Journal of World's Poultry Research

286-292

Authors: de León-Robles E

Avian chlamydiosis (AC), caused by Chalmydophila psittaci (C. psittaci), is a relevant zoonotic disease transmitted to humans through psitassine or pet birds. Guatemala is a megadiverse country where parrots are commonly kept as pets. Considering such a situation and the fact that respiratory diseases are some of the main causes of morbidity in the human population, the epidemiology of AC in pet parrots has not been sufficiently investigated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the presence and frequency of antibodies against C. psittaci in pet parrots in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Blood samples were collected from 100 parrots belonging to 17 species (Amazona auropalliata, A. farinosa, A. autumnalis, A. albifrons, Agapornis roseicollis, Ara macao, A. militaris, Aratinga astec, Brotogeris jugularis, Cacatua alba, Eupsittula canicularis, E. nana, Melopsittacus undulatus, Ninficus hollandicus, Pionus senilis, and Psittacara strenuus) representing 19 of the 20 zones of Guatemala. Imunoglobulins (Ig) G antibodies against C. psittaci were detected using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay tests. The prevalence rate of C. psittaci was reported at 11% (95% CI = 4.87%, 17.13%) indicating the presence of AC pet parrots in Guatemala City. Therefore, Guatemalan sanitary authorities should take some measures and the physicians must consider C. psittaci as a possible cause of a severe respiratory disease condition in people residing in this city

302-311

Authors: Abodalal SEA

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is a contagious viral disease that threatens rabbit farms locally and globally. The disease causative agent is the RHD virus (RHDV) of the family Caliciviridae. The present study aimed to identify and characterize RHDV strains currently circulating in Upper Egypt provinces. A total of 20 suspected RHDV samples were collected from non-vaccinated rabbit flocks from January to December 2019 in Upper Egypt governorates (New Valley and Assuit), Egypt. The RHDV was confirmed through the hemagglutination test (HA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Further characterization of selected 4 isolates was performed by nucleotide sequencing of a partial VP60 gene. All of 11 RHDV RT-PCR-positive samples were positive for HA activity against human RBCs type "O". Based on the nucleotide sequencing, the selected 4 isolates were clustered as RHDV-1 variant strains (G3-G5). The nucleotide sequence identities of the 4 isolates were 94.2-100 %, compared to available RHDV strains from GenBank. In conclusion, the presence of RHDV-1 variant strains was detected and confirmed that threatens the rabbit’s populations in New Valley and Assuit governorates.

322-331

Authors: Rudik O

Сoccidiosis is a protozoan disease caused by Eimeria bateri (E. bateri), Eimeria tsunodai (E. tsunodai), Eimeria uzura (E. uzura), Eimeria tenella (E. tenella), Eimeria necatrix (E. necatrix), and Eimeria acervulina (E. acervulina). The goal of the current study was to explore the micropathology of the duodenum, jejunum, caecum, liver, lung, spleen, kidney, adrenal gland of Japanese quails naturally infected with. E. tenella. The histopathological examination revealed that developmental E. tenella led to the damage of caecal, duodenal, and jejunal. Necrosis and desquamation of the integumentary epithelium, atrophy of crypts and folds, hemorrhages, lymphoid infiltration were confirmed in the mucous membrane of these intestines. The main changes observed in the parenchymal organs involved the fatty dystrophy of hepatocytes and lymphoid infiltration of parenchyma of the liver, stagnant hyperemia and edema of the lungs; granular dystrophy and necrosis of epithelial cells of the collecting ducts of the kidneys, venostasis of blood sinusoids of the spleen, hyperplasia of interrenal tissue, and dystrophia of suprarenal tissue of the adrenal gland. Morphometric studies have shown that pathological changes in the organs of quails infected with E. tenella led to a decrease in the thickness of the caecal mucosa, volume of the parabronchial lumen of the lung, and the number of renal corpuscles of the infected group, compared to the control group. The indicators of the interrenal-adrenal index of the adrenal glands, the number of clusters of lymphoid cells of the liver, and lymphoid nodules of the spleen increased. The received information could offer deep insights about pathogens in quails coccidiosis and can be used for planning therapeutic measures.

338-343

Authors: Mohamed SO

This study aimed to evaluate the biochemical effect of Nigella sativa (NS) seeds as feed additives on serum and egg yolk lipids, antioxidants, and fatty acids in laying hens. The experiment was conducted on 42 Commercial Mandarah strain laying hens at 31 weeks old with uniform body weight which were assigned to 2 groups with 21 hens per group. Control group and NS group (basal diet + 2% NS seeds) were examined for 12 weeks. The findings indicated that NS fed group showed a significant decrease in cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and VLDL concentrations in serum and egg yolk with a significant increase in HDL concentration. In addition, the antioxidant status of NS hens improved as MDA and NO concentrations significantly decreased in serum and egg yolk, while SOD, GSH, and TAC increased. Moreover, an increase in egg yolk concentration of unsaturated fatty acid linolenic, with a decrease in palmitic fatty acid concentration in egg yolk. Conclusively, NS has beneficial effects on antioxidants and different lipid fractions of serum and egg yolk of laying hens.

352-358

Authors: Ekeocha AH

The Nigerian indigenous chicken called the native or village chicken are widely distributed in the rural areas of Nigeria, where they are kept by the natives principally as a source of protein and income. These native chickens play major roles not only in rural economies but also contribute substantially to the gross national income. This study aimed to determine the productivity of identified phenotypic characteristics and to aid the selection and genetic improvement of indigenous chickens in local areas of Nigeria (Ikole, Ekiti East and Oye local government). A total of 180 captive adult (normal feathering female and male) frizzled local chickens were scored and measured for phenotypic characteristics. There were no significant differences across the local governments (locations) comparing the native chickens for body weight, shank length, comb length, chest length, and comb height. The beak length and the body length were significant. The body weight ranged from 1.06 to 1.08 kg. Oye and Ekiti East local government had the highest similar value of 1.08 kg while Ikole local government had the least value (1.07 kg). The magnitude of the value of the parameters between shank length and comb height, between shank length and comb height, between shank length and body length, between comb height and comb length and between comb height and body length were positive and significant. There were positive and significant relationships between comb height and body weight and between clutch size and body weight (r = 0.34292, 0.36718) in frizzled local chickens. There was a significant positive relationship between shank length and beak length, between shank length and body weight, between comb height and beak length and between beak length and body weight. The correlations between shank colour and clutch size, between comb length and clutch size, and between beak lengths were negative. The performance of the local chickens can be greatly enhanced with improvement in basic management with the response to genetic improvement for increased body weight and egg production.

