ABSTRACT The effects of the dietary inclusion of olive pulp (OP) and supplementation birds with a commercial enzyme blend (ENZ) on the performance of broilers were evaluated. Six hundred one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were divided according to a completely randomized design into 10 treatments in a 2×2×2+2 factorial arrangement, consisting of two olive pulp levels (50 and 100 g/kg diet), two pulp categories (processed and non-processed), the inclusion or not of an enzyme blend supplement, and two control treatments without OP and the inclusion or not of the enzyme blend in the diet. Feed intake (FI), weight gain (WG), feed efficiency (FE), energy intake (EI), energy efficiency (EE), protein intake (PI), protein efficiency (PE), feed cost per kg live weight (FC/kg), and production index (IP) were determined. There was no significant difference (p> 0.05) between broilers fed the OP diets and the control diets for all parameters. Processed OP improved FE (p≤ 0.019 from 1-21 days; p≤ 0.005 from 22-42 days; and p≤ 0.008 from 1-42 days of age) and EE (p≤ 0.012 from 1-21 days; p≤ 0.012 from 22-42 days; and p≤ 0.002 from 1-42 days of age). The enzyme blend supplementation did not influence (p> 0.05) any of the studied variables. The inclusion of OP in the diets at levels up to 100g/kg would does not have deleterious effects on broiler production performance.

An experiment was conducted to examine the influence of the dietary supplementation of fish oil (0, 15, or 20 g/kg), green tea powder (0, 10, or 15 g/kg), or their factorial treatment arrangements on selected blood chemical components in 42 days old broiler chickens. Fish oil as a main effect was not significant for any blood component except for decreased plasma uric acid, when fish oil was fed at 20 g/kg. Green tea powder at 15 g/kg in the diets was found to cause a significant increase in plasma uric acid, but in combination with fish oil, the plasma uric acid was lower than with 15 g/kg green tea powder alone. Green tea powder at 15 g/kg caused a significant decrease in plasma LDL, which was attributed to a significant decrease in plasma LDL/ HDL ratio. Use of green tea appeared to have the potential to improve antioxidant status due to increased plasma uric acid and improved plasma lipid profile due to decreased LDL. In general, performance traits of broilers fed green tea powder with and without fish oil decreased, which was attributed to the decrease in feed intake and decreased energy and protein efficiencies.

Se realizó un experimento para examinar la influencia de la suplementación de la dieta de aceite de pescado (0, 15, o 20 g/kg), polvo de té verde (0, 10, o 15 g/kg), o sus arreglos de tratamiento factorial en componentes químicos de la sangre en pollos de engorda con 42 días de edad. El efecto del aceite de pescado no fue significativo para ninguno de los componentes de la sangre, excepto para el ácido úrico en plasma, el que experimentó una reducción con el nivel de suplementación de 20 g/kg. El polvo de té verde, en cantidad de 15 g/kg en las dietas, causó un aumento significativo en ácido úrico en plasma, pero en combinación con el aceite de pescado el ácido úrico en plasma fue menor que con 15 g/kg de polvo de té verde solo. Polvo de té verde en dosis de 15 g/kg causó una disminución significativa en el colesterol LDL en plasma, esto se atribuyó a una disminución significativa en la relación de LDL/HDL del plasma. El té verde mostró el potencial de mejorar la capacidad antioxidante debido al aumento de ácido úrico en plasma y perfil lipídico mejorado de plasma debido a la disminución de LDL. Los rendimientos de los pollos de engorde alimentados con polvo de té verde con y sin aceite de pescado en general disminuyeron, lo que se atribuyó a la disminución en el consumo de alimento y la disminución en la eficiencia de energía y proteínas.

ABSTRACT The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the dietary addition of different levels of rosemary powder (RP) and vitamin E (VitE) on broiler performance and gut gross morphometry. A total of 270 one-day-old Ross 308 male chicks were randomly assigned to nine dietary treatments with three replicates of10 birds each. Treatments consisted of diets were supplemented with 0, 0.5 or 1.0% RP and 0, 100 or 200 mg/kg VitE (alpha-tocopherol acetate). Feed intake and weight gain were recorded weekly. On day 42, one bird per replicate was euthanized after blood sampling. Gastrointestinal tract segments were measured and/or weighed. Means were compared by least significant difference. Overall, broilers fed1.0% RP presented lower (p< 0.05) feed intake, weight gain, and final weight body than those fed 0.5% RP. Broilers fed the 0.5% RP plus 200 mg/kg VitE diet presented higher weight gain (p<0.05) in than those in the control group (0% RP and 0 mg VitE). Jejunum length and weight, colon length and width, and right cecum weight were also negatively affected (p<0.05) by the 1.0% RP diet when compared with the 0.5% RP diet. We suggest that the dietary supplementation of 0.5% RP plus 200mg/kg of vitE improves broiler performance and does not have significant adverse effects on gross gut morphometry. Dietary VitE may play a potential protective role against the negative effects of high levels of RP.

ABSTRACT The effects of the dietary inclusion of olive pulp (OP) and the supplementation of a commercial enzyme blend (ENZ) on the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) size, and immune and hematological parameters were evaluated. In total, 600 one-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were divided into 6 treatments according to a completely randomized design, in a 2×2×2 factorial scheme, consisting of the dietary inclusion of two olive pulp levels (50 and 100 g/kg in diet), two pulp categories (processed and unprocessed), and the inclusion or not of an enzyme blend. On d 42, birds were euthanized and blood samples were collected, and lymphoid, hematologic, and GIT organs were measured. The inclusion of 100g/kg OP in the diets increased jejunum relative weight (J%) and jejunum length (p ≤ 0.05). Processed OP reduced jejunum weight and length, J%, and left cecum length, serum triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol levels (p ≤ 0.05). Enzyme supplementation did affect any of the studied parameters (p>0.05). The OP inclusion improved the GIT size, while processed OP reduced GIT measurements and serum lipid levels.