Influence of an organic acid blend and essential oil blend, individually or in combination, on growth performance, carcass parameters, apparent digestibility, intestinal microflora and intestinal morphology of broilers

WOS: 000375416900012PubMed ID: 267851401. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of an organic acid (OA) and essential oil (EO) blends, individually or in combination, on growth performance, carcass parameters, apparent digestibility, intestinal microflora and intestinal morphology of broilers. 2. A total of 480 one-d-old male Ross 308 chicks were randomly assigned to 4 treatments consisting of 4 replicates each (n = 30 birds in each replicate). Dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet (control), and basal diet supplemented with 2 g/kg OA blend (OAB), 300 mg/kg EO blend (EOB), or with 2 g/kg OA and 300 mg/kg EO blend (OAB-EOB) for 42 d. 3. The dietary supplementation with EO blend or in combination with OA blend increased body weight gain and improved feed efficiency as compared to control. Dietary treatments had no significant effects on feed consumption or relative organ weights of broilers. 4. The OAB diet increased carcass yield compared to the control diet but the lowest carcass yield occurred with the OAB-EOB combination. Birds fed on EOB and OAB-EOB diets had lower ileum Escherichia coli counts than birds fed on the control diet. 5. There was no significant effect of treatments on apparent digestibility at 16-21 d but the EOB and OAB-EOB diets increased apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude protein during the finisher period (d 37-42) compared to the control diet. 6. Birds fed on the EOB and OAB-EOB diets had greater villus height in the ileum at 21 and 42 d of age and had lower crypt depth in the ileum at 42 d of age than birds given the control diet. 7. In conclusion, beneficial effects of the use of EO blend individually or in combination with the OA blend were observed but the OA blend alone was ineffective. Furthermore, the use of the combination of OA and EO was more effective, in some respects, than their individual use

The use of oregano essential oil and enzyme mixture in corn-soybean meal based diets of broiler chicks

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the dietary oregano essential oil (OEO) with or without enzyme (ENZY) supplementation on the growth performance, digestive enzymes' activity, nutrient digestibility, lipid metabolism and immune response of broilers until to 21 d. The diets were supplemented with: no OEO or ENZY, 1 g/kg of the ENZY, 250 mg/kg of the OEO, 250 mg/kg of the OEO plus 1 g/kg of the ENZY, 500 mg/kg of the OEO, 500 mg/kg of the OEO plus 1 g/kg of the ENZY

Dietary vitamin E (alpha-tocopheryl acetate) and organic selenium supplementation: performance and antioxidant status of broilers fed n-3 PUFA-enriched feeds

WOS: 000275211300004The experiment was conducted to study the effects of organic selenium (Se-enriched yeast) and vitamin E (alpha-tocopheryl acetate) supplementation, alone or together, on the performance and antioxidant status of broilers fed diets enriched in n-3 PUFAs using fish oil. Day-old Hubbard-JV strain broiler chicks allocated to one of the following treatments: (1) a commercial basal diet containing 0.15 mg inorganic Se/kg as sodium selenite and 50 mg alpha-tocopheryl acetate (alpha-TA)/kg feed acted as the control; (2) VE200: Control diet supplemented with 200 mg alpha-TA/kg feed; (3) OrgSe0.15: Control with inorganic Se replaced with 0.15 mg organic Se/kg; (4) OrgSe0.30: Control with inorganic Se replaced with 0.30 mg organic Se/kg feed; (5) VE200+OrgSe0.15, (6) VE200+OrgSe0.30. Body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) to 42 d were significantly improved with vitamin E or organic Se at 0.20 mg/kg (but not at 0.15 mg/kg) when supplemented individually, but not in combination, except that VE200+OrgSe0.15 improved 28 and 35-d body weights significantly compared with the control. Feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality, carcass characteristics and relative organ weights, except for the spleen, were unaffected by any of the supplementation treatments. The significant positive effect of VE200 on BWG was observed after 21 d. Relative spleen weight was significantly higher in broilers fed VE200 compared to the other treatments. The antioxidative effects of organic Se and vitamin E, alone or together, were not evident in diets enriched in n-3 PUFAs using 1.5% fish oil.Scientific Research Projects Committee at Ege UniversityEge University [2003-ZRF-021]This study was funded by the Scientific Research Projects Committee at Ege University (Project number 2003-ZRF-021). We wish to thank Alltech Turkey for supplying Sel-Plex and Eryas firm, Turkey for preparing mineral-vitamin premixes used in the study

