Effect of vitamin and trace mineral withdrawal from finisher diets on growth performance and immunocompetence of broiler chickens

The present study was carried out to examine the effect of vitamin (V) or trace mineral (TM) mix removal from finisher diet (42-56 d of age) on performance and immunocompetence of broilers. The dietary treatments were: (1) the basal diet with no supplemental V or TM; (2) the basal diet fortified with V mix only; (3) the basal diet fortified with TM mix only; and (4) the basal diet fortified with V and TM mix. At 47 d, four birds from each replicate (20/treatment) were injected with Newcastle disease (ND) antigen and blood samples were collected just before and 9 d after immunisation. The results showed that V and TM mix withdrawal from finisher diet did not impair either weight gain or feed conversion efficiency from d 42 to 56. Feed intake was significantly increased when both mixes were omitted from the diet. Dietary treatments had no effect on carcase yield or proportion of breast and thigh meat and abdominal fat deposition. Packed cell volume (PCV) significantly decreased as a consequence of removal of V, TM and V+TM. Neither heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (H:L ratio), haemagglutination inhibition (HI) nor total antibody titre measured by ELISA were influenced by removal of V or TM supplements. In conclusion, the results from this study suggest that 14-d withdrawal of V or TM mix did not influence the immunocompetence of broilers.     

Effects of dietary boron and phytase supplementation on growth performance and mineral profile of broiler chickens fed on diets adequate or deficient in calcium and phosphorus

1. Two experiments were designed to determine the effect of dietary boron (B) in broiler chickens. In Experiment 1, a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement of treatments was used to investigate the effect of dietary calcium (Ca) and available phosphorus (aP) (adequate or deficient) and supplemental B (0, 20, 40, and 60 mg/kg diet). In Experiment 2, B, at 20 mg/kg, and phytase (PHY) (500 FTU/kg diet) were incorporated into a basal diet deficient in Ca and aP, either alone or in combination.

2. The parameters that were measured were growth performance indices, serum biochemical activity as well as ash and mineral (i.e. Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn) content of tibia, breast muscle and liver.

3. Results indicated that both supplemental B and dietary Ca and aP had marginal effects on performance indices of chickens grown for 42 d.

4. There were positive correlations (linear effect) between B concentrations of serum, bone, breast muscle and liver and the amount of B consumed.

5. Serum T₃ and T₄ activities increased linearly with higher B supplementation.

6. Increasing supplemental B had significant implications on breast muscle and liver mineral composition. Lowering dietary Ca and aP level increased Cu content in liver and both Fe and Zn retention in breast muscle. Tibia ash content and mineral composition did not respond to dietary modifications with either Ca–aP or B.

7. The results also suggested that dietary contents of Ca and aP do not affect the response to B regarding tissue mineral profile. Dietary combination with B and PHY did not create a synergism with regard to growth performance and bioavailability of the minerals.     

Effects of citric acid and microbial phytase on amino acid digestibility in broiler chickens

1. Two experiments with growing chickens were carried out to study the effects of the inclusion of a microbial phytase (Natuphos 5000) and citric acid (CA) in maize-soybean-based diets on the performance and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA). In both experiments the diets were formulated to contain the same amounts of energy and protein. 2. In the first experiment, data were analysed as a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement with two concentrations of available phosphorus (AP) from one day to 3 weeks of age (3.5 and 2.2 g/kg) and for 3 to 6 weeks (2.7 and 1.4 g/kg), and two inclusions of commercial phytase (0 and 500 FTU/kg) in each period. The AID of CP and dispensable and indispensable AA were not modified by the AP content of the diet. Addition of phytase improved the AID of CP and dispensable and indispensable AA only at low AP levels. 3. In the second experiment, data were analysed as a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement with three concentrations of citric acid (0, 20 and 50 g/kg) and two inclusions of commercial phytase (0 and 750 FTU/kg). Diets were formulated with deficient contents of AP (2.5 g/kg). Performance was not affected by commercial phytase addition. The addition of CA reduced the weight gain but did not modify the feed intake and gain:feed. In general, the AID of CP and dispensable and indispensable AA were not affected by CA addition. Commercial phytase increased the apparent ileal digestibility of crude protein but had no effect on AID of dispensable and indispensable AA. 4. In conclusion, the present work showed that microbial phytase enhanced AA digestibility in maize-soy-based diet only at very low AP concentrations, and that CA had no affect on the AID of CP and dispensable and indispensable AA. No synergism between CA and microbial phytase was detected.     

