Veterinary Research Forum

Abstract Among global concerns about antibiotic resistance, it is necessary to identify food-safe alternatives to enhance production. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) inclusion to replace antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in the diets of ISA Brown laying hens aged between 23 and 31 weeks. Two hundred forty hens were grouped into five treatments: Control, AGP (130 ppm of enramycin 8.00%), and 100, 200, and 400 ppm of MOS. Each treatment had 16 experimental units (each unit with n = 3) in a randomized block experimental design. Productive data (egg production %, feed intake, egg weight), egg quality variables (albumin height, yolk weight, albumin, yolk %, weight eggshell, eggshell %, equator thickness, width-pole thickness, and Haugh units), organ weights (ovary, liver, and cecum) and jejunal histomorphometry were analyzed. The egg production was not affected by the substitution of AGP by MOS. Furthermore, MOS supplementation resulted in significantly increased feed intake, larger egg weight, higher yolk weight and higher body and ovarium weight compared to the AGP group. Besides, MOS supplementation at 400 ppm demonstrated significant improvements in jejunal villus morphology indicating enhanced intestinal health. These findings highlighted the potential of MOS as an alternative to AGP, offering benefits such as improved feed intake, egg quality and intestinal health in laying hens at 400 ppm.

Abstract The present study was carried out to determine the effects of fenugreek powder (FP) and extract (FE) on performance, egg quality, blood parameters and immune responses of laying hens. One-hundred and fifty Leghorn laying hens were used in a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replicates for eight weeks. Treatments were various levels of FP and FE including zero (control; T1), 1.00% FP (T2), 2.00% FP (T3), 0.10% FE (T4) and 0.20% FE (T5).The results of this experiment showed that feed intake was increased linearly by the inclusion of FP compared to the control group. Supplementation of laying hens diet with 2.00% FP adversely affected feed conversion ratio (FCR). The FCR was decreased by 0.10% inclusion of FE compared to 0.20%. Egg yolk color was the highest when 1% FP added to laying hens diets compared to the other treatments. Serum metabolites and immune responses of laying hens were not affected significantly by fenugreek supplementation. From the results of the present study, it can be concluded that using 1.00% FP can improve feed intake by supporting FCR. Inclusion of 1.00% FP in laying hens diet enhanced egg yolk color of laying hens in the second production cycle.

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin E on reproductive and productive parameters in Japanese quails. A total number of 240 female and 80 male Japanese quail were divided into five treatments with four replications in a completely randomized design. Experimental diets were zero control, 30, 60, 120 and 240 mg kg^-1 of vitamin E. Fertility and total hatchability were not affected by treatments. But, the lowest hatch of fertile eggs and the highest embryonic death were observed in control group (p < 0.05). Left testes weight in T2 and T4 was higher than control (p < 0.05). Right testes weight and sera FSH concentration in males were not affected by treatments. The highest testosterone concentration of males was observed in T5 (p < 0.05). Weight and length of oviduct as well as weight of ovary and FSH concentration in females did not affected by treatments. Estrogen concentration in T4 treatment was greater than control (p < 0.05). Most of the egg characteristics were not affected by treatments. However, higher egg mass and production rates were observed in T2 and T3groups than control group (p < 0.05). Feed intake and conversion ratio did not differ among treatments. In conclusion, dietary vitamin E improved hatch of fertile egg, embryonic viability, egg mass and production rates in Japanese quail. The effect of dietary vitamin E combined with selenium on these characteristics are recommended for future study in Japanese quail.