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The present study was conducted to examine the antioxidant potential of African mistletoe (Viscum album L.) as alternative feed additive for Laying Pullets. Fresh African mistletoe leaves were harvested from cocoa trees and shade dried to constant weight. The leaves were grounded and were designated as mistletoe leaf meal (AMLM). Total of sixty ISA Brown pullets at 18 weeks old were randomly allocated to four dietary treatment consisting of 5 replicates with 3 birds per replicate, when egg production was 4% in a completely randomized design. The birds were fed layer ration and dietary mistletoe supplement as treatments T1 (basal diet + 0% AMLM), T2 (basal diet + 2% AMLM), T3 (basal diet + 4%AMLM) and T4 (basal diet + 6%AMLM) during 16 week feeding trial. At 8th week and end of the feeding trial, blood samples were collected through the Jugular vein into a sample bottle from all birds for serum oxidative indicator assay; malondialdehyde (mMDA/mgprotein), total antioxidant activity (mmol/litre), glutathione peroxidase (GPx, µgGSH/ min/mgprotein), superoxide dismutase (SOD, U/min/mg protein) and catalase (nmH2O2/min/ mg protein) using standard procedures. The result obtained revealed that at 8 weeks of lay, lipid peroxidation in laying pullets were significantly (P<0.05) lowered by mistletoe supplementation while total antioxidant activity of significantly (P<0.05) increased with mistletoe inclusion. Pullets fed 6% mistletoe supplemented diets significantly (P<0.05) enhanced catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity. Total antioxidant activity and all antioxidant enzymes of laying pullets increased, as laying cycle progresses, while lipid peroxidation reduced. This could signify that laying pullets have better antioxidative stability at 16 weeks of lay compared than pullets at 8weeks of lay. It can be concluded that African mistletoe leaf meal inclusion in laying pullets diet enhance antioxidant profile in pullets.inforMAtion Cronología del artículo. Recibido/Efecto antioxidativo de las dietas suplementadas de las comidas de hoja de mantequilla en las pulletas de colocación resUMen El presente estudio se llevó a cabo para examinar el potencial antioxidante del muérdago africano (Viscum album L.) como aditivo alimenticio alternativo para las gallinas ponedoras. Las hojas frescas del muérdago africano fueron cosechadas de los árboles del cacao y la cortina secó al peso constante. Las hojas se pusieron a tierra y se designaron como harina de muérdago (AMLM). Se asignaron aleatoriamente a un total de sesenta pollos marrones ISA a las 18 semanas de edad a cuatro tratamientos dietéticos consistentes en 5 repeticiones con 3 aves por repetición, cuando la producción de huevos fue del 4% en un diseño completamente al azar. Las aves fueron alimentadas con raciones de raciones y suplementos de muérdago dietético como tratamientos T1 (dieta basal + 0% AMLM), T2 (dieta basal + 2% AMLM), T3 (dieta basal + 4% AMLM) y T4 (dieta basal + 6% AMLM) ) durante el ensayo de alimentación de 16 semanas. A la octava semana y al final del ...

Aim:This study was designed to assess the potentials of dry garlic extracts to improve rooster semen quality for on-farm hen insemination. Study Design: Completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement. Place and Duration of Study: Poultry unit of the Teaching and Research Farm, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology Igboora, Oyo State, Nigeria. The study lasted for eight weeks. Methodology: Dry garlic was processed to obtain its aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts using standard procedures. The extracts were assessed for percentage free radicals scavenging ability and supplemented in egg-yolk citrate extender. The semen parts were randomly allotted to Balogun et al.; JABB, 13(2): 1-12, 2017; Article no.JABB.32395 2 three extender containing different extracts in different concentrations and eight nested inclusion. The extender was diluted with the semen in ratio 2:1. The samples were assessed for semen quality Parameters: pH, mass activities, motility, livability and sperm concentration. The extended semen samples that possess sperm motility above 50% were further considered for artificial insemination to assess in vivo fertilizing ability of the sperm cells. A total number of 120 hens were allocated randomly to each treatment at 5 hens/treatment. The hens were everted and extended semen was deposited into the intra vagina of the hens. The hens were inseminated twice weekly in the evening for a period of 6 weeks. Results: Aqueous garlic extracts performed better than its associate when supplemented into Quail egg-yolk citrate extenders for semen quality evaluation, evident by better mass activities, motility and viability across the inclusion levels. Higher fertility and hatchability was recorded across the treatments (3-6) with aqueous garlic extracts comparable to unextended semen performance. Conclusion: Aqueous garlic extract supplemented in quail egg yolk used as a poultry semen diluents, exhibited better antioxidant potential and has further elicited better sperm quality by enhancing in-vivo fertilizing potential of the sperm cells than the other two counterpart extracts. Original Research Article

Background Poultry semen cryopreservation remains an easy and promising way of preserving and transferring poultry germplasm. Standardizing and optimizing freezing procedure with natural extender may be a reliable step towards achieving better post-thawed sperm quality. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of four different freezing protocols (FP) on frozen rooster semen extended with tris coconut water extender (TCWE). A total of 20 roosters were used and trained for semen collection. TCWE was prepared by adding coconut water to tris buffer and kept at 37 °C. Semen was collected and pooled from the roosters and was evaluated for motility before dilution procedure. Three different concentrations (8, 10, and 15%) of two intracellular cryoprotectants glycerol and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) were supplemented in TCWE. Pooled semen was divided into six equal fractions, and TCWE containing cryoprotectants in different concentrations were diluted with the semen in ratio 1:2 (semen:extender). Diluted semen was manually filled in 0.25 ml straws and sealed. Semen straws were equilibrated for 4 h at 4 °C. Each straw fraction was further divided into four parts, and subjected to four FP (slow freezing 1, 2, 3 and fast freezing 4). Each FP was done on samples containing 8, 10, and 15% glycerol and 8, 10, and 15% DMSO. After each protocol, semen straws were finally deep into liquid nitrogen – 196 °C. After 48 h, the straws were thawed individually to evaluate post/thawed motility, viability, and membrane integrity. The experiment consists of three trials. Results At 8% glycerol concentration, FP1 has significantly (P > 0.05) the highest percentage motility (73.33%) compared to FPs 2, 3, and 4 (56.68, 50.00, and 23.33% respectively). At 10% glycerol, FP2 had the highest motility (48.33%) and HOST (64.00%). At 15% glycerol, FP4 (fast freezing) had the highest percentage motility (71.67%), viability (76.33%), and HOST (71.67%). At 8%, DMSO concentrations FP4 had the highest significant (P > 0.05) motility, viability, and HOST. Ten percent and 15% DMSO revealed no significant (P > 0.05) difference in most parameters among all the FPS. DMSO performed better than glycerol irrespective of concentrations in all FPS on most parameters evaluated. Conclusions Fast freezing performed better with 15% concentration of glycerol, while slow and fast freezing performed better with 10% and 15% DMSO concentrations, which implies that DMSO may serve as better cryoprotectant for poultry semen freezing irrespective of freezing protocols adopted.