368-375

Authors: Manyeula F

The current study was designed to assess the effect of Ross breeder hens’ age on the egg qualities and their correlations. The external and internal qualities of eggs were compared, and their correlation coefficients as influenced by the age of breeder hens were determined. A sample of 300 Ross breeder hen eggs was obtained from the Ross breeder farm with 100 eggs drawn from each laying period of ages, namely 30, 45, and 60 weeks. Measured parameters included egg weight, egg length, egg width, shell weight, and shell thickness. Data were evaluated for linear and quadratic effects using polynomial contrasts. Response surface regression analysis was applied to describe the responses of egg quality to the aging of breeder hens. The results showed that egg weight, egg length, egg width, shell weight, egg yolk, egg content, egg volume, shell percentage, albumen weight, egg shape index, and egg surface area increased over time. Haugh unit and thick albumen indicated that the eggs in all age groups were fresh and had high quality. Shell thickness was constant in all age groups. Egg weight was significantly correlated with egg length, width, yolk (length, width, weight, and height), and shell weight. In conclusion, the egg quality improved as the hens' age increased implying that age is an effective factor in improving the quality of eggs.

387-396

Authors: Sohaimi NM

Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) infection is a major threat in commercial poultry farms which exerts serious economic impacts on the poultry industry. At the end of 2018, it was reported that a decrease of 9.0% in revenue to RM692.9 million was due to high mortality and low broiler production volume as a result of inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) outbreaks in Malaysia. Fowl adenovirus is a double-stranded DNA virus made up of 5 genotypes and 12 serotypes. The potential danger posed by this virus to the Malaysian poultry industry is hereby discussed. Fowl adenovirus serotype 8b has been reported to be predominant in Malaysian chicken where it causes IBH. It predominantly affects 3 to 7 weeks old broiler chickens as well as layer chickens. Inclusion body hepatitis has been reported in farms in the states of Perak, Johore, and Malacca in Malaysia with a mortality range of 9.6-30%. Morbidity is low and infected chickens may present crouching position with ruffled feathers and die within 48 hours or may recover. Recovered chickens usually indicate low feed intake, feed conversion, and weight gain. Typical IBH lesions include friable, and inflamed liver, petechial hemorrhages on the musculature, and microscopic basophilic/eosinophilic inclusion bodies in the hepatocytes. Fowl adenovirus can be transmitted vertically from hen to offspring through the eggs and cause disease conditions to chicks especially those with no or low maternal antibodies. It is also transmitted horizontally through contact with feces and fluids from infected birds or humans as well as contaminated fomites. Although adequate biosecurity measures could reduce the incidences of this infection, some strains are resistant to disinfectants. Therefore, the major form of control is vaccination which makes the development of live attenuated and potent inactivated vaccines imperative. To avoid a crisis in broiler meat production in the country, regional cooperations among major stakeholders in the Malaysian poultry industry are advised to eradicate this disease. Inclusion body hepatitis in Malaysia could cause a significant reduction in broiler meat production and therefore is a potential danger to the Malaysian poultry industry.

168-173

Authors: Abdallah A. Ghazalah

The use of lysolecithin as an emulsifier in the diet of chickens could improve the growth performance. Its commercial application in broiler diets containing medium to high levels of added oil is increasingly adopted. However, few studies have assessed the impact of lysolecithin supplementation in diets formulated with no added oil. Therefore, this study aimed to compare two feeding diets based on commercial low-energy diets with no added oil, with or without a nutrient absorption enhancer based on lysolecithin (LEX). The performance was recorded on days 7, 14, 21, and 28. The net benefit per chicken of LEX supplementation was determined across a range of cost and performance scenarios. At slaughter, average body weight and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved in LEX-treated chickens, compared to non-treated chickens. The net benefit per chicken of LEX supplementation was €0.023 under representative market conditions and remained profitable under all considered scenarios. In conclusion, the application of absorption enhancers based on lysolecithin could improve the performance and profitability of broiler production, even in low energy-dense diets formulated with no added oil.

183-192

Authors: K.H. El-Kholy

In-ovo injection with exogenous materials, such as natural antioxidants, throughout incubation could be a technique to boost hatchlings’ performance. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of in-ovo injection of cinnamon, thyme, and clove extracts on the subsequent growth performances, immunity, and physiological responses of newly-hatched chickens. A total of 450 fertile eggs used in the current experiment were obtained from avian broiler breeder flocks of 28 weeks of age. The eggs were randomly distributed into five treatment groups which included three replicates for each one (30 eggs each group) in a completely randomized design at day 10 of embryogenesis. Treatment groups included a control group (P1: without any injection), the group received an injection of 0.5 ml deionized water (P2: sham group), and the groups injected with 0.1 ml cinnamon, thyme, and clove extracts (P3, P4, P5, respectively). The hatchlings from each treatment were randomly assigned to five replicates of 10 chickens, and reared until 35 days of age. The results showed no significant differences among groups in terms of feed consumption, serum albumin, and immunoglobulin’s A (IgA). Nevertheless, using extracts resulted in a significant increase in body weight and weight gain, and improved feed conversion ratio and immunoglobulin’s G and M (IgG and IgM), compared to the control and sham groups at 35 days of age. The injected extracts had significantly positive effects on serum lipids profile, liver functions (AST, ALT, and ALP) values, and antioxidant activity, compared to the control groups. Furthermore, serum concentrations of triiodothyronine and thyroxine were significantly higher in the group injected clove-extracted than in other experimental groups. According to the results, it can be concluded that in-ovo injection of herbal extracts, especially clove extract on day 10 of incubation has a positive effect on the broiler chickens’ weight at hatch and post-hatch performance as well as physiological, immunological, and anti-oxidative status of hatched chickens.

