We evaluated the efficacy of yeast glucomannan (Mycosorb), incorporated into the diet at 0.5 and 1 g/kg, in reducing the detrimental effects of 2 mg aflatoxin/kg diet on growing broiler chicks from 1 to 21 d of age. A total of 240 male broiler chicks (Ross-308) was divided into 6 treatment groups [Control, Aflatoxin (AF), Yeast glucomannan (YG; 0.5 g/kg), AF plus YG (0.5 g/kg), YG (1 g/kg), and AF plus YG (1 g/kg)]. Ten chicks from each of the 6 groups were slaughtered and pathological examinations were performed on the liver, bursa of Fabricius, thymus, spleen and kidney. The aflatoxin treatment caused moderate to severe hydropic/fatty degeneration in the hepatocytes of the liver and the tubular epithelium of the kidneys, and follicular depletion in the bursa of Fabricius, thymus and spleen. Yeast glucomannan added to the aflatoxin-containing diet at 0.5 and 1 g/kg diminished the severity of pathological changes, slightly and moderately, respectively. The number of affected organs was also reduced in the group given 1 g/kg yeast glucomannan, compared to the aflatoxin group. These results show that yeast glucomannan effectively diminished the adverse effects of aflatoxin on the pathological changes and that the higher concentration of yeast glucomannan (1 g/kg) was more effective than the lower concentration (0.5 g/kg) and itself had no adverse effect.

The amelioration of aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens was examined by feeding two concentrations of yeast component (esterified glucomannan; EG). EG, incorporated into the diet at 0.5 and 1 g/kg, was evaluated for its ability to reduce the detrimental effects of 2 mg total aflatoxin (AF; 82.72% AFB₁, 5.50% AFB₂, 10.20% AFG₁ and 1.58% AFG₂) in diet on growing broiler chicks from 1 to 21 d of age. A total of 240 male broiler chicks (Ross-308) were divided into 6 treatment groups [control, AF, EG (0.5 g/kg), AF plus EG (0.5 g/kg), EG (1 g/kg), and AF plus EG (1 g/kg)]. Compared to the control, AF treatment significantly decreased body weight gain from week 2 onwards. AF treatment also caused significant decreases in serum total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, inorganic phosphorus, creatinine levels and alanine-aminotransferase (ALAT) activity but increased the aspartate-aminotransferase (ASAT) activity. Red blood cell, haematocrit, haemoglobin, thrombocyte, and lymphocyte counts and tibial crude ash levels were significantly reduced by AF treatment, while significant increases were seen in heterophil counts. The addition of EG (1 g/kg) to an AF-containing diet significantly improved the adverse effects of AF on haematological parameters, total protein, albumin values and ASAT activity. EG (1 g/kg) also partially improved body weight gains (59%) and the other biochemical parameters influenced by AF treatment. The addition of EG (both 0.5 and 1 g/kg) to the AF-free diet did not cause any considerable changes in the investigated values. These results clearly indicated that EG (1 g/kg) addition effectively diminished the adverse effects of AF on the investigated values. Also, the higher dietary concentration of EG (1 g/kg) was found more effective than the lower concentration (0.5 g/kg) against the adverse effects of AF on the variables investigated in this study.  

