growth performance

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of pomegranate peel aqueous extract (PPE) and probiotic addition on growth performance, carcass and gastrointestinal tract characteristics and blood parameters of broiler chickens under heat stress conditions. A total of 420 one-day-old broiler chickens were distributed in a completely randomized design and as 3×2+1 factorial arrangement to seven treatments with six replicates and 10 birds per each replication. The experimental treatments consisted of two levels of probiotic (0, and 200 mg/kg), three levels of PPE (0, 500, and 1000 mg/kg) in addition of a positive control diet containing Tetracycline antibiotic. The chicks were exposed to 37 ± 1 °C for 7 h / d, 10:00 am to 17:00 pm, from 25 to 42 days of age. The main effects of PPE and probiotic were not significant on the body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the starter (1-21 days of age) and whole experimental (1-42 days of age) periods. The dietary addition of probiotic and antibiotic numerically improved the feed conversion ratio during the starter phase as compared with control group (P < 0.10). The dietary addition of probiotic reduced the blood plasma cholesterol concentration (P < 0.05). Generally,, the addition of PPE and probiotic to the diet had no positive effect on weight gain, feed intake, production efficiency factor and carcass caracteristics of broilers reared under heat stress conditions, however the dietary addition of probiotic and antibiotic improved FCR by 10.3, and 9.1%, respectively, during starter period.

In recent years, the increasing demand for feed to increase livestock production and the climate problems have led to a significant increase in the price of feed, especially protein-based feed. The proper processing and use of alternative and cheap by-products therefore increases livestock production and contributes to the country's livestock feed shortage. Peanut waste is one of such by-products. Peanut, with the scientific name of Arachis hypogaea, belongs to the Legume family, which is also called groundnut or pistachio. Peanuts are classified as an oil seed because of their high oil content and are grown in much of the world and are rich in protein and fiber. The crude protein (CP) digestibility of peanuts is reported to be about 70%, but its fat digestibility varies based on the fatty acid structure. Peanuts contain anti-nutritional factors such as phenolic compounds (procyanidins) and phytic acid, which reduce the bioavailability of other nutrients, but this amount is lower in peanuts than in legumes such as soybeans. After oil extraction, peanut meal is produced, which is used as a source of protein in animal feed. By-products of peanut cultivation include almond husk, almond outer shell, thin skin on almond kernel, and peanut waste feed (PWF). Peanut shells are produced in large quantities annually and are discarded without any specific use or economic value. About 34 -35 grams of shells are produced per kg of peanut kernel. The annual production of peanut shells in the world is about 740 thousand tons as waste from the peanut processing industry. In a study, the CP, neutral detergent insoluble fiber (NDF), crude fat, total digestible nutrients, and condensed tannins of peanut shells were reported to be 22.7, 32.6, 19, 87.8, and 15.6% dry matter (DM), respectively. Phenolic compounds in peanut shells, such as tannins, may have positive effects on animal performance. In another study, the CP, crude fat, and total carbohydrate contents of peanut kernel shells were determined to be 12, 16, and 72% (DM basis), respectively, and the total phenolic content was determined to be 140-150 mg/g DM. In a study, supplementing goat diets with 25 and 50% peanut shells on a DM basis increased DM intake and daily weight gain, while also reducing fecal microbial load. In Iran's northern provinces, a significant area of land is devoted to peanut production. Peanuts are mostly consumed as nuts in Iran, so unfortunately, accurate amounts of peanut waste production are not available. The PWF is a new food waste produced in Iran and consists of the almond shell (hard shell), kernel waste, and the thin brown shell around the kernel. So far, few studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of feeding diets containing PWF on ruminant nutrition. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of different levels of PWF on performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, rumen antioxidant activity, and nutritional behavior of Lori-Bakhtiari fattening lambs.
In this research, 28 fattening lambs with an average age of 120±6 days and an average live weight of 30±2.50 kg were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments and seven replications. The experimental diets were PWF included in the diet at levels 0 (control), 4, 8, and 12% DM and were fed to lambs for 60 days. Diet nutrient digestibility was measured using acid-insoluble ash as an internal marker on the 43rd day of the experiment. Determination of the total rumen antioxidant capacity was performed on the 45th day of the experiment and 3 hours after morning feeding. The feeding behavior of fattening lambs was determined visually on the 47th day of the experiment for 24 hours.
The contents of DM, crude protein, crude ash, crude fat, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, non-fibrous carbohydrates, and total phenolic compounds of PWF were 92±2.22, 22.8±0.46, 16.5±0.26, 1.28±0.016, 25.7±0.53, 19.1±0.33, 34±0.57, and 21.5±0.35% DM, respectively, and metabolizable energy content was 2.4±0.075 Mcal/kg DM. Using different levels of PWF in the diet had no significant effect on nutrient intake, growth performance parameters, nutrient digestibility, and eating and rumination behavior (minutes per day) of fattening lambs (P>0.05). By increasing the level of PWF in the diet up to 12%, the total antioxidant capacity of the rumen increased, but the chewing behavior (minutes per day) in fattening lambs decreased compared to the control treatment (P<0.05).
The results generally indicated that the use of peanut waste up to 12% DM is recommended in the diet of fattening lambs.

Many variables must be considered in broiler production to achieve maximum profits. The selection of an appropriate broiler strain and optimal stocking density are among the key factors for maximizing economic returns. Today, several strains such as Ross, Arian, Cobb, and Arbor Acres are available in the Iranian market, each with specific rearing guidelines based on their genetic modifications. Maintaining an optimal stocking density throughout the production cycle is economically important. The study therefore compared the Iranian Arian strain and the Ross strain with different stocking densities (12 and 16 birds per square metre, respectively). Higher density can lead to stress, and arginine plays a critical role in the urea cycle and protein synthesis. It serves as a precursor for the production of polyamines, creatine, and especially nitric oxide (NO). In conditions of environmental stress, such as heat or oxidative stress, the role of arginine is even more important because of its role in the formation of NO. Therefore, in addition to broiler strain and stocking density, the study included the use of arginine.

A total of 448 one-day-old chicks (224 Arian and 224 Ross) of both sexes were used in a 42-day feeding trial. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design in a 2×2×2 factorial arrangement with two broiler strains (Arian and Ross), two stocking densities (12 and 16 birds/ square metre), and two levels of dietary arginine (100 and 130% of the Arian catalog recommendation). There were eight treatments with five replicates. Experimental diets were formulated for four phases: starter, grower, finisher 1, and finisher 2. Feed intake and body weight gain were recorded during the starter, grower, finisher 1, and finisher 2 periods. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated. At the end of the experiment (42 days), two birds were randomly selected from each replicate for blood sampling from the wing vein to measure blood parameters. To evaluate intestinal morphology, two birds from each pen were slaughtered at 42 days. A 4-cm section was taken from the jejunum (10 cm before Meckel's diverticulum) and fixed in 10% formalin after washing with physiological saline. To measure meat quality traits including water holding capacity (WHC), pH, drip loss (DL), and cooking loss (CL), two birds were randomly selected from each replicate at 42 days, and the left thigh muscle was collected. Data were analyzed using MiniTab 16 software. Data were analyzed using the general linear model (GLM), and treatment means were compared using Tukey's test at P<0.05.

