• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.858-868
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary yeast hydrolysate (YH) supplementation on intestinal morphology, barrier, and anti-inflammatory functions of broilers. Methods: A total of 320 one day old male broilers were randomly allocated into four groups with eight replicates of ten broilers each. The broilers were supplemented with a basal diet (the control group) or basal diets adding 50, 100, 150 mg/kg YH, respectively. This trial lasted for 42 days. The orthogonal polynomial contrasts were used to determine the linear and quadratic effects of increasing levels of YH. Results: In our previous research, supplementing YH improved growth performance by enhancing body weight gain but decreased feed-to-gain ratio. In this study, compared with the control group, dietary YH addition linearly and quadratically decreased serum diamine oxidase activity (p<0.05). Additionally, supplementing YH linearly and/or quadratically decreased jejunal crypt depth (CD), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) concentration as well as mucin 2, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, TNF-α, nuclear factor kappa B, and myeloid differentiation factor 88 gene expression levels (p<0.05). Whereas the jejunal villus height (VH), VH/CD, IL-10 concentration as well as zonula occludens-1 and IL-10 gene expression levels were linearly and/or quadratically increased by YH supplementation (p<0.05). Conclusion: Dietary YH supplementation improved intestinal morphology, barrier and anti-inflammatory functions while decreased intestinal permeability of broilers, which might be related with altering pertinent genes expression. This study provides evidence of YH as a promising feed additive for broilers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1288-1295
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• 2009

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of xylanase on performance, blood parameters, intestinal morphology, microflora and digestive enzyme activities of broilers. The wheat-based diets were supplemented with 0, 500, 1,000, 5,000 U/kg xylanase. Xylanase supplementation significantly (p<0.05) improved the feed:gain ratio of broilers from 1 to 21 d and 1 to 42 d. Supplementing 500 U/kg and 1,000 U/kg xylanase improved (p<0.05) the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the small intestine. Excess supplementation of xylanase (5,000 U/kg) increased the villus height in the ileum (p<0.01) and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum and ileum (p<0.05). The microflora in the ileum and caecum, digestive enzyme activities in the small intestine and the concentrations of serum glucose, uric acid, insulin and IGF-I were not affected by the supplementation of xylanase. Excess level of xylanase (5,000 U/kg) had a tendency to induce the multiplication of E. coli and total aerobes. The results suggested that supplementing 500 U/kg and 1,000 U/kg xylanase was beneficial for broilers and excess xylanase supplementation resulted in no further improvement or negative effects.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1686-1695
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• 2015

Molecular marker selection has been an acceptable tool in the acceleration of the genetic response of desired traits to improve production performance in chickens. The crossbreds from commercial parent stock (PS) broilers with four Thai synthetic breeds; Kaen Thong (KT), Khai Mook Esarn (KM), Soi Nin (SN), and Soi Pet (SP) were used to study the association among chicken growth hormones (cGH) and the insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) genes for growth and carcass traits; for the purpose of developing a suitable terminal breeding program for Thai broilers. A total of 408 chickens of four Thai broiler lines were genotyped, using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. The cGH gene was significantly associated with body weight at hatching; at 4, 6, 8, 10 weeks of age and with average daily gain (ADG); during 2 to 4, 4 to 6, 0 to 6, 0 to 8, and 0 to 10 weeks of age in $PS{\times}KM$ chickens. For $PS{\times}KT$ populations, cGH gene showed significant association with body weight at hatching, and ADG; during 8 to 10 weeks of age. The single nucleotide polymorphism variant confirmed that allele G has positive effects for body weight and ADG. Within carcass traits, cGH revealed a tentative association within the dressing percentage. For the IGF-I gene polymorphism, there were significant associations with body weight at hatching; at 2, 4, and 6 weeks of age and ADG; during 0 to 2, 4 to 6, and 0 to 6 weeks of age; in all of four Thai broiler populations. There were tentative associations of the IGF-I gene within the percentages of breast muscles and wings. Thus, cGH gene may be used as a candidate gene, to improve growth traits of Thai broilers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1440-1446
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• 2011