The use of oregano essential oil and enzyme mixture in corn-soybean meal based diets of broiler chicks

WOS: 000343726100001This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the dietary oregano essential oil (OEO) with or without enzyme (ENZY) supplementation on the growth performance, digestive enzymes' activity, nutrient digestibility, lipid metabolism and immune response of broilers until to 21 d. The diets were supplemented with: no OEO or ENZY, 1 g/kg of the ENZY, 250 mg/kg of the OEO, 250 mg/kg of the OEO plus 1 g/kg of the ENZY, 500 mg/kg of the OEO, 500 mg/kg of the OEO plus 1 g/kg of the ENZY. The OEO supplementation at the level of 250 mg/kg significantly increased body weight gain during d 7 to 14 and d 0 to 21 and improved feed conversion ratio during only d 7 and 14. Supplementation of OEO at the both levels also increased feed intake, on the other hand, worsened feed conversion ratio, during d 14 to 21. The dietary ENZY supplementation alone significantly improved the BWG and FCR only at the period of 0 and 7 d. The OEO supplementation at the both levels significantly increased amylase activity at d 7 and chymotrypsin activity at d 14, the relative weights of pancreas and B. fabricius of broilers at d 21. On the other hand, OEO only at the 250 mg/kg level or ENZY supplementation significantly improved the faecal crude protein digestibility compared to the unsupplemented diet. Serum IgG and IgM levels and the antibody titres to NDV were significantly increased by OEO supplementation at the both levels. No interaction between OEO and ENZY were observed for all parameters. As a result, it can be said that the OEO supplementation alone at 250 mg/kg to corn-soybean meal based diet was neccessary to significantly improve the BWG and FCR and antibody titres to NDV for the first weeks of broilers. The positive effect of OEO was pronounced during the starter phase.Scientific Research Projects Committee at Ege UniversityEge University [2005-ZRF-060]; Scientific and Technological Research Council of TurkeyTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [TOVAG-106O249]This study was funded by the Scientific Research Projects Committee at Ege University (project number 2005-ZRF-060) and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (project number TOVAG-106O249). We wish to thank Turer Agriculture Ltd. Company for supplying oregano essential oil, Orba Biochemistry Inc. Company for supplying enzyme mixture, and Keskinoglu group for providing animal and feed materials in this study

The use of oregano essential oil and enzyme mixture in corn-soybean meal based diets of broiler chicks [Verwendung von essentiellen Ölen aus oregano und einer enzymmischung in Mais-Soja-Rationen für Masthühner]

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the dietary oregano essential oil (OEO) with or without enzyme (ENZY) supplementation on the growth performance, digestive enzymes’ activity, nutrient digestibility, lipid metabolism and immune response of broilers until to 21 d. The diets were supplemented with: no OEO or ENZY, 1 g/kg of the ENZY, 250 mg/kg of the OEO, 250 mg/kg of the OEO plus 1 g/kg of the ENZY, 500 mg/kg of the OEO, 500 mg/kg of the OEO plus 1 g/kg of the ENZY.The OEO supplementation at the level of 250 mg/kg significantly increased body weight gain during d 7 to 14 and d 0 to 21 and improved feed conversion ratio during only d 7 and 14. Supplementation of OEO at the both levels also increased feed intake, on the other hand, worsened feed conversion ratio, during d 14 to 21. The dietary ENZY supplementation alone significantly improved the BWG and FCR only at the period of 0 and 7 d. The OEO supplementation at the both levels significantly increased amylase activity at d 7 and chymotrypsin activity at d 14, the relative weights of pancreas and B. fabricius of broilers at d 21. On the other hand, OEO only at the 250 mg/kg level or ENZY supplementation significantly improved the faecal crude protein digestibility compared to the unsupplemented diet. Serum IgG and IgM levels and the antibody titres to NDV were significantly increased by OEO supplementation at the both levels. No interaction between OEO and ENZY were observed for all parameters. As a result, it can be said that the OEO supplementation alone at 250 mg/kg to corn-soybean meal based diet was neccessary to significantly improve the BWG and FCR and antibody titres to NDV for the first weeks of broilers. The positive effect of OEO was pronounced during the starter phase. © Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart

Effects of oregano essential oil with or without feed enzymes on growth performance, digestive enzyme, nutrient digestibility, lipid metabolism and immune response of broilers fed on wheat-soybean meal diets

1. The study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of enzyme and oregano essential oil at two levels, alone or together, on performance, digestive enzyme, nutrient digestibility, lipid metabolism and immune response of broilers fed on wheat-soybean meal based diets. 2. The following dietary treatments were used from d 0 to 21. Diet 1 (control, CONT): a commercial diet containing no enzyme or oregano essential oil, diet 2 (ENZY): supplemented with enzyme, diet 3 (EO250): supplemented with essential oil at 250 mg/kg feed, diet 4 (EO500): supplemented with essential oil at 500 mg/kg feed, diet 5 (ENZY + EO250): supplemented with enzyme and essential oil at 250 mg/kg, and diet 6 (ENZY + EO500): supplemented with enzyme and essential oil at 500 mg/kg. 3. Birds fed on diets containing ENZY, EO250 and ENZY + EO250 had significantly higher weight gain than those given CONT diet from d 0 to 7. No significant effects on feed intake, feed conversion ratio, mortality, organ weights except for jejunum weight and intestinal lengths was found with either enzyme or essential oil, alone or in combination, over the 21-d growth period. The supplementation of essential oil together with enzyme decreased jejunum weight compared with essential oil alone. 4. Supplementation with enzyme significantly decreased viscosity and increased dry matter of digesta, but did not alter pH of digesta. There was no effect of essential oil alone at either concentration on viscosity, dry matter or pH of digesta. A significant decrease in viscosity of digesta appeared when essential oil was used with together enzyme. 5. The supplementation of essential oil at both levels with or without enzyme significantly increased chymotrypsin activity in the digestive system, and improved crude protein digestibility. 6. The higher concentration of essential oil with and without enzyme significantly increased serum total cholesterol concentrations. No significant effect on immune response was found with either enzyme or essential oil, alone or together. 7. Enzymes and essential oil had different modes of actions. The supplementation of enzyme with essential oil in diets is likely more effective in view of performance, nutrient digestibility, enzyme activities and immune system

Dietary vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol acetate) and selenium supplementation from different sources: performance, ascites-related variables and antioxidant status in broilers reared at low and optimum temperatures

WOS: 000250319000008PubMed ID: 179527301. This study compared the effect of dietary supplementation with organic or inorganic selenium (Se) sources plus control amounts or large amounts of vitamin E (alpha- tocopherol acetate) in broilers raised at control ( 20 to 24 degrees C) or low ( 14 center dot 5 to 16 center dot 8 degrees C) temperatures after 2 weeks of age. 2. The following dietary treatments were used from one day old. Diet 1, the control diet, comprised a commercial diet containing 0 center dot 15 mg/ kg inorganic Se and 50 mg vitamin E/kg feed. Diet 2 was the same as diet 1, supplemented with 0 center dot 15 mg/ kg inorganic Se. Diet 3 was the same as diet 2 but was supplemented with 200 mg/ kg vitamin E. Diet 4 was the same as diet 1, but inorganic Se was replaced with 0 center dot 30 mg/ kg organic Se. Diet 5 was the same as diet 4, supplemented with 200 mg/ kg vitamin E. 3. Low temperature reduced the growth rate of broilers; however, at 6 weeks, there were no differences in the body weights of birds fed on organic Se supplemented diets housed at low or control temperature. The feed conversion ratio was significantly affected by low temperature but not by diet. The heterophil/ lymphocyte ratio was higher in chicks after one week in the cold, indicating mild stress. Blood triiodothyronine levels were significantly higher in birds after 1 and 4 weeks in the cold but thyroxin was not affected. 4. Organic Se supplementation increased relative lung weight at the control temperature, which might lead to greater respiratory capacity. Relative spleen weight significantly decreased in broilers fed diets supplemented with inorganic Se under cold conditions, a possible indication of chronic oxidative stress. 5. At the low temperature, supplementation with organic Se alone, or with inorganic Se and vitamin E increased glutathione peroxidase ( GSHPx) activity and glutathione ( GSH) concentration in the liver of broilers, which may indicate increased activity of birds' antioxidant defence against suboptimal environments