This study was conducted to determine the effects of the supplementation of different levels of fish oil (FO) and flax seed (FS) in the diets of layers on the content of egg yolk fatty acid, cholesterol, blood parameters, egg production and egg quality criteria. In the experiment, a total of 120 Isa-White laying hens of 34 weeks of age were used. Hens were divided randomly into five groups and fed different diets containing no FO and FS; 1.5% FO; 4.32% FS; 1.5% FO+4.32% FS and 8.64% FS for eight weeks. A significant decrease in yolk cholesterol content (mg/g yolk) was found in the eggs from hens fed the diets containing 1.5 % FO and 8.64% FS as compared with the control. Adding FO and FS to diets significantly increased the total omega-3 fatty acids in eggs at 28 (phase 1) and 56 (phase 2) days of the trial. By contrast, the addition of both FO and FS to diets had no effect on total omega-6 fatty acids in eggs in phase 1. But dietary 1.5% FO, 4.32% FS and 1.5% FO+4.32% FS supplementation decreased significantly the total omega-6 fatty acids compared to the controls in phase 2. The linolenic acid content of eggs was the highest in eggs from hens fed the diet with added FS, while docosahexaenoic acid content was the highest in eggs from hens fed diets with added FO. Dietary supplementation of FO and FS did not significantly affect the concentrations of serum trigliceride and high density lipoprotein. The serum cholesterol level of hens fed diets containing 1.5% FO+4.32% FS and 8.64% FS was lower than the control group. The addition of FO and FS to diets did not cause any negative effect on some egg quality criteria such as egg weight, yolk weight, yolk ratio, albumen weight, albumen ratio, shell weight, shell ratio, shell strength and shell thickness. The egg production of hens fed a diet containing 4.32% FS was significantly higher than the controls. Feed intake and feed conversion were not affected by all treatments. _______________________________________________________________________________________

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of feeding diets containing two levels of metabolizable energy (12.13 or 11.72 MJ ME/kg) and two different fat sources (sunflower-and fish-oil) with or without supplemental L-carnitine (0 or 50 mg/kg diet) on growth performance and carcass and meat characteristics of Japanese quails. Two hundred and forty day-old male quail chicks were randomly assigned to eight treatment groups, each subdivided into three replicates of 10 chicks. The chicks were raised from hatch until 5 wks of age. Feeding the diet containing 12.13 MJ ME/kg increases body weight and body weight gain significantly, and improved the feed conversion ratio above that of the lower energy diet. Feed intakes of the birds were unaffected by treatments. The cold carcass yield of quails fed the diet containing sunflower oil was significantly higher than those receiving the diets containing fish oil. After 35 days of feeding the diet containing the standard energy level (12.13 MJ ME/kg) the thigh yield of the birds was significantly higher than that of the chicks on the lower energy diet. Dietary treatments did not affect pH values of edible meat in the quails. Feeding diets containing sunflower oil and L-carnitine significantly decreased malonaldehyde (MA) amounts in the edible meat. The crude protein content of the edible meat fraction was significantly higher when the dietary energy level was decreased from 12.13 to 11.72 MJ ME/kg diet. Decreasing dietary energy levels significantly decreased the "L" (lightness) and "b" values (less yellow) of the meat, while dietary L-carnitine supplementation resulted in a significant increase in "L" value. The total edible meat of the quails on the diets containing fish oil had a higher "a" value (more red) than the quails receiving sunflower oil in their diets. It was concluded that additional studies are required to clarify the role of dietary L-carnitine in the oxidation of long-chain fatty acids, its antioxidant properties and its importance in energy metabolism in Japanese quails.

ABSTRACT:The present study was conducted to determine the effects of different pelleting temperature on tibia mineralization, calcium, phosphorus content of serum and growth performance of broilers fed phytase-supplemented diets. The basal experimental diet type was typical maize-soybean meal. The basal diet was supplemented with a microbial 6-phytase (Novo CT: coated thermostable granulate, from Novo Nordisk A/S, Denmark) at 500 Phytase Units (FTU) per kg of feed before pelleting. The diets were pelleted at 65, 75, or 85°C except the basal mash diet as the control. The experimental diets were used from 0 to 6 weeks of age of birds. Dry matter, crude ash, Ca, total P, Na, K and Mg, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu contents of tibia were not affected by the pelleting temperature. No effects of pelleting temperatures on Ca content in the serum were found out. However, P content in the serum was increased by feeding the diet pelleted at 65°C as compared to the control and other treatments. Pelleting at 65 and 75°C had a significant positive effect on body weights and body weight gains of broilers. It was concluded that the best pelleting temperature was 65°C. It is to note that the temperature of 85°C damages enzymatic activity.