• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제8권5호
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• pp.463-470
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• 1995

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of chromium picolinate on growth performance, nutrient utilizability, carcass composition, serum traits and in vitro protein synthesis of 3 day old Arbor Acres broiler chickens when dietary crude protein levels were varying in diets. Six replicates of eight chicks each (average initial weitht = 59.4 g) were randomly assigned to three levels (low, medium, high) of dietary crude protein at two levels of chromium (0, 200 ppb Cr/kg diet) as chromium picolinate. Six chicks/treatment were randomly chosen for analyses of carcass composition, six additional chicks/treatment were randomly chosen for analyses of serum components, and a chick/treatment was chosen for in vitro culture of liver tissue. Chromium picolinate did not affect feed intake, protein and fat utilizability, regradless of dietary crude protein level. But feed/gain ratio were more improved in groups fed the low protein diets added with chromium picolinate compared with groups fed the medium and high protein diets with chromium picolinate. Carcass fat tended to decrease whereas carcass protein tended to increase when added with chromium picolinate. Broilers fed diets with chromium picolinate exhibited lower serum triglyceride and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations than those fed without chromium picolinate (p < 0.05). Both secreted and retained proteins in cultured acinar cell were higher in groups fed diets with chromium picolinate than those fed diets without chromium picolinate (p < 0.05). It could be suggested that chromium picolinate was effective in improving weight gain and nutrient utilizability when dietary crude protein was low (p < 0.05), and also effective in manipulating carcass fat when dietary crude protein level was high (p < 0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.263-271
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• 2010

This trial was conducted to determine the effects of feeding a diet containing solid-state fermented rapeseed meal on performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal ecology and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A mixed liquid culture, containing approximately 5 log cfu/ml Lactobacillus fermentum, Enterococcus faecium, Saccharomyces cerevisae and Bacillus subtilis was prepared in a 1:1:1:1 ratio. A basal substrate (BS) containing 75% rapeseed, 24% wheat bran and 1% brown sugar was mixed with the liquid culture in a ratio of 10:3. Over the 30-day fermentation, isothiocyanates were reduced from 119.6 to 14.7 mmol/kg. A total of 168, day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were assigned to one of three dietary treatments including a corn-soybean meal based control diet as well as two experimental diets in which the control diet was supplemented with 10% of the BS containing unfermented rapeseed meal or 10% of the BS containing rapeseed meal subjected to solid state fermentation. There were 8 pens per treatment and 7 birds per pen. From days 19-21 and days 40-42, uncontaminated excreta were collected from each pen for digestibility determinations. In addition, digesta from the colon and ceca were collected to determine the number of lactobacilli, enterobacteria and total aerobes. The middle sections of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were collected for intestinal morphology. Over the entire experimental period (d 1-42), the weight gain and feed conversion of birds fed fermented rapeseed meal were superior (p<0.05) to that of birds fed nonfermented rapeseed meal and did not differ from the soybean control. On day 42, birds fed fermented rapeseed meal had higher (p<0.05) total tract apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter, energy, and calcium than birds fed non-fermented rapeseed meal. Colon and ceca digesta from broilers fed the fermented feed had higher (p<0.05) lactobacilli counts than birds fed the control and non-fermented rapeseed meal diets on day 21 and 42. Fermentation also improved (p<0.05) villus height and the villus height:crypt depth ratio in the ileum and jejunum on day 21 and 42. The results indicate that solid-state fermentation of rapeseed meal enhanced performance and improved the intestinal morphology of broilers and may allow greater quantities of rapeseed meal to be fed to broilers potentially reducing the cost of broiler production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권10호
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• pp.1340-1347
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• 2010

