In this study, we investigated the antioxidant activity of ethanol extracts of propolis (EEP) and vitamin C on biochemical indicators and antioxidant enzyme activities of broilers exposed to heat stress (at 34 °C). The experimental groups were as follows: group I (positive control) and group II (control) were fed a basal diet, group III (vitamin C) was fed a basal diet supplemented with 250 mg vitamin C as ascorbic acid/kg, group IV (EEP-0.5) was fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.5 g EEP/kg, group V (EEP-1) was fed a basal diet supplemented with 1 g EEP/kg, group VI (EEP-3) was fed a basal diet supplemented with 3 g EEP/kg. Plasma superoxide dismutase levels of positive control, control, vitamin C, EEP-0.5, EEP-1 and EEP-3 groups were found as 0.34, 1.23, 0.50, 0.90, 0.30 and 0.41 μkat/ml, respectively (p < 0.01). Aspartate transaminase (except for EEP-0.5 and EEP-1 groups) and alkaline phosphatase in the control group were significantly higher than those of positive control, vitamin-C and EEP-3 groups. Malondialdehyde level in plasma, liver and muscle tissues of control group were found significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those of positive control and EEP-3 groups. Catalase activities of blood, liver, kidney and heart were the highest in the control group. Reduced glutathione activities of plasma and liver of all groups were not significantly different from each other, whereas those of muscle, kidney and heart were significantly higher in the control group. Significantly lower levels of glutathione peroxidase were found in blood, liver and kidney tissues of the control group (p < 0.05), whereas those of muscle and heart were similar in all groups. The results of the present study suggest that EEP and specially EEP at the supplemented dose of 3 mg/kg diet might be considered to prevent oxidative stress in the broilers exposed to heat stress.

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of enrichment housing design on performance, selected welfare indicators, chicken meat composition and serum cholesterol concentration of broiler chicken.For this purpose, 480 Ross-308 chicks were assigned to two groups, Control and Test, each with 4 replications. The pens of the Test Group were enriched with perches and sand bedding. At the end of the study, 8 males and 8 females whose live weights were close to the group average from each group were slaughtered. Their blood was collected and serum was separated. For chemical analysis of the chicken meat, whole carcasses of 4 males and 4 females, and half of the breast and left thigh from the remaining 4 males and 4 females were collected. In the carcass group, whole carcass with its bones was minced, whereas in the other groups breast and tight meat were separated from the bones and minced in a meat grinder, homogenized with an electronic mixer, then flash frozen (-40 °C, 8-10 h) and stored (-20 °C, 3-4 weeks) until analysed.There was no significant difference between the groups in body weight, daily weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and survivability. Litter moisture of the sand bedding was lower than that of the wood shavings. Contact dermatitis of hocks was reduced in the Test Group (P < 0.05). Length, width, bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) of the left tibiotarsus were similar between groups. The protein ratio of thigh meat was higher (P < 0.01), and fat ratio of the meat was lower (P < 0.05) in the Test Group. Enriched housing design increased serum HDL cholesterol level and decreased thigh meat cholesterol level (P < 0.05).In conclusion, it was found that housing enriched with perches and sand bedding in addition to wood shavings bedding improved broiler welfare and meat quality. Broiler chickens, environmental enrichment, housing design, performance, welfare, meat quality, serum cholesterolThe appetite, feeding system, physical activity and genetic factors play important roles in fat storage (Hood 1983). Broiler chickens, depending on age and rearing conditions, spend most of the time resting (Weeks et al. 2000). There is a significant correlation between decreasing physical activity and adiposity (Ekelund et al. 2006). The lack of exercise is considered the main cause of leg weakness, and extreme durations of sitting on poor quality litter result in skin lesions on the breast and legs (Bessei 2006).Enviromental enrichments can increase activity and thus improve both physical and psychological well-being. Maintaining balance while perching, and stepping onto and over perches exercise leg muscles and joints in a way that is different from simply walking. Wing and breast muscles are also utilized while walking and balancing on a perch (Newberry and Hall 1990; Le Van et al. 2000). Because of its attractiveness to broiler chickens for pecking and scratching behaviours, sand bedding could be utilized for exercise of body muscles (Shields et al. 2004). In addition ...

Primary Audience: Broiler Managers, Live Production Managers, Researchers SUMMARYThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different stocking densities (22.5, 18.75, 15, 11.25, 7.5 broilers/m 2 ) in ad libitum (Al) and limited-or pair-feeding (Pf) regimens on meat composition; fatty acid profile of the total carcass, breast meat, and thigh meat; and serum cholesterol level in broiler chickens. (All the Pf groups were provided the same amount of feed per broiler, as determined for the Al-fed group with 22.5 broilers/m 2 .) Limited feeding increased the fat ratio of the chicken meat. Lowering the stocking density reduced the fat ratio and increased the protein ratio of the meat in both feeding regimens. The total saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio was found to be quite high, whereas the total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and n-3 fatty acid ratios were found to be low in the limit-fed broilers. Lowering the stocking density had a variable effect on fatty acid composition of the meat; total SFA and monounsaturated fatty acid ratios decreased, whereas total PUFA, n-3, and n-6 ratios increased in the Al groups. Total SFA and monounsaturated fatty acid ratios increased and total PUFA, n-3, and n-6 ratios decreased in the Pf groups. Serum total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were reduced with lower stocking densities in the Al groups, but only high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was reduced in the Pf groups. Consequently, stocking density and feeding regimen significantly changed the composition, fatty acid profile, and serum cholesterol level of chicken meat.

To evaluate the effects of different stocking densities (22.5, 18.75, 15, 11.25, 7.5 broilers/m 2 ) in ad libitum (Al) and limited or pair feeding (Pf) regimens a total of 2550 Ross-308 chicks were taken. All the Pf groups were provided the same amount of feed per broiler, as determined for the Al-fed group with 22.5 broilers/m 2 . Daily weight gain and feed intake were reduced (P5 0.001) as stocking density increased in the Al groups. Feed conversion ratios were worse (P5 0.01) in the Pf groups. Carcass yield and mortality were not affected by density or feeding method. Length (P5 0.001), width and bone mineral content levels (P5 0.05) of the tibiotarsal bone were higher in the Al groups with no effect on bone mineral density (P! 0.05). It is concluded that feed consumption was adversely affected by stocking density resulting in poor growth and bone mineralisation.

Ciftci, M., Dalkilic, B., Cerci, I.H., Guler, T., Ertas, 0. N. and Arslan, 0.2009 ). Birds receiving the diet containing 500ppm cinnamon oil showed the highest average daily gain with best feed conversion efficiency. I n conclusion, cinnamon oil, at a dose of 500 ppm, could be used as an alternative to antibiotic for growth promotion in broiler diets. To study the effects of dietary antibiotic (avilamycin) and cinnamon oil supplementation on broilers performance, 240 5-day-old commercial broiler chicks (Ross-308) were divided into 4 equal groups and randomly assigned to four treatment diets with four replicates. Experimental groups were; corn-soybean meal basal diet (Control), basal diet supplemented with 10 mglkg Avilamycin (Antibiotic), 500 or 1000 p p m of cinnamon oil (C500, ClOOO