This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of electron beam irradiation at doses of 250 and 500 kGy on the chemical composition and ruminal dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradability of wheat straw. Nylon bags of untreated or irradiated wheat straw were suspended in the rumen of three rams for up to 72 h, and resulting data were fitted to non-linear degradation model to calculate the degradation parameters of DM and NDF. Electron beam irradiation had no effect on crude protein, ether extract and ash, but decreased (P<0.05) contents of NDF and acid detergent fiber. The water soluble and potentially degradable fractions, degradation rate and effective degradability of DM and NDFincreased linearly (P<0.001) with increases in irradiation dose. Based upon these results, electron beam irradiation can be used to improve DM and NDF degradation kinetics of wheat straw in the rumen. تفاصيل المقالة

The present study conducted to investigate the effect of energy sources and levels on performance and breast meat amino acids profile in Cobb 500 broiler chicks. A total of 600 1-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks with an average weight of 39 ± 0.50 g were randomly divided into five treatments. Each treatment was further divided into four replicates. Chicks were fed a basal diet based on corn and energy level was same as Cobb 500 manual as control group, the basal diet with 3% lesser energy than control (T1), the basal diet with 6% lesser energy than control (T2), the basal diet based on corn and fat level according to Cobb 500 instruction manual (T3), the basal diet based on corn and fat with 3% upper energy (T4) for 42 days. Results showed that the best and the worst performance were for T4 and T2, respectively. Also, feed intake of chicks increased significantly in T4. Body weight gain was also significantly higher in the treated group with the basal diet based on corn and fat with 3% upper energy (T4). As result relevant although the lowest feed conversion ratio was for control and T3 on 14 and 28 days but also it was at the lowest on T3 on 42 days. The breast muscle function and amino acid profiles showed that there were significant effects between arginine (Arg), glutamic acid (Glu), proline (Pro), alanine (Ala), aspartic acid (Asp), serine (Ser), glycine (Gly), isoleucine (Ilo), lysine (Lys), valine (Val) and phenylalanine (Phy) amino acids (P≤0.01). The highest level of amino acids (g/g DM basis) was for Glu, Asp, Arg, Lys, Ser, Phe and Pro. In conclusion, it seems that inclusion of higher energy level than broiler nutritional requirements recommendation for Cobb 500 chicks could give better performance and affect the quantity and quality of their breast meat and its amino acids profile. In order to achieve higher weights, more energy is needed than the recommendation of Cobb 500, but to have better feed conversion ratio the recommended energy level is the best. تفاصيل المقالة

The effects of Selko-pH (S; 1 mL/L drinking water); Termin-8 (T; 2 kg/ton feed) and Neogermicin (N; 2 L/ton feed) on gastrointestinal tract (GIT) pH, microbial population, ileal digestibility and broiler performance were investigated. The lowest feed intake (FI) was attained by chickens fed diets supplemented with S group in all periods (P<0.05). The highest weight gain (WG) was achieved by birds fed diet containing N set at 22-42 and 1-42 periods (P<0.05). The highest and lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) were obtained by control (C) and N groups at 22-42 and 1-42 days of age, respectively (P<0.05). Inclusion of acidifiers increased lactic acid bacteria and reduced total coliforms at different ages. The C and N treatments induced the lowest and greatest dry matter and gross energy digestibility coefficients, respectively (P<0.05). Moreover, pH of different parts of GIT were significantly diminished by acidifiers’ treatments compared to C group (P<0.05). The results of current study have shown that acidifiers improved the gut microflora conditions by pH reduction. The digestibility of nutrients and energy utilization were superior by incorporated acidifiers, but S groups played a minor role in this regard. تفاصيل المقالة

The objectives of this study were to determine and compare the chemical composition and ruminal degradability of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of ten pasture forage species dominant in the west provinces of Iran. Duplicate nylon bags of pasture samples were suspended in the rumen of four wethers for up to 96 h. The chemical composition of forages varied from 54 to 212 g/kg DM for CP, 239 to 638 g/kg DM for NDF, 190 to 378 g/kg DM for ADF and 60 to 108 g/kg DM for ash. The effective DM degradability at rumen outflow rate of 0.05/h was different (P<0.05) between forages and varied from 307 g/kg for Festuca ovina to 679 g/kg for Prangus ferulacea. The lowest CP degradability was for Festuca ovina (402 g/kg) and the highest for Bromus tomentellus (760 g/kg). The lowest NDF and the highest ADF degradability were for Hordeum bulbosum and Prangus ferulacea, respectively. The results of this study showed that the rate and extent of ruminal CP and cell wall degradation were different among forages, therefore must be considered as a main parameter in ration formulation of grazing ruminants. تفاصيل المقالة