To study the effects of ${\alpha}$-galactosidase (${\alpha}$-Gal) supplementation on performance and energy metabolism, 216 Arbor Acres male broilers were placed in 36 cages of 6 birds each and allotted to 4 diets for 42 d, with 0-21 d as starter period and 22-42 d as grower period. The 4 diets were based on corn non-dehulled soybean meal in a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement, with 2 levels of ${\alpha}$-Gal (0 vs. 60 U/kg feed) and 2 levels of ME (normal metabolizable energy (NME) and low metabolizable energy (LME)). Bird performance was obtained at 21 and 42 d of age with samples of feces collected for nutrient digestibility from 19-21 d and 40-42 d. At 21 and 42 d, 1 bird from 6 cages of each treatment was killed to determine liver weight, intestinal pH and chyme viscosity. With the addition of ${\alpha}$-Gal the 42 d body weight (BW) and 0-42 d average daily gain (ADG) were significantly improved (p<0.05). Average daily feed intake (ADFI) of birds fed the LME diet was significantly increased compared to those fed the NME diet during starter (p<0.01) and grower (p<0.05) periods and overall (p<0.01). There was an interaction of ${\alpha}-Gal{\times}ME$ on 0-21 d ADFI (p<0.01). Supplementation of ${\alpha}$-Gal significantly improved (p<0.01) feed efficiency during the grower period and overall. Feed efficiency of birds fed the LME diet was significantly decreased (p<0.05) compared to those fed the NME diet during the starter period and overall. With the addition of ${\alpha}$-Gal apparent metabolizable energy (AME) was improved (p<0.01) by 2.1% and 1.8% during starter and grower periods, respectively. There was a main effect (p<0.05) of ${\alpha}$-Gal on the digestion of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) during the starter period and crude protein (CP), NDF and acid detergent fiber (ADF) during the grower period. With the addition of ${\alpha}$-Gal, the relative weight of liver was reduced (p<0.01) during the two phases. The duodenal and jejunal pH were significantly decreased (p<0.01) with the supplementation of ${\alpha}$at the two phases. ${\alpha}$-Gal addition reduced (p<0.01) chyme viscosity of the ileum during the starter and grower periods. Overall, ${\alpha}$-Gal showed a major effect on nutrient efficiency, improved ADG and feed efficiency, whereas LME decreased feed efficiency. The incorporation of ${\alpha}$-Gal into a LME diet could at least partially offset ME deficiency of non-dehulled soybean meal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.672-682
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• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic with and without feed restriction on broilers performance, blood parameters, carcass characteristics, and feed cost of production from 1 to 56 days of age. Methods: Two hundred and forty unsexed one day-old chicks of Arbor Acres breed were used. Two trials, I and II, were conducted, with 120 birds in both. Each trial was divided into 4 equal groups. The birds in trial I were fed ad libitum throughout the experiment, while the chicks in trial II were fed ad libitum during the first week of age, then subjected to 5 hours/d of feed restriction from the beginning of the second week up to the end of the experiment. In both trials, the birds in group 1 were fed on a control diet while the other groups were given the same control diet supplemented either with a probiotic in group 2, prebiotic in group 3, or synbiotic in group 4. Results: It was found that chicks fed diets supplemented with probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic (with and without feed restriction) exhibited higher body weight and feed efficiency than chicks fed the control diets. The feed additives in both trials did not affect hemoglobin, serum total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, and total cholesterol, except the packed cell volume which was increased in the additive treatments with restriction at the end of the experiment. Moreover, the dietary treatments did not influence the carcass yield. However, the relative weights of liver, gizzard and proventriculus, small intestine and bursa of fabricius were found to be increased. The additives decreased the visible fat in the carcass, with more decreasing effect in the additive groups with restriction. The lowest feed cost per kg of weight gain was observed in the birds fed diets supplemented with synbiotic, probiotic and prebiotic. Feed restriction improved the feed conversion ratio, economic return, but decreased the feed intake, serum total cholesterol and visible fat in comparison with non-restricted groups. Conclusion: The biological feed additives could be routinely added to broiler diets, especially when a feed restriction program is followed. Finally, it can be recommended to restrict feed, and add probiotic or synbiotic to increase weight, improve feed conversion rate and reduce feed cost of production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제29권11호
