Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Barley Malt Extract and Malt Vinegar on Growth Performance, Jejunal Morphology and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of barley malt extract and barley malt vinegar on growth performance, jejunal morphology and meat quality of broilers. A total of 600 day-old chicks were allocated to four dietary treatments to evaluate the effect of dietary inclusion of 0.2% barley malt extract alone or along with 0.4 or 0.8% of malt vinegar as well as the control group. The results of the experiment have shown that dietary supplementation of 0.2% malt extract along with 0.4% malt vinegar resulted in a higher average daily gain (P = 0.007) and European production efficiency factor (P= 0.028) concomitantly lower feed conversion ratio (P = 0.047) compared to the birds were fed the control diet or supplemented by 0.2% malt extract along with 0.8% malt vinegar. Dietary supplementation of 0.2% malt extract increased the apparent absorption of surface area in the jejunum (P = 0.024). Moreover, dietary supplementation of malt extracts and malt vinegar alleviated malondialdehyde formation in the breast and thigh muscles (P< 0.05). Ceca microflora enumeration did not differ among the dietary treatments. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 0.2% malt extract along with 0.4% malt vinegar may improve broiler growth performance and alleviate lipid oxidation

Effect of High and Low Stocking Density on Age of Maturity, Egg Production, Egg Size Distribution in White and Brown Layer Hens: A Meta-analysis

Data of four layers flocks (#31-34) from North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Test of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services were used in the meta-analysis to find if an increase in space allowance can affect egg production traits in white and brown layers. Effects of space allowance of 310 and 413 cm2/bird on layers performance were compared in this study. The increase in space allowance resulted in a significant improvement in egg production, egg mass and daily feed intake in both white and brown layers throughout the first (approximately 490-d; P< 0.001) and second (approximately till 760-d; P< 0.05) cycles of egg production.Space allowance did not affect age of maturity and final body weight at the end of first egg production cycle in both types of layers. Increasing birds space allowance resulted in a reduction in the mortality rate of white layers (P< 0.001) in the first egg production cycle and in the first (P=0.015) and second (P=0.027) egg production cycles in brown layers. The increase in space allowance significantly improved egg weight (P< 0.001) in white layers in the first egg production cycle. A significant increase in egg weight was observed in the first (P=0.014) and second (P=0.050) egg production cycles in brown layers in response to increasing birds space allowance. Egg size distribution was significantly influenced by the space allowance during both egg production cycles in white and brown layers. Space allowance is a management tool that can be used to optimize egg production traits, mortality and egg size distribution in both white and brown layers. Space allowance of 413 cm2/bird could significantly improve egg production and egg size distribution in first and second egg production cycle compared to 310 cm2/bird

Effects of feeding ISA brown and Shaver white layers breeder with sources of n-3 fatty acids on hatching eggs profile, apparent embryonic utilization of egg components and body composition of day-old chicks

Effects of feeding ISA brown and Shaver white breeders sources of n-3 fatty acids (FA) on egg components, apparent embryonic utilization (AEU) of egg components, and hatching body composition were examined. A total of 240 female and 30 male per each strain were fed either: 1) Control (CON), 2) CON + 1 % of dried microalgae (DMA), as a source of docosahexaenoic acid or 3) CON + 2.60 % of dry extruded product consisting of full-fat flaxseed (FFF), as a source of α-linoleic acid for 30 days. Eggs were incubated, and the residual yolks (RY) sampled at hatch (DOH) for AEU of dry matter (DM), minerals, and organic matter (OM). Feeding n-3 FA sources reduced the AEU of OM and minerals resulting in a higher ratio of RY to body weight (P = 0.002). Feeding FFF increased body fat and decreased lean in Shaver white hatchlings compared with CON (PThe accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

The effects of different spacing allowances in the pullet phase on the eggshell and bone quality of hens in the laying phase

Eggshell and bone quality were investigated in 72 weeks of age (WOA) Lohmann Brown and Dekalb White raised at rearing spacing allowance (SA) of 247 and 299 cm2/bird from day 0 to 16 and transferred to common SA (755 cm2/bird) for lay cycle. Eggshell thickness (EST), breaking strength (ESBS), along with tibia and femur weight, breaking strength (BS), length, and ash were measured at 72 WOA. Strain and SA did not interact on any above parameter (P > 0.05). Hens reared in high SA during the pullet phase had heavier tibia and more femur ash, indicating rearing environment during the pullet phase influence the bone quality of hens in the late laying stage (PThe accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

The impact of digestible lysine and sulfur amino acids on eggshell quality and egg weight control in old ISA brown hens during 62 to 74 wk

