Animal and poultry nutrition
Nawar Ahmad Kazem; Abas Nikoo; Gholamreza Najafi; Seyyed Meysam Abtahi Froushani
Abstract
A total of 300 one-day-old male broilers )Ross 308( were used in present study to investigate the effect of different copper sources (copper sulfate, copper methionine, copper dihydrogen phosphate, copper carbohydrate and copper nanoparticles) on performance, carcass characteristics, immune system and ...
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A total of 300 one-day-old male broilers )Ross 308( were used in present study to investigate the effect of different copper sources (copper sulfate, copper methionine, copper dihydrogen phosphate, copper carbohydrate and copper nanoparticles) on performance, carcass characteristics, immune system and bone characteristics of broiler chickens. The results showed that feeding broilers with diets containing copper methionine, copper dihydrogen phosphate, and copper nanoparticles increased body weight compared to the control treatment (P<0.05). Also, broilers fed diets containing copper methionine and copper dihydrogen phosphate had lower feed conversion ratios than the control treatment (P<0.05). Carcass weight, breast and thigh weights, and internal organs were not affected by the experimental treatments, but the weight of the bursa of Fabricius in broilers fed diets containing copper methionine, copper dihydrogen phosphate, and copper nanoparticles was significantly higher than the control treatment (P<0.05). The use of copper methionine in broiler feeding increased tibia bone weight and diameter compared to other experimental treatments (P<0.05). Feeding broilers with diets containing copper dihydrogen phosphate and copper carbohydrate increased delayed hypersensitivity compared to control, copper methionine, and copper nanoparticles (P<0.05). SRBC responses in birds fed copper methionine, copper dihydrogen phosphate, and copper carbohydrate were significantly higher than in birds fed control and copper nanoparticles (P<0.05). In general, considering the positive effect of copper methionine on bone function and properties and the effect of copper dihydrogen phosphate on improving the immune system, replacing copper sulfate with these organic sources in broiler diets is recommended.
Animal and poultry nutrition
zahra Bakhtiari; Hasan darmani koohi; roostaei alimehr mohammad
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of different wheat bran processing methods on growth performance, intestinal morphology, serum parameters, and immune system in broiler chickens from 1 to 42 days of age. A total of 504 one-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308 with 42.8 ± 0.44 average ...
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This study aimed to investigate the effect of different wheat bran processing methods on growth performance, intestinal morphology, serum parameters, and immune system in broiler chickens from 1 to 42 days of age. A total of 504 one-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308 with 42.8 ± 0.44 average weight) were distributed in a completely randomized design into 7 experimental treatments (with 6 replicates, each containing 12 birds). Experimental treatments were: basal diet (without wheat bran), 2 diets with 3 and 6% wheat bran without processing, diets with 3 and 6% extruded wheat bran and diets with 3 and 6% wheat bran fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. For each experimental period, feed intake and body weight gain were measured and feed conversion ratio was calculated. All experimental treatments reduced serum glucose concentration compared to the control group (P < 0.01). The levels of cholesterol, uric acid, albumin, total protein and aspartate aminotransferase enzyme activity were significantly increased in all experimental groups compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Birds fed 3% and 6% fermented wheat bran in their diets showed significantly lower crypt depth compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The results showed that in general, the ratio of villus height to crypt depth, which indicates the level of absorption, was improved in the extruded and fermented wheat bran treatments at 3% and the use of wheat bran up to 6% in processed and unprocessed form did not have a negative effect on broiler performance and carcass characteristics.
Animal and poultry nutrition
poorya Dadvar; Najmeh Kargar Borzi
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the in-vitro digestibility and rumen degradability of artichoke silage with different levels of barley grain powder compared to corn silage. For this purpose, artichoke forage was ensiled with 0, 5 and 10% milled barley for 60 days. The digestibility of the experimental ...