Effect of intermittent feeding,structural components and phytase on performance and behaviour of broiler chickens

1. Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of intermittent feeding on performance and the efficacy of an exogenous phytase, and to assess whether intermittent feeding changed the activity pattern of broiler chickens.

2. Broiler chickens were given, either ad libitum or intermittently, a phosphorus deficient pelleted diet containing either coarsely or finely ground oat hulls and either no enzyme or a phytase added from 10 d of age, in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Ad libitum feeding consisted of continuous access to feed in a room with 18 h of light and 6 h of complete darkness, whereas birds on intermittent feeding had restricted access to feed from 7 d of age, with 4 1-h feeding bouts/d and one 2-h feeding bout/d from d 14.

3. Performance, characteristics of the anterior digestive tract and phosphorus retention were assessed in experiment 1, while in experiment 2, birds were observed during 4-h periods to quantify different behaviours.

4. Intermittent feeding and phytase improved performance, but intermittent feeding did not improve the efficacy of the enzyme added. Ad libitum fed broiler chickens ate and drank on average twice per hour, and spent close to three-quarters of their time resting. Apart from an increased standing and feed searching activity for intermittently fed birds compared to ad libitum fed birds during the last hour before feed was presented, no differences in activity was detected.

5. It was concluded that broiler chickens quickly adapt to intermittent feeding without reduction in final body weight and with improvements in feed efficiency, but without improving the efficacy of dietary phytase. Only small changes occur in the behaviour of intermittently fed birds compared to ad libitum fed birds.     

The effect on performance, energy metabolism and hepatic carotenoid content when phytase supplemented diets were fed to broiler chickens

Two basal diets containing an adequate and a low supply of available P (4.7 vs 2.5 g/kg diet) and three others containing a low available P but supplemented with 250, 500 and 12,500 units of phytase (FTU) per kg diet, respectively, were prepared. Each diet was fed ad libitum to birds in six metabolism cages (five birds in each cage) in a randomised block design. It was found that birds fed a high (12,500 FTU) dosage of phytase grew faster (P < 0.001) and retained proportionally more carotenoids in the liver (P < 0.05) compared to birds fed unsupplemented diet. The results suggest that dietary phytase may improve the anti-oxidative status of birds fed low P diets through enhancing dietary carotenoid availability.     

耐热植酸酶在低钙磷饲粮中添加对仔猪和生长猪的饲用效果研究

为确认经基因工程改造以酵母发酵生产的植酸酶的耐热性及其在肉猪饲粮中的应用效果,本试验结合颗粒饲料生产实际条件检测植酸酶样的耐热性,并以仔猪和生长猪为对象开展饲养试验.以玉米725.00 kg、豆粕203.24 kg、统糠11.26 kg、次粉15.00kg、大豆油15.00 kg和植酸酶30.50kg(5000 U/g)组成混合料,经调质温度为85℃和调质时间为30 s的生产线制粒,分别抽取调质前、调质后和制粒后等3个处理阶段各5个点样,测定各样的植酸酶活量,分别计算出植酸酶在调质前、调质后和制粒后的酶活回收率(%).饲养试验一:90头杜长大仔猪(9.86±0.09)kg随机分为3个处理,每个处理3个重复,每个重复10头;3组分别饲喂3种等蛋白质等能量等钙磷比的玉米-豆粕型试验饲粮(20.0%、13.39 MJ/kg和1.26),为期4周;正对照饲粮含钙0.82%和磷0.65%,负对照饲粮含钙0.62%和磷0.49%,植酸酶饲粮为在负对照饲粮基础上添加植酸酶的饲粮(500 U/kg).饲养试验二:60头杜长大生长猪(22.45±0.67)kg随机分为2个处理,每个处理3个重复,每个重复10头;2组分别饲喂2种等蛋白质等能量等钙磷比的生长猪试验饲粮(17.5%、13.00 MJ/kg和1.0),为期4周;对照饲粮含钙0.66%和磷0.67%,植酸酶饲粮含钙0.56%、磷0.56%和植酸酶(500 U/kg).试验结果表明:(1)调质前、调质后和颗粒产品样的酶活回收率分别为104.8%、73.2%和68.2%(P＜0.05);(2)饲养试验一中的植酸酶组仔猪生产性能与正对照组的差异不显著(P＞0.05),但负对照的增重和耗料增重比分别显著低和高于正对照的(P＜0.05);(3)饲养试验二中的植酸酶组生长猪的耗料量较对照组的降低了9%,耗料增重比降低了11%(P＜0.05).增重提高了2%.此酶样经颗粒料生产全程工序后仍具68.2%的存酶活,具较好的耐热性;在低磷饲粮中应用可提高饲料转化率,因而提高仔猪及生长猪的增重,并降低饲料成本.     

