Journal of World's Poultry Research

32-37

Authors: Boussouar H, Khenenou T, Bennoune O and Berghiche A.

Excessive alcohol consumption by a pregnant woman may delay foetal development and may cause malformations. In this study, the model of the chicken embryo to demonstrate the teratogenic effect of ethanol (33%) on the chicken osteogenesis on the 10th day of embryonic development have been used. 49 fertilized eggs were used in present investigation. Hence, different doses of ethanol were injected into the chicken embryos at 33% (20, 40, 80μl) in the air space at gastrulation and, on the other hand, an equivalent amount of the mentioned doses of distilled water were injected into the control-group eggs which was done once in every two days in order to maintain a high concentration in the blood. Experiments were repeatedly and independently carried out for three times. The eggs were incubated in a humid incubator at the temperature of 37.7 °C and at 60-65% of humidity. On the 10th day of incubation, the embryos were taken out and fixed in formalin at 10%. After that, the eggs were sectioned at 5μm of thickness with a Leica micrtome and, then, stained with the Hematoxylin and eosin. Histological examination has revealed that the exposition of chicken embryos to ethanol (33%) delays the skeletal development in a dose-dependent manner by reducing the length of the cartilaginous proliferation zone and hypertrophic zone during the bone formation period. Furthermore, under the effect of ethanol, the cell proliferation activities were repressed. In conclusion, present results indicated that using ethanol to treat chicken embryos at early stages caused considerable malformations and a decreased in the embryo survival rate. The exposition to alcohol affects the chicken osteogenesis in a dose-dependent manner.

50-58

Authors: James G, Garba DJ, Adeolu AS, Adamu Z and Mamma Z.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of different bedding materials on the, hematological and serum biochemical parameters of the broiler chickens. A completely randomized design was employed for the research in which the treatment were five bedding materials (rice hulls, groundnut hulls, wood shaving, sharp sand and control). The treatments were replicated three times each with ten birds in each experimental unit. The birds were brooded for two weeks before the experiment begin. The blood samples were collected at day 56 of experiment for hematological and serum biochemical analysis. There was no significant difference in the glucose, serum total protein, globulin, calcium, sodium, total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, and serum alanine transferase, but there was a significant difference in serum cholesterol, albumin, bicarbonate and serum aspartate transferase within the groups. The findings also indicated in the hematological parameters that bedding materials caused significant difference in the hemoglobin content, white blood cell count and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, but no significant differences in the other parameters (Heterophils, monocytes, basophils, lymphocytes, mean cell volume and packed cell volume) were seen. The results suggested that rice, hulls, groundnut hulls and sharp sand can serve appropriately as bedding materials for broiler production, with compatible effects on serum biochemical and hematological parameters.

68-77

Authors: Kurniasih and Prakoso YA.

Aflatoxin is a worldwide problem in poultry industries as it is known to contaminate poultry feed. Aflatoxin induces stress and increases mortality rate during infection in poultry, especially broiler chickens. The objectives of this study was to observe the pathological effects due to aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens. A total of 120 chickens were divided into four groups, group A fed with a basal diet without aflatoxin contamination, group B with aflatoxin (> 1 ppb 51 ppb 101 ppb < 150 ppb). The data were collected and analysed on day 7, 14, and 21. The results showed that diet with high aflatoxin contamination in group D impaired the physical and laboratory performances of the chickens, increased the risk of residue in the poultry’s final products. The varying doses of aflatoxin contamination in the chicken feed causes the problems on the broiler chickens with different level of severity.

82-88

Authors: Habibi H, Ghahtan N and kohanmoo MA.

The current study was conducted to examine the influences of Sargassam cristafolium, Gracilaria pulvinata, Rhus coriaria, and Punica granatum peel dried powder in two levels (10 and 20gr/kg) of dietary on productive performance and some egg quality characteristics of laying Japanese quail. A total of 675 (49 days old) Japanese quail were randomly distributed into nine groups with three replicates of 25 birds in each. Results showed that egg weight, shell weight, albumen weight and shell thickness were not influenced by treatments. The effects of medicinal plants on weekly egg production differ depending on the dietary medicinal plant type and dosage. Moreover, the birds fed diet supplemented with Sargassum cristaefolium at 10g/kg had greater weekly egg production compared to others. Haugh unit was reduced by diet supplemented with R. coriaria. Diet supplemented with S. cristaefolium at 20 g/kg increased yolk weight. Furthermore, greater albumen protein and thiobarbituric acid content of the tenth day’s eggs (TBAd10) were perceived in birds fed diet supplemented with G. pulvinata. In present study, the lowest levels of cholesterol (9.66 mg/g) was determined in the egg yolk of groups R. coriaria and G. pulvinata, and the control group showed to have the most amounts (12.00 mg/g). Based on obtained data, addition of 0.5% and 2% of S. cristafolium, G. pulvinata, R. coriaria, and P. granatum peel to the diet lead to be progress in egg production rate, enhanced the egg quality and egg biochemical properties in Japanese quail.

98-108

Authors: Abdo SM, Amer SA, Ahmed HM, Mahmoud RH, Salama AA and Kutkat MA-A.

Using microalgal biomass in animal diets has been studied recently. Many species of cultivated algae were found effective in maintaining animal growth performance, and in improving body weight. Using of microalgae collected from high rate algal ponds (HRAP) as a feed additive to broilers ration was studied. One hundred and twenty broiler chicks were divided into 6 groups of 20 birds, three of them have fed on balanced broiler ration supplied with 1% weight per weight (W/W) of microalgae biomass and have variable vaccination schemes of live attenuated and inactivated Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccines genotype II or either non-vaccinated control. In addition, the other 3 groups have fed on free microalgae biomass balanced ration with the same vaccination treatment. Furthermore, weight gain, antibody response, mortalities, viral shedding and normal viability of chickens were estimated in order to assess the efficiency of microalgae as a feed additive. The results showed that the microalgae have no hazard effect on feed and water intake as well as enhanced viability of chickens. And in regards to immune function and body weight, they have similar effect with the free microalgae groups in normal serological response and viral shedding post vaccination with NDV vaccines as well as similar protection rate and body weight gain. In conclusion, microalgae can be used in broiler ration with no deleterious effect on growth rate, weight gain, poultry viability and immune response. In conclusion dried microalgal biomass harvested from HRAP can be used in broiler ration with no deleterious effect on growth rate, weight gain, poultry viability and immune response. Furthermore, future studies should be applied with increasing microalgae percent in poultry feed up to 5, 10 or 20% (W/W) in order to assess better performance on poultry production.