Performance, Intestinal Histomorphology, and Blood Variables of Broilers Fed Amaranth Grain in Pellet Diet

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of amaranth grain in pellet diet on performance, intestinal morphology of jejunum, and selected blood variables of broilers. A total of 400 seven-day-old Ross 308 male broilers were allocated to 4 treatments with 5 replicates of 20 birds in a completely randomized design. Experimental treatments were included 4 levels of amaranth grain (0% (control), 2%, 4%, and 6%) in the isonitrogenous and isocaloric pellet diets. During the experiment, body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) were recorded weekly and average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), as well as European broiler index (EBI), were calculated. On day 42, blood sera and jejunal tissue samples were obtained from 6 birds per replicate to evaluate morphological variables including villus height, villus width, and crypt depth, as well as selected blood variables. Although intestinal morphology and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were not influenced by experimental treatments, birds receiving 2% amaranth grain showed higher BW, ADG, and EBI compared to the other treatments (p<0.05). Chickens fed with diets including various levels of amaranth grain showed the decreased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and cholesterol concentrations in the blood sera and reduced relative weight of abdominal fat compared to the control (p<0.05). Dietary addition of amaranth grain up to the level of 2% could improve the performance of broiler chickens, decreased blood cholesterol and LDL levels, and relative weight of abdominal fat which may have healthful effects on the birds and broiler-meat-consumers.

Suitability of raw and heat-treated Amaranthus spinosus in broiler diets: Impact on performance, meat antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health

“…hybridus) (Alizadeh-Ghamsari et al, 2021), while others have shown a positive response with the inclusion of 8% raw amaranth in broiler diets (Orczewska-Dudek et al, 2018). The inclusion of amaranth in broiler diets has also been shown to reduce abdominal fat (Orczewska-Dudek et al, 2018, Alizadeh-Ghamsari et al, 2021, which is partly in agreement with the findings of the present study, as heat-treated amaranth was found to reduce abdominal fat in a linear pattern. However, Pisarikova et al (2006) reported no difference in abdominal fat between control, raw and popped amaranth-fed broilers.…”

“…Like in the present study, Alizadeh-Ghamsari et al (2021) reported no significant differences in the relative weights of the heart, spleen, or bursa of Fabricius in broilers fed amaranth (A. hybridus) as part of a pelleted diet. Similarly, Pisarikova et al (2006) reported no effect on liver development in broilers fed raw or heat-treated amaranth.…”

“…Feeding broilers a diet that contained 40% extruded amaranth (A. cruentus) also had no effect on dressing percentage (Tillman and Waldroup, 1988b). However, Alizadeh-Ghamsari et al (2021) reported that the inclusion of 6% amaranth (A. hybridus) in a pelleted diet significantly decreased the carcass yield of broilers, while 2% and 4% amaranth inclusion did not significantly differ from the control. According to Roučková et al (2004), a 7% dietary inclusion level of raw amaranth reduced carcass yield, whereas heat-treated amaranth had no significant effect when compared to the control.…”

“…Blood biochemical analysis is useful for linking animal diets to their internal environment. The incorporation of amaranth into poultry diets has been shown to have a hypocholesterolemic effect in various studies (Longato et al, 2017, Alizadeh-Ghamsari et al, 2021, Janmohammadi et al, 2023.…”

“…In recent years, concerted efforts have been made to further explore the incorporation of grain amaranth into avian diets as a strategy to replace traditional feed resources. A review of the literature revealed maintenance or improvement in performance indices (Popiela et al, 2013, hypocholesterolemic effects (Alizadeh-Ghamsari et al, 2021), improved antioxidant status and atherogenic indices (Hosseintabar-Ghasemabad et al, 2022), improved animal health and improved production of healthier products (Popiela et al, 2013, Janmohammadi et al, 2023 when amaranth was incorporated into poultry diets, either raw or processed, or with other additives. Furthermore, when different amaranth species were evaluated, records revealed significant variability in terms of essential nutrients (Szabóová et al, 2020), phytochemical and antinutrient levels (Mlakar et al, 2009), animal feed consumption and weight gain (Waldroup et al, 1985, Pond et al, 1991, Ravindran et al, 1996.…”