Effect of dietary phosphorus concentration and electrolyte balance on the growth performance of broiler chickens

The performance of 1680 male and female broiler chickens given diets with either a low (4.7-4.3 g/kg) or high (8.9-8.2 g/kg) content of inorganic phosphorus and four (150, 200, 250 and 300 mEq/kg) electrolyte balances (Na+K-Cl) was measured from 1-d-old to 49 d of age. Diets with the higher concentration of inorganic phosphorus reduced body weight gains in the starter (P less than 0.01) and finisher (P less than 0.05) phases but the efficiency of food utilisation was reduced only in the starter phase (P less than 0.05). The reduction in body weight gain was greater in males than in females. The growth depression caused by the higher concentration of inorganic phosphorus in the finisher diets was partially alleviated by increasing the electrolyte balance to either 250 or 300 mEq/kg diet. The higher concentration of inorganic phosphorus significantly reduced the dressing percentage and increased the abdominal fat pad weight and litter moisture content. Electrolyte balance had no significant effects on efficiency of food utilisation, abdominal fat pad weights or litter moisture content. Neither the dietary concentration of phosphorus nor the electrolyte balance had a significant effect on mortality or ash content of the tibia.     

Effects of microbial phytase on growth and mineral utilisation in broilers fed on maize soyabean-based diets.

1. A 3-week feeding trial with 96 sexed d-old broiler chickens was conducted to examine the effects of microbial phytase supplementation (Natuphos 5000) at 2 dietary energy concentrations on their performance, and the utilisation of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn) and on tibiae ash, Ca, P and Zn concentrations. Four replicate pens (6 birds per pen) of a completely randomised design were used in a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments with 2 contents of metabolisable energy (11.72 and 12.55 MJ ME/kg) and 2 additions of phytase (0 and 500 U of microbial phytase/kg). 2. Phytase supplementation significantly improved the utilisation of N, P, Ca and Zn (as a percentage of intake) and increased the concentration of Ca and Zn in the tibiae (P<0.05) because of higher intakes of dry matter, N, P, Ca and Zn. Phytase also significantly reduced the amount of P in the excreta (P<0.05). 3. The AME content of the diet influenced significantly (P<0.05) the excretion of N, P, Ca and Zn and the concentration of P and Ca in tibiae with the birds fed on the high AME diet excreting more minerals and having a smaller percentage of these minerals in their tibiae. However, there were strong interactions between phytase addition and AME in tibia ash and P, with the phytase supplementation producing a higher ash content at the higher AME a and a lower P content at the lower AME.     