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the in-vitro digestibility and rumen degradability of artichoke silage with different levels of barley grain powder compared to corn silage. For this purpose, artichoke forage was ensiled with 0, 5 and 10% milled barley for 60 days. The digestibility of the experimental silages was determined by the Tilley and Terry two-stage digestion method. To determine the rumen degradability of experimental silages using nylon bag method, three rumen fistulated bulls were used. The results showed that crude protein (CP), pH and tannin content of artichoke silages decreased significantly with the addition of milled barley (P<0.01). The dry matter (DM) digestibility of artichoke silage containing 10% milled barley was higher than to the others (P<0.01). The digestibility of organic matter in corn silage and artichoke silage containing 10% milled barley were higher than to the other treatments (P<0.01). The highest metabolizable energy was observed in the artichoke silage containing 10% milled barley. Fast-degrading fractions, slow-degrading fractions, and potential for DM, and slow-degrading fractions and potential for CP increased with increasing milled barley levels in artichoke silages (P<0.05).In general, the addition of milled barley to artichoke silage improved the quality and chemical composition of silage and increased the digestibility and degradability.
Animal and poultry physiology
Seyyed Mojtaba Mousavi; Hasan Bahrampour
Abstract
Reduced progesterone (P4) concentrations following mating have been associated with the development of smaller, underdeveloped embryos, leading to increased rates of embryonic mortality. The primary objective of this study was to elucidate the effects of administration of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin ...
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Reduced progesterone (P4) concentrations following mating have been associated with the development of smaller, underdeveloped embryos, leading to increased rates of embryonic mortality. The primary objective of this study was to elucidate the effects of administration of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG) or Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) post-insemination on the reproductive performance of Lori ewes during the anestrus season. 75 Lori ewes were randomly assigned to three treatment groups in a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment. Initially, all ewes were subjected to estrous synchronization using intravaginal sponges. The ewes were randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups post-insemination on the fourth day. The first group received an intramuscular injection of 5 mL of GnRH, the second group was administered 300 IU of PMSG, and the control group received 1 mL of saline solution. Progesterone levels were measured on the 14th day post-insemination, and pregnancy status was confirmed by ultrasonography on the 40th day. Finally, reproductive parameters were recorded and data analysis was performed using SAS software. The results indicated that GnRH-treated ewes exhibited significantly higher lambing rates (68.00%) and fecundity rates (0.76%) in comparison to their PMSG-treated counterparts (36.00% and 0.48%, respectively) and the control group (32.00% and 0.32%, respectively). Furthermore, both GnRH and PMSG treatments resulted in significantly higher P4 levels on the 14th day post-insemination compared to the control group. These findings suggest that administering GnRH on the fourth day post-insemination can substantially enhance lambing and fecundity rates in Lori ewes during the non-breeding season.
Animal and poultry management
mahdi khojastehkey; Majid Kalantar Neystanaki; Fariborz Sadeghi; Mohammad Yeganeparast; sonia Zakizadeh; ali javanrouh; saber jelokhani
Abstract
The present research was conducted with the aim of investigating the productive and reproductive efficiency of Zandi and Kalkuhi sheep in the nomadic breeding system in the Qom province. For this purpose, for one year, records of production and reproduction characteristics of livestock were recorded ...
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The present research was conducted with the aim of investigating the productive and reproductive efficiency of Zandi and Kalkuhi sheep in the nomadic breeding system in the Qom province. For this purpose, for one year, records of production and reproduction characteristics of livestock were recorded and analyzed in 11 herds of Zandi sheep and 15 herds of Kalkuhi sheep. lambing rate, lamb production, twinning rate and the pre-weaning mortality rate in Zandi sheep herds were estimated 90.3±7.311, 109.78±1.72 15.4±3.07, 10.63±4.36%, and in Kalkuhi sheep herds were estimated 91.52±10.41, 102.63±0.58, 5.27±2.16 and 21.84±7.61%, respectively. The weaned lamb crop of Zandi and Kalkuhi flocks were estimated 20.56 and 14.91 kg, respectively. Nomads rearing Zandi and Kalkuhi sheep purchased feed for 4.85 and 5.45 months of the year, respectively. The purity of the breeds was under threat in most nomadic herds, especially Kalkuhi herds, and the frequency of hybrid animals in Kalkuhi and Zandi sheep was estimated at 33.3 and 24.3 percent. The production and reproductive performance of Zandi sheep was better than Kalkuhi sheep reared in the nomadic system, but environmental constraints, especially lack of feed and significant lamb losses throughout the year, have had a negative impact on the productive and reproductive efficiency of all nomadic herds in the Qom province.