204-209

Authors: Filoza Marwi

The ban of antibiotics encourages the use of probiotics as natural feed additives for poultry. However, the effect of probiotics highly depends on the quality of drinking water. The use of Magnetic Technology (MT) could improve water quality, and potentially enhances the efficacy of probiotics. In the present study, the effect of probiotics and MT in drinking water on the production performance and egg quality of laying hens were evaluated using the inclusion of either non-encapsulated probiotic (PRO) and encapsulated probiotic (EPRO) along with drinking water exposure to 2,700 gausses of the magnetic field. A total of 288 57-weeks-old ISA Brown laying hens were randomly divided into six treatment groups with four replicates of 12 laying hens in each. The treatments consisted of untreated drinking water (control) and drinking water treated with PRO, EPRO, MT, PRO + MT, and EPRO + MT. The results indicated a highly significant improvement in feed conversion ratio, income over feed cost, and egg weight, as well as a significant improvement in egg mass, when EPRO was combined with MT. However, there was no significant effect on the other variables of the production performance and egg quality. It was, therefore, concluded that the use of MT with EPRO improved the egg mass, feed conversion ratio, income over feed cost, and egg weight of the laying hens.

215-222

Authors: Sabry E.Omar

Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) is highly infectious and causes severe economic losses in the Egyptian poultry industry. In the present study, 40 samples of bursa Fabricius tissue were collected from various poultry flocks residing in six governorates during 2020 in Egypt (8 from El-Daqhlia, 10 from El-Sharquia, 10 from El-Qaliobiyea, 4 from EL-Behera, 6 from Alexandria, and 2 from El-Gharbia). Among these flocks, the chicken suffered from depression, dehydration, and ruffled feather with high mortality rates (20-50%) leading to the haemorrhagic and enlarged bursa of Fabricius. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed, targeting the hypervariable region of the VP2 gene of IBDV. The 30 samples were detected positive by RT-PCR (8 from ElDaqhlia, 7 from El-Sharquia, 6 from El-Qaliobiyea, 3 from EL-Behera, 5 from Alexandria, and 1 broiler chicken from El-Gharbia). A total of 10 strains were selected for genetic analysis, representing different governorates. All identified strains belonged to a very virulent IBDV with 95.7-96.7% nucleotide identity and 98.2-99.4% amino acid identity with very virulent IBDV strains from Europe and Asia. Phylogenetically, the Egyptian strain was divided into two subgroups. All strains identified in the present study belonged to the phylogenetic subgroup I with new eight nucleotide mutation mutations when compared with HK64 and other Egyptian strains. All sequenced viruses had G254S mutation. Moreover, Y220F mutation was detected in major hydrophilic region A, in two strains (EGY/SN5 and EGY/SN10), compared with HK64. These mutations may increase viral pathogenicity and antigenicity. The Egyptian strains in the study were distinct from the vaccinal strain. Furthermore, they may explain the recent IBDV outbreaks reported in vaccinated flocks. The current study highlighted the importance of continuous monitoring of mutations in IBDV, and the assessment of their effects on virus virulence and vaccine efficacy against newly evolved strains.

230-240

Authors: Mahmoud Mostafa El-Attrouny

Body weight and carcass traits are important traits in the poultry industry. Breeding programs are powerful strategies to improve these economic traits. The challenge, however, is to choose an appropriate strategy to increase production. The estimation of genetic parameters in target strains could provide valuable information to determine the potent breeding strategy. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to assess the heritability and the genetic correlations of the Body Weight (BW), Body Dimensions (BD), and Carcass Traits (CT) in four Egyptian strains (Matrouh, Mandarah, Inshas, and Silver Montazah) of dual-purpose chickens. The BW was measured at hatching (BW0), 8 weeks (BW8), and 16 weeks (BW16) of age, and weight gain was calculated from 8 to 16 weeks of age. The BD traits included shank length (SL), keel length (KL), and Body Circumference (BC). Carcass, liver, gizzard, heart, head, and leg percentages were also determined. Data were collected on 2800 dual-purpose chickens with pedigree information. A Multitrait animal model with a restricted maximum likelihood procedure was applied to estimate heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations for BW, BD, and CT using Wombat software. Heritability estimates for BW traits were between 0.24 and 0.41 for BW0 and BW8, respectively. Heritability estimates of SL, KL, and BC were 0.49, 0.41, and 0.52, respectively. The heritability estimates for CT were low to moderate, ranging from 0.15 to 0.37 for head and gizzard percentage, respectively. The least-square means for BW, BD, and CT varied significantly between strains. The genetic correlation estimates among BW and BD traits indicated a close genetic relationship between these traits. Positive genetic correlations were found between BW and BD with CT (from 0.12 to 0.78). Based on the present results, there were strong positive genetic correlations between all traits, including BW and BD as the most important ones. Therefore, the selection for these traits would improve the carcass traits in the four strains of chickens. Hence, the inclusion of BW and BD as selection criteria in breeding programs would potently affect the improvement in carcass performance, which might positively increase the production profit of such strains.

252-258

Authors: Vasily V

The main factor in the development of modern animal husbandry is the development of methods for preparing feed for animals and enhancement of their nutritional value. To obtain high-energy feed, there is a need to use the germinated grain as one of the components for the extrusion used in animal food processing. The quality assessment of the extruded feed in terms of environmental and energy indicators based on a two-component mixture is of particular interest. In this regard, the purpose of the present research was to identify the regularities of changes in metabolic energy and the ecological-energy indicator of the feed quality, depending on the quantitative and qualitative content of the germinated component included in the extruded mixture. Wheat was mixed for 72 hours with pre-germinated grains of wheat, rapeseed, peas, oats, soybeans, or corn. The resulting mixture was extruded at a temperature of 120-130°C and pressure of 4-5 MPa. The highest metabolic energy of the feed was found in the extruded mixture containing 25% sprouted grains of soybeans, rapeseed, corn, peas, oats 15%, and wheat 10%. Regarding energy indicators, it is advisable to use 25% of the sprouted grain of soybeans, rapeseed, corn, peas, 15% of oats, and 10% of wheat in the extruded mixture as well as 10% of sprouted wheat, 25% peas, 25% corn, 10% soybeans, 20% oats, and 10% rapeseed. Based on the obtained results, a mathematical model was designed using the theory of splines. The modeling was carried out in the Maple package.