A total of 300 one-day old male broilers (Cobb 500) were randomly divided into four treatment groups. The groups comprised of 15 birds each, and were defined by diet and the birds in each group were fed 0 (control), 3, 5, or 7 kGy electron-beam irradiated diets. A total of 5 replicates were performed. The chemical composition of the diet was not affected by irradiation.Irradiation doses of 5 and 7 kGy completely eliminated microbial load in diets (P<0.05) and decreased the total aerobic and coliform counts in ileum and cecum at increasing rate at 14, 28 and 42 days of age (L: P<0.001; Q: P<0.0001). Total coliforms of the ileum decreased with the increased irradiation dose at 21 and 42 days of age (Q: P<0.0001). Lactobacillus counts improved with increased EBI dose, except for lactobacillus in cecum at 42 days of age. There was a linear increase in villus height (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) with higher irradiation doses at 21 and 42 days of age. Additionally, a linear increase and a decrease in villus height:crypt depth were observed in the jejunum at 21 and 42 days of age, respectively (P<0.05). The villus height:crypt depth of duodenum and jejunum followed a linear increasing rate (Q: P<0.001) with the increased irradiation dose. Feed intake, mortality (all periods), body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were similar between treatments at 1-14 and 14-28 days of age. Body weight gain, however, increased at a rising rate (Q: P<0.001), and feed conversion ratio decreased at a diminishing rate (Q: P<0.01) with higher irradiation doses during 28-42 and 1-42 days of age. The ileal digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, ether extracts, gross energy, and apparent metabolizable energy increased with the irradiation dose (Q: P<0.001). Our results indicated that electron-beam diet irradiation reduces microbial coliform counts and supports lactic acid producers in the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, the ileal digestibility of nutrients, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio improve with irradiation. تفاصيل المقالة

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of ginger powder on the performance of Salmonella challenged broiler chicks and to compare its efficacy as growth promoter with an antibiotic, avilamycin. In a completely randomized design, 300 chicks were divided into six groups, five replicates with 10 birds per each replicate. The treatments included negative control (basal diet without ginger or antibiotic and challenging), positive control (basal diet without ginger or antibiotic, but with challenging), ginger treated group (5.0 g/kg ginger, without challenging), challenged ginger treated group (5.0 g/kg ginger, with challenging), antibiotic treated group (100 mg/kg avilamycin, without challenging) and challenged antibiotic treated group (100 mg/kg avilamycin, with challenging). The lowest mean of mortality was recorded in the antibiotic treated group and the highest in the positive control. Inclusion of ginger to the diet of challenged chicks decreased numerically the mortality as compared with the positive control. Broilers in the positive control had the lowest overall daily gain. Dietary inclusion of ginger or avilamycin increased (P<0.05) daily weight gain, but the effect of avilamycin was greater than ginger. In the overall period (days 0-42), challenging increased feed conversion ratio and inclusion of avilamycin and ginger to the diet decreased (P<0.05) it, but the effect of avilamycin was greater than ginger. Finally, inclusion of ginger powder in the diet could improve the performance of unchallenged and challenged chicks, but its efficacy is lower than avilamycin. تفاصيل المقالة

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary energy sourcesandlevels on performance and small intestinal morphology in broiler chickens. A total of 600 one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into five treatments with four replicates each. Chicks were fed diet based on corn as main energy source and energy level based on Cobb 500 manual instruction considered control group (C), basal diet with 3% lesser energy than control (T1), basal diet with 6% lesser energy than control (T2), basal diet based on corn and soy oil level according to Cobb 500 manual instruction (T3), basal diet based on corn and soy oil with 3% upper energy (T4) for 42 days. Results showed that chicks in T3 group had higher body weight, body weight gain and duodenum villus height compared to control group (C) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) at day 42 of age (P<0.05). Chicks in T2 group exhibited the lowest body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG) and FCR but the highest feed intake (P<0.05). Feeding of diet T4 improved daily weight gain and duodenal villus height while caused concurrently increased FCR. Energy levels greater than Cobb recommendation significantly increased the villus height of the duodenum and decreased crypt depth compared to the control group (P<0.05). In order to achieve a higher weight more energy is needed than the recommended manual instruction for Cobb 500 but to have better feed conversion ratio the energy level recommended manual instruction is sufficient. تفاصيل المقالة