The effect of dietary energy and nutrients density on performance, egg components, egg quality, and profits of Hy-Line W-36 during the peak stage of first laying cycle

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary energy and nutrient density (END) on performance and egg quality in laying hens during the peak stage of the first laying cycle. A total of 360, 26-week-old Hy-Line W-36 laying hens were randomly allocated to a completely randomised design with five treatments, graded levels of dietary END (92–108%), with six replicates and 12 birds each. The diet with 100% END was formulated to meet the requirements recommended in the 2016 strain Management Guide. Experiment lasted for 12 weeks. Laying hens up to 33 weeks of age did not able to adjust feed intake (FI) with diet dilution. By increasing dietary END, hen-day egg production (EP), egg mass (EM), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) linearly improved. As birds got older, their FI capacity improved and birds regulated own FI with dietary END. The effect of dietary END was not significant on egg quality traits. During the 26–29 weeks of age, based on broken‐line regression models, the best balance of egg production performance traits and dietary END were found at 102, 104, and 105% for EW, EP & EM, and FCR, respectively. These values were estimated 5% lower for 30–33 week of age period. It is concluded, laying hens up to 33 weeks of age cannot adjust their FI with diet dilution, the gastrointestinal tract capacity is the main factor affects FI. Hence, a diet with higher energy and nutrients concentration require to achieve the desired production performance. Highlight During the peaking period of laying cycle: Feed consumption increase slowly. Monitor feed consumption and adjust diet energy and nutrients level to actual feed intake

Effect of dietary digestible sulphur amino acids level on growth performance, blood metabolites and liver functional enzymes of broilers 1–11 days of age

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary digestible sulphur amino acids (DSAAs) level on growth performance, blood metabolites, and liver functional enzymes of broilers during 1–11 days of age. Additionally, DSAAs requirement was determined from dose nutrient response data. A total of 432 1‐day‐old male Ross 308 broilers were allocated to six dietary treatments, graded levels of supplementary DL-Met (+0.8 g/kg per level) while Cys was equal across groups, led to levels of 0.62, 0.70, 0.78, 0.86, 0.94 and 10.2% DSAAs, with six replicates and 12 birds each. Increasing levels of dietary DSAAs enhanced live body weight (LBW), weight gain (WG), feed efficiency (FE), European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF), and relative breast weight (RBW), although there was no effect on feed intake. At the end of the starter period, a linear increase in blood serum total protein and albumin concentration was concomitant with decreasing in triglyceride, whole cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein, low‐density lipoprotein, creatinine, and aspartate aminotransferase concentration when dietary DSAAs level was increased. The DSAAs requirements estimated by linear broken-line (LBL) fit model to optimise LBW, WG, FE, EPEF and RBW were 0.80, 0.81, 0.93, 0.95 and 0.93%, although the estimated values by the quadratic broken line fit model were 14.32, 19.93, 16.85, 23.68 and 5.79% higher than those, respectively. It is concluded, a minimum of 0.95% DSAAs concentration in broiler starter diet is suggested to optimise growth performance. Estimation of DSAAs requirement depended on what production parameter and regression model are taken considered for optimisation.Highlights A minimum of 0.95% digestible sulphur amino acids level is suggested in the broiler starter diet to optimise growth performance

Effect of zinc and phytase supplementation on performance, immune response, digestibility and intestinal features in broilers fed a wheat-soybean meal diet

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary zinc (Zn) supplementation on performance, immune responses and gastrointestinal tract features of broilers fed wheat-soybean meal diet. In addition, optimised dietary Zn level was estimated based on dose-response data. A total of 500 one-day-old male Ross-308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 10 dietary treatments with five replicates and ten birds per replicate in a 5 × 2 factorial arrangement of five graded (+40 mg/kg) dietary Zn levels with or without phytase (500 FTU/kg of diet) supplementation. By increasing dietary Zn concentration, final live body weight (LBW), daily weight gain (WG), feed intake (FI), and European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF), antibody titres against the sheep red blood cell inoculation, cutaneous basophils hypersensitivity to PHA-P injection, jejunum villus height, and apparent dry matter digestibility (ADMD) increased with a significant linear trend. Phytase supplementation improved WG and ADMD and decreased pancreas and intestine relative weights. The interaction effects of dietary Zn concentration and phytase supplementation on the whole of evaluated traits were not significant. Optimum dietary Zn levels were estimated by the regression models at 70, 82, 98, and 110 mg/kg of diet for optimised EPEF and immunity, LBW and WG, appetites, and ADMD, respectively. It is concluded, in the broiler chickens fed wheat-soybean meal diet, Zn and phytase supplementation can improve growth performance, immune response, digestibility, and intestinal features. The Zn requirement is higher than the NRC () recommendation. The efficacy of dietary Zn was not affected by dietary phytase supplementation.Highlights In the broilers fed wheat-soy diet: •Dietary Zn and phytase supplementation improve growth performance. •The Zn requirement is higher than the NRC recommendation