271-277

Authors: Paul Francis Cotter

The aim is to describe anuclear erythrocytes (erythroplastids), pyrenocytes (small nucleated daughter erythrocytes), and amitosis (division without chromosomes or a spindle apparatus) of the commercial duck. Wright-Giemsa-stained blood samples came from ducks between 2 and 22 weeks of age. The erythroplastids and pyrenocytes were produced by fully hemoglobinized (normochromic) erythrocytes, and their earlier developmental stages (polychromatic erythrocytes). The cytokinesis results indicated a process beginning with constriction of the cell membrane, and continuing with constriction of the nucleus; followed by its polar displacement and expulsion. Instances of intermediate stages in which both the erythroplastid and the pyrenocyte remained attached by a thin cytoplasmic isthmus were also found. Erythroplastids may be produced by a second mechanism where the RBC nucleus lyses rather than being expelled. Furthermore, there were examples of erythroplastids produced during amitosis, occurring in mature erythrocytes, and at earlier (polychromatic) stages. The causes of erythroplastid formation and amitosis remain obscure, and it is possible that they result from distinct stimuli. As Goncalves et al. (2020) reported, recently erythroplastids were used to measure the effects of air pollution in passerine birds. However, as is the case for other atypical erythrocytes they could be the consequence of toxins, DNA damage, vitamin deficiencies, or immune dysfunction. Erythroplastids and amitotic cells were present along with evidence of fungal infection in some ducks and in others deliberately exposed to aflatoxin B1 supporting a case for toxicity. Accordingly, these atypical cells may serve as sensitive cytological indicators and bio-markers useful in the study of diseases or toxin exposure

08-15

Authors: Nuhu Abdulazeez Sani

Avian neoplastic diseases, including Marek’s disease (MD), avian leukosis (AL), and reticuloendotheliosis (RE), are of economic importance in the chicken industry. However, it is difficult to differentiate MD from AL and RE by clinical signs and postmortem examination. Therefore, the present study aimed to classify the avian neoplastic diseases affecting commercial layer chickens in Nigeria using clinical history, postmortem examination, and histopathological technique. Carcasses of commercial layer chickens from 7 and 20 poultry farms in Kaduna and Plateau States were studied, respectively, from February 2017 to March 2018. The age, morbidity, and mortality rates in each of the affected farms were determined. Detailed postmortem examinations were carried out on the carcasses from the affected farms, and organs observed to have neoplastic lesions were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histopathology. The age means of the affected layers were 20.6 weeks and 20.8 weeks in Kaduna and Plateau States, respectively. The average morbidity rates of neoplasm in the affected layers were 3.9% and 9.3% in aduna and Plateau States, respectively, while the average ortality rates were 8.6% and 8.5% in Kaduna and Plateau States, respectively. The clinical observation of affected chickens indicated that they were anorexic and emaciated. Generally, the neoplastic lesions were characterized by white to gray, multifocal, firm nodules of varying sizes on the affected organs. In Kaduna State, the neoplasms were commonly observed on the liver (85.7%), spleen (71.4%), heart (42.9%), and kidneys (42.9%), while in Plateau State, the affected organs included liver (50%), spleen (25%), proventriculus (25%) and lungs (25%). The histopathological changes in the affected tissues were similar and characterized predominantly by the infiltration of lymphocytes, lymphoblasts, and macrophages. The patterns of distribution of the pleomorphic neoplastic cells within the liver were multifocal and perivascular in most cases. Findings from the current study indicated that cases of neoplasms in commercial layer chickens in Kaduna and Plateau States, Nigeria, could be attributed to MD.

22-30

Authors: Nkiruka O

The first experiment aimed to compare the effects of manual and electric beak-trimming on feed intake, body weight, and some biochemical parameters of eight-week-old pullets. A total of 20 pullets aged 3 weeks were assigned to two treatment groups; those in group A were manually debeaked while the samples in group B were electro debeaked. The findings indicated that 2 hours post-beak-trimming (PBT), the packed-cell volume of group A was significantly higher than that of group B. Plasma cortisol level of group A was significantly higher than that of group B at 2 and 6 hours PBT while total plasma protein level of group A was significantly lower than that of the group at 2 and 72 hours PBT. Furthermore, feed intake and body weight markedly decreased in the pullets debeaked with both methods until 72 hours PBT. The chickens’ beak trimmed with both methods experienced intense pain of varying degrees lasting up to 72 hours. In the second experiment, 40 eight-week-old pullets were assigned to four groups; group A was the control, group B was treated with a vitamin supplement, group C was treated with acetaminophen, and group D was treated with vitamin supplement plus acetaminophen. After 24 hours, chickens were beak-trimmed using a manual cutter. The results revealed that 2 hours PBT, plasma cortisol level in groups B, C, and D were significantly lower than that of group A. Blood glucose was lowest in groups A and D at 6 and 24 hours PBT, respectively.

36-46

Authors: Fuji Astuty Auza

The development of the digestive tract organs is closely related to the increased body weight growth in chickens. The present study aimed to determine the effect of using maggot meal as an antibacterial and protein source of fish meal substitution in diets on the relative length of the digestive tract organs, small intestine histomorphology, and the percentage of the native chicken carcass. A total of 140 one-day-old chickens were randomly assigned to one of the five treatments according to a completely randomized design with four replications for each treatment. The treatments included P0 (basal diet + 15% fish meal + 0% maggot meal), P1(basal diet + 11.25% fish meal + 3.75% maggot meal), P2 (basal diet + 7.5% fish meal + 7.5% maggot meal), P3(basal diet + 3.75% fish meal + 11.25% maggot meal), and P4 (basal diet + 0% fish meal + 15% maggot meal). The results showed that the use of maggot meal in P3 had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on the relative length, villi height, depth of duodenal crypt, jejunum and ileum, villi surface area, the density of jejunum and ileum villi, and percentage of thigh and wing weight. Besides, the treatment tended to increase the relative length of the caecum and colon, surface area of the duodenal villi, and chest weight percentage. However, the treatment did not affect the duodenal villi density and percentage of back weight in native chickens. The use of maggot meal up to 11.25% in diets can improve the relative length of intestinal, histomorphology of small intestine’s villi, and the percentage of carcass parts of native chickens.

