A study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary hydroalcoholic willow bark extract powder (HWE) supplemented to broilers (14-42 days old) that were exposed to heat stress, on the performance, serum biochemical parameters, liver oxidative status and caecal microflora. The feeding trial was conducted on 120 Cobb 500 broilers (14 days old), assigned to three treatments (T0, T25, and T50), each treatment consisting of eight replicates (five chicks per replicate). The broilers were housed in an experimental hall at a 32 °C constant temperature and 23 hours light regimen. Unlike the dietary control treatment (T0), the experimental treatments were supplemented with 25 g HWE powder/100 kg diet (T25), and 50 g HWE powder 100 kg diet (T50), respectively. Dietary HWE powder did not affect the broilers' performance significantly (14-42 days). A significantly lower amount of malondialdehyde was noticed in the liver of broilers from T25 and T50 treatments in comparison with broilers from T0. Also, the serum cholesterol, triglycerides and alanine aminotransferase were significantly lower in broilers fed with T50, compared with those fed with T0. At 35 and at 42 days, the broilers from T25 and T50 recorded a significantly lower number of E. coli and staphylococci and a higher number of lactobacilli in the caecum than those of T0. It could be concluded that supplementation of dietary HWE powder reduced some of the adverse effects of heat stress, the most effective being the level of 50 g/100 kg diet.

ABSTRACT The 7-week feeding trial evaluated the effect of 2% grapeseed meal used as natural antioxidant in the diets for slow-growing Hubbard broiler chicks, aged 14 days. The chicks were weighed individually and assigned to two groups (C and E), with 40 chicks per group, housed under conditions of temperature, humidity and light regimen according to the hybrid management guide. The basal ingredients of the conventional diet were corn, wheat, gluten, soybean meal and 2% flaxseed meal, which is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Compared to the control formulation, the experimental formulation included 2% grapeseed meal, both in the growing and finishing stages. The broilers had free access to feed and water. In the end of the feeding trial, blood samples were collected for serum biochemical determinations and six broilers per group were slaughtered and samples of breast and thigh meat were collected. The meat samples were assayed for the basic chemical composition, fatty acids profile and cholesterol content using standardized methods. The content of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was significantly higher (p<0.05) in breast samples, while cholesterol content was significantly lower (p<0.05) in thigh samples from E group, compared to C. Blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower (p<0.05) in group E than in group C. The study showed that the grapeseed meal used as natural antioxidant in broiler diets enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids given to Hubbard broilers had beneficial effects on broiler meat quality and on the metabolic profile of the blood plasma.

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Artemisia (Artemisia annua) supplementation as essential oil and powder, in broiler diet on performance and intestinal microflora. One hundred and eighty Cobb 500 broiler chicks assigned to three experimental groups (six replicates with 10 broilers per replicate) were housed in an environment-controlled house. Compared to the control diet, the experimental diets included 0.05 g kg-1 Artemisia essential oil (E1), 0.05 g kg-1 essential oil plus 0.1 g kg-1 powder of Artemisia (E2), respectively. Growth performance was monitored throughout days 14-42. Artemisia supplementation (E1, E2) did not influence growth performance of the chicks. Compared to the C and E1, the chicks from E2 group had a lower count of Enterobacteriaceae in the intestinal and caecal content, both at 35 and at 42 days. The Artemisia supplements did not influence the staphylococci populations from the intestinal content of the chicks (42 days), but in the caecal content samples, this count was lower in E2 (8.836 log10 cfu g-1) than in C (8.876 log10 cfu g-1) and E1 (8.870 log10 cfu g-1). The count of lactobacilli increased in the intestinal and caecal contents of chickens fed the diet supplemented with Artemisia at the 35th and 42nd day. Diet supplementation with A. annua essential oil and powder could be an effective solution in maintaining the proper microflora balance in the chicks’ intestine.

ABSTRACT The apparent faecal digestibility of the essential amino acids from Ω3 PUFA layer diets and feeding solutions to avoid possible adverse effects of such diets were investigated in two experiments conducted on Lohmann Brown laying hens. Experiment 1 used 72 layers assigned to three groups (C1, E1-1, E2), while experiment 2 used 96 layers assigned to four groups (C2, E1-2, E3, E4). All experimental diets have been enriched in Ω 3 PUFA by supplementing a conventional diet (C1, C2) with 5% flaxseed meal and 2% camelina meal. Diets E2 and E4 had an increased level of Cu (150 mg/kg), diets E3 and E4 were supplemented with 0.0125% enzyme mix, while diets E1-1 and E1-2 were only supplemented with 5% flaxseed meal and 2% camelina meal. The digestibility coefficients of the studied essential amino acids (threonine, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, cystine, methionine) were lower (p≤0.05) in groups E1-1 and E2 from experiment 1, than in the control group (C1). In experiment 2, the supplemental enzyme mix (E3) increased (p≤0.05) the digestibility coefficients of phenylalanine, lysine, cystine and methionine, compared to the diet with camelina and flaxseed meals (E1-2). The simultaneous inclusion of copper and enzyme mix in the E4 diet increased (p≤0.05) lysine digestibility compared to group E1-2 and sulphur amino acids digestibility, compared to the other groups (C2, E1-2 and E3). In both experiments, only the feed conversion ratio was different (p≤0.05) in favour of the control groups (C1 and C2), compared to the other groups.