ABSTRACT: Modifying dietary amino acids has been proposed as a strategy to improve eggshell quality by slowing down increases in egg weight (EW). This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of digestible lysine (dLYS) and ratios of digestible sulfur amino acids (dTSAA) to dLYS on performance and eggshell quality in ISA brown hens. A total of 288 hens were individually housed and assigned to 8 treatments, which combined 2 levels of dLYS (5.9 and 5.5 g/kg) with 4 ratios of dTSAA:dLYS (90, 85, 80, and 75) in a factorial arrangement. The study lasted 12 wk, starting at 62 wk of age. The number of eggs was not affected by the interaction between dLYS and dTSAA:dLYS or their main effect. However, the interaction between dLYS and dTSAA:dLYS showed that reducing the dTSAA:dLYS ratio from 85 to 75 when hens were fed 5.5 g/kg of dLYS resulted in a lower EW. Conversely, when hens were fed 5.9 g/kg of dLYS, no significant difference was found in EW among the different ratios of dTSAA:dLYS. Although there was no interaction between the levels of dLYS and dTSAA:dLYS on eggshell quality, reducing the dLYS level from 5.9 to 5.5 slowed down the deterioration in eggshell-breaking strength and eggshell thickness, regardless of the dTSAA:dLYS ratio. These findings suggest that adjusting dietary dLYS while maintaining the dTSAA:dLYS ratio of no less than 85 may be an effective strategy for decelerating the deterioration of eggshell quality in laying hen operations without impacting the egg production rate

Comparative Impact of Hydroxychloride and Organic Sources of Manganese, Zinc, and Copper in Rearing Diets on Pullet Growth, Tibia Traits, Egg Production, and Eggshell Quality in Lohmann Brown Birds up to 50 Weeks of Age

(1) Background: This study assessed the efficacy of hydroxychloride sources of zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) compared with organic sources in the rearing diets of Lohmann brown pullets, focusing on pullet performance, tibia quality, egg production, and eggshell quality. (2) Methods: A total of 120 birds (six replications and 10 birds each) received diets with Mn, Zn, and Cu from organic or hydroxychloride sources during the rearing phase. After the onset of lay, birds were fed diets containing oxide/sulfate sources up to 50 weeks of age. (3) Results: no significant differences were observed in growth performance and tibia quality during the rearing phase (p > 0.05). From 18 to 24 weeks of age, no carryover effect on egg production performance was observed. However, from 25–50 weeks, pullets fed hydroxychloride sources showed lower feed intake and egg mass compared to the organic group (p p > 0.05). (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest the potential of hydroxychloride sources in rearing diets without compromising overall growth in the pullet phase and feed efficiency in the laying cycle

An appraisal of moulting on post-moult egg production and egg weight distribution in white layer hens; meta-analysis

<p>1. The aim of this study was to establish how different moulting methods and body weight losses influenced post-moult performance and USDA egg weight distribution.</p> <p>2. Data on 5 laying flocks (#34–38) of the North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Test were used in this meta-analysis.</p> <p>3. The moulting methods were non-fasted moulted (NF), short feed restricted (SF), 13-d feed restricted (FR), non-anorexic moult programme (NA), non-anorexic moult programme with low sodium (NALS) as well as non-moulting programme as control treatment. The percentages of targeted body weight loss during the moulting period were 20, 24, 25 and 30% of body weight at the end of the first egg production cycle.</p> <p>4. Post-moult egg production and egg mass were influenced by all moulting methods. Maximum increase in post-moult egg production rate and egg mass occurred with FR and NF programmes, respectively, at 30% of body weight loss, compared to non-moulted hens. Non-fasting methods reduced mortality rate more effectively than fasting methods.</p> <p>5. Moulting resulted in increases in percentage of grade A and decreases in percentage of grade B eggs. Non-fasting methods increased percentage of grade A eggs more effectively than fasting methods. Percentage of cracked eggs decreased in moulted rather than non-moulted hens and the lowest rate was associated with the NA programme.</p> <p>6. Post-moult egg weight was not significantly influenced by moulting methods. However, percentage of body weight reduction affected egg weight. The optimum increment in egg weight was achieved by 24% body weight reduction.</p> <p>7. Overall, non-fasting methods resulted in similar egg production compared with fasting methods. Considering post-moult mortality and USDA egg weight distribution, non-fasting methods, especially NF and NA programmes, performed much better than fasting methods, indicating that non-fasting moulting methods, which are better for animal welfare, are effective alternatives to fasting methods.</p

Medullary bone attributes in aged Lohmann LSL-lite layers fed different levels of calcium and top-dressed 25-hydroxy vitamin D3

Structural bone depletion over the course of lay cycle predisposes hens to skeletal problems. We investigated the effects of dietary calcium (Ca) and top-dressed 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (25OHD3) on attributes [relative weight, ash content (AC), and ash concentration (ACN)] in whole ulna, femur, tibia, and subparts of femur and tibia (epiphysis, medullary, and cortical) in 74-wk-old Lohmann LSL-lite layers. Four levels of Ca (3.0%, 3.5%, 4.0%, and 4.5%) and three levels of 25OHD3 (0, 69, and 138 μg kg−1) were tested. All diets had basal level of 3300 IU of vitamin D3 kg−1. Eighty-four, 74-wk-old hens were placed in individual cages, and 13 spare hens were sacrificed for baseline samples. Diets (n = 7) were fed to 81 wks of age, and hens were sacrificed for bone samples. There were no (P > 0.05) diet effects on whole bone attributes. Interaction (P < 0.05) between Ca and 25OHD3 on femur subparts was such that 25OHD3 linearly increased medullary ACN and concomitantly decreased cortical ACN at all Ca levels. In tibia, 25OHD3 (P < 0.05) increased AC and ACN in medullary and reduced these parameters in cortical. The results suggested that subparts and not whole medullary bone attributes are more amenable to dietary interventions in aged hens.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author