Ali Reza Ghiasvand; Hassan Shirzadi; Hossein Ali Ghasemi; Kamran Taherpour; Shokoufeh Hasanvand; Ali Khatibjoo
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the optimal arginine level in the diet of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) and evaluate its effects on growth performance, feed efficiency, and carcass yield using broken-line and quadratic regression models.
Method: For this purpose, a total ...
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Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the optimal arginine level in the diet of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) and evaluate its effects on growth performance, feed efficiency, and carcass yield using broken-line and quadratic regression models.
Method: For this purpose, a total of 600 twenty-one-day-old Japanese quail chicks were divided into five different treatments with digestible arginine levels of 0.75%, 1.00%, 1.25%, 1.50%, and 1.75%. Six replicates were used for each treatment, with 20 quails per replicate. The experimental diets were similar in all essential nutrients except for arginine. The experiment was conducted from day 21 to day 35, and during the experimental period, various performance parameters, including body weight gain, feed efficiency, and carcass yield, were measured. Additionally, the effects of different arginine levels on the chemical composition of breast and thigh meat were evaluated.
Results: The results indicated that increasing arginine levels had a significant impact on body weight gain and feed efficiency in the quails (P<0.05). Specifically, the 1.25% arginine treatment showed the greatest body weight gain and feed efficiency compared to the other treatments (P<0.05). This treatment showed a significant difference compared to the 0.75% and 1.00% treatments (P<0.05), with no significant difference compared to the 1.50% arginine treatment. No significant changes in feed intake were observed (P>0.05), indicating that greater arginine levels improved feed utilization efficiency due to increased body weight gain. To estimate the arginine requirement, both broken-line linear and quadratic regression models were employed. The broken-line linear model with a single slope identified breakpoints at 1.15% for body weight gain and 1.21% for feed efficiency. Additionally, the quadratic broken-line model predicted breakpoints at 1.30% for body weight gain and 1.29% for feed efficiency. The quadratic regression model showed that at 1.37% arginine, the greatest body weight gain was observed, and at 1.36%, the greatest feed efficiency was recorded. For carcass yield, the 1.25% arginine treatment showed the greatest carcass yield on day 35, with a significant difference compared to the 0.75% and 1.75% treatments. Both broken-line and quadratic regression models indicated that the optimal arginine level for the greatest carcass yield was approximately 1.12% and 1.26%, respectively. Additionally, the quadratic regression model predicted that the optimal level for carcass yield was 1.32% arginine. However, the chemical composition of breast and thigh meat was not affected by the arginine levels, and no significant changes in dry matter, organic matter, and ash content were observed.
Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that the use of broken-line linear and quadratic regression models are effective tools for accurately estimating the arginine requirement in the diet of Japanese quails. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the optimal arginine level for improving growth performance and carcass yield in Japanese quails was set between 1.15% and 1.37%. These findings can contribute to optimizing dietary formulations in the quail farming industry, improving production efficiency, and reducing feed costs.
Maryam Karimi- Zandi; Hassan Shirzadi; Ghasemi, Hossein Ali; Mohammad Amir Karimi-Torshizi; Kamran Taherpour; Enayat Rahmatnejad
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a toxin binder and organic acids on growth performance, serum lipid profile, health indices, carcass traits, and meat quality of broiler chickens challenged with aflatoxin B1 and Clostridium perfringens.
Methods: A total of 420 one-day-old ...
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Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a toxin binder and organic acids on growth performance, serum lipid profile, health indices, carcass traits, and meat quality of broiler chickens challenged with aflatoxin B1 and Clostridium perfringens.