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• pp.1562-1568
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• 2016

Monochromatic green light-emitting diodes (LED) light stimuli influences the posthatch growth performance of chicks. This study was undertaken with the following objectives: i) to examine whether the green LED light stimuli induces an overheating effect by determining weight loss rate of fertile eggs during incubation period; ii) to look for the development of eyes and other primary organs at different ages of embryos and newly hatched chicks. Arbor Acres fertile broiler eggs (n = 480) were randomly assigned to 3 incubation groups and exposed to continuous white light, green light, or a dark environment (control) from the first day to 19 d of incubation. The light sourced from LED lamps with the intensity of 30 lx at eggshell level. The results showed that either green or white light stimuli during incubation did not significantly affect the weight loss rate of fertile eggs, hatching time, hatchability, chick embryo, or body weight (BW), the weight percentage of heart, liver, and eyes, as well as obvious systematic abnormalities in eye weight, side-to-side, back-to-front, or corneal diameter from 15 d of embryogenesis to 6 d of posthatch (p>0.05). Compared with the dark condition, green light stimuli during incubation tended to increase feed intake (p = 0.080), improved the BW gain of chicks during 0 to 6 day posthatch (p<0.05), and increased the percentage of pectoral muscle to the BW on 3- and 6-day-old chicks. In addition, embryos or chicks in green light had lower weight percentage of yolk retention on 19 d of embryogenesis and 1 d of posthatch in comparison to those in dark or white group (p<0.05). These results suggest that providing 30 lx green LED light stimuli during incubation has no detrimental effect on the development of eyes, heart and liver of embryos and hatchlings, but does have potential benefits in terms of enhancement of the chick growth during the early posthatch stages. In addition, the fertile broiler eggs stimulated with 30 lx green LED light during incubation does not cause an overheating effect.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권8호
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• pp.1182-1187
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• 2005

A flock of Arbor Acres chickens were reared in cages and provided with high energy pelleted feed. At 14 d of age, a total of 350 birds were separated into 3 groups randomly as follows: 100 birds were exposed to ambient temperature of 20$^{\circ}C$ as a control group, 150 birds were exposed to lower ambient temperature of 11$^{\circ}C$ to induce ascites (group I), and another group of 100 birds were exposed to lower ambient temperature of 11$^{\circ}C$ and fed diet containing 1% L-arginine for ascitic prophylactic treatment (group II). Blood and tissue samples (lung and liver) were collected from chickens at 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 wk of age subsequently, to analyze the concentration and activities of free radicals, mononaldehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), Nitric Oxide (NO) and Nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The results showed that the prevalence of ascites in the control, group I and group II was 3%, 9.33% and 3% respectively (p<0.01). The concentration of free radicals in the lungs of 3 wks old preascitic broilers in group I was significantly higher than in the corresponding control group (p<0.05). The concentrations of free radicals in lung and liver in the 7 wk period, and that of NO and SOD in the plasma were significantly lower in group I than in the control group (p<0.01). However, the accumulated MDA contents in group I were higher than in the control group and group II (p<0.05), respectively. In the same way, the activity of NOS in group II was higher than both group I and control group (p<0.01) during the 7 wk period. There was no significant difference between SOD activities of group II and the control group (p>0.05), and also insignificant difference between NOS in group I and the control group (p>0.05). The results of this study indicate that there was a significant decrease in the concentration of MDA in group II. On the other hand, the concentration of free radicals decreased and MDA concentration increased in group I during the 7 wk period. The reduction in concentration of MDA in group II, following arginine supplementation may be associated with the scavenging activity of NO.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권8호
