1. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with vitamin E (as alpha-tocopherol acetate), dried rosemary leaves and rosemary volatile oil on the performance, meat quality (measured as sensory variables, pH, colour, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and bacteria count) and serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in broilers fed on maize-soybean meal based diets. 2. A total of 800 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 8 dietary treatments, which were set up with 1 control group and 7 experimental groups. The control group (VitE1) was given a basal diet including 50 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol acetate, while the experimental groups were given 5 x 7 g/kg rosemary plant (R1), 8 x 6 g/kg plant (R2), 11 x 5 g/kg plant (R3), 100 mg/kg plant oil (RO1), 150 mg/kg plant oil (RO2), 200 mg/kg plant oil (RO3) or 200 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol acetate (VitE2). 3. Although there were no statistical differences observed for feed consumption, other performance variables including live weight gain, feed efficiency and carcase yield were significantly affected. The addition of rosemary volatile oil had more effect on the performance variables than did the rosemary plant itself. 4. As a measure of meat shelf life, TBA analyses were performed on the meat samples on d 1, 3 and 5 after culling. Meat MDA levels of groups fed diets with rosemary and rosemary volatile oil were significantly lower than that of groups fed diets containing alpha-tocopherol acetate alone. 5. Significant differences were also seen between the control and experimental groups for meat colour and meat pH values as well as for sensory analyses. 6. Microbiological analyses conducted at the end of the experiment showed that E. coli counts were significantly reduced in meat samples from the experimental groups. 7. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with rosemary and its volatile oil improved broiler meat quality. Moreover growth performance was positively affected by the rosemary volatile oil supplementations.

ABSTRACT:The effects of humic acid on feed consumption, egg production, feed efficiency, egg weight and external and internal egg quality of laying hens were studied during feeding periods. A total of 180 (Hysex Brown) layers (36 weeks of age) were used in this experiment. There was one control and two experimental groups, each containing 60 hens and 4 subgroups. The experimental period lasted 16 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the supplementation of humic acid had a significant effect on feed consumption and feed efficiency. An increase in egg production was determined when humic acid was added to the diets at 30 g/t of feeds (91.70%) and 60 g/t of feeds (91.32%). There were no significant differences between the groups in egg shell thickness, egg shell breaking strength, yolk index, albumen index and Haugh unit. It can be therefore concluded that the dietary supplementation of humic acid at doses of 30 and 60 g/t feed can be used to improve egg production, egg weight and feed efficiency.

SummaryThis study was conducted to investigate the effects of stocking density and litter type on growth performance of broiler chickens as well as dressing percentage and some litter quality indicators. 684 male broiler (Ross PM3) was used for a 6 weeks period in the experiment. The day-old chicks were randomly assigned in two litter groups: Rice hulls and wood shavings. Each litter group was further divided in three stocking density (15, 19 and 23 chicks/m 2 ). Chicks in the each group were randomized into three replicates at hatch and they were housed in a deep litter pens (1x2 m, each) in an environmentally controlled house. The litter type and stocking density had significant effect on the final body weight of broiler (P<0.05, P<0.001), lenght of foot pad lesions of the birds (P<0.001, P<0.001), litter moisture (P<0.01, P<0.05) and litter pH contents (P<0.05, P<0.05). The results of this study suggest that greater stocking density more than 15 chicks per square meter and rice hull adversely affects live body weight of broilers and main litter quality indicators. But up to a critical point, profitability increases with increased stocking density because of the reduction of fixed cost and more kilograms production of broiler per area. Depends on the price and availability rice hull can be used as litter material instead of wood shaving. Keywords: Broiler, Stocking density, Litter type, Litter quality, Growth performance Etlik Piliçlerde Yerleşim Sıklığı ve Altlık Türünün Altlık Kalitesi ve Büyüme Performansı Üzerine Etkileri ÖzetBu çalışma etlik piliçlerde yerleşim sıklığı ve altlık tipinin büyüme performansı, karkas randımanı ve altlık kalite parametreleri üzerine etkisini araştırmak amacı ile yapılmıştır. Çalışmada Ross PM3 genotipi 684 adet erkek etlik civciv kullanılmış ve çalışma 6 hafta sürmüştür. Çevre kontrollü bir kümeste yer alan deneme ünitesinde; pirinç kavuzu ve odun talaşının kullanıldığı gruplar ile herbir altlık grubu üzerinde; metrekare alanda 15, 19 ve 23 adet civcivin yer aldığı (2x3=6) altı ana grup oluşturulmuş ve her ana grupta 3 tekrarlı grup yer almıştır. Altlık türü ve barındırma yoğunluğunun canlı ağırlık (P<0.05, P<0.001), ayak tabanı lezyonu (P<0.001, P<0.001), altlık rutubet (P<0.01, P<0.05) ve pH (P<0.05, P<0.05) üzerine etkisi önemli bulunmuştur. Çalışmada birim metrekare alanda onbeşten fazla hayvan sayısı ve pirinç kavuzunun canlı ağırlık ve altlık kalitesini olumsuz etkilediği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Ancak birim alandaki sabit masrafların azalması ve üretim miktarının artmasından dolayı kritik bir noktaya kadar yerleşim sıklığı artırılabilir. Fiyat ve elde edilme imkanlarına bağlı olarak odun talaşı yerine pirinç kabuğu da altlık olarak kullanılabilir.