Animal and poultry nutrition
Alireza Farhadi; Mohamad Sharifi
Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of garlic powder on performance, rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and economic efficiency in fattening lambs. For this purpose, 24 male Shaal fattening lambs with an average initial weight ...
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The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of garlic powder on performance, rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and economic efficiency in fattening lambs. For this purpose, 24 male Shaal fattening lambs with an average initial weight of 26.34±1.67 kg was used in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 6 replications. The experimental treatments included the control treatment (without garlic powder) and treatments containing 20, 40 and 60 g/kg based on dry matter of garlic powder in the diet. The results showed that the use of diets containing 40 and 60 g/kg of garlic powder increased total weight gain and average daily weight gain compared to the control treatment. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein was significantly higher in the 40 and 60 g garlic powder treatments than in the control and 20 g garlic powder treatments (P<0.05). In lambs fed 40 and 60 g garlic powder, the concentration of total volatile fatty acids and propionate increased compared to the control treatment, but the ratio of acetate to propionate decreased significantly. Different levels of garlic powder increased the concentration of immunoglobulin G and M. The feed cost per kg of body weight gain in the 20, 40 and 60 g garlic powder treatments was reduced by 1.75, 6.43 and 7.60%, respectively. Therefore, garlic powder can be used as a feed additive to improve the performance and health of fattening lambs up to the level of 60 g/kg feed.
Modern technologies applied in animal and poultry sciences
meysam heydarian; Amir Meimandipour; yahya ebrahimnezhad; seyed abdollah hosseini; Mohammad hossein Banabazi
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the best growth stimulant combination using thyme and oregano essential oils (encapsulated and non-encapsulated) with or without probiotics in broiler chicken diets. A total of 840 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to seven treatments, each with five ...
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This study aimed to identify the best growth stimulant combination using thyme and oregano essential oils (encapsulated and non-encapsulated) with or without probiotics in broiler chicken diets. A total of 840 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to seven treatments, each with five replicates of 24 birds. The treatments included: 1) basal diet (control), 2) basal diet + 10 mg Avilamycin (antibiotic), 3) basal diet + 200 mg/kg encapsulated thyme and oregano oils, 4) basal diet + 200 mg/kg non-encapsulated thyme and oregano oils, 5) basal diet + 200 mg/kg probiotic Pronigeb® (containing Lactobacillus reuteri, Pediococcus acidilactici and Bacillus subtilis with 109 CFU/gr , 6) basal diet + 200 mg/kg Pronigeb® + 200 mg/kg non-encapsulated oils, and 7) basal diet + 200 mg/kg Pronigeb® + 200 mg/kg encapsulated oils. Data on body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, survival rate, production index, carcass yield, abdominal fat, antibody titer against influenza, stress index (heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), and serum immunoglobulin G were collected. The TOPSIS method was used to evaluate the optimal treatment. Results showed that the combination of Pronigeb® and encapsulated thyme and oregano oils achieved the highest management score, making it the recommended additive for broiler diets.
Animal and poultry nutrition
Vahid Fadaei muloodi; Kazem Karimi; Jafar Fakhraei; Naser Karimi; Ghobad Asgari
Abstract
Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of supplementing Holstein suckling calves' starter diets with sesame meal (SM) and black seed meal (BSM) on growth performance and nutrient utilization. Forty calves were randomly assigned to four treatments: 1) control (basal diet), 2) control +5% SM, 3) control ...