53-63

Authors: Mastewal Birhan

Marek’s disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative and neuropathic disease of domestic fowl caused by alphaherpesviruses. The current cross-sectional study with a simple random sampling method was undertaken from January 2018 to May 2020. The current study aimed to estimate sero-epidemiology and assess potential risk factors, it is very important to determine MD sero-positivity. Moreover, to measure the association of host and environmental risk factors, the occurrences and spread of MD were identified in local and exotic chickens in Northwest Ethiopia. A total of 768 serum samples from 3 zones were collected and assayed for Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV) antibodies using the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. A questionnaire survey was also conducted to gather information on the potential risk factors of MDV sero-positivity, as well as the status of occurrences and spread in the chicken flocks. In the present preliminary study, a high flock and chicken level of MDV was demonstrated, with an overall seroprevalence of 59.11%. The mixed-effect logistic regression analysis of the host potential risk factors showed that the odds of seropositive for MD was significantly higher in local chickens (OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.26-2.28) than exotic chickens, higher in chickens getting non-proper feed (OR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.13-0.54) than getting proper feed, higher in vaccinated chickens (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.76-1.43) than non-vaccinated chickens. Rearing chicken of different batches in one house was decreased the odds of occurrence of MD by 55% (95% CI: 0.38-0.80) than all-inall-out, higher in the well-ventilated type farms decreased the odds of occurrence of MD by 60% (95% CI: 0.39-0.80) than in poor ones. Litter management when farmers used chickens as fertilizer has decreased the odds of occurrence of MD by 55% (95% CI: 0.01-0.47) and chickens were tossed into open sheds 40% (95% CI: 0.01-0.31), compared to buried chickens management. The study results indicated that the number of farms where farmers wearing no clothes and shoes (95% CI: 0.10-0.58) were significantly decreased the occurrence of MD by 24% than those where farmers were equipped with clothes and shoes. The study area was highest in West Gojjam (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.27-0.58) and South Gondar (OR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.13-0.28) compared to North Gondar zone. In conclusion, the present study revealed a high flock and chicken seroprevalence level of MDV among chicken flocks in northwest Ethiopia, suggesting that environmental dust/dander and farm management systems might be a source of this disease for chicken infection. Besides, the bserved association of MD, sero-positivity with environmental dust/dander, and farm management systems may suggest the economic importance of the disease for chicken production. Therefore, it warrants control attention to reduce its economic and disease spread burden in the study areas. Further works on the economic impacts, virus isolation, and molecular characterization of the disease are suggested

73-82

Authors: Iswati

The production and reproduction performance of chicken depends on their hormonal status, especially progesterone hormone, which has been known to correlate with egg production. The present study aimed to analyze the effect of progesterone hormone injection on Arabic Gold chickens (Gallus turcicus) regarding egg production and luteinizing hormone concentration in blood plasma. A total number of 60 Arabic Gold chickens aged 26-weeks were divided into three groups based on injected hormone concentration (P0 : control; P1 : 1 mg/chicken; P2 : 2 mg/chicken). The study was conducted using a completely randomized design and the obtained data were analyzed with a descriptive analysis for qualitative data and one-way analysis of variance followed with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test as a post hoc test for the quantitative data. The results presented that progesterone hormone injection had a significant effect on hen day production two and six weeks after injection. The P1 group was able to reach its peak production (82.9%) at week 29, while the P2 group reached its peak at week 26 (78.9%). In addition, it was found that the P2 group produced a soft-shelled egg and double egg yolk. Progesterone injection led to no significant effect on the egg weight, shape index, fertility, embryo viability, hatchability, and chick weight at hatch. The luteinizing hormone concentration was higher in P2 (1.52 ng/ml), compared to P0 (1.36 ng/ml) and P1 (1.34 ng/ml) groups. It was concluded that progesterone hormone injection during the production phase of Arabic Gold chicken had a significant effect on egg production and caused varying egg production peak and luteinizing hormone concentration.

96-100

Authors: Aisyah Nur Azizah

Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the important infectious diseases in the poultry industry. The traditional poultry markets have great potential in ND transmission. The ducks infected by the ND virus rarely show clinical symptoms, thus they can potentially spread the disease to other fowls. The current study aimed to isolate and identify the ND virus from ducks in a traditional live bird market center in East Java, Indonesia. Cloacal swab samples were taken from 300 ducks. The study consisted of 100 pooled samples, each containing a cloacal swab sample obtained from 3 individual ducks. The samples were inoculated in specific antibody-negative embryonated chicken eggs for 8-10 days. Hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition tests were performed for confirmation and identification of ND virus. Based on the result of the current study, out of 100 pooled samples, there were three to nine ducks infected with the ND virus.

110-115

Authors: Resti Devi Anggraini

Coccidiosis is a disease found in poultry caused by parasitic protozoa, namely Eimeria tenella (E. tenella), which may lead to high rates of morbidity and mortality. To prevent coccidiosis, vaccination is required to inactivate and attenuate E. tenella protozoa. One of the compounds applied for attenuation is formaldehyde. Formaldehyde reduces the pathogenicity of an organism by creating rigidity in its structure. As a result, the organism cannot inflict disease and has a higher impact on building antibodies although it is still alive. The current research was an experimental study aimed to determine the formalin potential in attenuation of E. tenella pathogenesis in terms of oocyst production. The present study was conducted using the completely randomized design method. A total number of 25 broiler chickens were applied and their feces were tested to observe oocysts production and clinical symptoms. The obtained data would be analyzed by the ANOVA statistical test. The treatment groups presented clinical symptoms of E. tenella infection. The number of oocysts in treatment group I fluctuated from the lowest number which was zero on day five and then increased by day six, seven, and eight and it has reached the peak with the most significant amount of 4,050,460 oocysts on day nine. The treatment group II with the same condition reached its peak with the highest number of 1,363,160 oocysts on day nine. The treatment group III peaked with the most significant number of 618,960 oocysts on day nine. In addition, the treatment IV group attained the apex with the highest number of 719,480 oocysts on day nine. Meanwhile, the treatment V group reached the highest number of 284,200 oocysts on day nine. The difference in formalin concentration affected the amount of E. tenella oocyst production of broiler chickens. Formalin soaking with a concentration of 1.2% was the most optimal concentration to attenuate E. tenella

123-128

Authors: Rizkiyatu Auliyah

Transmission of Toxocara vitulorum Infection causes a decrease in livestock productivity and results in various types of diseases in humans. Chickens are one of the parasitic hosts of toxocariasis which has the potential for transmission of toxocariasis to humans. The main location affected by T. vitulorum larval infection is the liver. The current study aimed to analyze the description of histopathological changes in the liver of broiler chickens infected by L2 Toxocara vitulorum. The present study was a true experiment using a completely randomized design. A total number of 28 broiler chickens aged 14 days were selected as the sample in this study. Samples were infected using L2 Toxocara vitulorum larvae and were grouped in accordance with observations of the 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after the larvae were given to the samples. Toxocara vitulorum larval infection caused changes in istopathological features of broilers chickens. This infection caused hydropic inflammation and degeneration of liver cells, cholangitis, and eventually necrosis of the cells. Exposure to infection over a long period of time can worsen liver cell and other organ damages as well as increasing the potential for the transmission of Toxocara vitulorum larvae.