The results showed that the Ross strain had a higher feed intake than the Arian strain (P<0.05). High stocking density significantly reduced feed intake throughout the entire period (P<0.05). In the starter phase, the use of 130% of the recommended arginine level increased feed intake compared to the 100% level (P<0.05). Ross strain chicks receiving 130% arginine also had a higher feed intake. The average daily weight gain of the Ross strain was significantly higher than that of the Arian strain during the grower phase and over the entire period (P<0.05). Stocking density reduced the average daily weight gain in the finisher 1, finisher 2, and entire periods (P<0.05). The use of 130% arginine improved daily weight gain in these phases (P<0.05). Ross broilers reared at a density of 12 birds per square meter exhibited the highest daily weight gain during the finisher 2 phase compared to the Ross and Arian strains at 16 birds per square meter (P<0.05). Ross chicks receiving 130% arginine had higher daily weight gains than those receiving 100% arginine (P<0.05). In the finisher 2 and overall periods, broilers raised at a density of 16 birds per square meter and fed 100% arginine had the lowest daily weight gain compared to other treatments (P<0.05). Both Ross and Arian broilers reared at high stocking density and fed 100% arginine had the lowest daily weight gain. The FCR of the Arian strain in the starter phase was lower than that of the Ross strain. High stocking density improved FCR in the starter phase, but it increased FCR in the finisher 2 and overall periods (P<0.05). The use of 130% arginine significantly improved FCR in broilers (P<0.05). In the finisher 1 and overall periods, Arian broilers reared at low stocking density had better FCR than those at high density. In the finisher 2 phase, Ross broilers reared at low stocking density had better FCR than those at high density. The results indicated that rearing both Ross and Arian strains at low stocking density improved FCR. In the finisher 1 phase, the lowest FCR was observed in the Ross strain fed 100% arginine and the Arian strain fed 130% arginine. Over the entire period, Arian broilers fed 100% arginine had the highest FCR compared to other levels. The interaction of stocking density × arginine showed that the highest FCR was observed in birds reared at 16 birds per square meter and fed 100% arginine. The interaction of strain × stocking density × arginine had a significant effect on FCR in the finisher 1 phase (P<0.05), with the lowest FCR observed in the Arian strain, reared at 12 birds per square meter, and fed 130% arginine. Increased stocking density reduced albumin and total protein concentrations and increased blood glucose concentration (P<0.05). Higher stocking density significantly reduced albumin concentration in both Ross and Arian strains compared to Arian birds reared at lower density. The interaction of strain × stocking density × arginine significantly affected total protein concentration (P<0.05), with the highest level observed in the Ross strain reared at 12 birds per square meter and fed 130% arginine. High stocking density increased cholesterol concentration (P<0.05). The 130% arginine level reduced cholesterol concentration compared to 100% arginine (P<0.05). Increased stocking density also raised AST concentration (P<0.05). Ross broilers had greater villus width and absorption surface area (P<0.05). High stocking density reduced villus length, width, and absorption surface area (P<0.05). The highest absorption surface area was observed in the Ross strain reared at 12 birds per square meter and fed 100% arginine, while the lowest was in the Arian strain reared at 16 birds per square meter and fed 100% arginine (P<0.05). Higher stocking density reduced water-holding capacity and increased cooking loss (P<0.05). Increased arginine levels improved water-holding capacity and reduced cooking loss (P<0.05).

Overall, the results of this study indicated that the Ross strain had higher feed intake and daily weight gain compared to the Arian strain, though their feed conversion ratios did not significantly differ. Stocking density harmed performance indices during the late and overall phases of the trial. The Ross strain showed a better response to arginine supplementation at high stocking densities than the Arian strain. The use of arginine supplementation can mitigate the negative effects of high stocking density and improve broiler performance.

Glutamine represents approximately 30-35% of the total amount of nitrogen in the blood derived from amino acids. The role of glutamine as a nitrogen shuttle helps to protect against the toxic effects of high levels of ammonia in the blood. In addition, glutamine has vital and specific metabolic functions as a vehicle for carbon exchange between tissues, as a fuel for rapid cell division, and as a precursor of many naturally active molecules. It's a great example of how amino acids are used for different purposes in the metabolism and the immune system of the body. Glutamine, a conditionally essential amino acid, seems to be a key nutrient for the gut, as it may be a prominent source of vitality for the enterocytes. Glutamine appears to trigger an increase in the level of intestinal secretory immunoglobulin A, which is essential for mucosal defense. The investigation showed that the use of amino acid supplements in broiler diets improves the performance and the carcass characteristics. Glutamine is one of the most abundant amino acids in blood plasma and is involved in the building of muscle, and tissue, and gaining body weight. Researchers found that adding 10 g of L-glutamine per kg of food increased the weight gain and serum immunoglobulin A and G concentrations in broiler chickens. Therefore, an experiment was carried out in broiler chickens over 42 days of production to determine the effect of L-glutamine on broiler growth, carcass quality, and certain blood parameters.

The experiment was conducted using 300 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens in a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replicates from the age of 1 to 42 days. The experimental treatments included were: the addition of zero, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1% of L-glutamine in corn-soybean meal-based diets supplemented with dietary fat. During the experimental period, average daily feed intake (DFI), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured. At the end of the experiment, two birds were selected from each replicate and slaughtered after weighing, and the weight of the internal organs (thigh, breast, heart, liver, gizzard, fat pad, pancreas, bursa, spleen, and thymus) was measured. Blood samples were collected from two birds per replicate to determine the number of white blood cells (WBC), and heterophile to lymphocyte ratio (H/L). Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein in tubes without anticoagulant and then centrifuged (2000×g for 10 min) to obtain a serum. On the 42nd day of rearing, serum cholesterol (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)) and triglycerides were determined by calorimetric examination.

Weight gain during the initial and growth periods was affected by L-glutamine supplementation (P<0.05). Despite higher feed intake for L-glutamine-supplemented diets during the initial period, this effect was significant only during the growth period (P<0.05). FCR and relative weight of internal organs, except liver weight, were not significantly different from the control group in the L-glutamine-supplemented chickens. The addition of 0.5% L-glutamine supplementation reduced cholesterol and triglyceride content and increased HDL in the blood of broilers (P<0.05). The H/L ratio in chickens that consumed L-glutamine was significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.05). L-glutamine has been reported to increase the activity of the intestinal enzyme Na-K ATPase, thereby indirectly increasing the absorption capacity of nutrients such as glucose and amino acids in the intestine. Researchers reported that L-glutamine increases the performance and feed intake of chickens by improving intestinal function and increasing digestibility. Expanding the villi of the small intestine can increase digestion and feed intake by increasing nutrient absorption and thus improving chicken performance. Improving the morphology of the digestive system is one of the possible mechanisms of the positive effect of L-glutamine on improving weight. Since glutamine stimulates anabolic conditions in the body and increases the amount of protein synthesis, therefore, along with muscle growth, it can increase the final body weight. Avian health is directly related to the immune system, and birds with adequate immune systems grow better. The majority of essential amino acids are recognized as critical resources for cytokine production and immune function.