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Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of supplementing Holstein suckling calves' starter diets with sesame meal (SM) and black seed meal (BSM) on growth performance and nutrient utilization. Forty calves were randomly assigned to four treatments: 1) control (basal diet), 2) control +5% SM, 3) control +5% BSM, and 4) control +2.5% SM +2.5% BSM (mixed), in a factorial design with repeated measures over time. Results showed that experimental treatments significantly improved growth parameters (p<0.05). The interaction between SM and BSM significantly improved performance, increasing mid- and final body weights by 5.14% and 5.88%, respectively, and enhancing average daily gain by 7.81% compared to other groups (P < 0.05). While the control group had higher raw milk (5.96%) and total dry matter intake (6.95%), the SM and BSM supplemented groups showed improved solid feed consumption, with SM×BSM treatment matching control levels. Nutrient utilization efficiency was significantly better in SM and BSM supplemented groups, with treatments 2-4 showing 8.95% and 8.60% improvements in dry matter utilization and feed conversion ratio, respectively. Although control calves consumed more energy (7.43%) and protein (48/8%), their utilization efficiency was 10% lower than supplemented groups approximately (p<0.05). The study concludes that a balanced combination of SM and BSM in starter diets optimally enhances calf growth performance, improve body dimensions, and nutrient efficiency, suggesting synergistic benefits when these protein sources are used together rather than individually at higher inclusion rates. These findings support the strategic use of alternative plant proteins in calf nutrition programs.
Animal and poultry nutrition
سلیقه saligheh; M. H. Fathi Nasari; M. Ganj Khanloo; M. Sarabi-Jamab
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the reduction of aflatoxinB1 transfer from feed to milk of goats fed a diet contaminated with aflatoxinB1,by pure baker's yeast cell wall beta-glucan(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)in combination with bentonite.Eighteen Mahabadi dairy goats with an initial weight of47.15±4.93 ...
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This study aimed to investigate the reduction of aflatoxinB1 transfer from feed to milk of goats fed a diet contaminated with aflatoxinB1,by pure baker's yeast cell wall beta-glucan(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)in combination with bentonite.Eighteen Mahabadi dairy goats with an initial weight of47.15±4.93 kg were randomly divided into three experimental groups with six replications.The treatments included:1) control (diet containing 25μg/kg dry matter of feed, aflatoxin B1),2)control +3g/day beta-glucan, and 3)control+0.6 g/day beta-glucan+2.4g/day commercial bentonite. After one week of acclimation, all goats underwent a 14-day mild aflatoxin B1 challenge during which dry matter intake, feed efficiency, milk production and composition, the concentration of aflatoxin M1 in the milk, and blood parameters were evaluated. The results showed that the initial and final weight, milk production and composition,dry matter intake and feed efficiency were similar in different groups The concentration of blood urea nitrogen,alanine transaminase,aspartate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase, concentration,excretion and percentage of aflatoxin M1 transfer in milk changed in different groups compared to the control group (P<0.05). Also, two groups 2and3 showed a significant decrease in the percentage of transfer, concentration and excretion of aflatoxinM1 compared to the positive control group. In general, the results of this study showed that the combination of beta-glucan and bentonite with the ratio specified in this study has the ability to absorb aflatoxinB1 similar to beta-glucan and can reduce the concentration of aflatoxinM1 in milk to the same extent;Therefore,the combination of beta-glucan and bentonite is recommended as a cost-effective adsorbent of aflatoxinB1 compared to pure beta-glucan in livestock diets.
Animal and poultry nutrition
nadia kamali; morteza khodagholi; hamid siroosi; ahmad sadeghipour; fatemeh ahmadloo
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the forage yield and nutritional quality of nine strawberry clover (Trifolium fragiferum L.) accessions under field conditions in Iran. The experiment was carried out at the Alborz Research Station, involving soil preparation, row planting, drip irrigation, and base ...
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This study was conducted to evaluate the forage yield and nutritional quality of nine strawberry clover (Trifolium fragiferum L.) accessions under field conditions in Iran. The experiment was carried out at the Alborz Research Station, involving soil preparation, row planting, drip irrigation, and base fertilization (200 kg ha⁻¹ of phosphate and 100 kg ha⁻¹ of nitrogen). Traits measured included fresh and dry forage yield as well as forage quality indices (CP, DMD, WSC, ADF, ASH, CF, NDF, Ca, P), which were compared using Duncan's test.Results showed that accession 305 (Isfahan) produced the highest forage yield, with 11,402 and 10,240 kg ha⁻¹ of fresh and dry matter, respectively. In terms of forage quality, accession 306 (Tabriz) exhibited the highest nutritional value, with maximum dry matter digestibility (72.19%) and minimum ADF content (18.16%). Crude protein content ranged from 12.21% (accession 303, Australia) to 19.14% (accession 306, Tabriz), with a mean of 14.95%. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) showed a wide range, from 53.94% to 74.19%. The significant variation in forage yield and quality among strawberry clover accessions highlights the high potential of this species for plant breeding programs. Given the species' adaptability to stresses such as salinity and high soil moisture, the results provide a basis for selecting suitable accessions for different regions of Iran. Utilization of superior accessions can improve digestibility, animal health, and feed conversion efficiency. From a sustainable agriculture perspective, nitrogen-fixing legumes with high nutritional value play an important role in reducing chemical fertilizer use and preserving soil health.
