Linseed Oil as a Source of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Broiler Chicken Nutrition

The aim of the paper was to examine the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids from linseed oil on productive performances and fatty acid composition of lipids of broiler chicken abdominal fat, as well as correlation and regression between consumed amount of oil and possibilities of their incorporation in the tissues. For the need of experimental research, three groups of 40 day old chicken, hybrid line Cobb 500 were formed. Every group had five replicates, in total amount of 200 chickens per treatment. Control group were fed with diet in addition of 4% soybean oil, while the experimental groups were fed with addition of 4 and 8% of linseed oil in the diet. Addition of linseed oil had a statistically high (P<0.01) influence on chicken body weight reduction in treatments T2 and T3, compared to the body weights of chicken in control group T1. Feed conversion ratio in chicken in experimental groups T2 and T3 was 1.84 and 1.82 kg of feed/kg of gain. Introduction of linseed oil in amounts of 4 and 8% in chicken nutrition led to statistically high (P<0.01) differences in content of linoleic acid (C18:2) in treatments T2 and T3, compared to control group T1, which leads to a conclusion that linseed oil significantly reduces linoleic acid in tissue. Compared to linoleic acid, content of α-linolenic acid (C18:3) was statistically significantly increased (P<0.05) in treatment T2 and highly significantly (P<0.01) in treatment T3, compared to control. Negative values of regression (b) and correlation (r) also confirm the fact that introduction of linseed oil in the diet significantly reduces content of linoleic acid in fat tissue of chickens (b=-0.551; r=-0.79), while the same coefficients show positive dependence between added linseed oil in the diet and deposited linolenic acid in tissues (b=1.081 and r=0.87). Based on the gained results it can be concluded that addition of linseed oil in the amount of 4 and 8% could be successfully used in chicken nutrition for fatty acid composition improvement and for lowering the ratio between n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid in tissues of broilers

Influence of Energy and Protein Level in Lactating Sows Diet on the Mobilization of Reserves from Internal Organs

The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of feeding sows in lactation, in diets with different levels of energy and protein to mobilization of reserves from internal organs. The experiment was conducted on 240 sows divided into two groups of 120 sows each, with two sub-groups of 60 sows. Experimental period lasted 65 days, and during the last 30 days of pregnancy and lactation, until weaning. For sows feeding a mixture of the standard composition and the quality, with the 15% crude protein, and 14 to 12 MJ ME / kg and 19% crude protein, and 14 to 12 MJ ME / kg of the mixture were used. Sows were divided into two groups and four subgroups consumed 2.20 and 3.30 kg of food per day. Based on the statistical analysis of the data it can be concluded that the different amounts of feeds with different levels of protein and energy in the diet resulted in the mobilization of the reserves from the internal organs of lactating sows. When we talk about the content of protein in the liver of lactating sows, statistically significant effect (P>0.05) to diets with 15% crude protein (19.04%) and 19% crude protein (19%) was not recorded. The same trend in the content of crude protein in the kidney (14.61 and 14.84%) was also observed, but with no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). Analysis of variance was established as statistically significant effects (P<0.01) protein content in the diet on protein content in the muscle of the heart muscle (17.59 and 18.71%). Effect of different energy level in mixture used for the diet of lactating sows, the protein content in the liver, kidneys and heart was missing

Black Pepper (Piper Nigrum L.) and Hot Red Pepper (Capsicum Annum L.) in Broiler Chicken Nutrition

Antibiotics have been widely used in animal production for decades in past. Although some are used therapeutically to improve the health and well-being of animals, most were given for prophylactic purposes and to improve growth rate and feed conversion ratio efficiency. After the ban of nutritive antibiotic usage in animal nutrition in the European Union, many alternative substances have been investigated for growth promoter potential as their replacement. A large number of experiments have confirmed a wide range of activities of phytoadditives such as black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and hot red pepper (Capsicum annum L.) in poultry nutrition for feed intake stimulation, antimicrobial, antioxidative, anticoccidiostatic effects. Besides these effects, black pepper and hot red pepper also have a strong influence on lowering the cholesterol level in edible tissuses as well as on reducing deposition of abdominal fat in carcass. The aim of this review is to present characteristics and effects of phytoadditives, especially black pepper and hot red pepper and their bioactive components in broiler chicken nutrition

Animal Nutrition and Welfare in Sustainable Production Systems

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Chicken genome modelling for the benefit of science

In the early 21st century, genetic modification of chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs) had not been possible before their transfer and recovery through germ line. Chicken PGCs resist deliberate genetic modification, probably by silencing the transgenes in the genome. The use of mobile genetic elements (transposons) in genetic modification and germ-line transmission of PGCs has recently overcome this problem, so that PGCs can be used for further chicken genome modelling in order to study developmental biology, non-coding RNA (ncRNA) functions, viral DNA-RNA hybridisation, silencing of transgene expression, together with epigenetic modification, and gene function. Application of the transposons, viral integrase, zinc-finger nuclease and site-specific recombinase in whole genome elucidation is not sufficient. The chicken PGCs can be used as a model of choice to establish a new generation of methodology for genome modelling. For this purpose the livesome vectors are proposed

Biological Health Markers Associated with Oxidative Stress in Dairy Cows during Lactation Period