Results from this study indicate that 0.5% dietary glutamine supplementation improved growth performance and had a positive effect on lipid metabolism-related blood parameters.

 Animals need vitamins A, D3, and E to improve their performance and health. Vitamin A has an active role in maintaining all epithelial cells in the body and plays an important role in bone growth. Vitamin D3 plays an important role in increasing the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, in addition to the formation and calcification of the bones in animals. Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin which is both a growth-promoting vitamin and is considered an antioxidant. These vitamins also play an important role in improving the immune system in ruminants. Ruminants cannot produce vitamins A, D3, and E in their body; therefore, to meet physiological requirements and maintain high production performance, they need to be provided with an exogenous regular intake of vitamins A, D3, and E in their diet. Several studies have been carried out on the effects of dietary or injectable vitamin AD3E supplements on fattening lambs. This study aimed to determine the effects of various forms of AD3E supplementation on growth performance, rumen fermentation, protozoa population, and blood parameters in Mehraban lambs by in vivo and in vitro experiments.

 The project comprised two in vitro and in vivo experiments. In this experiment, the in vivo growth parameters such as final body weight, total weight gain, average daily gain, average daily gain, dry matter intake, feed conversion ratio, the ruminal fermentation parameters such as pH, ammonia nitrogen, total volatile fatty acids, blood biochemical metabolites [blood urea nitrogen (BUN), cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, albumin, HDL, LDL, and malondialdehyde (MAD)], protozoa count, and in vitro gas production, organic matter digestibility, methane gas production, metabolizable energy, and short-chain fatty acids were studied. This experiment consisted of a 14-day adaptation period and a 60-day experiment. Twenty Mehraban lambs (body weight of 41.3±0.5 kg) were divided into four groups with five replicates in each group using a completely randomized design. The treatments included 1) the control group received a base diet without vitamin supplements, 2) injectable vitamin AD3E, 3) rumen-protected vitamin AD3E as a part of concentrate, and 4) AD3E vitamin in drinking water. Feed intake and body weight of lambs were recorded weekly during the fattening period. The samples of blood and rumen liquid were collected from the lambs on the 30th and 60th days of the experiment.

 The results indicated that the gas production, digestible organic matter, metabolizable energy, and short-chain fatty acids were reduced due to vitamin AD3E supplementation compared with the control group (P<0.05). Growth performance was not different when supplemented with AD3E, but for the rumen-protected vitamin, the average daily increase was 48 g more than that in the control group. The feed conversion ratio showed a significant decrease in AD3E water-soluble vitamins compared with the control group (P<0.05). The pH was not influenced by experimental treatments. The ammonia concentration was higher in treatments 3 and 4 (P<0.05), and the protozoa count was reduced due to vitamin AD3E supplementation (P<0.05). The BUN serum concentration was lower in treatments 2 and 3 compared with other treatments (P=0.008). Vitamin supplementation with AD3E administered in water or its injection made a significant increase in cholesterol concentration (P=0.002). Blood concentration of triglyceride showed a significant increase in treatment 4 (P=0.007). Plasma concentration of HDL was lower in lambs who received rumen-protected AD3E compared to the control group (P<0.05). Experimental treatments did not affect plasma glucose, total protein, albumin, LDL, and MAD concentrations of fattening lambs (P>0.05). Plasma concentration of BUN on day 60 was higher compared to the 30th day in all treatments (P<0.05). However, plasma concentrations of triglyceride and glucose were lower on day 60 compared to the 30th day of the experiment in all groups.

 Results showed that vitamin AD3E had no significant effect on growth performance; however, it was greater in the vitamin group treated with rumen protection than in the control group. Gas production, protozoa population, and ammonia nitrogen decreased compared to control. Higher doses of vitamins, especially the rumen-protected vitamin AD3E, are recommended in larger sample sizes and for longer periods.

 Microelements in organisms have several structural, catalytic, and regulatory functions and play an important role in the functioning of the immune system. The trace mineral content of colostrum and milk is not optimal and in suckling calves, the inclusion of trace mineral supplements in the diet is necessary. Selenium (Se) is a basic mineral for humans and animals and has now been identified as an integral component of more than 35 selenoproteins which are involved in enzymatic, structural, or as yet unidentified functions. In livestock, Se is important for fertility and the prevention of diseases. Sufficient intake of Se increases fertility and enhances antioxidant protection systems and immunological potential. Se deficiency in cattle is associated with several problems, including delayed conception, muscular degenerative disease in calves, myocardial necrosis, heart failure, impaired immune function, increased risk of mastitis, abortion, perinatal mortality, and growth retardation in young calves. Based on the recommendation of the National Research Council, the daily requirements for Se and vitamin E in growing calves are 0.30 mg and 40 IU, respectively. To avoid Se deficiency and to promote animal health, inorganic sources of Se (sodium selenite and selenium) are routinely used as a supplement to the diet of farm animals. Zinc is involved in over 300 enzymes either as a component or as an activator. Zinc (Zn) is involved in immunity, metabolism, growth, and reproduction. It plays a role in the structure and function of antioxidant enzymes. Due to mineral interactions, the inorganic forms are less bioavailable in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the effects of supplementation with sodium selenite and Zn oxide on growth performance, immune response, blood parameters, and antioxidant status in Holstein calves.

 The calves were kept in well-ventilated sheds with concrete floors and with individual feeding and watering facilities. The basal diet was prepared from locally available feed ingredients to meet the nutritional requirements of calves growing except for Zn and Se. Calves are fed milk at 10% of body weight in the morning and evening. The experiment started at four days of age and the calves were kept in individual pens for up to 42 days. The study used 36 Holstein calves with an average weight of 34.5±2 kg over 42 days in a completely randomized design. The basal diet (containing 40 mg Zn and 0.15 mg Se) was without Zn and Se supplementation (diet 1). Diet 2 contained 0.3 mg sodium selenite, diet 3 contained 40 mg Zn oxide, diet 4 contained 55 mg Zn oxide, diet 5 contained 0.3 mg sodium selenite + 40 mg Zn oxide, and diet 6 contained 0.3 mg sodium selenite + 55 mg Zn oxide. Feed intake was calculated daily, and calves were weighed weekly to calculate the feed conversion ratio and average daily gain. Blood samples were taken on days 20 and 42 to determine trace mineral levels in plasma and biochemical, enzymatic, hormonal, antioxidant, and hematological parameters. Data on growth and blood parameters were analyzed using the GLM procedure of the SAS program. Significant difference between treatments was determined by Duncan's test and the results were considered significant if the P-value was less than 0.05.

 The results showed that the use of sodium selenite and different levels of Zn oxide did not have a significant effect on feed intake, final weight, body weight gain, growth performance, and immune response (P>0.05). No significant differences in blood metabolite concentrations were observed between treatments (P>0.05). Supplementing milk with 0.3 mg sodium selenite and 40 and 55 mg Zn oxide significantly increased the activity of superoxide dismutase and decreased the levels of malondialdehyde and aspartate aminotransferase (P<0.05). Se plays a role in the defense against the accumulation of hydroperoxides from cellular metabolism. This biological function is mediated by selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), iodothyronine deiodinases, and thioredoxin reductases, of which selenium is a structural component. Se also acts on enzymes involved in the production and regulation of thyroid hormones and is recognized as a factor in immunological function. The role of Zn as an antioxidant and its role in cell replication and proliferation are the two most directly related links between Zn and the immune system.

