فصلنامه پژوهشهای علوم دامی ایران
سال چهاردهم شماره 1 (بهار 1401)

Dried forage has long been used as a traditional method of storage of forage feedstuffs. However, the need to postpone forage harvest until maturity in order to obtain more dry matter reduces its digestibility. Adverse weather conditions can lead to loss of nutrients and overall decline in the nutritional value of dried fodder. One of the methods that is somewhat less dependent on climate conditions and used by ranchers to maintain plants. The product of fermentation under anoxic and acidic conditions is called silage. During forage ensiling due to the activity of lactic acid producing bacteria and in anaerobic conditions, water soluble carbohydrates in forage are converted to predominantly lactic acid acids, which reduce the pH and protect the forage against microbial spoilage. Corn as a plant with high production capacity and adaptability in most parts of the country can play an important role in providing forage to livestock, especially in winter. One of the main concerns in the preparation of a good silage is the rapid decrease in silage pH in the shortest time. Hay pH at harvest time is between 6 and 7 and after the incubation period with proper fermentation, pH can be equal to or less than 4, which this reduction in pH is due to production of lactic acid and other organic acids by bacteria. Accelerate the reduction of pH by adding lactic acid bacteria in food is very important to minimize depreciation. Recent studies have shown that inoculation with Lactobacillus buchneriinhibits yeast growth and reduces the susceptibility to aerobic spoilage of various ensiled forages. This study was conducted to determine the effect of EM (containing yeast an lactobacillus) and Lalsil containing lactobacillus buchneri inoculants on chemical composition, fermentation profile and degradability of corn silage. This research were carried out to investigate the Effects of Different Biological Additives on Fermentation and Chemical composition of corn silage by using 2 experiments (Chemical composition assay, gas production) in a completely randomized design. The latest experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with 4 different treatments in three replications. The corn forage was harvested at the dough stage and then crushed by a chopper. The silage were kept at room temperature for 90 days. Dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, insoluble fiber in acidic and neutral detergent, lactic acid content, water soluble carbohydrate, ammonia nitrogen concentration and total volatile fatty acids, pH were measured with 3 replicates. The four various treatments in the running order incorporated as: 1. control (without any inoculant), 2. Corn silage treated with bacterial additive Lalsil 1.8×106 CFU/g fresh forage (include lactobacillus buchneri), 3. Corn silage treated with bacterial additive at 0.02 percent, and 4. Corn silage treated with bacterial additive at 0.04 percent (at fresh weight). Crops were ensiled in triplicate laboratory mini soils for 90 days at room temperature. The results were analyze using SAS (2002) software with GLM procedure and using of Duncan’s test for comparing the averages (at 5% level). The results showed that the additive of the different Biological Additives used had the potential to positively change the chemical composition of corn silage. Treating corn silage with Lalsil and EM caused a significant decline in pH in comparison to control treatment (P<0.001). Supplementation of additives significantly increased dry matter content of corn silage (P <0.05). Statistical analysis of data from this experiment on corn silage pH showed that addition of Lalisil and EM significantly decreased corn silage pH (P <0.05). Also, the addition of EM to corn silage in 0.02 percent of supplementation had no significant difference with a control treatment. The EM treatments caused a significant decline in lactobacillus population in relation to Lalsil treatments (P<0.05). Experimental treatments in relation to control and the other treatments.  Addition of Lalsil and EM to corn silage had no significant effect on neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Treating corn silage with Lalsil and EM caused a significant decline in pH in relation to control treatment (P<0.05). The lowest pH is related to inoculated bacterial treatment.  Addition of Lalsil and EM had no significant effect on insoluble fiber in neutral detergent and acid detergent fiber. Lalsil additive reduced the amount of crude protein in the silage. The EM treatments caused a significant decline in lactobacillus population in relation to Lalsil treatments (P<0.05). DM disappearance was lower in EM treatments in at any level of supplementation in the early hours of incubation in relation to control treatment (P<0.05) as well as adding of Lalsil significantly reduced the DM disappearance (P<0.05). Adding different biological additives to corn silage reduces pH and can improve the aerobic stability, quality of corn silage in laboratory silos by altering the availability of water soluble carbohydrates.

Flax products (seeds and meal) are one of the sources of energy and protein for ruminants. Although flaxseed is a very inexpensive and affordable source of omega-3s, more than 50 percent of its fatty acids are made from alpha-linolenic acid, but it cannot be used at high levels due to its anti-nutritional properties. Flaxseed processing improves nutrient consumption while reducing the negative effects of anti-nutritional substances such as lintine and makes food more palatable. Various methods are used to process and improve the flaxseed digestion process, such as micronization and extrusion. The extrusion process is in fact the process of processing high temperature materials in a short time and is done by a combination of moisture, heat, mechanical energy and pressure. Extrusion is also a technical function by which feed is processed, extruded and cooked under a constant increase in pressure and then expanded due to a sudden drop in pressure. Heat treatment applied during the extrusion process reduces the access of rumen bacteria to the fat in the diet by denaturing the protein matrix around fat droplets in oilseeds such as flaxseed, and thus can reduce fatty acids. Protect unsaturated with several double bonds from ruminal biohydrogenation. Microwave by microwave can be done after adding 25% moisture to the grains for 3 minutes in a device containing an infrared lamp. It was also found that micronization could be used to increase the degradable protein content of the rumen. This study was performed to evaluate different levels and methods of flaxseed processing in the diet on performance, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and sheep ruminant behavior. 