The study investigated the effects of dietary Vitamin E (VE) on nitric oxide (NO) metabolism, immune function and analyzed the correlation between NO free radical and cytokines (IL-2 and IL-6) in broilers. One hundred and fifty 2-week-old broilers were randomly divided into three groups. Control group and lower VE ($VE^-$) group were provided with a basic diet supplemented with 12.55 mg/kg VE and 2.55 mg/kg VE for 30 days, respectively. Higher VE ($VE^{-}-VE^+$) group was supplemented with 2.55 mg/kg VE in the first 15 days and then 32.55 mg/kg VE in the next 15 days. Five broilers in each group were then sacrificed on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th days, respectively, and the content of NO free radical, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), malondialdehyde (MDA) and cytokines, IL-2 and IL-6, were measured. The results showed that lower VE could decrease growth performance of broilers while higher VE could increase growth performance and eliminate differences resulted from feeding lower VE dietary in early stages (p<0.05). Compared with the control group, lower VE could increase significantly NO and MDA concentration, and increase IL-2 concentration in serum (p<0.05). Higher VE could significantly increase activities of SOD and glutathione GSH-Px (p<0.05). IL-2 is positively correlated with NO in heart (p<0.05) and IL-6 is negatively correlated with NO in liver (p<0.05) and heart (p<0.01). These results indicate that dietary VE could regulate antioxidant capacity and NO metabolism of broilers and higher VE-supplemented diet could directly decrease production of IL-2.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.231-239
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• 2021

This study evaluated the effect of microwave-dried black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal (HILM) as a dietary protein source for broiler diets. A total of 250 male broilers were randomly allocated to five dietary treatment groups (10 replicates and 5 birds·pen^-1) which were respectively fed the following: a control diet (HI0) and four experimental diets in which soybean meal was replaced with 2 (HI2), 4, 6, and 8% HILM. At the end of the study (35 d), blood samples were collected from 10 randomly selected broilers (1 bird per pen) to determine serum parameters. Then, the broilers were slaughtered to determine volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles in cecal digesta. The average daily gain and average daily feed intake linearly decreased (p < 0.01), and the feed conversion ratio linearly increased (p < 0.05) according to the inclusion level of HILM; however, there were no significant differences between the HI0 and HI2 groups. Dietary HILM increased (p < 0.01) the total VFAs in cecal digesta and decreased (p < 0.05) the triglyceride level in the blood. The broilers fed HILM had lower (p < 0.01) serum phosphorus levels; dietary HILM increased (p < 0.05) the serum calcium level. The total VFAs in cecal digesta were positively influenced by the dietary microwave-dried HILM. However, a low inclusion level (2%) of HILM in broiler diets is proper in terms of growth performance and health.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.391-397
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• 1998

The present study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary protein (20, 22, 24%) with a constant protein-to-energy ratio on clenbuterol-induced performance in broilers. The protein-to-energy ratio was based on adequate level (22% protein, 3,100 kcal of energy). Female broiler chickens were used for a $3{\times}2$ factorial arrangement and fed diets with or without 1 ppm clenbuterol from 14- to 32-days of age. Feed efficiency improved with increasing dietary protein level, regardless of clenbuterol treatment. The dietary clenbuterol increased weights of breast and leg muscles (gastrocnemius and peroneus longus), and clenbuterol markedly reduced protein content of leg muscles in chickens fed the 20% protein diet, but did not in chickens fed the 22 and 24% protein diets. Feeding the 24% protein diet with clenbuterol improved the protien accretion (peroneus longus) by 8.4%. Clenbuterol decreased DNA content and increased the protein/DNA ratio in breast muscle regardless of dietary protein intake. Clenbuterol had no effect on RNA content in both breast and leg muscles. The present results demonstrated that various protein levels which retain the same protein-to-energy ratio in the diet markedly alter the protein accretion induced by ${\beta}$-agonist in broilers.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.411-418
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• 2018

