• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.567-576
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• 2022

Objective: An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of algae-based antioxidant containing Se yeast (EconomasE^®) on the growth performance, visceral organ weight, meat quality, and oxidative stability of broiler chickens. Methods: Nine hundred sixty, day-old male broiler chickens (Cobb, 43.97±0.55 g) were divided into three dietary treatments and allocated into 12 deep litter pens in a completely randomized design giving 4 replicate cages for each treatment. Three dietary treatments were: i) control (CON, basal diet with sufficient nutrient), ii) vitamin E (VitE, basal diet supplemented with 100 IU VitE), and iii) Algae-based antioxidant containing Se yeast (EcoE, basal diet supplemented with 0.2% algae-based antioxidant containing Se yeast: EconomasE^®). Maize soybean meal based basal diets were formulated to meet or exceed the nutrition requirement for broiler chickens. Chickens were fed ad-libitum experimental diets during the 42 days experiment period. On days 21 and 42, body weight and feed intake were measured to calculate the feed conversion ratio of the chickens. Intestine and visceral organs were measured together with meat quality and oxidative stability on days 14 and 42. Results: Chickens fed with EcoE showed improved (p<0.05) growth performance, meat quality, and higher (p<0.05) oxidative stability compared to the chicken fed on CON. Moreover, broiler chickens fed with EcoE showed similar (p<0.05) growth performance with better (p<0.05) meat quality and higher oxidative stability compared to the broiler chickens fed VitE (p<0.05). Conclusion: The algae-based antioxidant containing Se yeast can be supplemented into commercial broiler diets as a substitution of VitE while maintaining growth performance with enhancing meat quality and oxidative stability of the broiler chickens.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.1839-1848
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• 2021

Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate the comparative effects of dietary functional nutrients including glutamine (Gln), chromium picolinate (Cr picolinate), vitamin C (Vit C), betaine (Bet), and taurine (Tau) on growth performance, meat quality, immune responses, and stress biomarkers in broiler chickens raised under heat stress conditions. Methods: A total of 420 21-d-old Ross 308 male broiler chickens (initial body weight = 866±61.9 g) were randomly allotted to 1 of 7 treatment groups with 6 replicates. One group was kept under thermoneutral conditions and was fed a basal diet (PC, positive control). Other 6 groups were exposed to a cyclic heat stress condition. One of the 6 groups was fed the basal diet (NC, negative control), whereas 5 other groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.5% Gln, 500 ppb Cr picolinate, 250 mg/kg Vit C, 0.2% Bet, or 1.0% Tau. The diets and water were provided ad libitum for 21 d. Results: Broiler chickens in NC group had decreased (p<0.05) growth performance and immune responses measured based on cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity (CBH), but increased (p<0.05) stress responses measured based on feather corticosterone concentrations and blood heterophil:lymphocyte than those in PC group. However, none of dietary functional nutrients had a positive effect on growth performance of broiler chickens. Dietary supplementation of 250 mg/kg Vit C improved (p<0.05) CBH responses of broiler chickens, but other functional nutrients had no such an improvement in CBH responses. All functional nutrients decreased (p<0.05) stress responses of broiler chickens. Conclusion: Functional nutrients including Gln, Cr picolinate, Vit C, Bet, and Tau at the supplemental levels used in this study decrease stress responses of broiler chickens to a relatively similar extent. However, this reduction in stress responses could not fully ameliorate decreased productive performance of broiler chickens raised under the current heat stress conditions.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.1075-1082
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• 2023

Objective: Animal feed companies and researchers are currently embarking on quests for feed additives that could combat the pathogens while promoting growth as well as maintaining quality products. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of onion extracts on growth performance, carcass quality, and bone morphometrics of broiler chickens. Methods: A total number of 200 one-day-old unsexed Ross 308 broiler chicks were assigned to 5 treatment groups, replicated 4 times. Each replicate (pens) held 10 chickens in a completely randomized design. The experimental diets were then randomly allotted to the pens which act as experimental units. The isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets were formulated by including onion extracts at 0, 5, 10, 15, or 25 g/kg in a complete broiler diet. Feed intake, and body weight, were recorded then used to calculate feed conversion ratio. At the end of the experiment (42 days), four chickens from each pen were randomly selected for slaughter for carcass, bone morphology and sensory evaluation. Results: Results showed that onion extract supplementation did not affect (p>0.05) growth performances and meat sensory evaluation. However, there was a significantly increased (p<0.05) meat shear force in groups receiving onion extracts dietary treatments. Furthermore, onion extracts improved (p<0.05) bone morphology of broiler chickens in terms of weight, diameter, calcium, and phosphorous contents. Conclusion: In conclusion, onion extracts can be safely included in a commercial broiler diet as a growth promoter without causing adverse effects on growth performance traits and carcass quality in chickens. Onion extract supplementation improved tibia bone growth and strength in broiler chickens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.305-312
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• 2020