Methods: A total of 420 one-day-old as hatched Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 7 treatment groups, each with 6 replicates of 10 birds. The treatments were as follows: Control – basal diet without additives or challenges; A – basal diet, challenged with aflatoxin; AM – basal diet with toxin binder, challenged with aflatoxin; AMO – basal diet with toxin binder and organic acids, challenged with aflatoxin; ACP – basal diet, challenged with aflatoxin and C. perfringens; ACPM – basal diet with toxin binder, challenged with aflatoxin and C. perfringens; and ACPMO – basal diet with toxin binder and organic acids, challenged with aflatoxin and C. perfringens. Aflatoxin B1 (500 ppb) was administered throughout the trial, and C. perfringens (1×108 cfu/mL) was introduced on day 15 for ten consecutive days. Both the toxin binder and organic acids were added at 0.2% of the basal diet.
Results: Inclusion of a toxin binder, either alone or in combination with organic acids, alleviated these negative effects of aflatoxin challenge (P<0.05), and the combined challenge with aflatoxin and C. perfringens further decreased energy and protein efficiency ratios as well as specific growth rate (P<0.05). The toxin binder alone improved specific growth rate, and its combination with organic acids enhanced energy and protein efficiency ratios. The combined challenge increased serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level (P<0.05). The inclusion of toxin binder lowered these values, and its effect was more pronounced when used in combination with organic acids. Inclusion of toxin binder also decreased the LDL to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio, atherogenic coefficient, and cardiac risk ratio in aflatoxin- and C. perfringens -challenged birds (P<0.05). Supplementation with both toxin binders and organic acids elicited greater improvements in these physiological indices relative to the toxin binder alone. Aflatoxin and dual challenges increased cooking loss in the pectoralis major muscle and reduced press loss and dry matter content in both pectoralis major and thigh muscles (P<0.05). Aflatoxin exposure alone increased the relative weight of the heart (P<0.05), and the combined challenge reduced breast weight and increased heart and liver weights (P<0.05). The combined use of toxin binders and organic acids elicited the most pronounced improvements in these traits compared to the toxin binder alone.
Conclusion: When feed is contaminated with aflatoxin, the addition of a toxin binder to broiler diets is a beneficial strategy. In the presence of a concurrent C. perfringens infection, use of a toxin binder plus organic acids provides superior protection and performance benefits.
Zahra Alimohammadi; Hassan Shirzadi; Kamran Taherpour; Ali Khatibjoo
Abstract
Introduction: With the increase of the population in the last century, the need for protein sources, especially protein with animal origin, has increased. One of the important and inexpensive sources of animal proteins is poultry products. However, many food-borne diseases that are among the most obvious ...
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Introduction: With the increase of the population in the last century, the need for protein sources, especially protein with animal origin, has increased. One of the important and inexpensive sources of animal proteins is poultry products. However, many food-borne diseases that are among the most obvious problems related to human health are transmitted to humans through poultry products. Generally, poultry are sensitive to pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium, Salmonella, and Campylobacter. Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are the main causes of bacterial enteritis in humans and account for about 90% and less than 10% of deaths in people with campylobacteriosis, respectively. Poultry farmers use antibiotic growth promoters to prevent the colonization of pathogenic bacteria, but their use has been banned in European Union since 2006 due to antibiotic resistance. However, in order to prevent the reduction of growth performance and mortality caused by the colonization of pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to introduce suitable alternatives. The antimicrobial potential of several medicinal plants, some plant-derived bioactive compoundsas well as some organic acids against a suspension of two Campylobacter serotypes (including 8 strains of C. jejuni and 3 strains of C. coli) has been investigated, under in vitro study. It has been revealed that oregano, rosemary, and cinnamon have a higher potential in reducing campylobacter colonization, among other phytobiotic compounds. Considering that under in vivo conditions, no research has been conducted on these medicinal plants with broiler chickens exposed to Campylobacter colonization. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the growth performance, excreta microbiota, intestinal morphology, and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens challenged with C. jejuni and evaluating the potential of oregano, rosemary, and cinnamon in reducing the negative effects of this pathogen.