A total of 576 seven-day-old male Ross 308 broilers with an average initial BW of $180{\pm}1g$ were used in a 4 week feeding experiment which included a starter phase (7 to 21 d) and a grower phase (22 to 35 d). Birds were randomly allocated into 1 of 3 treatments with 12 replicates per treatment and 16 birds per pen. The treatments consisted of the following: T1, Control; T2, T1 + 0.1% Creamer (Dongsuh Foods Corporation, Incheon, Korea), and T3, T1 + 0.5% Creamer. The broilers were weighed by pen and feed intake (FI) and the number of living broiler chickens were recorded on d 7, 21, and 35. These information were used to calculate the body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). As results of this experiment, there were no significant differences in the BWG, FCR and nutrient digestibility among the treatments. With regards to meat quality, no adverse effects were observed among the treatments. However, a higher score in redness was observed in T3 than in T1. In addition, the relative weight of breast muscle was reduced in T3 compared with T1. Regardless of the nondairy creamer (NDC) inclusion levels, no negative effects on growth performance and nutrient digestibility were observed. In conclusion, non-dairy creamer could be a kind of fat sources additive in broiler diets, further studies are needed to test the optimum levels of the NDC to be supplemented in broilers diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.416-422
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• 2013

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary olive oil on growth performance, carcass parameters, serum characteristics, and fatty acid composition of breast and drumstick meat in broiler chickens. A total of 480 broilers were randomly allotted into three dietary treatments, including T (basal diet, 5% tallow), O1 (2% olive oil+3% tallow), and O2 (5% olive oil). During d 0 to 21, broilers fed the diet supplemented with 5% olive oil showed lower (p<0.05) body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) compared with those fed the T diet. Serum triglyceride concentration was reduced (p<0.05), while high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol concentration was increased (p<0.05) in the O2 treatment group compared with the T and O1 treatment groups. The addition of olive oil to the diets induced a reduction (p<0.05) in the total saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents in breast and drumstick meat, and increased (p<0.05) the total unsaturated fatty acid (USFA) contents and USFA/SFA ratios. In conclusion, a diet with 5% olive oil could decrease BWG and FI of broilers during the starter period (wk 0 to 3), and cause an increase in the serum HDL-cholesterol level, while decreasing the serum triglyceride concentration. Furthermore, USFA level and USFA/SFA ratios in breast and drumstick meat were increased by dietary supplementation of 2 or 5% olive oil.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.204-210
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• 2018

Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) provide polka dot grouper Chromileptes altevelis with a more readily utilizable source of energy than long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and significantly elevate the plasma cholesterol level of chickens. As a possible alternative to feed antibiotics, this study investigated the effect of different phase levels of medium chain triglycerides on the growth performance, excreta microflora and blood profiles in broilers. A total of 450 ROSS 308 mixed-sex broilers with an average initial body weight of $49{\pm}0.79g$ (1 day of age) were used in this trial. They were randomly assigned to the following 3 treatments (15 birds / 10 replications): CON (Basal diet); MCT1 (Starter, Grower, Finisher: Basal diet + 0.1%, 0.075%, 0.05% of MCT) and MCT2 (Starter, Grower, Finisher: Basal diet + 0.1%, 0.1%, 0.1% of MCT). The results show that supplementing the diets with different phase levels of MCT did not have a significant impact on the body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the overall experimental period. Additionally, there were no differences in the blood profiles and excreta microflora among the treatments. However, this study found that the BWG was increased by 2.3%, and the FCR was decreased by 0.6% in the broiler fed MCT1 treatment group during overall experiment phase. Therefore, the results suggest that MCTs could be used as an alternative to growth promoting feed additives. Moreover, further research should be done to evaluate the effect of the different levels of MCTs.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1299-1303
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• 2018

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of broilers fed different levels of Hermetia illucens powder. A total of 400 broiler chicks (1-day old Arbor Acres) were fed commercial diets containing H. illucens powder at 0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% with four replicates (25 chicks per replicate), for 35 days. Weight gain in broilers fed diets containing different levels of H. illucens powder increased significantly at 28 and 35 days, compared with that of the control (p<0.05). However, feed intake and mortality showed no differences among the treatments as a function of time. At 21, 28, and 35 days, broilers fed different levels of H. illucens powder had lower feed conversion rates (p<0.05) than their counterparts fed the control diet. In conclusion, 0.5% H. illucens powder is the optimal level for improved weight gain and feed conversion.