Effect of dietary supplementation of sea buckthorn and giloe leaf meal on the body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, biochemical attributes, and meat composition of turkey poults

Assessment of Food By-Products' Potential for Simultaneous Binding of Aflatoxin B1 and Zearalenone

In this study, eight food by-products were investigated as biosorbent approaches in removing mycotoxin load towards potential dietary inclusion in animal feed. Among these food-derived by-products, grape seed (GSM) and seabuckthorn (SBM) meals showed the most promising binding capacity for Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Zearalenone (ZEA), measured as percent of adsorbed mycotoxin. Furthermore, we explored the mycotoxin sequestering potential by screening the effect of time, concentration, temperature and pH. Comparative binding efficacy was addressed by carrying out adsorption experiments in vitro. The highest mycotoxin adsorption was attained using 30 mg of by-product for both GSM (85.9% AFB1 and 83.7% ZEA) and SBM (68% AFB1 and 84.5% ZEA). Optimal settings for the experimental factors were predicted employing the response surface design. GSM was estimated to adsorb AFB1 optimally at a concentration of 29 mg/mL, pH 5.95 and 33.6 °C, and ZEA using 28 mg/mL at pH 5.76 and 31.7 °C. Favorable adsorption of AFB1 was estimated at 37.5 mg of SBM (pH 8.1; 35.6 °C), and of ZEA at 30.2 mg of SBM (pH 5.6; 29.3 °C). Overall, GSM revealed a higher binding capacity compared with SBM. In addition, the two by-products showed different specificity for the binary-mycotoxin system, with SBM having higher affinity towards ZEA than AFB1 (Kf = 0.418 and 1/n = 0.213 vs. Kf = 0.217 and 1/n = 0.341) and GSM for AFB1 in comparison with ZEA (Kf = 0.367 and 1/n = 0.248 vs. Kf = 0.343 and 1/n = 0.264). In conclusion, this study suggests that GSM and SBM represent viable alternatives to commercial biosorbent products.

Using Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) as an eco-friendly feed supplement in human and poultry nutrition

Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) is a well-recognized and widely distributed traditional plant that is used successfully in Indian Ayurveda medicine. T. cordifolia has shown many promising biological activities, such as antioxidative, antimicrobial, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, osteoprotective, hepatoprotective, antidiarrheal, and antistress effects. Guduchi is a rich source of protein and micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, copper, calcium, phosphorus, and manganese. It also contains many secondary plant metabolites, such as terpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, and glycosides. Based on previous studies in poultry, the supplementation levels of Guduchi range from 1 to 5 g/kg of diet (different sources, such as powder, extracts, roots, and leaves, have been used). It was suggested that this variation in supplementation levels depends on different factors, including the extraction method, the supplementation proposed, the method of supplementation (either in feed or drinking water), and the species and physiological status of the birds. Generally, dietary supplementation of poultry broilers with T. cordifolia yielded positive impacts on growth performance, body gains (increased by 4.8%), dressing percentage (increased by 7.1%), meat quality traits, and the shelf life of the meat. In addition, T. cordifolia exerted a palliative effect on the general health status of the birds through reducing live enzymes and plasma uric acids and enhancing the immune response, as indicated by the leukocyte count, hemagglutinin titer, interleukin activity, and mortality levels. Further investigations concluded that T. cordifolia showed strong antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis, with subsequent reductions in mortality. Moreover, T. cordifolia showed an ability to improve humoral and cell-mediated immunity against Newcastle disease, infectious anemia, gout, and aflatoxicosis. The current review discusses many beneficial properties of T. cordifolia, although the lack of pharmacological trials limits the use of this extract in poultry. Further research should be performed regarding the composition of the active compound, the possible mechanisms of action, and the effective doses to fully understand the activities and benefits of T. cordifolia as a growth performance improvement supplement.

Effect of Azolla feeding on the growth, feed conversion ratio, blood biochemical attributes and immune competence traits of growing turkeys

Background and Aim

In the recent past,few studies have been carried out in chicken to assess the effect of Azolla meal and raw Azolla feeding on the performance of chicken. If turkeys effectively use unconventional feedstuffs like Azolla without reducing the performance, it will increase the profitability of turkey business. Hence, a study was carried out to evaluate the effect of dried Azolla pinnata vis-a-vis raw Azolla as choice feeding on the growth, feed conversion ratio (FCR), blood biochemical attributes, and immune competence traits of growing turkeys under intensive system.

Materials and Methods

A total of 72, 8-week-old grower turkey poults of black variety were randomly distributed into three dietary treatments having three replicates each with eight birds. The birds of the control group (T1) were fed a basal diet (CP - 19.71% and ME - 2789.79 Kcal/kg), while the other group (T2) and choice-feeding group (T3) were fed 5% of basal diet replaced by dry Azolla powder on DM basis and ad libitumAzolla along with basal diet, respectively.

Results

There was no significant difference among the different groups in the average weekly weight gain during the entire experiment. FCR was significantly better (p<0.05) in the choice-feeding group compared to the other two experimental groups during 8-16 weeks of age. There was no significant difference among the treatment groups in any of the blood biochemical indices except plasma uric acid, which was significantly decreased (p<0.01) in T2 compared to T1 at 16 weeks of age. HA and IgM response to 1% sheep red blood cells (log2 titer) were numerically better in T2 and T3 compared to the T1.

Conclusion

Thus, it may be inferred that choice feeding with Azolla, and basal diet may improve FCR without any adverse effect on blood biochemical attributes and immune competence traits.