Objective: The present trial was conducted to determine the influence of different dietary fatty acid (omega-3 and omega-6) sources on reproductive performance of female broiler breeders and growth performance and carcass traits of their progeny. Methods: Two hundred and twenty, 25 weeks old Ross-308 male (20) and female (200) broiler breeders were used in the experiment for the period of 6 weeks. All birds were randomly divided into four dietary treatments (containing 2% soybean oil, 2% sunflower oil, 2% flaxseed oil, and 2% fish oil) each with five replicates of one male and ten females. Throughout this experiment hatching performance of broiler breeders, progeny growth performance and carcass parameters were recorded. Results: The results showed that the inclusion of different fatty acid sources in female broiler breeders diet had no significant effects (p>0.05) on number of fertile eggs, post-hatch mortality, and fertility rate. The soybean oil supplemented group had significantly (p<0.05) higher late embryonic mortality compared to other three treatments. Conclusion: It was concluded that inclusion of 2% of different sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (especially 2% flax seed oil) in broiler breeders' diet can reduce late embryonic mortality. The other reproductive characteristics of parents and growth and carcass characteristics of progeny remained unaltered by dietary sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1585-1591
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• 2022

Objective: The present study examined the effects of exogenous emulsifiers and multi-enzyme supplementation into a low energy density diet on growth performance, visceral organ parameters, blood metabolites, ileal morphology, and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens from hatch to 21 days. Methods: One hundred and sixty-eight one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated in a completely randomized design to 24 pens and each pen was assigned to one of four dietary treatments to give six replications with seven chickens in a cage. Dietary treatments were: i) positive control with standard energy level (PC); ii) negative control with 100 kcal/kg lower energy of the standard level (NC); iii) NC diet supplemented 0.05% calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate as an emulsifier (NC+E); and iv) NC diet supplemented with both 0.05% calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate and 0.05% multi-enzyme (NC+E+M). Corn and soybean meal-based control diets containing vegetable oil were formulated to meet the Ross 308 nutrition specification. Chickens were fed ad-libitum with the treatment diets and sampling was conducted on day 21. Results: Our results revealed that emulsifier and multi-enzyme supplementation into NC diets improved (p<0.05) feed efficiency of the broiler chickens compared to the broiler chickens fed NC diets from hatch to 21 days. Supplementation of emulsifier and multi-enzyme into NC diet improved (p<0.05) nutrient digestibility of the broiler chickens. However, emulsifier and multi-enzyme supplementation into diet did not influence (p>0.05) visceral organ weight, blood metabolites, and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens fed NC diets. Conclusion: Supplementation of emulsifier and multi-enzyme in the NC diet would support improving growth performance in young broiler chickens with improved feed efficiency and increased nutrient digestibility thereby curtailing the negative impact of energy reduction in the diets.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 2000

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementions of 0.1% probiotic and 0.1% yeast culture on the growth performance and meat quality of broiler chicks. A total of 160 Arbor Acre broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 16 pens ; four pens per treatment and 10 birds per pen. Feeding trial lasted for 6 weeks. The results obtained are summerized as follows : The body weight gain and feed intake was slightly higher in group of broiler chick supplemented antibiotic than those of other treatment groups, but were not significantly different among treatments. The feed conversion were slightly lower in groups of broiler chick supplemented antibiotic and probiotic than those of other treatment groups, but were not significantly different among treatments. The pH of thigh musle was slightly higher in group of broiler chick supplemented probiotic than those of other treatment groups. Crude protein, crude fat and crude ash of thigh muscle were lower in groups of broiler chick supplemented probiltic and yeast culture than those of other treatment groups, but were not significantly different among treatments. The saturated fatty acid content of the thigh muscle was tende to be higher in group of broiler chick supplemented yeast culture, but the unsaturated fatty acid content was tende to be lower in group of broiler chick supplemented yeast culture than those of other treatment groups.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.171-178
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• 2021

A comparative study was conducted to examine the effects of mixed and separate gender feeding on growth performance of Korean native chickens (KNC) against a white semi-broiler (WSB) and a commercial broiler (CB) over five weeks. 576 chicks were used with eight birds per cage in a randomized complete block design with 18 replicates per breed. For the KNC lines, three groups of male (M), female (F) and mixed-gender (FM) were used. Fresh water and feed were supplied on an ad-libitum basis. Birds were fed a standard starter (d 1 - 22) and grower diet (d 23 - 35). Body weight (BW), feed intake, and shank length (SL) were measured weekly. From the BW and feed consumed data, the average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated. The commercial broiler showed higher performance (p < 0.05) for all the indices measured for the entire period. The CB group consumed more feed and were more feed-efficient thus grew faster. This group was followed by the white semi-broiler and the KNC, in order. An intra-breed comparison for KNCs revealed that the males showed better growth performance with longer SL (p < 0.05) compared to the female and mixed-gender groups. The results showed that other than the breed type, mixed and separate gender feeding impacted on the growth performance of the two lines of Korean native chickens. Males for both lines of KNC generally performed better for the parameters measured, as determined by a greater BW and reduced FCR.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.549-554
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• 2016

