Ramin Kasaeizadeh; Somayyeh Salari; Mohammad Reza Abdollahi; Farshad Baghban
Volume 26, Issue 1 , March 2024, , Pages 45-60
Abstract
Introduction: In the past studies, the beneficial effect of insoluble fiber in broiler feed has been well demonstrated. Studies have shown that moderate amounts of fiber in poultry diets lead to significant improvements in nutrient utilization efficiency. Depending on the type of dietary fiber (soluble ...
Read More
Introduction: In the past studies, the beneficial effect of insoluble fiber in broiler feed has been well demonstrated. Studies have shown that moderate amounts of fiber in poultry diets lead to significant improvements in nutrient utilization efficiency. Depending on the type of dietary fiber (soluble or insoluble), the particle size plays a role in the growth and development of gizzard and improves the mixture of digestive substances with digestive secretions. On the other hand, nutritionists are trying to respond to the rapid growth needs of birds by increasing the energy concentration of diets. Fats are considered for this purpose, as their energy value is at least twice that of carbohydrates and proteins. At a young age, the secretion of bile acids and the activity of pancreatic lipase are low, and therefore, the ability to digest fat in young broilers is compromised. Some studies have shown that cellulose and oat hull as a source of insoluble fiber (3%) in the diet of broiler chickens have increased the apparent digestibility of crude fat in the ileum and increased the availability of energy for the bird. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of sunflower hull with different particle sizes in diets containing different sources of fat on growth performance, digestibility of nutrients and the microbial population of the caecum of broiler chickens.
Materials and methods: This experiment was conducted using 360 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens in a completely randomized design with a 2×3 factorial arrangement for 42 days. Experimental treatments included: sunflower hulls (SFH) (without hulls, 3% with 1 mm particle size and 3% with 5 mm particle size) and different fat sources (3% tallow, 3% canola oil). Feed intake (FI) and body weight gain (BWG) of birds were recorded and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated. To determine the ileal digestibility of nutrients, 3 g/kg of chromium oxide was fed to chickens on days 37-42 of the rearing period. On the 42nd day of rearing, the ileum contents of 2 birds were collected and stored in a freezer at -20◦C. To investigate the morphology of the small intestine, 5 cm of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum were taken. Cecal microbial population also determined at 42 days of age. The data obtained from the experiment were analyzed using SAS statistical software and GLM procedure. To compare means, Duncan's (1955) multi-range test was used at a significant level of 5%.
Results and discussion: The results showed that, using of the coarse and fine SFH in the diet of broiler chickens increased FI and improved the FCR in the whole period of experiment (P<0.05). Canola oil improved FI and BWG compared to tallow (P<0.05). Apparent digestibility of crude protein and crude fat also increased by using of coarse SFH in the diet (P<0.05). The use of coarse SFH increased the villus height of duodenum and the villus height and thickness of ileum (P<0.05). Canola oil increased the villus height of ileum, but decreased the villus thickness compared to tallow treatment (P<0.05). The use of coarse SFH in the diet reduced the population of Escherichia coli bacteria in the cecum, and coarse SFH with different sources of fat increased the population of Lactobacillus (P<0.05).
Conclusions: In general, the results of the present study showed that the addition of coarse sunflower hull to the diet could improve the growth performance of broilers by increasing the digestibility of crude protein, crude fat, Lactobacillus population, and reducing the cecal population of E. coli. Although its interaction with canola oil also had positive effects on the population of beneficial gut bacteria.
Mozafar Rahimpour; Kamran Taherpour; Hossein Ali Ghasemi; Hassan Shizadi; Farhad Rostami
Volume 23, Issue 3 , September 2021, , Pages 433-446
Abstract
A 42-d study was conducted to investigate the effects of emulsifier and inulin supplementation in diets with different sources of fat on growth performance, carcass traits, immune response, and blood biochemical indices of broilers. A total of 800 one-day-old male broilers in a 2 × 2 × 2 ...
Read More
A 42-d study was conducted to investigate the effects of emulsifier and inulin supplementation in diets with different sources of fat on growth performance, carcass traits, immune response, and blood biochemical indices of broilers. A total of 800 one-day-old male broilers in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment with two fat sources (soybean oil and beef tallow), two emulsifier levels (0 and 0.1% lysophospholipids) and two levels of inulin supplementation (0 and 0.1%) were used in a completely randomized design with eight treatments, five replications and 20 chicks per replicate. Birds fed diets containing beef tallow and emulsifier had a lower feed conversion ratio and abdominal fat percentage than birds fed diets containing soybean oil and emulsifier (P <0.05). The abdominal fat percentage and feed conversion ratio were lower in birds that received fat and inulin diets than other birds (P<0.05). Birds fed the emulsifier-containing diet had higher values of primary and secondary antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus, and secondary titers of total antibody and IgM against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) compared to those fed the emulsifier-unsupplemented diet (P<0.05). Daily weight gain and antibody titer against Newcastle disease and SRBC were higher in birds receiving the inulin-supplemented diet compared to other birds (P<0.05). In conclusion, the use of 0.1 % emulsifier and inulin, either singly or in combination, in the diet of broiler chickens can be useful for improving growth performance and immune response.