ABSTRACT The 21 days feeding trial was conducted on 90, Cobb 500 broilers (aged 14 days), assigned to 3 groups (C, E1 and E2) housed in an experimental hall at 32° C constant temperature and 23 h light regimen. During the growth period (14-35 days), the conventional diet (C) had corn and soybean meal as basic ingredients. Unlike the conventional diet formulation (C), the diet formulations for the experimental groups also included 0.005% Artemisia annua oil (E1) and 0.005% Artemisia annua oil plus 1% Artemisia annua powder (E2). Six broilers per group were slaughtered at 35 days of age in order to measure the weight of the carcass and internal organs of broilers, and samples of intestinal and caecal content were collected for bacteriological assessment (Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, staphylococci, Lactobacilli, Salmonella spp.).The following parameters were monitored during the experimental period: bodyweight (g); average daily feed intake (g feed/broiler/day); average daily weight gain (g/broiler/day); feed conversion ratio (g feed/g gain). Under heat stress (32 ºC), E2 broilers (mixture of A. annua oil and powder) had a significantly (p<0.05) higher average of daily feed intake than the broilers receiving the C diet or the diet supplemented just with A. annua oil (E1). Both samples of intestinal and caecal content, showed the lowest count (p<0.05) of Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli and staphylococcus colony forming units in E2 broilers. Diet with A. annua oil and powder provided proper conditions for lactic acid bacteria proliferation in the intestine and caecum of heat stressed broilers.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of chromium picolinate (CrPic) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and protein and lipid quality of five anatomical parts in growing pigs. The 30-day study was conducted on eight castrated Topigs growing male pigs, with an initial bodyweight of 17.16 ± 0.62 kg. The pigs were assigned to two groups (C, E), housed in individual metabolic cages, and fed on conventional diets with 17.80% crude protein (CP) and 3078 kcal/kg metabolizable energy (ME). The diet of E was supplemented with 200 ppm CrPic. Samples of ingesta and faeces were collected in three balance periods of five days each. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected, all pigs were slaughtered, and meat (tenderloin, loin, ham, shoulder, and belly) samples were collected. No significant differences of productive or plasma parameters were noticed. The results of the balance study showed that CrPic did not influence the digestibility of nitrogen, but the digestibility of fat was significantly decreased for group E. The nutritional quality of the collected samples was evaluated for proximate analysis. The tenderloin and ham samples had increased protein concentrations compared with C group. For belly and ham, the fat concentrations decreased significantly. As a result of this observation, amino acids and fatty acid profiles were analysed and a significant improvement were determined for E regarding essential amino acids. The conclusion of the study was that CrPic had positive effects on protein and fat metabolism and the meat had functional food attributes.

ABSTRACT The 4-week study was conducted with 180 Lohmann Brown layers (52 weeks of age). The layers were assigned to three groups (C, E1 and E2). The basal diet (group C) consisted mainly of corn, soybean meal and corn gluten, and contained 19% crude protein and 11.58 MJ/kg metabolizable energy. The diets for groups E1 and E2 differed from group C by the inclusion of 5% flax meal and of dietary antioxidants. The concentration of α-linolenic acid in the fat of E1 and E2 diets was almost 10 times higher than in group C. E1 diet was supplemented with vitamin E (100 mg/kg feed, DM), while E2 diet was supplemented with 2% grape seed meal (polyphenols: 630.890 µg gallic acid equivalents/g sample; flavonoids: 5.065 µg rutin equivalents/g sample; antioxidant capacity: 28.468 mM trolox equivalents/g sample). The antioxidant capacity of E2 was higher than in C, but lower than in E1. Haugh units of the eggs (18 eggs/group) harvested during the last experimental week were not significantly different among groups. The ω-6/ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) ratio in the fat from the eggs was 4.46 ± 0.11 (E1) and 4.52 ± 0.21 (E2), three times lower (p<0.05) than the control group (14.70 ± 0.43). In group E1 in particular, but also in group E2, the concentration of total polyphenols in the egg yolk was higher (p<0.05) than in group C.