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• pp.1164-1170
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• 2005

This study was conducted to evaluate performance, breast (thigh) muscle yield, nutrient digestibility and serum biochemical parameters of broilers fed low-protein diets supplemented with various threonine to lysine ratios (Thr/Lys). Three hundred and twenty four day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments with six replicates per treatment and nine broilers per replicate. Six treatments included one control diet [formulated according to NRC (1994)], and five experimental diets (treatments 1-5). In treatments 1-5, the crude protein level was 2% lower than that of the NRC control diet. The Thr/Lys in treatments 1-5 was 0.65, 0.70, 0.75, 0.80 and 0.85 during the starter and grower phases and 0.70, 0.75, 0.80, 0.85 and 0.90 during the finisher phase with other nutrient levels kept consistent. The results showed that: (1) With increasing Thr/Lys, ADG of treatments 1, 3 and 4 were lower (p<0.05) than those of the NRC control diet during the starter phase; ADG of treatments 1-5 were lower (p<0.05) than those of the NRC control during the grower phase, and ADG of treatment 1 was lower (p<0.05) than that of the NRC control during the finisher phase. Average daily feed intake in treatments 1 and 4 were lower (p<0.05) than that of broilers on the NRC control diet during the grower phase. Feed/gain (F/G) of the NRC control diet was lowest (p<0.05) during the starter phase. F/G in treatments 2 and 5 were higher (p<0.05) than that of NRC during the grower phase. (2) Breast muscle proportion on d 21 increased linearly (p<0.05) in response to graded levels of Thr/Lys. (3) No differences were detected for dry matter, energy and crude protein digestibility among all seven treatments. (4) On d 21, serum triglyceride of broilers on dietary treatments 3 and 5 was higher (p<0.05) than that of broilers in control. The results indicate that the low-protein diets supplemented with an appropriate Thr/Lys could not support the same performance that was achieved by the broilers fed the NRC control diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제13권9호
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• pp.1210-1218
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• 2000

Four experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of temperature and humidity on biochemical indices of Arbor Acres broilers at different weeks of age. The alkaline phosphatase (AKP), acid phosphatase (ACP), lactic dehydrogenase (LD), creatine kinase (CK), plasma glucose (Glu), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), urea nitrogen (UN), uric acid (UA), plasma thyroxin (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and insulin levels were determined in all the four experiments. In experiment 1, the plasma Glu, LD and CK levels were increased by heat exposure ($35{^{\circ}C}$ and 35, 60, or 85% RH, 2 h) and this effect was aggravated by longer exposure (24 h). No significant changes (p>0.05) were found in Ca concentration, activity of AKP and ACP. In experiment 2, temperature (10, 20, 30, $33{^{\circ}C}$) had significant effect on the levels of K, Cl, UN, UA levels and the activity of LD (p<0.01), but had no significant influence on the activity of CK (p>0.05). The UN, UK and LD levels were elevated by low temperature $(10{^{\circ}C})$ (p<0.01), Cl content was increased by high temperature ($(33{^{\circ}C})$ (p<0.01), and K level was decreased by high ($(33{^{\circ}C})$ or low $(10{^{\circ}C})$ temperature and increased by medium temperature $(30{^{\circ}C})$ (p<0.01). The humidity (35, 85% RH) only had significant effect on Cl concentration which was decreased by high humidity (p<0.01). In experiment 3, the result showed that only the LD and CK activity were significantly increased (p<0.01) by high temperature (7, 24, 28, $32{^{\circ}C}$) or high humidity (35, 85% RH). Temperature and humidity had no significant effect on K, Cl, UA, UN and Glu levels (p>0.05). In experiment 4 (24, 27, 30, $33{^{\circ}C}$; 30, 45, 60, 75, 90% RH), plasma T3 level was declined by high temperature $(33{^{\circ}C})$, and this phenomena disappeared in birds under high temperature and high humidity environment. T4 concentration in plasma was not affected by temperature (p>0.05), but was increased by high or low humidity (p<0.01). Neither temperature nor humidity had significant effect on plasma insulin concentration (p>0.05). The results of the four experiments suggested that broilers at different growth periods might have different thermal requirements and would response differently to heat exposure. The plasma biochemical indices themselves had big variation; the reaction of the indices to thermal exposure treatment differed with the age of broilers. The big variation of biochemical indices themselves might cover the response of indices to temperature and humidity treatments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.544-550