 Supplementing milk with Zn oxide and sodium selenite improved the antioxidant status and helped to relieve the stress experienced by suckling calves.

Arginine, as a precursor of nitric oxide, one of the main vasodilators, plays a significant role in inhibiting the pathogenesis of ascites (Khajali et al., 2014). Adding arginine to the diet can increase endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity, subsequently increasing nitric oxide production and reducing hematocrit. By reducing blood viscosity and pulmonary vascular resistance, the right ventricle of the heart will require less force to pump blood to the organs (Delfani et al., 2023). One of the most important applications of arginine in the body is its use in the production of guanidinoacetic acid, which is a precursor for creatine synthesis in the body (DeGroot et al., 2018). Guanidinoacetic acid is produced during the transfer of the amidino group from the amino acid arginine to the amino acid glycine by the enzyme arginine-glycine amidinotransferase, along with the amino acid ornithine (Kodambashi Emami et al., 2017; Asiriwardhana and Bertolo, 2022). Guanidinoacetic acid is the only precursor of creatine in the bodies of vertebrates (Kodambashi Emami et al., 2017). Adding guanidinoacetic acid to the diet can conserve arginine by providing creatine, especially in young growing chicks that have a higher need for creatine for rapid muscle growth (Asiriwardhana and Bertolo, 2022). To ensure optimal growth performance and various physiological responses, sufficient amounts of arginine in the diet of birds are essential. However, the level of arginine required for optimal growth is not sufficient for the activity of macrophages and the pulmonary vascular epithelium to produce maximum nitric oxide (Khajali and Wideman, 2010). Despite the beneficial effects of arginine in reducing the incidence of pulmonary hypertension syndrome (Khajali and Wideman, 2010), arginine supplementation in the diet is costly. Using an alternative compound such as guanidinoacetic acid, due to its diverse effects and lower cost compared to creatine and arginine, is more desirable in the diet of broilers (Khajali and Lemme, 2020). Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of replacing different levels of guanidinoacetic acid with arginine on performance, carcass characteristics, susceptibility to ascites, and some blood parameters of broilers reared under cold stress conditions. A total of 200 male Ross 308 broiler chicks with an average weight of 42 ± 1.5 g were used. The chicks were individually weighed at 11 days of age and divided into 20 experimental units in such a way that there was no difference in the initial weight of the experimental units. The current study was conducted in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments, 5 replicates, and 10 chicks per replicate. The experimental period started at 12 days of age and lasted until 42 days of age. Body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and ascites-related mortality were measured throughout the entire period (12-42 days of age). On day 42, one chick from each replicate (five chicks from each treatment) was randomly selected and slaughtered. Carcass components including carcass, breast, leg, and internal organs including heart, gizzard, pancreas, proventriculus, bursa, abdominal fat, pancreas, spleen, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were weighed and their ratios to live weight were calculated. Additionally, after removing the heart, the right ventricle was separated from the septum between the ventricles. After washing, the weight of the right ventricle and total ventricles was measured using a digital scale with an accuracy of 0.001 g to calculate the ascites index. On day 41, blood samples were taken from the wing vein of two chicks per replicate (10 chicks from each treatment). The blood samples were placed in tubes containing the anticoagulant heparin. A portion of the blood samples was centrifuged at 2500 RPM for 10 minutes to separate the plasma for measuring nitric oxide levels, and the remaining samples were sent to the laboratory for analysis of blood characteristics including partial pressure of oxygen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, pH, hemoglobin concentration, percentage of red blood cells, and red blood cell count. All data were analyzed using the ANOVA option of the general linear model of SAS software. Significant differences between treatment means were determined by Tukey's multiple range test. Differences in means were regarded as significant at P < 0.05. The results of this experiment showed that supplementation with 0.5% arginine or 0.18% guanidinoacetic acid significantly improved feed conversion ratio compared to the control group. In addition to its role in preserving arginine and glycine for other metabolic pathways, guanidinoacetic acid plays a crucial role in nitric oxide synthesis and improves energy efficiency through ATP production via the creatine-phosphocreatine shuttle (Khalil et al., 2021). Additionally, increasing the level of guanidinoacetic acid supplementation linearly increased breast muscle yield and decreased relative weights of the small intestine, duodenum, and ileum. Khajali and Wideman (2010) stated that increasing arginine availability resulting from adding guanidinoacetic acid to the diet promotes cell proliferation and protein synthesis, which plays an important role in improving carcass traits. Supplementing with 0.18% guanidinoacetic acid also led to reductions in relative heart weight and the ratio of right ventricle weight to total ventricles compared to the control group. Nitric oxide concentration also significantly increased with supplementation of 0.18% guanidinoacetic acid and 0.5% arginine compared to the control group. Arginine is an essential substrate for nitric oxide synthesis produced by endothelial cells lining blood vessels. Nitric oxide acts as a potent vasodilator, expanding smooth muscle cells of blood vessels and regulating or inhibiting the production of vasoconstrictors such as endothelin-1 and serotonin, thereby reducing pulmonary vascular resistance (Khajali et al., 2011; Delfani et al., 2023). Reduced synthesis and availability of nitric oxide are contributing factors to increased pulmonary hypertension (Fathima et al., 2024). Hypoxic vasoconstriction of pulmonary arteries can be alleviated by increasing the synthesis of nitric oxide, which acts as a vasodilator (Khajali et al., 2014). Generally, the results of the current study indicate that guanidinoacetic acid can effectively substitute arginine in the diet of broiler chickens raised under cold stress conditions.

