A study was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of an organic acids mixture and two methionine supplements on intestinal morphology, protein and nucleic acids content, microbial population and performance of broiler chickens. Six hundred unsexed day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were used in a factorial arrangement (3 × 2) based on a completely randomised design by four replicates with 25 chicks in each. Experimental diets consisted of: 0% organic acid mixture + DL-methionine (Treatment 1), 0% organic acid mixture + Alimet (Treatment 2), 0.5% organic acid mixture + DL-methionine (Treatment 3), 0.5% organic acid mixture + Alimet (Treatment 4), 1% organic acid mixture + DL-methionine (Treatment 5) and 1% organic acid mixture + Alimet (Treatment 6). A significant increase in jejunum mucosal DNA content was found by using 1% of organic acid mixture compared with those by other levels of organic acids at 21 days of age (P < 0.05). Also Treatments 5 and 6 had a higher mucosal DNA content than other treatments (P < 0.05) in a similar period. While at grower stage, the results have shown that protein content, protein/DNA and protein/RNA ratio by 0.5 and 1% of organic acids mixture significantly increased compared with those in the 0% level (P < 0.05). The addition of 1% level of organic acid mixture significantly increased villus height compared with 0 and 0.5% level of organic acid mixture at 21 days of age (P < 0.05). Highest and lowest villus heights were obtained by Treatments 1 and 6 (P < 0.05). Crypt depth increased by 0.5 and 1% of organic acid at 21 and 42 days of age (P < 0.05). Villus surface was significantly increased by 1% of organic acid mixture compared with that by 0% level at 21 days of age. The use of organic acid levels especially 1% resulted in an increase in lactic acid bacteria and decreased Enterobacteriaceae counts in the ileum of broiler chicken (P < 0.05). Better bodyweight and feed conversion ratio were obtained (P < 0.05) by 0.5 and 1% of organic acids mixture, although no response was found in feed intake and mortality in this respect (P > 0.05). The results of this study have shown improved reactions on intestinal morphometrical parameters and microflora atmosphors, by using 1% organic acid mixture. In contrast no differences were found between Alimet and DL-methionine in all tested parameters.

Saki, A.. 2009. Protein pattern and urease activity of two types of soybean meal on protein digestibility and chicken performance. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 35: 45-48. The experiment was conducted on extracted (ES) and mechanical soybean meal (MS) in broiler chicken feeding. Three hundred fifty two day old Lohman chickens were placed in four treatments by 4 replicates with 22 chickens in each. Treatments included: 25 or 35% of E S or MS. Higher fiber, fat and gross energy content were obtained in M S than ES. Protein patterns observed by SDS-PAGE showed differences that indicated the specific proteins in E S compared with MS. M E , AMEn, TME and TMEn were reduced (p<0.05) in M S compared to ES. Feed intake was increased (p~0.05) in starter period (21 d) by ES treatments in comparison to MS treatments. Body weight was (P<0.05) higher in 25% ES in comparison to 25 and 35% M S in grower period (42 d). Feed conversion ratio was improued by 25% of ES compared with 35% of ES treatment (P<0.05) i n 21 d. Urease activity (UA) in E S was lower than in MS. It is concluded that ES, as compared to MS, improved broiler performance.

IntroductionCorn, as a major portion of energy in poultry diets, has a high demand (57% to 70%) despite its higher prices. It could be replaced by screened wheat (SW) prepared after harvesting and processing of wheat in flour and macaroni factories. Better balance of proteins and amino acids in SW than in cereals has made it a good alternative to corn. However, there is large variation in the chemical composition of SW due to differences in sources of wheat (e.g., soft vs. hard (1)) and in processing techniques (2). Diet composition has a crucial effect on the microbial community and its activity in the bird's intestinal tract. SW contains nonstarch polysaccharides (NSPs) that modify gut microflora and speed up fermentation in the small intestine, and thus significantly impede the intake of nutrients (3).The intestine has an inherent ability to create and maintain regional differences with regard to mucosal structure, and especially villus height. These differences are noticeable in mammals and have been observed in poultry (4). Moreover, the morphology of the mucosa in different segments of the small intestine undergoes considerable changes with aging, thereby increasing the efficiency of the intestinal functions (5). Wu et al. ( 6) reported a similar effect of microbial enzymes on intestinal morphometry with cereal-based diets. Inclusion of cereals rich in NSP increases the viscosity of the digesta, reduces apparent nutrient digestibility (7), and alters bacterial profiles and gut physiology status. Birds do not produce enzymes capable of degrading NSP. Therefore, the lack of enzymatic capacity might be compensated for by supplementation of the diet with exogenous enzymes.Little information is available on quail performance addressing the morphological and microbial development and the protein synthesis in the small intestine in response to inclusion of SW and a multienzyme diet. Materials and methods Birds, housing, and dietsThis study was conducted at the Quail Research Farm, Department of Poultry, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University. All experimental procedures were carried out according to the local experimental animal care committee and were approved by the institutional ethics committee. A total of 480 unsexed 10-day-old quail chicks were randomly assigned to 8 treatments with the same average body weight. Treatments included 4 replicates with 15 quail chicks in each. Completely randomized designs in a

A broiler chick bioassay was carried out with forty eight -day-old Arian-broiler chickens to study the e ect of site sampling on metabolizable energy (ME) and amino acid digestibility. The test diet contained corn and soybean meal as the major ingredients. Three next treatments were formulated to contain barley, wheat and wheat screening as the test ingredients at a level of in the test diet. Chromic oxide was included in all diets as an indigestible marker. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) based on excreta were significantly higher ( . ) than ileal AME and AMEn in barley. With the exception of histidine, digestibilities of amino acids based on excreta were numerically higher than the ileal value. Significant di erences between ileal and excreta-based digestibility of aspartic acid, arginine, threonine, lysine, valine and methionine indicating on a net catabolism of these amino acids in the large intestine. The current study suggests that determination of amino acid digestibility and metabolizable energy based on excreta collection will overestimate amino acid and energy availabilities in all test ingredients.: amino acids digestibility, energy value, excreta, ileal also appeared that microbial activity in the hind gut of broiler chickens is an important factor on catabolism and Cereal grains have been planted as specially crops in anabolism of amino acids (Kadim ). On the many years for human consumption, consequently considother hand di erences between amino acid digestibility in erable amounts of cereal grains and their by-products are ileum and excreta could be related to ingredient quality available for animal feeding and production. Therefore, and quantity. For example low quality diet may leads to the nutritional value of these products should be asundigested amino acids and consequently associated by certained for livestock. The formulation poultry diet large di erences between ileal and excreta digestibility. relies on matching nutrient requirements with composiTherefore this study was designed to compare ileal and tion of dietary ingredients with attention to nutrient availexcreta digestibility of amino acids in barley, wheat and ability. All diet components are important in formulation wheat screening in Iran conditions. of poultry diets but critical attention should be made to the dietary amino acids because the control of protein status and digestible amino acids have been shown to increase weight gain, feed intake and improve body comIn the present study, the physical status of wheat screenposition in broilers (Fernandez ; Rostagno ing was tested by wild seed mixer (Local-traditional in-; Taherkhani ). Finally, diets forstrument). Nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable mulated on a digestible amino acid basis o er economic energy was determined according to the method of benefits (Rostagno ). It is suggested that Newkirk ( ) using male chicken raised to days analysis of ileal contents rather than excreta may be a of age. After days, ...