The impact of diets containing varying levels of sodium chloride as a source of electrolyte on growth performance, organ traits, gastrointestinal impact, tibia mineralization, and water intake of broiler chickens were investigated. A total of 300 mixed sexed of day-old chicks at two weeks of age were allotted to 6 dietary treatments in a completely randomized experimental design with 5 replicates of 10 birds each. The dietary treatments during the starter phase, from 14 to 28 days old, were supplemented by varying NaCl levels including T1= 0 g/kg (control), T2= 1.30 g/kg, T3= 2.00 g/kg, T4= 2.30 g/kg, T5= 3.30 g/kg and T6= 4.00 g/kg. The dietary treatments during finisher phase, from 28 days to 56 days old, included: T1=0 g/kg (control), T2= 2.30 g/kg, T3=3.30 g/kg, T4= 4.30 g/kg, T5= 5.30 g/kg and T6= 6.30 g/kg. Result of the study showed that birds in T3 and T4 that were fed diet with moderate inclusion levels of sodium chloride had the highest (P<0.05) feed intake and body weight gain with an improved feed conversion ratio. Generally, treatment groups T2 to T9 had the highest (P<0.05) weight of gizzard, liver, heart, kidney, intestines and caeca. Also, intestine lengths, caecal length, excreta moisture, water intake, ileal and pH of caecal digesta were highest in treatment groups. However, result of the tibia mineralization analysis showed that ash content in T1 (control) was the highest (P<0.05). It is concluded that T3 and T4 in broilers diet can improve growth performance. پرونده مقاله

The study was conducted to determine the semen quality, fertility and egg hatchability in local Nigeria tur-key toms fed Moringa (MO) and Gongronema leaf (GL) powder diets. A total of 36 (10 weeks) local turkey toms (1.2-1.3 kg) were randomly assigned to 9 dietary treatments with 4 replicates of 1 tom each in 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. Also, 72 turkey hens at point of first lay (26 weeks) weighing 3.4-3.5 kg were allot-ted to 9 dietary treatments with 4 replicates of 2 hens each. Treatments include: T1= basal diet (BD) only, T2= BD + 15 g MO + 0 g GL/kg, T3= BD + 30 g MO + 0 g GL/kg, T4= BD +15 g GL + 0 g MO/kg, T5= BD + 30 g GL + 0 g MO/kg, T6= BD + 15 g MO + 15 g GL/kg, T7= BD + 30 g MO +15 g GL/kg, T8= BD + 15 g MO + 30 g GL/kg and T9= BD + 30 g MO + 30 g GL/kg diet. In the main effect of Moringa and Gongronema leaf powder on semen quality, toms fed 30 g MO/kg had the highest (P<0.05) semen quality, while the toms fed 15 and 30 GL/kg had the least (P<0.05) semen quality. In the combined effect of Mor-inga and Gongronema, semen volume, sperm cell concentration and normal sperm cell values of toms on treatment C were the highest (P<0.05), while the toms on treatment C and E had the highest (P<0.05) value for progressive motility. Percentage of fertile and hatched eggs were higher (P<0.05) in 15 and 30 g MO/kg than in control, 15 and 30 g GL/kg. In combined effect of Moringa and Gongronema on % fertility and egg hatchability of tom’s semen, % hatchability caused by semen from toms on treatment C and E were higher (P<0.05) than in the other treatments. It was concluded that improved semen quality in turkey can be achieved using 30 g MO/kg and combination 30 g MO kg + 15 g GL/kg diet. پرونده مقاله