Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to evaluate the effects of dietary Aloe vera gel powder on performance, gastrointestinal organs and intestinal microflora in Japanese quails. Seven hundred one day old Japanese quails were allocated in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments replicated 5 times each with 35 birds per replicate for 6 weeks. The experimental treatments were: 1) control group (basal diet, diet without aloe vera gel powder), 2) basal diet + 0.1 percent of aloe vera gel powder. 3) basal diet + 0.2 percent of aloe vera gel powder, and 4) basal diet + 0.3 percent of aloe vera gel powder. The bacteria populations of the intestinal tract were investigated using eosin methylene blue, MRS agar and agar nutrient media. The results did not show any significant differences between dietary treatments for feed intake, feed conversion ratio and weight gain (P>0.05). There were also no significant differences between the dietary treatments for the relative weight of thigh, gizzard and liver (P>0.05). For duodenal weight, there were significant differences between control group and treatments supplemented with 0.2 and 0.3 % of Aloe vera gel powder (P<0.05). However, threre were not significant differences between the dietary treatments for the relative weights of jejunum and ileum (P>0.05). In spite of non-effective impact of Aloe vera gel powder on the performance of the quails, the results indicated a beneficial effect for Aloe vera gel powder on gut microflora by decreasing and increasing the counts of E-Coli and lactobacillus, respectively. Therefore, adding Aloe vera gel powder to the diets of Japanese quails could be recommended in order to controlling the gut microflora communities and enhancing the health status.

Keywords

حسن­بیگی، ز. 1389. اثر ژل گیاه آلوئه­ورا بر عملکرد تولیدی و سیستم ایمنی سلولی و همورال جوجه­های گوشتی. پایان­نامه کارشناسی ارشد. دانشکده علوم کشاورزی دانشگاه گیلان.
Akhtar, M,. A. Hai, M. M. Awais, Z. Iqbal, F. Muhammad, A. Haq and M. I. Anwar. (2011) Immunostimulatory and protective effects of aloe vera against coccidiosis in industrial broiler chickens. Veterinary Parasitological. 11: 59-67.
Alves, D. S., L. Pérez-Fons, A. Estepa and V. Micol. (2004) Membrane-related effects underlying the biological activity of the anthraquinones emodin and barbaloin. Biochemical Pharmacology. 68: 549-561.       
Allen, P. C., J. Lydon and H.D. Danforth. (1997) Effect of components of Artemisia on coccidian infections in chickens. Poultry science. 76: 1156- 1163.
Azghani, A. O., I. Williams, D. B. Holiday and A. R. Johnson. (1995) A beta-linked mannan inhibits adherence of Pseudomonas aeroginosa to human lung epithelial cells. Glyco-biology 5: 39–44.
Botsoglou, N. A., E. Christaki, P. Florou-Paneri, I. Giannenas, G. Papageorgiou and A. B. Spais. (2004) The effect of a mixture of herbal essential oils or α-tocopheryl acetate on performance parameters  and oxidation of body lipid in broilers. South African Journnal of Animal Science. 34: 52-61.
Cera, L. M., J. P. Heggers, M. C. Robson and W. J. Hagstrom. (1980) The therapeutic efficacy of Aloe vera cream in thermal injuries. Two case reports. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. 16: 768–772.
Changkang, W., J. Hongqiang, T. Jiangming, G. Weiwei, S. Renna and Z. Qi. (2007) Effect of Aloe powder and extract on production performance and immun function of broiler chickens. Journal of Fujian Agriculture and Foresty University. 36: 614-617.           
Darabighane. B., A. Zarei, A. Zare Shahneh and A. Mahdavi. (2011) Effects of different levels of Aloe vera gel as an alternative to antibiotic on performance and ileum morphology in broiler. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 10: 189-194.
Darabighane. B., A. Zarei and A. Zare Shahneh. (2012) The effects of different levels of Aloe vera gel on ileum microflora population and immune response in broilers: a comparison to antibiotic effects. Journal of Applied Animal Research. 40: 31-36.
Durrani, F., R. Sanaullah, N. Chand, Z. Durrani and S. Akhtar. (2008) Using aqueous extract of Aloe gel as anticoccidial and immunostimulant agent in broiler production. Sarhad Journal Agriculture. 24: 665-669.
Ferket, P.R., C.W. Parks, J.L. Grims. 2002. Benefits of dietary antibiotic and mannanoligosaccharide supplementation for poultry. Proc. Multi-State Poult. Feeding and Nutr. Conf., Indianapolis, Ind. May 14-16.
Ferro VA., F. Bradbury, P. Cameron. E. Shakir. S. R. Rahman and W. H. Stimson. (2003) In vitro susceptibilities of Shigella flexneri and Streptococcus pyogenes to inner gel of Aloe barbadensis Miller. Antimicrobial agents and Chemotherapy, Mar: 1137-1139.
Finuance, M. C., K. A. Dawson, P. Spring, and K. E. Newman. 1999. The effect of mannan oligosaccharide on the composition of the microflora in turkey poults. Poultry Science. 77- 78.
Fly, L. B. and I. Kiem. (1963) Tests of Aloe vera for antibiotic activity. Economic Botany. 14: 46–49.