Prior to weaning, dairy calves are vulnerable to various pathogens and nutritional challenges. For many years, antibiotics have been employed to address these issues while also providing economic advantages by enhancing calf performance and lowering medication expenses. However, the use of antibiotics in livestock management is under scrutiny due to concerns about microorganisms developing antibiotic resistance. To eliminate antibiotics from animal feed, numerous alternatives have been suggested, including probiotics, prebiotics, and Synbiotics. Prebiotics and probiotics, along with their combinations, can serve as alternatives to treat gastrointestinal tract (GIT) disorders and enhance the host's immune system. Prebiotics are non-digestible oligo-and polysaccharides that cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes, allowing gut microbes to utilize them for growth and development. Common prebiotics, such as oligosaccharides and dietary fibers, are employed for their health benefits. Oligosaccharides may also play a role in regulating rumen fermentation by raising protein and volatile fatty acid levels while lowering ammonia nitrogen. Probiotics, which are beneficial live microorganisms, help protect the GIT from pathogens and encourage the production of substances that combat these harmful microbes. Recently, probiotics have been recognized for their ability to improve animal health, growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut microbial balance, and immune responses. Synbiotics, a combination of prebiotics and probiotics, may offer synergistic health benefits, improving the survival and colonization of beneficial microorganisms in the GIT more effectively than either prebiotics or probiotics alone. However, there is a lack of research on the impact of synbiotic supplementation on suckling calves. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the effect of synbiotic DiPro Plus on growth performance, health status and some blood parameters of Holstein suckling calves. This study was conducted in Animal Husbandry dairy herd of Moghan Agro-Industrial (Parsabad, Ardabil province, Iran). Thirty-two newborn Holstein calves with an average age of 1 to 5 days and an average weight of 37±1 kg were randomly divided into four experimental groups in a completely randomized design (8 calves / group) for 63 days. The experimental treatments include: 1) Basal diet without additives, 2) Basic diet with 1.5 g of synbiotic per day, 3) Basic diet with 3 g of synbiotic per day, 4) Basic diet with 4.5 g of synbiotic per day. The diet containing feed and milk was given at two times a day i.e. in the morning (8:00 am) and evening (18:00 pm). Daily feed intake (DFI) was measured by measuring daily feed offered and refusal. Body weight change was determined on 42 and 63 of experimental period before the morning feeding. The morphometric measurements related to skeletal growth in calves were taken at birth, 42 days, and at the end of the study using a tape measure. Blood samples were taken from all calves from jugular veins puncture on the 30 and 63th of trial to measure blood metabolites concentrations. The fecal scores and overall health status of the calves were assessed daily according to the rating system developed by the University of Wisconsin (Health Score Chart, Wisconsin). In this system, a score of zero was assigned for optimal health and fecal condition, while a score of three indicated the worst health and fecal quality. Statistical analysis was performed based on ANOVA, general linear model procedure by SAS software. The results showed that the addition of 4.5 g of synbiotic in the milk of scukling calves increased the final weight and average daily gain compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The feed conversion ratio was not affected by different synbiotic levels. At the end of the experiment, the calves receiving synbiotic had greater height from the withers and body length compared to the control group (P < 0.05), but Heart girth and hip width were not affected by different levels of symbiotic (P > 0.05). Calves receiving 3 and 4.5 g of synbiotic in milk caused a significant increase in glucose and total protein concentration compared to 1.5 g of synbiotic and the control group on day 35 and 63 (P < 0.05). But the concentration of triglyceride could not be affected by different levels of synbiotic. The results showed that the use of 4.5 g of synbiotic improved the feces consistency compared to the control group, and the health condition of the calves receiving synbiotic was better than the control group (P < 0.05).Supplementing with synbiotics is an important strategy for enhancing growth and mitigating the adverse effects associated with raising calves. Synbiotics are recognized for their positive influence on feed intake, growth performance, and gastrointestinal health. Our results demonstrated a favorable impact on nutrient consumption, average daily gain, and a decrease in fecal scores. The findings of this study indicated that synbiotic formulations significantly influenced the daily weight gain of calves by positively affecting the beneficial microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to improved nutrient absorption and, consequently, better growth rates. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that 4.5 g of Synbiotic (DiPro Plus) as fermented milk was beneficial in terms of average daily gain, average daily gain, and reduced faecal score and diarrhea incidence. Additionally, suckling calves showed improvements in Withers height Abd body length. However, further research is required to fully understand the fundamental aspects of future synbiotics research on structure and gut microbiota, as well as host-microbe relationship. Similarly, there is a need to investigate the feasibility of developing a commercial synbiotic formulation for use as prophylaxis in pre-ruminant calves. In summary, the supplementation of 4.5 g of synbiotic in the diet of suckling calves provided benefits in terms of feed intake, average daily gain, reduced fecal scores, and decreased incidence of diarrhea. But the feed conversion ratio of suckling calves was not significantly affected by supplementation of synbiotic. Additionally, suckling calves exhibited improvements in withers height and body length. However, further research is needed to comprehensively understand the essential aspects of future synbiotic studies, particularly regarding the structure and gut microbiota, as well as the host-microbe relationship.

This research aimed to assess the effect of feeding Salicornia bigelovii fodder on the growth and carcass performance of fattening lambs. The experiment was conducted using 63 male Afshari lambs in a completely randomized design with seven treatments and nine replications for 100 days. The treatments were diet without Salicornia (control) and diets containing levels of 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, and 270 g Salicornia, instead of alfalfa/kg DM. Compared to alfalfa, Salicornia contained lower amounts of protein, nitrate, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), but higher content of ash, sodium, oxalate, and phenolic compounds. Feeding increasing levels of Salicornia caused a linear increase in daily water consumption (P<0.05). Daily intake of DM increased with increasing Salicornia levels (P=0.05), but consumption of organic matter (OM) and crude protein did not differ. Salicornia feeding had no significant effect on daily growth and feed conversion based on diet OM, but at levels of 135 g and more, it caused a decrease in feed conversion based on diet DM. Digestibility of DM (P=0.072) and ash (P=0.012) increased and NDF digestibility decreased (P=0.048) with increasing Salicornia consumption, but the digestibility of OM, crude protein and ether extract, and carcass yield did not change. Overall, feeding Salicornia up to 270 g/kg diet DM (with a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 40:60) increased the water consumption of animals, but it did not have a negative effect on the performance of fattening lambs, and it can be recommended to replace a portion of the diet forage in male Afshari sheep.

In the present study, a total of 336 one-day-old broiler chickens (Ross 308 strain) were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments to evaluate the effects of barley rootlets (BR) as a feedstuff in broiler nutrition. Dietary treatments consisted of a control group based on corn and soybean meal, along with three additional treatments, similar to the control but including 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5% BR. Feeding diets containing BR impaired broiler growth performance as reflected in poor feed conversion ratio and body weight gain. Inclusion of BR at 4.5% significantly increased digesta viscosity in jejunum and reduced the villus height to crypt depth ratio with concomitant increase in the moisture content of the litter. In conclusion, the use of BR can be limited up to 1.5% and the levels above that impair broiler response. Poor growth performance resulting from BR was associated with reduced feed consumption, increased viscosity of intestinal contents, and reduced villus height to crypt depth ratio. Levels of BR above 4.5% caused poor litter quality as indicated by higher moisture content in the litter.

