Feed additives are used frequently in variable combinations to maximize broiler productivity and consumer safety. Therefore, we evaluated the efficiency of feed additives used in four different diets: a basal diet, a probiotic (PRO-PAC ®) supplement diet, an egg yolk purified immunoglobulin Y (IgY) supplemented diet, and a combination of IgY and PRO-PAC ® supplement (n = 15 for each group). We assessed the improvement of behavioral and hematological parameters of Ross broilers before and after an immune stress challenge using lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Behavioral as well as physiological parameters were analyzed. The standing frequency was the highest (P <0.05) in broilers supplemented with a combination of probiotics and IgY. Likewise, latency approach score to a novel object improved (P < 0.01) in the combination group at week-3. After intraperitoneal injection of LPS, this combination group achieved the best gait score at week-3, followed by week-5, compared to birds fed the basal diet. The heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, heterophil differential count, and eosinophil differential count in the basal diet group that was challenged with LPS were significantly increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.001, P < 0.05, respectively) compared to the combination groups. Therefore, we concluded that the combination of IgY and probiotics can significantly improve the behavior and the underlying physiological parameters of Ross broilers. Consequently, this combination can improve the broilers ′ health, welfare and produce a safe meat free from harmful chemical residues.

Unfortunately, fibrous composite materials' mixed-mode fracture toughness (Keff) was measured using inappropriate through-thickness cracked (TTC) specimens. The problem with such specimens is the ignorance of the fibers in the pre-notch surfaces, i.e., no fiber bridging behind the crack tip. In the present paper, a real Keff of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) was experimentally determined using matrix cracked (MC) specimens. Traditional (TTC) specimens were also adopted for comparison. The effect of fiber length (35 mm, 50 mm, and hybrid fibers, 50% from each length) and mode of mixity (Me), Me = 0, 1/4, and 1/2 were studied. Hooked end steel fibers of a volume fraction equal to 1% were used. All cracked beams with a crack-length-to-beam-depth ratio equal to 0.3 were tested under three-point bending in mode I and mixed-mode. The span/depth ratio was equal to two for all specimens. Since there is no equation to predict the Keff of MC specimens and the inapplicability of Griffith's theory to predict the Keff due to the difference in crack paths, new realistic procedures were suggested to overcome this dilemma. The results indicated that MC specimens recorded a lower crack initiation load than the peak load. In contrast, the crack initiation load coincides with the peak load in the case of TTC specimens. This reflected the role of steel fibers behind the crack tip in retarding the specimens to reach their ultimate capacity after crack initiation. Keff increased with increasing Me. Although long fibers recorded higher peak load and energy, their effect on Keff of MC FRC specimens was marginal due to the minor effect of fiber length on the crack initiation loads. The MC specimen is a realistic approach for estimating the Keff of FRC.

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