View related articlesView Crossmark data Citing articles: 15 View citing articlesEffects of adding essential oils of rosemary, dill and chicory extract to diets on performance, egg quality and some blood parameters of laying hens subjected to heat stress

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary Tenebrio molitor larvae meal (TM meal) inclusion on the performance, carcass traits, caecum microbiota and blood parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 180‐day‐old chickens were allocated to three dietary groups with five replicate pens (12 birds/pen). Experimental diets were included a corn‐soybean basal diet, and two diets with 2.5% and 5% TM. TM‐included diets have been administered for periods of starter (1–10 days) and grower (11–25 days). A regular finisher diet was given to all groups during the 26–42 days of age. Diets containing TM meal did not influence feed intake and mortality percentage. Feed conversion ratio was lower with the 2.5% TM meal diet compared with the control group at starter period (p < .05). Besides, broiler chickens fed TM meal included diet had a higher body weight gain than the control group during 1–10 days of age (p < .05). The carcass characteristics and length and weight of different parts of small and large intestines were not influenced by diets. TM meal inclusion decreased the albumin‐to‐globulin ratio compared with the control group (p < .05). Additionally, lower total count of aerobic and Escherichia coli bacteria was observed in response to diet inclusion of 5% TM meal. Overall, the inclusion of TM meal in broilers' diet improved body weight gain and feed conversion ratio in the starting period, decreased albumin‐to‐globulin ratio and E. coli bacteria content.

Climate change and the lack of conventional feed ingredients have made edible insects a highly nutritious alternative to feed production. The use of insects as food may help solve socio-economic and environmental problems around the world and be in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In this study, the growth performance and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens were evaluated under the in uence of adding different levels of Tenebrio molitor larvae meal (TM meal) to their diets. One hundred eighty day-old broiler chickens were divided into 3 treatments and 5 replications (12 chickens/pen). The experimental diets included a control diet and treatments containing 2.5 and 5% TM meal, which were fed to birds in the starter (0-10 days) and grower (11-25 days) stages, and during the nal period (26-42 days), all birds were fed a regular nisher diet. The results showed that the diet containing TM meal had no remarkable effect on the mortality rate and feed intake (FI) of broilers (P > 0.05). In the period of starter, the addition of 2.5% TM meal to broilers diet increased body weight gain (BWG) than the control group (P £ 0.05). Also, the use of 2.5% TM meal in the starter period showed a signi cant effect on reducing the feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the birds fed by the control diet (P £ 0.05). Besides, the height of the villus, the depth of the crypt, and the ratio of them were not altered among the different treatments (P > 0.05). Overall, it can be concluded that TM meal could improve growth performance in the starter period, and had no negative effects on broilers' performance and intestinal morphology in all the periods of the experiment.

To determine the effects of adding supplemental Mg and Cr to diets on performance, egg quality, blood parameters and enzyme activity of laying hens subjected to heat stress, a total of 324 laying hens were used and based on a 3×3 factorial, nine diets, six replicates, including basal diet with Mg (0, 300 and 600 mg kg −1 from Mg oxide) and three levels of Cr (0, 400, 800 μg kg −1 from Cr methionine) were fed to the experimental birds. The temperature was increased gradually up to 31°C for 5 weeks. Feed conversation ratio and egg mass improved in the birds fed either 300 or 600 mg kg −1 Mg compared to those fed the basal diet (P < 0.05). During the heat stress, birds fed the diets included 300 or 600 mg kg −1 Mg produced eggs with higher shell thickness. Dietary supplemental Mg and Cr separately decreased blood uric acid in laying hens during heat stress (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that diet supplementation by Mg could have beneficial effects on feed conversation ratio, shell thickness and serum uric acid, whereas diet supplementation by Cr decreased serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and uric acid of laying hens under heat stress condition.

Context Increasing demand for animal products, and scarcity and cost of conventional feed ingredients, drive the search for alternative energy and protein sources for poultry feed. Insects provide opportunities as a sustainable, high-quality and low-cost component of poultry feed. Aims This study evaluated the effects of dietary inclusion of powdered Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm) larvae meal on productive performance, egg quality characteristics and blood parameters of laying hens. Methods In total, 126 Bovans White laying hens, 63 weeks of age, were allocated to three dietary groups, each with seven replicate cages of six birds per cage. Treatments were: a basal diet, and two experimental diets comprising the basal diet plus T. molitor larvae meal at 2.5% or 5% inclusion rate. The duration of the study was 8 weeks. Key results Egg production, egg mass and feed conversion ratio were all improved (P &lt; 0.05) by inclusion of T. molitor meal in the diet. The lower rate of inclusion was more effective with respect to egg production and feed conversion ratio. Inclusion of larvae meal did not influence (P &gt; 0.05) feed intake, egg weight or bodyweight gain. Furthermore, egg quality characteristics and blood parameters were not influenced (P &gt; 0.05) by dietary treatment. Conclusions The study showed that inclusion of T. molitor larvae meal in the diet of laying hens could improve productive performance, especially at the 2.5% level. Implications Powdered meal of T. molitor larvae is an appropriate, unconventional feed ingredient for laying hens, and may have a role in improving socioeconomic and environmental outcomes, aligning with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.