Groups feeding vs. individual feeding of animals has been a controvesial subject among nutritionists for many years. Some believe the psychological effect on animals, being housed individually or in groups influence the results of experiment, some have found that effect to be depended on the ration fed. Individual feeding of animals is important in nutritional and biological research. In addition, individual data have statistical advantages in the number of degree of freedom with an equal number of animals and in identifying individual variation. 16 Dalagh lambs with an average age of 3 months and weight of 1 22±2 with 2 treatments and 8 replications were used in a completely randomized design. The treatments include: 1- individual nutrition and 2- group nutrition. The duration of the trial period was 90 days, which included 14 days of habituation. The lambs of treatment one were kept individually in individual stalls and the lambs of treatment two were kept in groups. During the entire experiment, the animals had free access to clean drinking water and the daily feed was completely mixed in two meals (at 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM). The feed conversion factor was calculated by dividing the average daily dry matter intake of each lamb by the average daily weight gain of the same animal. The samples collected from each lamb were mixed and one sample was used for the chemical analysis of feces. Dry matter digestibility was calculated using acid-insoluble ash as an internal marker. Also, blood sampling was done on the last day of the test period and before the morning meal with 12 hours of food restriction, at the rate of 10 cc from the jugular vein and without the use of anticoagulant. To measure the feed consumption activity on the last day, the lambs were observed for 24 hours and the behavior of eating, ruminating, chewing and resting was observed and recorded.Experimental treatments had no significant effect on daily feed consumption, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Also, group and individual feeding could not have a significant effect on the amount of digestibility of dry matter and organic matter, but its amount increased insignificantly in the treatment with individual feeding compared to the treatment with group feeding. The behavior of chewing, resting and ruminating was not affected by the group and individual feeding methods, but the eating behavior was affected by the treatments and its amount increased significantly in group feeding. The reason for this increase can be attributed to the competitiveness of eating and the effort to have better and constant access to food in group feeding than in individual feeding where eating food is not competitive. The experimental treatments had a significant effect on the amount of glucose (P=0.0169), but the amount of cholesterol, triglyceride and urea nitrogen was not affected by group and individual feeding of lambs. The amount of cholesterol in individually fed lambs was insignificantly higher than group fed lambs. Probably, individual animals are involved in metabolic stress compared to group animals, and during the period of stress to meet the high metabolic demand of body tissues, changes in the level of serum lipids, especially cholesterol, are made, and the level of serum cholesterol also changes. Increase. In general, the results showed that group feeding had no significant effect on the performance of lambs compared to individual feeding. In general, the results showed that group feeding had no significant effect on the performance of lambs compared to individual feeding.

Tomato is a valuable vegetable that is rich in vitamins such as vitamin A, E, C, B and K, and also some of minerals such as phosphorus, iron, calcium, which are important for metabolic activities. Tomato pomace is a byproduct that produce in the tomato paste production. The composition of tomato pomace in terms of percentage of crude protein, crude fat, lycopene, beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, lycopene and beta-carotene are: 11%, 4.5%, 0.8 mg, 13. 0 mg, 1.73 mg, 0.07 mg and 281 and 24.3 mg per kg of dry matter respectively. The antioxidant capacity of tomato pomace is related to the substances in it, especially lycopene, which reduces the effect of reactive oxygen species and the destructive effects of these compounds on the cell membrane and mitochondrial structure. Tomato pomace has a high fiber content, which may have undesirable effects on broiler performance. This meta-analysis is a systematic review based on previous studies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to examine the effects of tomato pomace on growth performance and selected blood indices in broiler chickens.

In order to collect the required information, a comprehensive search was conducted among articles and thesis through Persian and Latin databases using keywords, tomato pomace, carcass efficiency, cholesterol, heterogeneity test. Studies (available data) in the field of using tomato pomace in Farsi and English were collected and categorized. The search was done in various databases, including PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Irandoc, etc. In the next step, the most frequently reported data from the reviewed articles that aligned with the research objectives were selected. The study area was refined by identifying the influencing factors and attributes relevant to the meta-analysis. The data were then coded, and after an initial review and removal of duplicates, a total of 12 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Among these, 9 comparisons were conducted for feed conversion ratio, 10 for feed consumption and body weight gain, and 4 for carcass characteristics and efficiency. Additionally, comparisons were made for the percentages of heart and liver, blood lipid levels, blood glucose levels, and total protein concentrations. Then the statistical analysis of the data was done in the CMI (CMA) software. Both fixed and random effects models were used to combine the effect size. To evaluate the publication basis, funnel plot and statistical tests on Tomato pomace were used.

The abdominal fat percentage (-0.354±1.44), heart percentage (-0.353±0.294), pancreas percentage (-0.504± 0.316), gall bladder percentage (-0.027± 0.961), glucose (-0.091± 0.331), LDL (-1.942±0.644), total protein (-1.505± 0.003), cholesterol concentration (-0.290±0.04), feed intake in starter (0.072± 0.531) were lowered when tomato pomace were added to the broiler diet. The effect of inclusion of tomato pomace on weight gain during the growth period, feed intake in all periods and FCR in the starter, grower, and finisher period, the blood concentration of triglyceride, glucose, and the percentage of abdominal fat, liver, heart, pancreas and gall bladder, also breast was not significantly affected by tomato pomace. Some researcher also reported that inclusion of tomato pomace to broiler diet did not effect on broiler performance however in the high levels of tomato pomace in broiler diet observed undesirable effects. Tomato pomace has some bioactive components such as alpha-tocopherol, lycopene, phenolic, organic acids, essential fatty acids, amino acid and vitamins. However, there is a higher concentration of crude fiber in tomato pomace.

Therefore, the findings of the present study show that application of tomato pomace has a significant effect on weight gain in the starter, total and finisher periods, FCR in the total and finisher period, total protein, cholesterol, HDL, LDL concentration. It is recommended that tomato pomace can be replaced the part to broiler diet.

Lamb fattening is one of the important sources of red meat production in the country. Fattening is the management and proper feeding of livestock to obtain maximum extra weight with minimum cost in a certain period of time. The use of concentrate in the diet of fattening lambs in the country is normal and common, but what is important is the appropriate level of concentrate, or in other words, the appropriate ratio of forage to concentrate in the diet. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing the ratio of concentrate to forage on feed intake traits, body weight, feed conversion ratio and carcass characteristics of Afshari fattening male lambs.

The present study was conducted using 24 male lambs with a mean weight of 31.78 ± 1.3 kg and a mean age of 91 ± 3.13 days in four experimental groups (treatments) in a completely randomized experimental design with three treatments and 8 replications. The experimental treatments included diets with different ratios of forage to concentrate in the form of 30:70, 20:80 and 10:90. The experimental diet was set based on of NRC (2007) and the ingredients of the diet and their nutritional value were similar. Lambs were fed three times a day at 8, 14, and 20 until their appetite. The lambs were weighed at the end of the experiment after 16 hours of feed abstinence and six lambs from each treatment were killed. Study data was analyzed through Spss21, Excel.

A significant difference was observed between different treatments in terms of weight gain. The third treatment produced the highest daily weight gain (296 g) and the first treatment produced the lowest daily weight gain (241 g) in lambs. With the increase of concentrate, the feed intake increased due to the higher content of energy and nutrients of the concentrate compared to the forage, and the lambs that consumed more concentrate had higher body weight and slaughter weight. So that the highest amount was related to 90% concentrate and 10% forage (1.830 g) and the lowest was related to 70% concentrate and 30% forage (1.573 g). The fourth treatment had a numerically lower feed conversion ratio (6.18) compared to the other two treatments. The mean final weight of lambs, hot and cold carcass weight showed a significant difference among experimental treatments.

According to the obtained results, the reduction of forage did not cause any production problems in these animals. Increasing the concentrate and reducing the forage in the diet increases the amount of feed intake and increases the daily weight and overall higher final weight in fattening lambs, and also improves the feed conversion ratio, growth performance and carcass percentage.