植酸酶和VD3协同对肉仔鸡生产性能和矿物元素利用率的影响

研究了植酸酶和ＶＤ３协同对采食低磷正常钙日粮的２１日龄肉仔鸡生产性能和矿物元素利用率的影响。结果表明：植酸酶和ＶＤ３显著提高了鸡采食量和日增重,降低了料肉比;植酸酶提高了胫骨灰分及其镁和锌含量;降低了血浆中钙含量,提高了磷和铜含量,ＶＤ３也显著提高了胫骨灰分含量,但其所含矿物元素含量不受影响;日粮中同时添加植酸酶和ＶＤ３,效果更为理想,二者产生了明显的协同效应,显著提高了矿物元素的利用率。     

Progress towards reduced-crude protein diets for broiler chickens and sustainable chicken-meat production

The prime purpose of this review is to explore the pathways whereby progress towards reduced-crude protein(CP)diets and sustainable chicken-meat production may be best achieved. Reduced-CP broiler diets have the potential to attenuate environmental pollution from nitrogen and ammonia emissions; moreover, they have the capacity to diminish the global chicken-meat industry's dependence on soybean meal to tangible extents. The variable impacts of reduced-CP broiler diets on apparent amino acid digestibility coefficients are addressed. The more accurate identification of amino acid requirements for broiler chickens offered reduced-CP diets is essential as this would diminish amino acid imbalances and the deamination of surplus amino acids. Deamination of amino acids increases the synthesis and excretion of uric acid for which there is a requirement for glycine, this emphasises the value of so-called "non-essential" amino acids. Starch digestive dynamics and their possible impact of glucose on pancreatic secretions of insulin are discussed, although the functions of insulin in avian species require clarification. Maize is probably a superior feed grain to wheat as the basis of reduced-CP diets; if so, the identification of the underlying reasons for this difference should be instructive. Moderating increases in starch concentrations and condensing dietary starch:protein ratios in reduced-CP diets may prove to be advantageous as expanding ratios appear to be aligned to inferior broiler performance. Threonine is specifically examined because elevated free threonine plasma concentrations in birds offered reduced-CP diets may be indicative of compromised performance. If progress in these directions can be realised, then the prospects of reduced-CP diets contributing to sustainable chicken-meat production are promising.     

混合芽孢杆菌对肉用仔鸡生产性能和盲肠微生物菌群的影响试验

地衣、凝集、枯草等多种芽孢杆菌混合后以0.1%、0.2%、0.3%的剂量添加到1～62日龄肉用土杂鸡的饲粮中,饲喂后结果显示,0.1%的添加量能明显提高其阶段增重、日增重以及屠宰率等生产性能(P＜0.05).不同剂量组对盲肠内的大肠杆菌等好氧菌和乳酸杆菌、双歧杆菌等肠道厌氧菌在数量上及二者的比值上均有一定的影响.抗生素对照组大肠杆菌数显著高于0.1%组和对照组,乳酸杆菌、双歧杆菌显著低于0.3%组,不同添加量之间无显著性差异(除双歧杆菌0.3%组显著高于0.1%组外,P＜0.05),二者的比值试验各组与对照组基本相近,均为1∶100左右,杆菌肽锌组较高为1:100.705.     

转植酸酶基因玉米对肉仔鸡生长性能及钙磷代谢的影响

选择480只AA商品代肉仔鸡,随机分为4组,每组3个重复,对照组添加磷酸氢钙,试验各组磷酸氢钙减半,分别添加500 U/kg的外源植酸酶和500、750 U/kg转植酸酶基因玉米来源的植酸酶。试验结果表明:肉仔鸡试验期间健康状况正常,各组平均日增重、饲料转化率均无显著差异(P>0.05);各组间血清和胫骨中钙、磷、氮水平无显著差异(P>0.05);试验组21和42日龄时粪中磷的存留量分别比对照组降低49.43%、55.17%、54.02%和31.50%、32.28%、14.96%,差异极显著(P<0.01);转植酸酶基因玉米组与微生物植酸酶组相比差异不显著(P>0.05)。转植酸酶基因玉米可以替代外源植酸酶作为一种植酸酶来源在肉仔鸡日粮中使用,不仅不影响生产性能,而且减少磷酸氢钙的使用和氮磷的排放。     

Effects of non-antibiotic feed additives on performance, tibial dyschondroplasia incidence and tibia characteristics of broilers fed low-calcium diets