Material and Methods: A total of 192 one-day-old chicks were randomly allocated to 6 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 4 replicates of 8 birds. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1-negative control (NC; basal diet without additive and without of C. jejuni); 2-positive control (PC; basal diet without additives but challenged with C. jejuni); 3-basal diet + Erythromycin (55 mg/kg); 4-basal diet + oregano powder (3 g/kg); 5- basal diet + rosemary powder (3 g/kg) and 6-basal diet+cinnamon powder (3 g/kg). All chickens were orally gavaged once a day with a suspension of C. jejuni live culture (2×108 cfu/mL, 1 mL/bird) on days 21 to 25, with the exception of those fed the NC. Throughout the experimental period, the birds were fed ad libitum and had free access to water.
Results and Discussion: The results showed that the C. jejuni, while weakening performance during the growth period, caused an increase in campylobacter colonization and a decrease in lactobacilli counts of the excreta (P<0.05). The reason for the improvement of the microflora can be due to the presence of antibacterial compounds such as thymol, carvacrol, verbenone, and cinnamaldehyde in the composition of the mentioned medicinal plants. Campylobacter jejuni also decreased the digestibility of organic matter and led to a decrease in villous height, villous height to crypt depth ratio, and villi surface area in the jejunum (P<0.05). The reason for the improvement of the intestinal morphology by herbal additives can be due to the improvement of the microflora of the digestive tract. All the negative effects arising from C. jejuni were alleviated by dietary treatments containing feed additives (P<0.05).
Conclusion: In general, it can be concluded that oregano and rosemary have the potential to reduce the pathogenic effects of Campylobacter jejuni and can be used as suitable alternatives to antibiotics in feeding broilers.
zahra nooreh; Kamran Taherpour; Mohammad Akbari Gharaei; Hassan Shirzadi; Hossein Ali Ghasemi
Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of hydro alcoholic extract of Ferulago angulata, antibiotic, probiotic, and vitamin-selenium mixture on growth performance and immune responses of broiler chickens under heat-stress conditions. A total of 350 day-old male broiler chickens (Ross ...
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This study was conducted to investigate the effects of hydro alcoholic extract of Ferulago angulata, antibiotic, probiotic, and vitamin-selenium mixture on growth performance and immune responses of broiler chickens under heat-stress conditions. A total of 350 day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were used in a completely randomized design with 7 dietary treatments and 5 replicates (10 chicks/replicate). Experimental treatments were as follow: no heat stress, without any additive in the diet (negative control; NC); challenged with heat stress, without any additive in the diet (positive control; PC); PC + antibiotic; PC + probiotic; PC + vitamin and selenium mixture; and PC + 200 or 400 mg/kg of Ferulago angulata extract. The results showed that all dietary supplements decreased the negative effects of heat stress on growth performance (P<0.05). All experimental diets(except diet containing antibiotic ) increased the lymphocyte counts, but decreased hetrophil counts and heterophil: lymphocyte ratio compared with the PC group (P<0.05). Secondary total titer and IgG titer against SRBC were higher in broilers receiving dietary supplements under heat stress conditions (P<0.05). The 400 mg/kg of Ferulago angulata extract increased the cell-mediated immune response after an intradermal injection with phytohaemagglutinin-P in the toe web (P<0.05). According to the results of this experiment, the use of 400 mg/kg of Ferulago angulata extract in broiler diets improves growth performance and immune response under heat stress conditions, and can be used as a suitable alternative to antibiotics and common supplements under the heat stress conditions.
Hassan Shirzadi; Hossein Nasermanesh; Ali Khatibjoo; Kamran Taherpour; Mohammadi Akbari Gharaei
Abstract
The effect of sweet wormwood essence (SWE) and Lactobacillus acidophilus on performance, ileal microbiology, ileal morphology and ileal nutrient digestibility of laying Japanese quails was investigated in 180 46-d-old female Japanese quail that were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a completely ...