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary artichoke level on growth performance, nutrients digestibility and plasma parameters in fattening male lambs. Twenty-four Kurdish lambs (30.18 ± 2.35 kg BW and 7 months age) were used in a completely randomized design. Experimental diets were diet containing 0% artichoke (control), diets containing 10 and 20% artichoke respectively. The experiment was lasted for 100 days including 20 days for adaptation period and 80 days for data recording and samples collection. Results showed that lambs fed diet containing artichoke had greater average daily gain and feed efficiency compared to the control group (P<0.05). Digestibility of dry matter (P=0.09), organic matter (P=0.09) and crude protein (P=0.10) tended to increase linearly with increasing artichoke level in the diet, whereas digestibility of neutral detergent fiber was not affected by artichoke level in the diet. Lambs fed diets containing artichoke had lower blood urea concentration compared to those fed control diet (P<0.05), but plasma glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were not affected by the experimental diets. It is concluded that feeding artichoke up to 20% of total mixed ration not only had no negative effect on feed intake and nutrients digestibility but also improved growth performance of fattening lambs.

Japanese quail has a rapid growth rate (3 to 4 generations per year) and is relatively resistant to many diseases. Due to its high productivity, it has gained importance as an animal model in biological and genetic studies worldwide. Nutrition is a key factor that affects production efficiency in quails. Japanese quails require a diet that contains high-quality protein and a balanced profile of amino acids. Branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) not only contribute to protein synthesis but also play a role in other metabolic activities. Among the branched-chain amino acids, valine is a limiting amino acid in corn-soy-based diets. Protein is the most expensive component of the diet and has a significant impact on production costs in poultry. Nowadays, reducing the protein level in the diet has garnered attention for cost reduction in farming and for mitigating environmental pollution resulting from ammonia emissions and nitrogen excretion in the poultry industry. However, reducing the protein level in the feed without proper supplementation of amino acids can lead to decreased feed intake, reduced production levels, and changes in social behavior in birds. Published reports indicate that adding crystalline amino acids to low-protein diets in meat birds can have similar performance to high-protein diets at different growth stages. In most cases, valine becomes limiting with reduced protein levels in the diet. Considering the important metabolic roles of branched-chain amino acids, especially valine, in rapidly growing birds, the aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of using diets containing different digestible valine levels on the performance, growth traits, and histology of the liver and magnum in Japanese quails during the growth period.

All experimental procedures for the care and use of animals in the present study were approved by the animal care committee of the University of Tehran. Thousand one-day-old quails were given 5 dietary treatments, such that each treatment was replicated 5 times and 40 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design, during 1–42 days of age. Experimental diets were formulated to meet nutrients recommendation of growing quails with different levels of dietary digestible valine concentration (0.75, 0.85, 0.95, 1.05 and 1.15 %) in diets with a low protein (17.7-17% protein). The experimental diets provided 2,9 kcal metabolizable energy per gram. Other nutrients were provided based on the recommended nutritional requirements for growing quails. Other nutrients were formulated based on the recommended nutritional requirements for growing quails. The experimental diets were adjusted for two age periods: 1-21 days and 22-42 days. The birds received 24 hours of light until three days of age, followed by 23 hours of light and one hour of darkness daily. The parameters investigated in this experiment included growth performance, feed consumption, conversion ratio and carcass performance. The bird weights were measured at the beginning of the experiment and on days 21 and 42. Feed consumption on days 21 and 42 was calculated based on the difference between the amount of feed provided and the remaining feed. The weight of dead birds was used to correct the amount of feed consumption. On day 42, one male quail and one female quail were randomly selected from each replicate and killed after 6 hours of starvation. Additionally, after sampling the liver and magnum tissues, their histomorphological characteristics (nuclear diameter of hepatocytes, diameter of sinusoids in the liver tissue; epithelial height, inner muscle thickness, outer muscle thickness, gland diameter, and gland depth in the magnum tissue) were investigated.

During the breeding period, the quails that received the diet containing 0.95% and 1.05% digestible valine had higher body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR), respectively. Feed intake (FI) and mortality were not affected by the treatments. Dietary treatments did not have any significant effect on the carcass characteristics (both male and female). However, the carcass yield was higher in male quails and the relative weight of breast and intestines was higher in female quails. In the treatments containing 1.05% and 1.15% of valine, the diameter of Liver cell nucleus and the diameter of liver hepatocytes were the highest, which indicates liver damage. The volume of sinusoids in female birds increased with increasing valine levels in the diet; So that in birds that received diets containing levels higher than 0.95% valine was more than birds fed with rations containing 0.75% valine. Based on the results of this study, different levels of valine in diets containing 17% crude protein had a significant effect on the histology of the magnum tissue (epithelial height, inner muscle thickness, outer muscle thickness, gland diameter), although only the depth of the glands showed a tendency for significance with 0.85% valine.

Based on the results, increasing the level of digestible valine in low protein diets up to 0.95% improves growth performance and feed conversion ratio in growing quails. However, it seems that the use of high levels of digestible valine in low protein diets (more than 0.85%) may lead to tissue damage in the liver and have a negative effect on growth performance. Further studies are recommended in this field.

To optimize livestock production and health, sufficient amounts of minerals are necessary in the diet. Zinc (Zn) is a trace element and an essential mineral in animal nutrition, and is found in many enzyme systems. The presence of Zn is necessary to ensure the physiological activities of several hormones. In addition, zinc plays an essential role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, and its deficiency can disrupt several vital cellular reactions. Organic sources of Zn are more biologically active than inorganic sources, and their high accessibility has led to the use of more organic Zn compounds for feeding animals. However, results comparing the bioavailability of organic and inorganic sources of zinc in ruminant nutrition differ. According to the National Research Council (2007), the recommended requirement for Zn in growing lambs is approximately 33 mg Zn/kg DM. The amount of zinc in surface soils of Iran is usually less than 0.8 mg/kg and the plants grown in these soils and used as animal feed are deficient in this element. However, a few studies have been conducted to identify the best source of zinc for growing local lambs; therefore, the present study aimed to compare the effects of supplementing 30 mg Zn/kg DM from common organic sources of zinc (zinc methionine and zinc glycine) with inorganic sources of zinc (zinc sulfate and zinc oxide) on performance, digestibility, blood and rumen parameters in crossbred Zel fattening male lambs.  

This study was conducted at the research station of the Department of Animal Sciences, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Iran. Twenty-five male lambs aged 3-4 months and with average body weight (25.5 ± 1.4 kg) were assigned to five treatments with five repetitions, as a completely randomized design for 70 days, including 2 weeks of adaptation to basal diet and 8 weeks of data collection. The experimental treatments were as follows: 1) basal diet without zinc supplement (containing 19.39 mg Zn/kg DM) as the control group, 2) basal diet + 30 mg Zn/kg DM as zinc methionine, 3) basal diet + 30 mg Zn/kg DM as zinc glycine, 4) basal diet + 30 mg Zn/kg DM as zinc oxide, and 5) basal diet + 30 mg Zn/kg DM as zinc sulfate. Dry matter intake, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were determined. The acid-insoluble ash (AIA) internal indicator method was used to determine the apparent digestibility of feed nutrients. Blood samples were collected on the 70th day prior to the morning meal. To determine rumen parameters, rumen fluid was collected 3h after morning feed consumption. The chemical compositions of the experimental samples, including (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, NDF, and ADF) were measured according to standard methods.

