Effects of Dietary Nucleotides Supplementation on the Perfor-Mance of Broiler Chicks

Abstract

This study examined the effects of nucleotide supplementation on broiler chick growth performance, immunological response, carcass traits, meat quality, serum biochemical parameters, total antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology, mortality rate, and economic efficiency measures of broiler chicks. A total of 180 one-day-old chicks (Ross 308) were distributed into 6 groups, each of which consisted of 30 chicks, and each group was divided into 3 replicates so that each replicate contained 10 chicks fed on six experimental diets as follows: basal diet without oil or nucleotide (T1), basal diet with 1% soybean oil and without nucleotide(T2), 50 grams nucleotide per 100-kilogram diet with different fat sources (no oil(T3), 1% soybean oil(T4), 1% linseed oil(T5) &1% fish oil(T6) respectively during the experimental period (5 weeks). Growth performance parameters were detected per stage period. Four chicks from each replicate were used at the termination of the experiment for analysis of the above mentioned measurements. Results revealed that supplementation of nucleotide in diets of broiler chicks improved feed conversion ratio, carcass traits, intestinal morphology, serum biochemical parameters, immunological response, bursa of Fabricius weight, and the best ratios were observed in groups fed nucleotide in combination with fish and linseed oil. Also, there was an increased economic efficiency in the SBO fed group(T2) then group fed nucleotides in mix with linseed oil (T5) and control (T1). In comparison to the control groups (T1 & T2), groups fed nucleotides and PUFA oil sources had significantly lower n-6: n-3 ratio in breast muscle, and mortality rate.