1. This study was conducted to determine the effects of volatile oil mixture on quail laying performance, egg traits and egg malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. 2. A total of 260 Pharaoh quails (Coturnix coturnix Pharaoh) aged 6 weeks were equally divided into 5 groups of 65 (4 replicates of 13 quails each). The mixture of diets was as follows: a control treatment with 0 mg volatile oil/kg of diet; (1) 200 mg/kg rosemary volatile oil; (2) 200 mg/kg oregano volatile oil; (3) 40 mg/kg rosemary volatile oil plus 160 mg/kg oregano volatile oil (ratio 20:80) and (4) 160 mg/kg rosemary volatile oil plus 40 mg/kg oregano volatile oil (ratio 80:20). The diets were prepared fresh for each treatment. The experimental period lasted 10 weeks. 3. At the end of the experiment, there were no significant differences amongst the groups in body weight, egg weight, egg mass, egg shape index, Haugh unit, egg shell thickness or egg shell-breaking strength. 4. Diets containing rosemary volatile oil increased the egg production significantly. Feed intake significantly increased in the groups containing volatile oil mixture (groups 4 and 5). The inclusion of rosemary volatile oil at 200 mg/kg improved feed efficiency. 5. Egg albumen and egg yolk index values showed significant increases in the group given diets containing rosemary volatile oil. Egg yolk colour became darker with the addition of rosemary and oregano volatile oil. The treatment group had lower egg yolk MDA concentration than the control group. 6. It is concluded that, alone or in combination, rosemary and oregano volatile oil can be used in quail diets without adverse effects on the measured parameters. Inclusion of rosemary and oregano volatile oil in quail diets enhanced the antioxidant status of eggs.

The aim of this study was to investigate the individual and combined effects of rosemary, oregano and fennel volatile oil (FVO) supplementation on the performance and ilio-caecal bacteriological flora of broiler chickens. A total of 800 male Ross-308 broiler chickens were divided equally into 8 groups; each contained 100 chickens. The study included a control treatment (NC) with no dietary additives that was supplemented with oils according to the following 7 treatments: 200 mg α-tocopherol acetate/kg (PC), 100 mg oregano volatile oil (OVO)/kg, 100 mg rosemary volatile oil (RVO)/kg, 100 mg FVO/kg and an equal mixture of oregano+rosemary+fennel VO (100, 200, 400 mg/kg, VOM-1, VOM-2 and VOM-3, respectively). The experiment lasted for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, dietary supplementation with α-tocopherol, oregano, rosemary and FVO and two different volatile oil mixtures (VOMs) (VOM-2; VOM-3) significantly increased the body weights (BWs) of broilers at 7, 14 and 21 d of age compared to the negative control (NC) (-) and VOM-1 groups. At 0-42 d, birds fed on VOM-3 were considerably heavier and also gained more weight than NC (-) and VOM-1 groups. The blend of VOs at 400 mg/kg significantly increased Lactobacillus spp. in faeces. The blends of oregano, rosemary and FVOs (VOM-3) at 400 mg/kg concentration and also VOM-3 group exhibited stronger antibacterial activity against coliform bacteria compared to the NC (-) group. In conclusion, the blend of oregano, rosemary and fennel VOs at higher concentrations (400 mg/kg concentration) in diets can be used to stimulate the growth and can improve the intestinal microbial balance (including a reduction of coliform bacteria and an increase in Lactobacillus spp. counts) of broiler chickens.