrum powder up to 2% in starter period has beneficial effects on performance, carcass traits and intestinal morphology of broilers.

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has an essential role in embryo implantation and placentation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of rs929271 SNP on LIF gene with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), placental location, and fetal gender in Iranian Azeri women. A total of 300 Azeri women (150 women with at least two recurrent miscarriages and 150 women with at least two healthy deliveries, as the control group) were genotyped for the 3'UTR region T>G SNP on LIF gene (rs929271) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Placental location and fetal gender were determined by two-dimensional sonography. The analysis showed that female embryos were more likely to abort than males (OR = 1.806, CI = 1.275 to 2.557, P value = 0.00083). The highest odds percentage ratio (OPR) of abortion were in women with fundal (OPR = 1.817) and anterior locations (OPR = 1.483); and the lowest in lower-lying placental locations (OPR = 0.448) (P = 0.0284). In this study, the frequency of T and G alleles were 0.99 and 0.01, respectively, and only two TT and TG genotypes were identified. Women with TG genotype had significantly more recurrent pregnancy loss than TT genotypes (P = 0.0133). The women with TG genotype compared with the TT genotypes were more likely to have low lying (OPR = 2.614) and anterior (OPR = 1.641) placental position. Also, the lowest OPR (0.231) for placental position of TG versus the TT genotype was posterior location (P = 0.0464). The allele G caused more (about 1.9 folds) female embryos than T allele, yet the difference was not significant (P = 0.34). In general, there are indications that the effect of this polymorphism on RPL is repeated due to its effect on the placental location and fetal gender. However, to confirm these results, there is a need to repeat this study in populations with more frequent G allele as well as other polymorphisms on the LIF gene.

This experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of replacement of different levels of soybean meal with sunflower meal on laying performance and egg quality parameters in laying hens. In this experiment, 360 laying hens from the age of 47 to 57 weeks, in 9 treatments and 5 replications (8 hens in each replication) were divided into a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement consisting of sunflower meal (0, 30, and 60%) and enzyme additive (0, 100 and 200 g/ton) in a completely randomized design for ten weeks. The results showed that the replacement of soybean meal with sunflower meal and enzyme has significant effects on the performance of laying hens. So that 60% replacement of soybean meal with sunflower meal increased the amount of daily feed intake of laying hens (P<.0.05). The use of 200 gr/ton of multi enzyme in laying hens diet, without having significant effects on other performance parameters, increased the amount of daily feed intake (P<.0.05). Concurrently, there was a non-significant (P>.0.05) trend for egg quality parameters, but weights of egg albumin were affected significantly (P<.0.05) substitution of 60% of sunflower meal in diets increased the amount egg albumin weight. In general, in laying hens, it is possible to replace 60% of soybean meal with sunflower meal without adversely affecting the performance and egg quality. The use of a multi-enzyme only increased the amount of feed intake.

Using nylon bag techniques, Cornell net carbohydrates and protein systems (CNCPS), and scanning electron microscopy, the authors examined the digestibility and structure of Vicia ervilia (ervil, bitter vetch) after steam flaking, roasting, and microwave processing. During the in situ technique, the samples were incubated at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, and 48 h. For the description of the ruminal DM (dry matter) and CP (crude protein) degradation kinetics of treated and untreated Vicia ervilia, different models were selected as the best fit for the dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradation parameters of steam flaked samples. The results showed that both the steam flaking and microwave treatment samples contained high levels of non-protein nitrogen and buffer soluble protein, respectively. In comparison with steam flaking and microwave treatment, roasting decreased and increased the buffer soluble protein and neutral detergent insoluble protein, respectively. The control treatments showed the highest levels of neutral detergent soluble protein and the lowest levels of acid detergent soluble protein. Moreover, steam flaking and roasting decreased and increased the amount of acid detergent insoluble protein, respectively. When using dry heat (microwave and roasting), the acid detergent soluble and insoluble protein fractions were increased. As a result of this experiment, the nitrogen fractions were altered using heat processing. Hence, protein fermented feed and ruminal fermentation conditions can be expressed using these results.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of thyme essential oil and enzyme supplementation on rations with two different energy (wheat or corn) and protein resources (soy or rapeseed meals) on gut morphology and protein digestibility of broiler chickens. Three hundred eighty-four male Ross-308 broiler chickens were used with a 23 factorial arrangement with treatments according to a completely randomized design. The morphological examinations of the intestine were carried out on 1-cm long excised segments from duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Adding wheat to the diet increased small intestine length in birds compared to other feedstuffs (P <0.05). Duodenum crypt depth and jejunum villi length were also higher in groups fed with rations containing wheat (P <0.05). Groups that received thyme essential oil and enzyme supplementation had increased length of the duodenum (P <0.05). However, the two- and three-factor interaction effects were not significant. Protein digestibility was not affected by treatment (P >0.05). Feeding wheat to broiler chickens may increase the surface area for nutrient absorption in the small intestine as compensation for the anti-nutritive activity of non-starch polysaccharides in wheat-based diets. Wheat based diets are expected to be acceptable for broilers when supplemented with appropriate enzymes or thyme essential oil.