136-150

Authors: B. Michel Orounladji

The present study aimed to describe the morphobiometric characteristics of indigenous guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) populations in Benin. The current study was carried out on 1320 (529 males and 791 females) adult (at least 24 weeks old) indigenous guinea fowls from three climatic zones (Sudanian, Sudano-Guinean, and Guinean) of Benin. Each guinea fowl was subjected to a direct phenotypic description, biometric measurements, and photography. The results showed that the plumage coloration of indigenous guinea fowl in Benin was significantly diverse, but the most widespread plumage colors were pearl grey (30%), black (29.5%), and cinnamon (9.8%). The most common beak colors were grey (64.9%) and yellow-orange (24.8%). The eyes were predominantly black-white (67.1%). Greyorange (33.7%), grey (32%), and black-orange (21%) colorations were more represented on the shanks with wattles relatively dominated by red-white (59.4%) and white-red (30.5%). The average live weight of guinea fowl was 1.34 kg in males which was 4.38% heavier than females. All the biometric measurements were significantly higher in males. The live weights of guinea fowl in the Sudanian zone (1.40  0.18 kg) were higher than those of guinea fowl found in the Sudano-Guinean zone (1.27  0.24 kg) and Guinean zone (1.33  0.28 kg). Principal Component Analysis indicated that three distinct groups of guinea fowl can be formed based on their biometric measurements (live weight, chest circumference, body length, drumstick length, shank length, shank diameter, and wingspan). The phenotypes’ diversity was relatively abundant (1-Hill: 0.69) in all climatic zones. The phenotypic biodiversity observed in the populations of indigenous guinea fowl in Benin can guide farmers to select specific phenotypes to meet consumer preferences.

556-564

Authors: Moustafa S. Abou El-Fetouh

In this study infectious bursal disease (IBD) vaccinations were evaluated against very virulent IBD (vvIBDV) challenge and were compared. A total of 120-day-old white Leghorn SPF chickens were divided into 6 groups (each was 20 birds). Two groups were vaccinated on either day 1 with an immune-complex vaccine. The second groups were vaccinated at days 9 and 14 of age using intermediate and intermediate plus IBD vaccines, respectively the balance groups are controls. All vaccines were administered according to the manufacturer's instructions. The challenge was conducted on the 16 days of age using 105 EID50 /0.1 ml of a vvIBDV strain via the oculonasal route. The antibody immune response was monitored in all groups at 14, 21, 28, and 35 days of age. The performance, bursal gross lesions, challenge virus detection, and bursal histopathology were evaluated in vaccinated non challenged and vaccinated challenged birds at days 21 and 28 of age. All vaccinated groups were protected against the vvIBDV challenge compared to 40% mortality in the challenge control group. Both the immune-complex and live attenuated IBD vaccine groups showed similar bursa body weight (BB) ratios compared to the negative control group. The immune-complex vaccinated groups antibody titers were significantly higher except on 28th day of age. Upon challenge, the intermediate/intermediate plus vaccinated challenged group showed higher antibody titers at 21 and 35th with the challenge virus detection and quantification on day 28. The immune-complex vaccinated challenged group developed milder bursal histopathology signs but no differences between the 2 vaccine programs were seen. It can be understandable, the use of either immune-complex vaccine at day-old or early vaccination with intermediate followed by intermediate plus live attenuated IBD vaccines induced protective antibody titers and protect chickens against an early vvIBDV challenge. The suggested schedules need further evaluation in commercial broilers with maternal derived IBD antibodies to simulate field conditions.

571-579

Authors: Wafaa A. Abd El-Ghany

Due to the hazardous use of antimicrobials in poultry production sector, development of drug resistance have become a worldwide problem. Therefore, using biotic or natural products, such as phytobiotics (phytogenics or botanicals) have received a great attention as antibiotic substitutes. The use of phytobiotics or their constituents have been considered as a relatively new class of natural herbs that gained popularity and acceptability among poultry farmers. The incorporation of several types of phytobiotic additives in poultry feed have proved their ability to enhance the productive performance of broilers as well as layers. Moreover, phytbiotics presented great efficacy in counteracting intestinal pathogenic microorganism while maintaining the population of normal inhabitant beneficial microflora. Immunostimulatory effect on both humoral and cellular immunity as well as antioxidant properties were recorded as characters of phytobiotics. Therefore, this review article aimed to give a spotlight on the uses of different types of phytobiotics as poultry dietary additives to improve the productive parameters, reduce the pathogenic intestinal bacteria, and potentiate the immune response, especially after vaccination processes.

587-598

Authors: Nevien M. Sabry

In avian, the prolactin hormone triggers and regulates ovarian follicle development. This study aims to detect the Prolactin (PRL) gene polymorphisms (exons 1and5) in four Egyptian duck breeds, namely Campbell, Moulard, Muscovy, and Pekin using PCR-RFLP technique and sequence analysis. It also investigated the association of this gene with egg production, egg weight, and body weight. The present results revealed that PRL gene exon 1 and part of intron 1 showed two alleles A and B (polymorphic) in each of Campbell and Moulard, however, Muscovy and Pekin had only one allele (monomorphic). The allele A was more dominant with frequencies of 0.70, 0.60, and 1.00, compared to the allele B (0.30, 0.40, and 0.00) for Campbell, Moulard, and Muscovy, respectively. For Pekin, the allele B only appeared with the frequency of 1.0. Ducks with the high frequency of allele A were superior at egg weight, compared to others. Furthermore, for PRL gene exon 5, there were two alleles G and C (polymorphic) in Campbell, Moulard, and Muscovy, however, Pekin had only one allele (monomorphic). The allele G was more dominant (0.15, 0.74, 0.0, and 0.84) than the allele C (0.85, 0.26, 1.0, and 0.15) for Campbell, Moulard, Pekin, and Muscovy, respectively. Ducks having a high frequency of allele C were superior at egg production. Furthermore, there were many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the sequences in all breeds. The utmost ones exist at the restriction sites of XbaI enzyme for the amplified fragment, in the promotor, exon 1 and intron 1 (T378C in intron 1), and DraI enzyme for that in exon 5 (A5871G in exon 5).

