Nano Zinc Oxide Improves Performance, IGF-I mRNA Expression, Meat Quality, and Humeral Immune Response and Alleviates Oxidative Stress and NF-κB Immunohistochemistry of Broiler Chickens

A 35-day trial was set to explore the effects of different dietary zinc sources on growth, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mRNA expression, meat quality, immune response, antioxidant activity, and immunohistochemistry of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κ7B) of broiler chickens. Ross 308 broiler chicks (n = 156) were randomly assigned into four experimental groups. The G1 received the basal control diet without zinc supplementation; the G2, G3, and G4 were supplemented with zinc oxide, zinc lysine, and nano zinc oxide, respectively, at a level of 40 mg Zn/kg diet. The data revealed that nano zinc oxide linearly improved the overall growth performance parameters. Nano zinc oxide linearly elevated (P < 0.001) mRNA expression of IGF-I followed by G3. The pH value of breast muscle in G4 shows a linearly decreasing value (P < 0.001). Also, the linearly highest expressible release volume percentage and lightness (L*) value with the lowest redness (a*) value (P < 0.05) were recorded in G4 and G3. A numerical increase in the total antibody titer was recorded on the 35^th day in the G3 and G4. A numerical elevation in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and a numerical reduction in the serum malondialdehyde (MDA) were recorded in the G4. The section of the liver from G4 revealed significantly very low expression of NF-κB staining. It is concluded that nano zinc oxide is considered the more trending zinc source. It had no negative effects on the health status and can be used in broiler diet premix.

Nanoselenium effect on growth performance, carcass traits, antioxidant activity, and immune status of broilers

A 42-day comparative study was conducted to assess the impact of nanoselenium to other selenium sources on performance, antioxidant activity, immunity, and carcass traits in broilers. Ross 308 (n = 156) 1-day-old broiler chicks, with average initial body weight of 45.80 ± 0.35, were randomly allocated to 4 groups. The first group (G1) fed the basal diet without selenium supplementation. The second group (G2), the third group (G3), and the fourth group (G4) were supplemented with dietary selenium at the level of 0.3 mg kg^-1 diet in the form of sodium selenite, seleno-methionine, and nanoselenium, respectively. The results revealed significant improvement on most of the performance parameters of nanoselenium at the level of 0.3 mg kg^-1 diet (P < 0.05). Nanoselenium and seleno-methionine achieved the best dressing %, spleen index %, and thymus index %. Concerning to internal organ indices, none of these indices was significantly affected by any selenium sources (P < 0.05). Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were not significantly affected by different selenium sources among all experimental groups. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) showed significant (P < 0.05) decrease in nanoselenium supplemented group compared with other groups. In case of serum IL-10 level, a significant (P < 0.05) increase was reported in nanoselenium supplemented group followed by G3 then G2. There were no statistical differences in the serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, total protein, albumin concentration, serum creatinine level, and uric acid concentration levels among all experimental groups. It is concluded that nano selenium can be a useful and better source of selenium for broilers.