This experiment was conducted to investigate and compare the efficacy of different feed additives on performance, tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) incidence and tibia characteristics of male broilers fed low-calcium diets. A completely randomized design, with six treatments and five replicates of five chicks per each was used. Experimental treatments were: (i) Basal diet containing recommended level of calcium (0.9%) as control treatment (Ctrl), (ii) low-calcium (0.67%) diet without any additive (LC), (iii) low-calcium diet + probiotic (2 g/kg diet), (iv) low-calcium diet + prebiotic (2 g/kg diet), (v) low-calcium diet + synbiotic [mix of probiotic and prebiotic (each 2 g/kg diet)], (vi) low-calcium diet + organic acid (1.5 g/kg diet). Birds were reared in an open-sided house system under natural tropical condition until 21 days of age. Feeding with low-calcium diet negatively influenced broiler performance (body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio) and tibia characteristics, whereas dietary inclusion of all feed additives had beneficial effects on above-mentioned parameters and helped the birds to overcome problems related to low-calcium diets. Different treatments had no effect on TD incidence.     

Effect of microbial phytase on production performance of White Leghorn layers fed on a diet low in non-phytate phosphorus

1. An experiment with 150 White Leghorn layers was conducted to examine the effect of microbial phytase supplementation of low non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) diets on egg production, eggshell quality, bone mineralisation and retention of nutrients at 32-48 weeks of age. 2. Four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were formulated to contain 1.2, 1.8, 2.4 and 3.0 g NPP/kg diet with the two lowest NPP (1.2 and 1.8) supplemented with microbial phytase (Biofeed Phytase, India) at 500 FTU per kg diet. Each diet was offered ad libitum to 5 replicates of 5 layers throughout the experiment. 3. Body weight gain was reduced significantly in the layers fed on the 1.2 g/kg NPP diet as compared to those given diets containing 1.8-3.0 g/kg. Addition of phytase to the 1.2 g/kg diet significantly enhanced the body weight and was comparable with those given diets containing 1.8-3.0 g/kg NPP. 4. No additional advantage resulted from enhancing the NPP levels beyond 1.8 g/kg or adding phytase to a diet containing 1.8 g/kg NPP. 5. Hen d egg production, food intake, food efficiency, shell weight, shell thickness, shell strength and tibia strength followed the same trends as above. However, adding phytase to the 1.8 g/kg NPP diet significantly enhanced tibia ash. Egg weight, specific gravity and Haugh units were influenced by neither NPP concentration nor phytase supplementation. 6. Adding phytase to the 1.2 g/kg NPP diet significantly enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus retention. 7. It was concluded that addition of 500 FTU of microbial phytase/kg diet can allow the reduction of NPP content to 1.2g/kg in the layer diet, eliminate inorganic phosphorus supplementation and results in significant reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus excretion without affecting the production performance of layers.     

Effects of a new recombinant phytase on performance and mineral utilization of laying ducks fed phosphorus-deficient diets

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of a new phytase supplementation in Jinding laying ducks fed different concentrations of non-phytate P (NPP) on production performance, mineral retention, and bone and plasma minerals. A 14-wk experiment was conducted using 200-d-old female laying ducks. A total of 1,000 laying ducks were randomly allocated to 5 treatments and fed 5 diets: a control diet that contained an adequate concentration of NPP (0.45%) and 4 diets that were deficient in NPP (0.38, 0.32, 0.25, and 0.18%, respectively) but supplemented with phytase at 500 U/kg. Decreasing the NPP content from 0.45 to 0.18% in the diets with phytase supplementation had no detrimental effects on performance. However, Cu and Zn retention was significantly lower (P < 0.05) for laying ducks consuming the 0.18% NPP diet with phytase supplementation. Likewise, laying ducks fed the 0.18% NPP diet had a significant reduction in bone ash, Ca, P, and Cu contents, and in serum P and Cu (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the decrease in NPP content in the diet with phytase supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) P retention. Therefore, with the supplementation of this novel phytase at 500 U, it is possible to reduce dietary concentrations of NPP to 0.25% and maintain the normal performance of laying ducks.