615-622

Authors: Zakia Sheila Faradilla

Coccidiosis is the main problem in poultry diseases. It is caused by the parasite Eimeria tenella, which induce the immune response of leukocyte. Anticoccidial drugs are administered in the poultry feed to control coccidiosis. However, taking medication for a long time can lead to resistance. Recent studies have indicated that Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) has some benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects. The present research aimed to identify the effect of VCO at the different doses in improving the various leukocyte counts of chickens infected with E. tenella. Male chickens were divided into five groups (T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4) and treated for 28 days. T0 was neither infected with E. tenella nor get treatment, T1 was only infected with E. tenella, T2 was treated with 5 ml/kg VCO feed and had E. tenella infection, T3 was treated with 10 ml/kg VCO feed and had E. tenella infection, and T4 was treated 20ml/kg VCO feed and had E. tenella infection. Differential leukocyte was counted with a blood cell counter. The data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The results indicated that a dose of 10 ml/kg feed and 20ml/kg feed of VCO could improve the differential leukocyte counts of chickens infected with E. tenella by maintaining the counts of basophil, eosinophil, heterophil, monocyte, and lymphocyte in the normal range. The present study concluded that VCO by a dose of more than 10 ml/kg would improve the differential leukocyte counts of chickens infected with E. tenella.

631-642

Authors: Sherif Mohamed Shawky

The present study was designed to evaluate the impacts of daily dietssupplemented with Amphora coffeaeformis and Star anise on growth performance and immunity of Cobb broiler chickens. Amphora coffeaeformis is considered a potent free radical scavenger due to the presence of β-carotene and fucoxanthin, which are used widely as food additives. Star Anise has a natural antioxidant, which can also be used for the chemo-prevention of disease occurring due to oxidative deterioration. A total of 270 broiler chickens were divided into three groups, each with three replicates of 30 birds. The control group (G1) was given the basal diet, the Amphora group (G2) received Amphora in a dose of 1g/Kg in the ration, and the Star anise group (G3) received Star anise in a dose of 2g/Kg in the ration. The results indicated that Amphora and Star anise significantly improved the final body weight, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio, total white blood cells count, phagocytic activity percentage, phagocytosis index in plasma, IgM, IgG, and A/G ratio in serum. In addition, Amphora and Star anise significantly increased mRNA expression of hepatic growth hormone gene, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) genes (IGF1), and mRNA expression of splenic interferon-gamma (INF-γ) and Interleukin 12 (IL-12p35) genes from broiler chickens, compared to the control group. In conclusion, the use of fed additives, such as Amphora coffeaeformisand Star anise in the diet of broiler chickens for 35 days was sufficient to improve broiler growth performance and could modulate their immunity.

649-661

Authors: Nahed Yehia

Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) is a severe infectious disease affecting chickens and causing serious economic loss. Although several studies have been conducted to characterize HVRs-S1 (Hyper-Variable Regions of Spike 1 gene) in Egypt, few of which aimed to characterize the major structural protein genes. In the present study, the genetic characterization of the major structural protein genes was carried out in 10 isolates selected from six governorates in 2019. Phylogenetically, the S1 gene was clustered into genotype GI-23 (variant II), with seven viruses that were clustered into Egy/Var II occurring in two subgroups (I, II) when aligned with previously isolated Egyptian strains. It had a specific character of 40 Amino Acids (AA) mutations except for IBV/EG/CV32/2019, which had 50 AA mutations, specifically in HVRs regions (HVRI, II, and III). The other three strains were clustered into Egy Var I with 17 AA mutations except IBV/EG/F859/ 2019, which had 15 AA mutations, compared to IBV/CU/4/2014 reference strain. The examined isolates had an additional glycosylation site at position 280 and one was missing at position 139 with the exception of two strains that only had an additional one, compared to IBV/CU/4/2014. The viruses in this study differed genetically from various vaccine seeds in the range of 69-83%. The Nucleocapsid, genetically characterized in the group of variant II (Egy/Var II) and the glycoprotein membrane genes genetically characterized in the variant group in a new sub-group with 11 and 9 AA mutations, respectively. The recombination event was only detected in the S1 gene in two isolates of IBV/EG/CV32/2019 and IBV/EG/F859/2019 from D274 and QX, respectively. In this regard, it is important to conduct continuous surveillance, pathogenicity study, and vaccine efficacy evaluation.

429-435

Authors: Ghavami S

Dermanyssus gallinae is one of the most common arthropods in layers that affects the quality and quantity of egg production. Although there are different synthetic compounds against this mite, but despite these compounds, drug resistance and the presence of these compounds and synthetic compounds in meat and eggs makes that the use of alternative methods, as well as increased use of herbal extracts and essential oils. In the present study, the N-Hexane and Ethanol extracts of Ferula assafoetida were used. GC-MS analysis revealed the constituents of the two extracts. The lethal properties of the extracts were determined by contact toxicity. In this field study, ethanolic extract of Ferula assafoetida was sprayed on laying hens that infected with red mite. The most available compounds of the Ethanol extract and N-hexan extract of Ferula assafoetida were Diethylpyridine and Aurapten respectively in this study. The LC50 of Ethanol extract of Ferula assafoetida was 16 µg/cm3 and in vitro study determined that ethanolic extract of Ferula assafoetida has been able to reduce the red mite population. This study indicated Ethanol extract of Ferula assafoetida could use as a substitute compound against red mite.

443-450

Authors: El-Kholy KH

The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast as a probiotic, compared to sodium butyrate as an organic acid on the productive performance of broiler chickens, with special attention to their economic efficiency. Therefore, 270 of one-day-old Hubbard broiler chickens were divided into 5 groups. The first group included chickens receiving basal ration without any treatment (and considered as a control group). The second group was composed of chickens treated with 0.2 g SB/kg, the third group embraced chickens treated with 0.3 g SB/kg, the fourth group included chickens treated with 0.2 g SC/kg, and the fifth group consisted of chickens treated with 0.3 g SC/kg. The obtained results showed that administration of sodium butyrate or yeast showed a significant improvement of final body weight (BW), body weight change, feed conversion ratio and performance index from third to fifth weeks of age. Nevertheless, all treated groups showed an insignificant effect in feed intake, compared to control group. Furthermore, the dietary addition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was detected more profitable than sodium butyrate addition. Accordingly, it can be concluded that sodium butyrate and yeast can be successively used as a natural substitute for antibiotic growth-promoting agents in the broiler chickens. Yeast can be considered as the most important alternative followed by sodium butyrate

