Dietary arginine silicate inositol complex during the late laying period of quail at different environmental temperatures

Abstract

Arginine silicate inositol complex (ASIdagger; arginine 49.5%, silicon 8.2%, inositol 25%) is a novel material which is a bioavailable source of silicon and arginine. ASI offers potential benefits for vascular and bone health. Poor eggshell quality has been a major economic concern to commercial egg producers. Poor egg quality, skeletal abnormalities and architectural deterioration of bone tissue are common problems under hot conditions and in older birds. The effects of ASI supplementation on egg production, egg quality, levels of osteocalcin (OC) and bone mineral content were investigated in heat-stressed Japanese quail during the later part of the laying period. The birds were randomly assigned to six treatment groups consisting of six replicates of five birds each in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments (temperatures, ASI levels). The birds were kept in wire cages in a temperature-controlled room at either 22 degrees C (TN) or 34 degrees C (HS) for 8 h/d and fed either a basal (control) diet or the basal diet supplemented with either 500 or 1000 g of ASI/kg. Heat exposure reduced egg production, egg quality and bone mineralisation when the basal diet was fed. ASI supplementation had no effect on feed intake or egg production under TN or HS conditions. However, ASI supplementation increased egg weight, shell thickness, shell weight and Haugh unit in both TN and HS groups during the late laying period. Bone mineral density (BMD) was significantly improved by ASI supplementation in both TN and HS groups. Serum osteocalcin (OC) concentrations and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity increased linearly with dietary ASI supplementation during the late laying period. The amount of calcium and phosphorus in the excreta decreased, while ash, mineral content, calcium and phosphorus concentrations in tibia increased in ASI-supplemented quail in both TN and HS groups during the late laying period. ASI supplementation significantly improved egg quality and bone mineralisation in quail during the late laying period and did not affect feed consumption or egg production.

Effects of dietary supplementation of arginine and lysine on performance and egg quality characteristics of laying quails

“…Eggshell thickness was Table 3). Contrary to our findings, Onderci et al (27) reported that due to the relationship between silicon and calcium (which is vital for determining shell thickness), and arginine's disruption of the absorption of calcium, dietary arginine silicate-inositol complex supplementation at 0.05% and 0.1% levels led to an increase in shell thickness. Conversely, Önol et al (28) found that 0.15% lysine supplementation in hens did not change the shell thickness.…”

“…Arginine and lysine are important for poultry nutrition in terms of the promotion and development of growth (8,11,12,19), egg production and egg quality (15,26,27,28). Body-weight (BW) gain, feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in poultry are adversely affected by deficiencies of these amino acids (6,14,20,21).…”

Dietary arginine silicate inositol complex inhibits periodontal tissue loss in rats with ligature-induced periodontitis

“…Silicon supplementation inhibits bone resorption and increases trabecular bone volume and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis 42,43. Although limited in vivo research has been done, silicon increases osteoblastic activity and decreases osteoclastic activity in vitro 13,14,44. Schroder et al45 and Wiens et al46 reported that the OPG produced increased osteoblast-like cells exposed to silicate, but no changes occurred in the production of the receptor activator of RANKL.…”

“…These researchers stated that the increased OPG emission suppressed RANKL activity and consequently increased osteoclastogenesis. Additionally, Sahin et al13 and Onderci et al14 examined the effects of ASI complex on bone tissue in a study on poultry fed a diet supplemented with either 500 mg/kg or 1,000 mg/kg ASI. In these studies, increased levels of bone mineral density, calcium, and phosphorus were seen in the tibia, and increased levels of osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase were found in the serum, depending on dose in both of the experimental groups compared to the controls.…”

“…Arginine silicate inositol (ASI) complex is a novel, bioavailable source of arginine and silicon that could serve as an alternative agent for host modulation 11–14. The effects of arginine and silicon on bone and connective tissue metabolism in mammals are well documented, and the ASI complex has been shown to benefit bone and vascular health 15.…”