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The effect of sweet wormwood essence (SWE) and Lactobacillus acidophilus on performance, ileal microbiology, ileal morphology and ileal nutrient digestibility of laying Japanese quails was investigated in 180 46-d-old female Japanese quail that were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a completely random design with 4 replicates and 9 birds per each. The experimental diets were as follows: basal diet as control group (without additive), basal diet plus Oxytetracycline (200mg/kg), basal diet plus SWE (250mg/kg), and basal diet plus lactobacillus acidophilus (4 cfu per kg diet). Results showed that the use of Lactobacillus acidophilus increased the egg mass per hen-housed compared to control and SWE treatments (P<0.05). The number of lactobacilli in the ileal digest was also significantly increased by Lactobacillus acidophilus and SWE treatments, when compared with control treatment (P<0.05). In addition, birds fed with diets containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Oxytetracycline showed a significant increase in villous height and villous height:crypt depth, when compared with those on the control diet (P<0.05). It can be concluded that the use of Lactobacillus acidophilus as an alternative to antibiotics is more appropriate than SWE.
Hassan Shirzadi; Hossein Nasermanesh; Ali Khatibjoo; Kamran Taherpour; Mohammadi Akbari Gharaei
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Artemisia annua L. essential oil (AAEO) and probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus) on egg and carcass quality of laying Japanese quails. A total of 180 46-d-old female Japanese quail were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a completely randomized ...
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The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Artemisia annua L. essential oil (AAEO) and probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus) on egg and carcass quality of laying Japanese quails. A total of 180 46-d-old female Japanese quail were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with five replicates and nine birds per each. The experimental diets were: 1) basal diet as control group (without additive), 2) basal diet plus oxytetracycline (200 mg/kg), 3) basal diet plus AAEO (250 mg/kg) and 4) basal diet plus probiotic (4 CFU Lactobacillus acidophilus per kg diet). Results showed that the use of probiotic caused to an increase in the cumulative egg weight and daily egg mass, when compared with control and AAEO treatments (P<0.05). In comparison to control group, supplementing the basal diet with AAEO resulted in decreases on MDA level of egg yolk (P<0.05) and liver weight (P=0.06). In addition, the F3 and F2 follicles weights were increased when the basal diet supplemented with each of the feed additives (P <0.05). It can be concluded that, Lactobacillus acidophilus can be used as an alternative to antibiotics for increasing the egg production, and AAEO can be used to produce healthy products in feeding laying Japanese quails.
Hassan Shirzadi; Hossein Nasermanesh; Ali Khatibjoo; Kamran Taherpour; Mohammadi Akbari Gharaei
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effects of Artemisia Annua L. essential oil (AAEO) and probiotic (lactobacillus acidophilus) as an alternative to antibiotic in feeding laying Japanese quails. A total of 180 46-d-old laying Japanese quails were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments ...
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The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effects of Artemisia Annua L. essential oil (AAEO) and probiotic (lactobacillus acidophilus) as an alternative to antibiotic in feeding laying Japanese quails. A total of 180 46-d-old laying Japanese quails were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 4 replicates of 9 birds, and the experiment lasted up to 109 days of age. The experimental diets were: 1–basal diet as control group (without additive), 2–basal diet plus oxytetracycline (200 ppm), 3–basal diet plus AAEO (250 ppm) and 4– basal diet plus probiotic (4 CFU per kg diet). Results showed that the use of probiotic caused an increase in the egg mass, when compared with control and AAEOtreatments at entire period (P<0.05). The groups fed probiotic and AAEO showed a significant decrease in the serum glucose, cholesterol and LDL levels when compared with those fed antibiotic (P<0.05). Moreover, the group fed AAEO had low lymphocyte and high heterophil counts when compared with those fed diet supplemented with probiotic and antibiotic (P<0.05). In addition, the number of white blood cells and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio in AAEO group were higher than other groups (P<0.05). It can be concluded that lactobacillus acidophilus could be used as a growth promoter in feeding laying Japanese quails.