Three hundred and sixty Hubbard broiler eggs were divided into two equal groups. In the first group, eggs were incubated at 37.5°C for up to 19 d, while those in the second group were incubated at the same temperature except for 3 d (days 6, 7, and 8) when they were exposed to 40.0°C for 3 h each day. Eggs were equally classified into three ascorbic acid (AA) treatments. The first one was sprayed with distilled water (control), while the second and third treatments were sprayed with same solution but containing 20 and 30 g AA L −1 , respectively. The highest embryo weight (EW) per gram and lowest yolk sac weight (YSW) per gram were obtained in the chronic group (P ≤ 0.05). Embryonic mortalities were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased, while hatchability was significantly decreased in the chronic group compared with the control group. Chick weight (g) and glucose and triiodothyronine (T3) levels were significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) in the chronic group compared with the control group. The heterophil-lymphocyte (H/L) ratio was significantly (P ≤ 0.01) affected by incubation temperature. Body weight (g) and percentages of liver, spleen, and bursa of Fabricius were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lower in broilers in the chronic group compared with the control group. Referring to AA treatment, EWs (g) were not affected, whereas YSW per gram, packed cell volume (PCV) (%), red blood cells (RBCs) (10 6), H/L ratio, and bursa percentage were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected.

This experiment studied the effect of DPP supplementation in the laying hens’ diet on the ovarian follicle development, hematological variables and hormonal profile of laying hens. Eighty-four, 78-week-old, Lohman LSL hybrids layers were equally divided into four groups (4 groups × 7 replicates × 3 hens); hens in the 1st group were fed a basal diet (control), while those in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups, were fed on the same diet and supplemented with 1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 g DPP/kg diet. The results showed that the egg weight, egg mass and laying rate of laying hens treated with DPP levels were significantly increased compared to those of the hens in the control group. Egg weight, egg surface area, albumen quality and percentage of the yolk in treated hens significantly increased compared with controls. The increased DPP levels in laying hens‘ diet significantly (p < 0.05) increased WBC, Hb and TAC, while heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L ratio) significantly decreased. Additionally, the concentrations of FSH and LH and the weights of ovary and oviduct in the treated hens significantly (p < 0.05) increased compared with the control. In conclusion, the DPP supplementation in the hen diet significantly improved egg production, EW, H/L ratio, ovarian follicles, FSH and LH hormones concentrations.

No abstract

This study evaluated the impact of incubation temperature and spraying hatching eggs with curcumin during the early embryogenesis phase on chick embryo developments, hatchability, physiological body reactions, and hormonal profiles of Dokki 4 chickens. A total of 720 fertile eggs were equally distributed into two groups. In the first group, the eggs were incubated at normal incubation temperature/NIT (37.8 °C and 55–60% RH) for up to 19 days of incubation, whereas those in the second group were incubated in the same conditions except from 6 to 8 day, in which they were daily exposed to chronic incubation temperature/CIT (39.0 °C) for 3 h. Each group was classified into four curcumin treatment doses; the 1st treatment (control) was sprayed with distilled water, while the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th treatments were sprayed with 250, 500, and 1000 mg curcumin/liter distilled water. The results indicated that the lowest hatchability of fertile eggs (%) was obtained in the CIT group (p = 0.02), whereas the highest body surface temperature/BST compared in the NIT group (p = 0.01). Regarding curcumin treatments, the percentages of heart, gizzard, spleen, and T3 hormone levels in the treated group were significantly increased, while the H/L ratio was significantly reduced (p = 0.001) compared with the control. At 8 weeks of age, the testes and ovary percentages in treated groups were significantly (p = 0.05) increased compared with the control. In conclusion, exposure of hatching eggs to high thermal stress (39 °C) during the incubation phase had deleterious effects on chick performance and T3 hormone level. Moreover, spraying hatching eggs had beneficial impacts on growth, reproductive organs, T3 hormone level, and reducing H/L ratio.

The impact of treatment with bee pollen (BP) on the productive performance and some hematological and physiological traits of rabbit bucks were studied under hot climatic conditions prevalent in Assiut during the summer season. A number of 30 rabbit bucks (15 Vline & 15 Moshtohor line); 14 weeks old were divided into three equal experimental groups. The bucks of 1 st group were fed on a commercial basal ration and served as control, while those in the 2 nd and 3 rd groups were fed on the same ration in addition to daily oral supplementation with 250 and 500mg BP/buck, respectively in gelatin capsulated form allover experimental period. The obtained results revealed significant rabbit line differences in total feed intake (TFI/g), RBCs (10 6), total protein (TP), glucose (mg/dl), total lipids (g/L), aminotransferase(ALT/IU/L), IgG (mg/dl), IgM (mg/dl) and Tri-iodothyronine (T3/ng/dl) hormone concentration. While, the differences were insignificant in the productive traits, Hb (g/dl), HTC (%), cholesterol (g/dl), total antioxidant capacity (TAC/mm/l), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (Testos) and Luteinizing hormone (LH) hormone concentrations. The total feed intake of bucks treated with 250 and 500mg BP/buck decreased by 4.45 and 8.48%, but the means of BW (g), BWG (g) and PI (%) increased significantly (P0.01 or 0.05) than those of the control. The means of Hb (g/dl), HTC (%), RBCs (10 6) and Lymphocytes (%) of the bucks treated with BP increased significantly (P0.01 or 0.05) than those of the control. The means of TP, albumin, globulin (g/dl) and glucose (mg/dl) levels as well as TAC (%), IgG (mg/dl), IgM (mg/dl) of the treated bucks significantly (P0.