Garcia-Sosa K., N. Villarreal-Alvarez, P. Lubben and L. M Peña-Rodriguez. (2006) Chrysophanol, an antimicrobial anthraquinone from the root extract of Colubrina greggii. Mexican Chemical Society. 50: 76-78.
Grieshop C.M., E.A. Flickinger and G.C. Fahey. 2002 Oral administration of arabinogalactan affects immune status and fecal microbial populations in dogs. Journal of Nutrition. 132: 478-482.
Guo, F. C., R. P. Kwakkel, J. Soede, B. A. Williams and M. W. Verstegen. (2004) Effect of a Chinese herb medicine formulation, as an alternative for antibiotics on performance of broilers. British Poultry Science.45: 793-797.
Hernández, F., J. Madrid, J. Orengo, and M.D. Megias. 2004. Influence of two plant extracts on broilers performance, digestibility, and digestive organ size. Poultry Science. 83:169-174.
Jagadeeswaran, A. (2012) Effect of supplementation of Aloe vera extracts on growth performance in commercial broilers. http://www.notoare.com.
Lavinia. S., G. Dumitrescu, D. Drinceanu, D. Stef, D. Mot, C. Julean, R. Tetileanu and N. Corcionivoschi. (2009). The effect of medicinal plants and plant extracted oils on broiler duodenum morphology and immunological profile. Romanian Biotechnological Letters.14: 4606-4614.
Li .p and C. Zhao. (2010). Antibacteria test of aqueous extract and ethanol extract of flos lonicerae Japonica. China modern medicin. 17: 48-48.
Lin. J., F. Y. Zhang, Y. Xu, Z. X. Ting and Y. D. Po. (2005) Effects of gel, polysaccharide and acemannan from Aloe vera on broiler gut flora, microvilli density, immune function and growth performance. Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science. 25: 668-671.
Mehala, C. and M. Moorthy. (2008a) Production performance of broilers fed with Aloe vera and curcuma longa (Turmeric). International Journal of Poultry Science. 7: 852-856.
Mehala, C. and Moorthy, M. (2008b) Effect of Aloe vera and curcuma longa (Turmeric) on carcass characteristics and biochemical parameters of broilers. International Journal of Poultry Science. 7: 857- 861.
Mereole. F. U. C., (2011). Evaluation of the dietary inclusion of Aloe vera as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoter in broiler production. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition. 10: 1-5.
NRC. (1994). Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. Ninth revised edition national asademy press, Washington, DC.
Odo, B.i., B.U. Ekanyen and A.c. Nwamo. (2010). Effect of Aloe vera as leaf protein concentrate on growth performance of cockerels. International journal of poultry science. 9: 426-428.
Pandey. R. and A. Mishra. (2010). Antibacterial activities of crude extract of Aloe barbadensis to clinically isolated bacterial pathogens. Application Biochemical Biotechnology. 160: 1356–1361.
Piva, G. and Rossi, F. (1998). Possible alternatives to the use of antibiotics as growth promoters: New additives. In: IFIF II Conference of Mixed–Feed Manufactures in the Mediterranean.. 83–106. Reus, Spain.
Postma, J., P.R. Ferket, W.J. Croom and R.P. Kwakkel. 1999. Effect of virginiamycin on intestinal characteristics of turkey. The 12th European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition. R.P. Kwakkel and J.P.M. Bos, eds. World’s Poultry Science Association, Dutch branch. Het Spelderholt, Beekbergen, the Netherlands: 188.
Reynolds, T. and A. C Dweck. (1999) Aloe vera leaf gel: a review update. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 68: 3-37.
Sinurat, A. P., T. Purwadaria, M. H. Togatorop, T. Pasaribu, I. A. K. Bintang, S. Sitompul and J. Rosida. (2002). Responses of broilers to Aloe vera bioactives as feed additive: the effect of different forms and levels of bioactives on performances of broilers. Journal of ILmu. Ternak. dan. Veteriner. 7: 69-75.
Swagata, D., B. Mishra, K. Gill, Md. S. Ashraf, A.K. Singh, M. Sinah, S. Sharma, I. Xess, K. Dalal, T.P. Singh and S. Dey. (2011) Isolation and characterization of novel protein with anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties from Aloe vera leaf gel. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 48: 38–43.
 Visek, W.J. 1978. The mode of growth promotion by antibiotics. Animal Science. 46: 1447-1469.
Vogt, H. and H. W. Rauch. (1991) Essential oils in broiler diets. Landbauforschung Volkenrode. 41: 94-97.
Willis WL, King K, Isikhuemhen OS, Ibrahim S. (2009) Administration of mushroom extract to broiler chickens for Bifidobacteria enhancement and Salmonella reduction. The Journal of Applied Poultry Research. 18: 658-664.
Wu Y. W., J. Ouyang, X. H. Xiao, W. Y. Gao and Y. Liu. (2006) Antimicrobial properties and toxicity of anthraquinones by microcalorimetric bioassay. Chinese Journal of Chemistry. 24: 45-50.
Yim. D., S. S. Kang, D.W. Kim, S. H. Kim, H. S. Lillehoj and W. Min. (2011). Protective effects of Aloe vera based diets in Eimeria maxima-infected broiler chickens. Experimental Parasitological. 127: 322–325.