This review aims to summarize and present different biological health markers in dairy cows during the lactation period. Biochemical health markers provide an indicator of how foreign chemical substances, whether external or internal, affect the animal’s health. To understand the relationship between dairy cow health issues and oxidative stress, various biomarkers of oxidative stress must be investigated. Biochemical and hematological factors play a significant role in determining the biological health markers of animals. A variety of biochemical parameters are dependent on various factors, including the animal’s breed, its age, its development, its pregnancy status, and its production status. When assessing the health of cattle, a blood test is conducted to determine the blood chemistry. To diagnose diseases in dairy animals, the blood biochemistry is necessary to determine the cause of many physiological, metabolic, and pathological problems. Observing blood alterations during pregnancy and at peak lactation may determine what factors lift oxidative stress in cows due to disturbances in feed intake and metabolic processes

Feeding of black cumin (nigella sativa L.) and its effects on poultry production and health

Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) is a perennial and autogamous plant belonging to Umbelliferae family growing in Central Asia and Europe as a medicinal plant with seeds and oil used in treating several diseases and employed in food industry. Reduction of blood sugar and anti-cancer effects are the main therapeutic properties of black cumin oil. Moreover, hypoglycemia and hypocholesterolemia are two modern life-style diseases and feeding of black cumin may be useful to solve these conditions. The available literature reports that the addition of black cumin seeds improved the performance (3-5% in diet) and influenced positively (2-3% in diet) intestinal bacteria of broilers. Also, black cumin oil administered in diet (up to 3%) reduced the number of thrombocytes and neutrophils and increased lymphocytes in broilers. Black cumin seeds may also increase the content of unsaturated fatty acids and enhance antioxidant properties of poultry meat (up to 2% in diet). In laying hens, feeding of black cumin oil (1-2% of diet) increased egg mass and improved egg quality especially in early production phase, reducing also gut E. coli count. Dietary supplementation with black cumin (2% as seeds or 0.5% as oil) in quail diet improved the performance (growth and egg production) and reduced significantly the harmful bacteria in gut. In this review, the recent findings on the effects of dietary black cumin on poultry performance, immune response, plasma constitutes, gut microbiota and enzyme activity are reviewed and discussed

Effect of dietary supplementation of garlic powder and phenyl acetic acid on productive performance, blood haematology, immunity and antioxidant status of broiler chickens

Objective: The effect of garlic powder (GP) and phenyl acetic (PA) acid throughout the fattening period of broiler chickens on performance, blood parameters, immune, and antioxidant parameters as well as carcass traits was evaluated. Methods: A total of 210 dayold Cobb broiler chicks were randomly distributed into seven dietary treatments having five replications with six chicks per replicate. The first group (control) fed a basal diet without supplements, whereas the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th group were fed basal diet plus 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 g GP/kg diet, respectively and the group 5th, 6th, and 7th were fed on the basal diet plus 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 g PA/kg diet. Results: Broiler body weight and gain at 21 and 42 days were increased (p&lt;0.05) with diets supplemented with GP and PA. Red blood cells and hemoglobin were improved in chickens fed diets enriched with GP. Broiler chickens received diets containing either GP or PA recorded the higher values (p&lt;0.05) of total protein, globulin, highdensity lipoprotein, immunoglobulin M (IgM), and IgG, superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity; while, blood total cholesterol, lowdensity lipoprotein, aspartateaminotransferase, and malondialdehyde were lowered (p&lt;0.05) compared to controldiet. Liver and immunerelated organs weight were improved (p&lt;0.05) in broilers fed diet supplemented with GP and PA. Conclusion: Feeding of GP or PA in diet had positive effects on performance traits and immunological, antioxidant and physiological status of broilers. Thus, the use of tested feed additives as an ecofriendly alternative to antibiotics produced a positive effect on animal health

Influence of different tetracycline antimicrobial therapy of mycoplasma (mycoplasma synoviae) in laying hens compared to tea tree essential oil on table egg quality and antibiotic residues

The food of animal origin that is the most consumed is the table egg, but laying hens treated with antibiotics can produce eggs contaminated with antibiotic residues. Residues of antibiotics may present a risk for consumer health. Keeping in mind that laying hens almost always suffer from Mycoplasma (Mycoplasma synoviae), for which they are treated with antibiotics, high-quality egg production is even harder. Our research aimed to investigate the influence of three different antibiotics compared to the tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil administered to naturally infected laying hens with M. synoviae, on antibiotic residues in eggs as well as the egg nutritive and sensory qualities. A total of 20,000 laying hens, housed in one facility and divided into four lines each consisting of 5000 hens naturally infected with M. synoviae, was used. For the antimicrobial therapy, tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) were used, respectively. As a control, tea tree essential oil (TT) was used. Based on the gained results all tetracyclines treatment residue values were significantly (p &lt; 0.05) higher compared to the control treatment (TT), but without any significant differences (p &gt; 0.05) between themselves. The results showed no differences in the nutritive and the sensory qualities of eggs between the control and the experimental treatments (p &gt; 0.05). Keeping in mind the obtained results from this study, it can be concluded that tea tree essential oil could be successfully used as a natural antibiotic in the treatment of M. synoviae, without any adverse effects on table egg quality