456-468

Authors: Huralska S

Thymus plays an important role in the development and regulation of immune responses and other physiological processes. The present study aimed to examine the morphological and immunohistochemical changes of the thymus in Haysex Brown cross chickens with regard to their age. The morphofunctional studies of thymus were performed to determine and analyze age-related changes in anatomical (absolute and relative thymus mass), histological (area of the thymus cortex and medulla, area of connective tissue base, cortex index, number of thymic corpuscles in the lobule), and immunohistochemical (subpopulations of lymphocytes with surface markers CD4+ and CD8+ and their differentiation status) indexes. The study demonstrated that maximum morphological development of thymus could be observed in 20 and 40-day-old chickens. Up to 20 days of age, thymus mass increased proportionally with the chicken body weight. The results indicated that 40-day-old chickens had 1.46 times increase in the cortex index, compared to 20-day-old birds and 1.82 times compared to 8-day-old birds. An increase in the density and number of T-lymphocytes with surface markers (CD4+) and was evident through aging. Regarding aging-associated alternations, the differentiation index (CD4+: CD8+ ratio) reached 1.26±0.09, 1.52±0.25, and 1.56±0.23 in 40, 90, and 110-day-old chickens, respectively. The histological and cell parameters of the thymus in clinically healthy chickens can be used as indicators of normal functioning and to diagnose immunodeficiency in birds.

480-484

Authors: Supartini N

The research aimed to analyze the production performances of the Indonesian native rooster (Gallus gallus domesticus) fed germinated mung bean sprouts and acidifier supplementation in the diet. A total of 24 roosters aged 12 months with an average body weight of 2.29 ± 0.23 kg were used for the research subject. The diet was composed of a basic diet supplemented with 48-hours germinated mung bean sprouts and acidifier, with a basic no supplement diet as a control group. The research was conducted as an in vivo factorial randomized block design with different amounts of germinated mung bean sprouts (0% and 1.8%) and acidifiers (0%, 0.4%, 0.80%, and 1.20%) as the research treatment. Each treatment was performed in triplicate, and the observed production performances include Daily Intake (DI) of feed, Feed Consumption Ratio (FCR), Average Daily Gain (ADG), and Body Weight (BW). All data were analyzed using ANOVA (analysis of variance) and then tested by Tukey’s test to determine significant differences. The results showed that the supplementation of mung bean sprouts and acidifiers did not give any differences from DI, FCR, ADG, and BW of Gallus gallus domesticus. However, the supplementation of germinated mung bean sprouts and acidifiers in the present research showed better overall production performances compared to the control group. The best production performance of the treatments was found at 1.8% germinated mung bean sprout and 1.2% acidifier additive based on the FCR (1.14±0.06) with DI at 91.94±1.11 gram (g)/head, ADG at 305.33±34.93 g/day, and final BW found after 30 days at 2,434.67±155.28 g. It has been concluded that the germinated mung bean sprout and acidifiers supplementation increases the production performance of Gallus gallus domesticus, with longer and higher supplement levels being suggested

493-506

Authors: Cheggag M

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is a contagious viral disease of young chickens that causes immunosuppression, mortality, and growth retardation. This pathology has severely affected the Moroccan poultry industry. The objective of the present study was the isolation, molecular characterization, and histopathology examinations of infectious bursal disease virus collected from 49 suspected farms from different regions of the country from 2013 to 2016. The real-time PCR results indicated that 41 out of 49 farm cases were found positive with a prevalence of 41% for classical virulent IBD virus (IBDV) and 59% for very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV). Pathological examinations showed the presence of two types of lesions, including acute to subacute lesions with a prevalence of 86%, and the sub-chronic to chronic lesions with a prevalence of 14%. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences for the hypervariable region of VP2 for 7 vvIBDVs were compared to worldwide IBDV isolates and the findings suggested that it belonged to a group of very virulent strains. Phylogenetically, all the Moroccan vvIBDV field isolates were grouped in the same cluster with Malaysian and European vvIBDV isolates. This report demonstrated the continuous circulation of vvIBDV in commercial poultry farms in Morocco since 2013.

513-519

Authors: Mahlil Y

The purpose of present study was to know the effects of different processing of anthocyanin content and scan electron microscope image of anthocyanin of dragon fruit peel in poultry diet. The experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with different processing like untreated dragon fruit peel or control, physical, chemical, biological, and physical-biological, and each treatment was replicated 4 times. Variables measured were total amount of anthocyanin and anthocyanin image of dragon fruit peel. The results indicated that physical treatment significantly increased anthocyanin content of dragon fruit peel. Furthermore, treated dragon fruit peel with chemical, biological, and combination of physical-biological significantly reduced anthocyanin content. The image of anthocyanin from each treated processing revealed that control image was similar to physical treatment, and it was different from other treatments. The physical treatment was the best method to increase anthocyanin content, and did not change the image of anthocyanin from dragon fruit peel.

527-544

Authors: Bodinga BM

This study was conducted to determine the effects of Bacillus subtilis DSM 32315 probiotic and antibiotic enramycin in broiler chickens with Clostridium perfringens induced-Necrotic enteritis on cecal microbial populations, functional diversity, nutrients transporters and cytokines mRNA expression. Day-old broilers (n= 360), Arbor Acre were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments such as control, basal diet fed-group only; antibiotic, basal diet plus enramycin 5 mg/kg; and probiotic group, basal diet plus Bacillus subtilis 2 x109 CFU/g. Antibiotic and probiotic fed groups was challenged with Clostridium perfringens at day1, and from day 14 to day 21. The results of present study showed that broiler chickens supplemented with antibiotic and probiotic significantly exhibited higher abundance of gut beneficial bacteria at the 21 and 35 days of age, while upregulated the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine enterleukin-10 and secretory immunoglobulin-A. Expression of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interferon gamma were downregulated. Nutrient transporters of Peptide transporter-1, L amino transporter-2 and Cationic amino acid transporter-2 were upregulated in supplemented groups. More so, glucose transporter-2 Sodium glucose transporter-1, Solute carrier family 3, member 1, carbohydrates and vitamin metabolism cofactor enriched in probiotic fed-group, while control group exhibited up-regulation in interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interferon gamma. Overall, supplementation of Bacillus subtilis DMS 32315 reduced the negative impact of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens, and enhanced the gut-microbial community.