Animal and poultry nutrition
ALIREZA AGHASHAHI; alireza ashkevari; hasan fazaeli; hasan KHamisabadi; pirouz shakeri; mehdi eftekhari
Abstract
The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of replacing triticale silage with triticale-pea-barley silage (mixed silage) in the feeding of fattening male calves on animal performance in terms of feed intake, digestibility, daily weight gain, blood parameters, and economic evaluation. In ...
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The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of replacing triticale silage with triticale-pea-barley silage (mixed silage) in the feeding of fattening male calves on animal performance in terms of feed intake, digestibility, daily weight gain, blood parameters, and economic evaluation. In this experiment, 20 Holstein and Holstein-Mont Billiard crossbred male calves with an average weight of 286 ± 43.5 kg were randomly divided into two homogeneous groups and each group was fed one of the experimental diets.The use of mixed silage in the diet of fattening calves increased the intake of dry matter (P<0.0001), crude protein (P=0.0219), and neutral detergent fiber (P=0.0252).Nutrient digestibility was higher in the mixed silage group compared to triticale (P<0.0001).The daily weight gain of experimental calves was higher (P=0.0166) in the mixed silage group, but due to lower feed intake in the triticale treatment, the feed conversion ratio was better in the triticale treatment (P=0.0485).The use of mixed silage in the diet increased cholesterol and urea in the blood of calves (P<0.0001). the income from selling live animals was higher (P<0.0001) calves treated with mixed silage, but the higher price per kilogram of feed and higher dry matter intake in the mixed silage treatment resulted in the same profit in the two treatments. Overall, the results of this study on fattening male calves showed that although the use of mixed silage improved feed intake and digestibility of dietary nutrients, it did not result in higher economic returns for fattening calves
Animal and poultry nutrition
Hadi Alaghbandyek; Reza Mirshekar; Mahmood Shams Shargh; Seyed Reza Hashemi
Abstract
In the present study the effect of flaxseed oil feeding duration on growth performance, abdominal fat, selected blood parameters, and duodenal morphology of Japanese quails was evaluated. A total of 540 Japanese quails (mixed sex) were allocated in a completely randomized design with six treatments, ...
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In the present study the effect of flaxseed oil feeding duration on growth performance, abdominal fat, selected blood parameters, and duodenal morphology of Japanese quails was evaluated. A total of 540 Japanese quails (mixed sex) were allocated in a completely randomized design with six treatments, six replicates, and 15 birds per replicate. The treatments were designed based on the weekly replacement of sunflower oil with flaxseed oil in the diet of Japanese quails. The results showed that the duration of flaxseed oil feeding had no significant effect on body weight. The highest average feed intake was observed in quails fed flaxseed oil from days 15–35. The best feed conversion ratio was recorded in the group fed flaxseed oil from days 29–35. Flaxseed oil feeding and increasing the feeding duration significantly reduced abdominal fat deposition. Blood levels of glucose, total protein, globulin, and uric acid were significantly influenced by dietary treatments, whereas albumin concentration showed no significant differences among treatments. Flaxseed oil feeding increased duodenal villus width, although villus absorptive surface area was not affected by treatments. Overall, the results indicated that replacing sunflower oil with flaxseed oil in Japanese quail diets improved feed conversion ratio (particularly in the late growth phase) and reduced abdominal fat deposition, regulated blood metabolic parameters. Induced favorable modifications in intestinal morphology (increased villus width), although without altering the absorptive surface area. These findings suggest that flaxseed oil has potential to improve production efficiency and bird health.
