Influence of supplementing different levels of arginine to diets based on canola meal untreated or treated with copper on performance, organ weights and blood parameters of broilers

The name canola was adopted for the double low varieties of rapeseed in 1979. By definition Canola seeds contain less than 2% and 30 μmoles for erucic acid and glucosinolates in defatted meal, respectively. Although the United States Department of Food and Drug Administration recognised Canola as a separate species, in the scientific writings the names canola and double low or double zero-rapeseed are used interchangeably (Zeb 1998). Glucosinolates are secondary plant metabolites that occur in all Brassica-originated feeds and fodders. Content and composition of Gls vary due to plant species, agronomic practices and climatic conditions (Tripathi and Mishra 2007). Glucosinolates are present in all plant parts and are physically separated from the enzyme myrosinase. Injury of plant tissues during processing or ingestion facilitates the contact between Glucosinolates and myrosinase enzyme. The Glucosinolates are then hydrolysed by both myrosinase enzyme present in plant and myrosinase produced by intestinal microflora, to release a range of breakdown products (Tripathi and Mishra 2007).
Material and A total of 405, 1-d-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) obtained from a local hatchery and randomly allotted to 1 of 45 floors pens (with 5 replicates and 9 chicks in each replicate) measuring 1.5 m2. The 1-d-old Chicks were weighed individually and allocated to pens so that their initial weights were similar across all pens. Three levels of treated Canola meal with copper sulphate (0, 125 and 250 mg/kg) and Arginine (0, 0.1 and 0.2%) in a 3×3 factorial design and nine dietary combinations in equinitrogenous and equicaloric diets (Table 1). The basal diets were formulated according the Ross requirements (Aviagen Company) guideline. The nine treatment diets were 1) 0 mg/kg of copper and 0 % of Arg , 2) 0 mg/kg of copper and 0.1 % of Arg, 3) 0 mg/kg of copper and 0.2 % of Arg, 4) 125 mg/kg of copper and 0 % of Arg, 5) 125 mg/kg of copper and 0.1 % of Arg, 6) 125 mg/kg of copper and 0.2 % of Arg, 7) 250 mg/kg of copper and 0 % of Arg, 8) 250 mg/kg of copper and 0.1 % of Arg, 9) 250 mg/kg of copper and 0.2 % of Arg. All chicks were provided ad libitum access to water and their assigned diets (in mash form). Source of copper was sulfate pentahydrate (Merck Company, Germany) and after calculating, the purity was added to basal diets. The experiment lasted for 21 d (21-42 d), and 24 h of light was provided throughout the experiment. Throughout the trials, feed was weighted when delivered and when mortality occurred. Based on the recorded data, feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) were calculated. On day 42 of Trial, one bird per pen were randomly selected and commercially slaughtered for whole carcass analysis after 12 hours of fasting. After slaughter, the organs such as breast, thigh, drumstick, abdominal fat, lungs and intestine were weighted. For treating canola meal with copper sulfate ion, spray method was used. At first, canola meal were milled by grinder, then 1.47 and 2.93 grams of copper sulfate Pentahydrate is completely dissolved in 900 cc of water (per kg of canola meal) and were sprayed uniformly on canola meal. Treating canola meal was heated for 24h at 60°C until to ensuring constant weight. After complete drying, canola meal treated with copper, ready to mix with other part of experimental diet (table 4). The experiment was conducted using completely randomized design with factorial structure. Data were subjected to ANOVA using the GLM procedure (SAS, version 9.1) as a 3×3 factorial, with the main effects of copper and Arginine, and the Arginine × copper interaction. Significant means among variables were separated by Duncan's multiple range tests at 5% level of significance.
Average daily gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly affected (P In conclusion, the results of this study showed that treatments of canola meal with Cu could alleviate adverse effects of glucosinolate on broilers performance. Moreover, these findings suggested that addition of 0.2% Arg able to change energy metabolism toward protein deposition.