The results showed that total weight gain, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved in lambs received organic zinc supplements (zinc methionine and zinc glycine) compared to the control group (P<0.05). The apparent digestibility of organic matter in the diets supplemented with zinc methionine and zinc glycine was significantly higher than that of the other treatments (P<0.05). The digestibility of NDF and ADF in lambs receiving zinc methionine, zinc glycine and zinc oxide was improved compared to the treatment containing zinc sulfate and the control group (P<0.05). Serum glucose and zinc concentrations were significantly higher in all lambs receiving zinc supplements than the control group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in serum albumin, cholesterol, urea nitrogen, copper and iron concentrations between experimental treatments. Feeding zinc supplements had no effect on pH, ammonia nitrogen and the concentration of volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid.

The results of this study show that the addition of 30 mg Zn/kg DM from organic zinc supplements (zinc glycine and zinc methionine) and inorganic zinc supplements (zinc sulfate and zinc oxide) meets the needs of growing lambs fed a basal diet containing 19.39 mg Zn/kg DM. The use of zinc supplements in the diet of fattening lambs improved growth performance, serum zinc and glucose concentrations, and crude fiber digestibility. There were no differences among the treatments supplemented with organic sources of zinc.

With the increase of the population in the last century, the need for protein sources, especially protein with animal origin, has increased. One of the important and inexpensive sources of animal proteins is poultry products. However, many food-borne diseases that are among the most obvious problems related to human health are transmitted to humans through poultry products. Generally, poultry are sensitive to pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium, Salmonella, and Campylobacter. Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are the main causes of bacterial enteritis in humans and account for about 90% and less than 10% of deaths in people with campylobacteriosis, respectively. Poultry farmers use antibiotic growth promoters to prevent the colonization of pathogenic bacteria, but their use has been banned in European Union since 2006 due to antibiotic resistance. However, in order to prevent the reduction of growth performance and mortality caused by the colonization of pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to introduce suitable alternatives. The antimicrobial potential of several medicinal plants, some plant-derived bioactive compoundsas well as some organic acids against a suspension of two Campylobacter serotypes (including 8 strains of C. jejuni and 3 strains of C. coli) has been investigated, under in vitro study. It has been revealed that oregano, rosemary, and cinnamon have a higher potential in reducing campylobacter colonization, among other phytobiotic compounds. Considering that under in vivo conditions, no research has been conducted on these medicinal plants with broiler chickens exposed to Campylobacter colonization. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the growth performance, excreta microbiota, intestinal morphology, and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens challenged with C. jejuni and evaluating the potential of oregano, rosemary, and cinnamon in reducing the negative effects of this pathogen.

A total of 192 one-day-old chicks were randomly allocated to 6 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 4 replicates of 8 birds. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1-negative control (NC; basal diet without additive and without of C. jejuni); 2-positive control (PC; basal diet without additives but challenged with C. jejuni); 3-basal diet + Erythromycin (55 mg/kg); 4-basal diet + oregano powder (3 g/kg); 5- basal diet + rosemary powder (3 g/kg) and 6-basal diet+cinnamon powder (3 g/kg). All chickens were orally gavaged once a day with a suspension of C. jejuni live culture (2×108 cfu/mL, 1 mL/bird) on days 21 to 25, with the exception of those fed the NC. Throughout the experimental period, the birds were fed ad libitum and had free access to water.

The results showed that the C. jejuni, while weakening performance during the growth period, caused an increase in campylobacter colonization and a decrease in lactobacilli counts of the excreta (P<0.05). The reason for the improvement of the microflora can be due to the presence of antibacterial compounds such as thymol, carvacrol, verbenone, and cinnamaldehyde in the composition of the mentioned medicinal plants. Campylobacter jejuni also decreased the digestibility of organic matter and led to a decrease in villous height, villous height to crypt depth ratio, and villi surface area in the jejunum (P<0.05). The reason for the improvement of the intestinal morphology by herbal additives can be due to the improvement of the microflora of the digestive tract. All the negative effects arising from C. jejuni were alleviated by dietary treatments containing feed additives (P<0.05).

In general, it can be concluded that oregano and rosemary have the potential to reduce the pathogenic effects of Campylobacter jejuni and can be used as suitable alternatives to antibiotics in feeding broilers.

Ziziphus mauritiana due to having a significant amount of protein and energy has been introduced as a part of fodder for light livestock, especially in conditions of food restrictions. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Indian Ziziphus (Ziziphus mauritiana) leaves feeding on growth performance, hematology and blood biochemical parameters of Adani fattening goat kids.

In this study, 16 Adani male goat kids with an average age of 180 ± 11 days and an average weight of 17.28 ± 1.32 kg were used in a completely randomized design using 2 treatments and 8 replications. At first, based on regular random method, samples were taken from Ziziphus mauritiana leaves. In order to mix Ziziphus mauritiana leaves with other components of the ration, after drying in the sun, Ziziphus mauritiana leaves were cut into small pieces (2-3 cm). Experimental treatments include: 1) basal diet without Ziziphus mauritiana leaves (control diet), 2) basal diet with 20% Ziziphus mauritiana leaves (based on the percentage of dry matter of the ration). In the experimental diet, Ziziphus mauritiana leaves replaced with 20% of alfalfa in the control diet. In order to acclimatize the animals, a period of 15 days was considered. Goats were kept in individual stalls and fed experimental diets for 75 days. During the experiment, the feed consumed two times a day according to appetite and water was freely available to the Goats. Weighing of the goat kids was done weekly and before the morning feed, and the amount of feed given and remaining was weighed daily. On days 0, 35 and 75, blood samples were taken from the the jugular vein of goats kids and the blood parameters included RBC, WBC, PCV, MCV, MCH, MCHC, HGB, platelet, total protein, albumin, globulin, cholesterol, LDL, HDL. , urea, glucose, calcium and phosphorus were measured.

Investigating the growth performance did not show a significant effect between the final weight, daily weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio of the experimental treatments (P<0.05). The results of investigation of haematological parameters showed significant changes in the average concentration of white blood cells (WBC), the average volume of red blood cells (MCV) and platelets at the 35th day, as well as the average concentration of white blood cells and platelets at the 75th day of the experiment (P<0.05). The interaction effect of the feeding level of Ziziphus mauritiana leaves and the sampling time on the blood parameters of Adani fattening goat kids had only a significant effect on the average concentration of white blood cells (P<0.05). Investigation of blood biochemical parameters only showed that feeding of Ziziphus mauritiana leaves had significant effect on the average concentration of calcium at the 35th day and the average concentration of protein at the 75th day of the experiment (P<0.05). The interaction effect of the feeding level the Ziziphus mauritiana leaves and sampling time on the blood biochemical parameters of Adani goat kids had significant effect only on the average concentration of protein of the treatments (P<0.05).

Finally, the results of this study showed that Ziziphus mauritiana leaves can be used up to 20% of the forage consumption of Adni fattening goat kids without negative effect on haematological and blood biochemical parameters.