The present study was conducted to investigate whether dietary essential oils could affect growth performance, relative organ weights, cecal microflora, immune responses and blood profiles of broiler chickens fed on diets containing different nutrient densities. A total of eight hundred-forty 1-d-old male broiler chicks were randomly allotted into twenty-eight pens (7 pens per treatment, 30 chicks per pen). There were four experimental diets containing two different nutrient densities and supplemented with or without essential oils. Experimental period lasted for 35 days. No clear interaction between nutrient density and essential oils on any of growth performance-related parameters was observed. Live body weights were affected (p<0.05) by nutrient density at 21 days and by dietary essential oils at 35 days. Essential oils significantly (p<0.05) increased daily body weight gain and feed conversion ratio during the periods of 22 to 35 and 1 to 35 days, but failed to affect feed intake during the entire experimental period. Daily weight gain at 1 to 21 days and feed intake at 1 to 21 and 1 to 35 days were significantly impaired (p<0.05) by nutrient density. There were significant treatment interactions (p<0.05) on relative weights of bursa of Fabricius and abdominal fat contents. Finally, either essential oil or nutrient density did not influence the relative percentages of breast and leg meats, the population of cecal microflora, blood parameters and antibody titers against Newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis in broiler chickens. It was concluded that dietary essential oils, independent to nutrient density, failed to stimulate feed intake, but increased growth performance in broiler chickens.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1181-1192
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• 2021

Objective: The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of dietary hatchery by-products (HBPs) as a replacement of fish meal (FM) on growth performance, relative organ weight, plasma measurements, immune organ index, meat quality, and tibia characteristics of broiler chickens. Methods: A total of 720 broiler chickens (3 d of age) were randomly allotted to 1 of 9 treatments with 8 replicates. Each replicate consisted of 5 male and 5 female birds. The basal diet was formulated to contain 5.0% commercial FM, whereas eight treatment diets were prepared by replacing 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of FM in the basal diet with infertile eggs (IFE) or a mixture of various HBPs (MIX); therefore, the inclusion levels of IFE or MIX in the experimental diets were 1.25%, 2.50%, 3.75%, or 5.00%. The diets and water were provided on an ad libitum basis for 32 d. Results: Increasing inclusion levels of IFE as a replacement of FM in diets had no effects on growth performance, plasma measurements, immune organ index, and tibia characteristics of broiler chickens. Increasing inclusion levels of IFE in diets increased (linear, p<0.05) meat lightness (L^*) but decreased (linear, p<0.05) meat redness (a^*). The breast meat pH at 1-h postmortem was increased (linear, p<0.05) by increasing inclusion levels of IFE in diets. Likewise, increasing inclusion levels of MIX in diets had no effects on growth performance, relative organ weight, plasma measurements, immune organ index, and tibia characteristics. However, increasing inclusion levels of MIX in diets increased (linear, p<0.05) 1-h postmortem pH but decreased (linear, p<0.05) 24-h postmortem pH of breast meat. Increasing inclusion levels of MIX in diets decreased (linear, p<0.05) thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of breast meat. Conclusion: Both IFE and MIX are suitable alternatives to FM as protein ingredients in broiler diets.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.1263-1276
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• 2024

Objective: Pine needles are rich in many nutrients and exhibit antibacterial and antioxidant biological activities; however, the effects of different production methods of pine needle additives on the growth performance and intestinal flora of broiler chickens are not known. Methods: Normal diets were supplemented with pine needle fermentation juice (PNF), pine needle soaking juice (PNS), or pine needle powder (PNP), and the associated effects on growth performance, relative organ weights, intestinal development, intestinal histological morphology, intestinal flora, meat quality, and serum indicators in broiler chickens were observed. Results: The results showed that PNF, PNS, and PNP all significantly improved feed utilization and promoted the growth and development of broilers. All three additives also significantly improved the structure of the intestinal flora, specifically increasing the diversity of bacteria; increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium, Rikenella, and Blautia; and decreasing the abundance of harmful bacteria, such as Staphylococcus. The antioxidant properties of pine needles were also found to intensify lipid metabolic reactions in the blood, thus leading to lower triglycerides and total cholesterol. Meanwhile, high doses of PNF reduced jejunum and ileum weights and also increased meat yellowness. Lastly, none of PNF, PNS, or PNP had an effect on relative organ weights or intestinal histological morphology. Conclusion: The addition of pine needles to the diet of broiler chickens can effectively promote their growth performance as well as improve their intestinal flora and serum status without side effects; in particular, the dose of 0.2% of either PNF and PNS is expected to have the capacity to replace growth-promoting antibiotics as diet additives.