Effect of diet nutrients density on performance and egg quality of laying hens during the post-peak production phase of the first laying cycle under subtropical climate

An experiment was done to evaluate the effects of diet nutrients density on performance and egg quality in laying hens during the post-peak production phase of the first laying cycle under subtropical climate. A total of 768, 49-weeks-old Hy-Line-W36 laying hens were assigned in a completely randomised design with six treatments, eight replicates, and 16 birds each. Experimental treatments were given the diet with nutrients density recommended by the Hy-Line-W36 guide for their age and level of production (100%) or were given 92, 94, 96, 98, and 102% of that. During the experimental period, the average ambient temperature and humidity were 27.41 ± 2.54 °C and 35 ± 5%, respectively. By increasing diet nutrients density significantly improved egg production (EP), egg weight (EW), egg mass (EM), feed conversion ratio (FCR). Also, egg crude protein and yolk ether extract composition, egg special gravity and relative shell weight significantly increased as increased diet nutrient density. Average bird’s daily feed intake (FI), eggshell thickness, Haugh unit and solid percentage did not affect by diet nutrients density. By linear broken-line models, the diet nutrients density for optimised EP, EM, and FCR were estimated at 97.93, 97.57, and 100% of strain recommendation, respectively. It is concluded, laying hens during the post-peak production phase of the first laying cycle and under subtropical climate was not able to adjust FI with diet dilution. Nutrient requirements varied to what productive parameter was taken for optimisation. Optimum FCR was achieved when the diet was formulated to followed strain recommendations.HIGHLIGHTS Hy-Line-W36 laying hens during the post-peak production phase of the first laying cycle and under subtropical climate cannot adjust their feed intake with dietary nutrients dilution

Effect of wheat-soy diet nutrient density and guanidine acetic acid supplementation on performance and energy metabolism in broiler chickens

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of different levels of guanidine acetic acid (GAA) on the performance, carcase yield and energetic molecular metabolites of breast muscle in broiler chickens fed with wheat-soy diet containing different levels of nutrient densities. 450- day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308), assigned in a completely randomised design experiment with factorial arrangement 3 × 3, 9 treatments and 5 replicates of 10 birds each. The diets included three levels of GAA supplementation (0, 0.6, 1.2 g/kg of diet) and three dietary nutrient density (ND) levels (low; 2800 kcal ME/kg, medium; 2950 kcal ME/kg and high; 3100 kcal ME/kg with constant rates of ME to other nutrients). The experimental diets were fed ad libitum from 1–42 days of age. One bird per pen was euthanized on day 10 and 42 to determine the energetic molecular metabolites concentrations of adenosine phosphate (ATP, ADP and AMP), phosphocreatine (PCr) and creatinine (CRN) in breast muscles. The inclusion of 0.6 g/kg GAA in wheat–soy diet, improved production performance, the relative weight of breast yield and increased the concentration of high phosphate energy metabolites (PCr, ATP/ADT and PCr/ATP) in breast muscle. The supplementation of high-density diet with GAA compared with the low-density diet improved broiler chicken’s performance. It is concluded that the use of GAA in diet may facilitate the conversion of high-energy phosphates to form ATP in muscles and thus improve broiler chicken’s performance

Effect of probiotic and vinegar on growth performance, meat yields, immune responses, and small intestine morphology of broiler chickens

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of probiotic and drinking water (DW) supplemented with different levels of vinegar on performance, meat yields, immune responses, and small intestine histology of broiler chickens. Three hundred thirty day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks assigned to six treatments in a completely randomised design experiment with a factorial arrangement (2 × 3) and five replicates of 11 chicks each. The treatments included two levels of dietary probiotic supplementation (0 and 1 × 1010 CFU lactic acid/kg of diet) and three levels (0%, 1%, and 2%) of DW supplemented with vinegar (5% acetic acid concentration). The study lasted from 1 to 42 d. Growth performance, meat yields and lymphoid organs relative weight, humoral and cellular immune responses, and small intestine histomorphometry were measured. The average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) during 1–10 days of age significantly decreased in the birds that fed supplemented diet with probiotic and drunk supplemented water with vinegar than the birds fed and drunk free of any additive. Experimental treatments did not have a significant effect on performance during other growth periods, carcase yields, and lymphoid organs relative weight. DW supplemented with vinegar significantly increased villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD) and decreased small intestine muscular thickness (MT) and abdominal fat. Dietary supplementation of probiotic significantly improved immune response to sheep red blood cell (SRBC) inoculation. In conclusion, this study confirms beneficial effects of probiotic and vinegar on 1–10 d performance, immune and intestine health of broiler chickens