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate effects of heat-oxidized soy protein isolate (HSPI) on growth performance, serum biochemical indices, apparent nutrient digestibility and digestive function of broiler chickens. A total of 320 1-day-old Arbor Acres chicks were randomly divided into 4 groups with 8 replicates of 10 birds, receiving diets containing soy protein isolate (SPI, control group) or the same amount of SPI heated in an oven at $100^{\circ}C$ for 1, 4, or 8 h, for 21 days, respectively. The results indicated that compared with the control group, body weight gain and feed intake of birds fed diet containing SPI heated for 8 h were significantly lower (p<0.05). Serum urea nitrogen concentration was higher in the broilers fed diet containing SPI heated for 4 or 8 h at d 21 (p<0.05). In contrast, serum glucose content was decreased by HSPI substitution at d 21 (p<0.05). The relative pancreas weight in HSPI groups was higher than that in the control group at d 21 (p<0.05). Meanwhile, the opposite effect was observed for relative weight of anterior intestine and ileum in broilers fed a diet containing SPI heated for 8 h (p<0.05). Birds fed diets containing SPI heated for 4 or 8 h had a decreased lipase activity in anterior intestinal content at d 14 and 21 (p<0.05), respectively. In addition, the same effect was also noted in broilers given diets containing SPI heated for 1 h at d 21 (p<0.05). Similarly, amylase, protease and trypsin activity in anterior intestinal content were lower in broilers fed diets containing SPI heated for 8 h at d 21 (p<0.05). The apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM) from d 8 to 10 and DM, crude protein (CP), and ether extract from d 15 to 17 were lower in broilers fed diets containing SPI heated for 8 h (p<0.05). Besides, birds given diets containing SPI heated for 4 h also exhibited lower CP apparent digestibility from d 15 to 17 (p<0.05). It was concluded that HSPI inclusion can exert a negative influence on the growth performance of broilers, which was likely to result from the simultaneously compromised digestive function.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제27권6호
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• pp.855-861
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• 2014

This experiment was performed to investigate the effects of exogenous xylanase supplementation on performance, nutrient digestibility and the degradation of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) in different sections of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of broilers fed wheat-based diets. A total of 120 7-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly allotted to two wheat-based experimental diets supplemented with 0 or 1.0 g/kg xylanase. Each treatment was composed of 6 replicates with 10 birds each. Diets were given to the birds from 7 to 21 days of age. The results showed that xylanase supplementation did not affect feed intake, but increased body weight gain of broiler at 21 day of age by 5.8% (p<0.05) and improved feed-to-gain ratio by 5.0% (p<0.05). Xylanase significantly increased (p<0.05) ileal digestibilities of crude protein (CP) by 3.5%, starch by 9.3%, soluble NSP by 43.9% and insoluble NSP by 42.2% relative to the control group, respectively. Also, compared with the control treatment, xylanase addition increased (p<0.05) total tract digestibilities of dry matter by 5.7%, CP by 4.1%, starch by 6.3%, soluble NSP by 50.8%, and had a tendency to increase (p = 0.093) insoluble NSP by 19.9%, respectively. The addition of xylanase increased the concentrations of arabinose and xylose in the digesta of gizzard, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum (p<0.05), and the order of their concentration was ileum>jejunum>duodenum>>gizzard> caecum. The supplementation of xylanse increased ileal isomaltriose concentration (p<0.05), but did not affect the concentrations of isomaltose, panose and 1-kestose in the digesta of all GIT sections. These results suggest that supplementation of xylanase to wheat-based diets cuts the arabinoxylan backbone into small fragments (mainly arabinose and xylose) in the ileum, jejunum and duodenum, and enhances digestibilites of nutrients by decreasing digesta viscosity. The release of arabinose and xylose in the small intestine may also be the important contributors to the growth-promoting effect of xylanase in broilers fed wheat-based diets.