Effects of different dl‐selenomethionine and sodium selenite levels on growth performance,immune functions and serum thyroid hormones concentrations in broilers

This trial was conducted in a 2 × 3 + 1 factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design to evaluate the effects of different dl ‐selenomethionine (dl ‐Se‐Met) and sodium selenite (SS) levels on growth performance, immune functions and serum thyroid hormones concentrations in broilers. A total of 840 Ross 308 broilers (7 days old) were allocated by body weight to seven treatments (three replicates of 40 birds each treatment) including (1) basal diet (containing 0.04 mg of selenium (Se)/kg; control) without supplementary Se; (2, 3 and 4) basal diet + 0.05, 0.15 or 0.25 mg/kg Se as SS; (5, 6 and 7) basal diet + 0.05, 0.15 or 0.25 mg/kg Se as dl ‐Se‐Met. The experiment lasted 42 days. The results revealed that dietary Se supplementation improved (p < 0.05) average daily gain, feed efficiency, immune organ index, serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM) and triiodothyronine (T₃) concentrations and decreased (p < 0.01) thyroxine (T₄)/T₃ ratio in serum compared with the control. Broilers receiving the dl ‐Se‐Met‐supplemented diets had higher (p < 0.05) feed efficiency, thymus index, the amounts of IgA, IgG, IgM and T₃ as well as lower (p < 0.05) serum T₄ concentrations and T₄/T₃ ratio than those consuming the SS‐supplemented diets. Serum IgA and IgM levels of broilers fed 0.15 mg Se/kg were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of broilers fed 0.05 or 0.25 mg Se/kg. In summary, we concluded that dl ‐Se‐Met is more effective than SS in increasing immunity and promoting conversion of T₄ to T₃, thus providing an effective way to improve the growth performance of broilers. Besides, based on a consideration of all experiment indices, 0.15 mg Se/kg was suggested to be the optimal level of Se supplementation under the conditions of this study.     

The effects of transportation stress on Japanese quail (Coturnix Coturnix japonica) fed corn‐based diet in comparison with wheat‐based diet supplemented with xylanase and phytase

Harvesting, handling and transporting quails to the slaughterhouses, other farms and laboratories might covertly reduce their welfare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two major sources of energy in poultry nutrition on reducing transportation stress in Japanese quail (Coturnix Coturnix japonica). Male quails (n = 60) were divided into two groups. The first group was fed corn‐based diet, and the second was fed wheat‐based diet supplemented with xylanase and phytase. At the end of the experiment (day 35), quails were subjected to 80 km of transportation. Immediately on arrival and after 24 h, heterophil counts, lymphocyte counts and H:L ratios were measured. On arrival, H counts were lower, L counts were higher, and H:L ratios were lower for corn‐fed group. After 24 h, wheat‐fed group showed lower increment of H counts, greater increment of L counts and also decrement of H:L ratios rather than corn‐fed group which showed increment of H:L ratios. However, these ratios were still lower in corn‐fed group. Results indicate that corn‐based diets can help Japanese quail to better resist transportation stress, although it seems that feeding wheat‐based diets supplemented with xylanase and phytase could have positive effects for coping better with stress after journeys.