42 adult Moghani ewes with an average initial weight of 47 ± 2.8 kg were divided into seven treatments and six replications in a completely randomized design. Treatments include: Control treatment without flaxseed, 5% of raw flaxseed (not processed), 10% of raw flaxseed (not processed), 5% of processed flaxseed Micronized method, 10% of flaxseed processed by micronized method, 5% of flaxseed processed by extrusion method and 10% of flaxseed processed by extrusion method. The duration of the course was 60 days, of which 15 days were habituation and 45 days were experimental. Diets were adjusted based on NRC (44). All ewes were placed under the same management and feeding conditions. Diets were given to the ewes twice daily, at 8 am and 4 pm after weighing the ewes. Livestock was also held individually in livestock cages and had free access to water. Feed was given and the remaining feed was weighed and recorded for each animal each day. Daily feed intake was calculated from the average difference of feed given for each livestock and the rest of the manager the next day. The mean of each treatment was calculated from the average feed consumption of each animal during the period. Dietary digestibility was measured by the internal marker of acid-insoluble ash in the last 3 days of the experiment and blood and ruminal fluid samples were taken on the last day of the experiment. Dietary digestibility was measured by internal marker of acid-insoluble ash in the last 3 days of the experiment and blood samples were taken on the last day of the experiment. In the last two days of the experiment, rumination behavior was measured by recording activity for a period of 24 hours. Data were analyzed using SAS software version 9.9 (54) using GLM procedure.

Different levels and processing of flaxseed had no significant effect on weight, dry matter intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The highest dry matter intake and daily weight gain were related to treatments containing 10% extruded flax and 10% micronized flax, which indicates that the processing resulted in better flaxseed palatability. The use of different levels and methods of flaxseed processing in the present study did not have a negative effect on feed intake, which probably the amount of fatty acids and flaxseed fatty acid pattern used in this short-term study had minimal effect on the feed intake mechanism. Glucose and urea nitrogen levels were affected by experimental treatments. The addition of flaxseed increased blood glucose levels. This increase is likely due to the production of more propionic acid than rumen acetate. Studies have shown that ruminal fatty acids are biohydrogenation and increase propionate relative to acetate by altering ruminal fermentation pattern. The main precursor for gluconeogenesis activity in the liver is propionate, which stimulates glucose production. Propionate is a volatile fatty acid produced in the rumen that is a major precursor of glucose in animals. Increasing unsaturated fatty acids due to flaxseed consumption improves the energy status of the animal and reduces the deamination of tissue amino acids for energy supply and ultimately reduces the nitrogen level of blood urea. Dry matter and crude fat digestibility were affected by experimental treatments. The oil in flaxseed is coated and will not interfere with ruminal function, so it is not expected to have a negative effect on nutrient digestibility and even improve it in some cases. With increasing the use of flaxseed, the digestibility of insoluble fibers in neutral detergent decreased, which higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids in flaxseed can be a good reason to reduce the digestibility of insoluble fibers in neutral detergent and can be inferred as follows. Due to the increase in unsaturated fatty acids, ruminal fibrolytic activity is affected and due to the addition of flaxseed, cell wall digestibility is reduced. Experimental treatments could not have a significant effect on the ruminant behavior of ewes.

According to the results of this experiment, extruded and micronized flaxseed at the level of 10% can be used as a source of energy and protein in ewes' diets.

Providing the energy and protein in the diet of livestock, due to the high cost of its sources makes the highest cost of feed. Therefore, new and cheap domestic resources should be used in order to reduce costs and independency. Lathyrus sativus as a source of protein has been used in ruminants’ diet and because of similar amino acids profile to soybean meal can be used instead of soybean meal in ruminants’ diet. The protein content of Lathyrus sativus is 25.6-35.9 % of its dray matter. It is also reported that heat-processed soybeans are used as an important source of protein and energy in ruminants because heating reduces the breakdown of protein in the rumen and the passage of essential amino acids into the intestine (5). On the other hand, the reduction of anti-nutrients due to heat treatment, especially extrusion in soybean, has been reported in several studies. There is limited information about the effect of heat-processing on the nutritional value of Lathyrus sativus. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the chemical composition, anti-nutrients, extent and rate of gas production and protein digestibility of Lathyrus sativus treated with different heat-processing by in vitro and in situ experiments.

The Lathyrus sativus seed were processed by 1) Autoclave at 120 ˚C, 2) Oven at 100 ˚C, 3) Extruding at 110 ˚C, 4) Roasting on direct heat, 5) Furnace at 120 ˚C and 6) Furnace at 200 ˚C. Chemical composition including dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fat, calcium and phosphorus was performed using AOAC methods. Tannin and total phenolic compounds were meseared by Folin and Ciocalteu (12). Extent and rate of gas production were done based on Menk and Stingas. Mobile nylon bag technique was applied for determination of protein digestibility in the romen and intestine. Data were analyzed using GLM procedure of SAS using a completely randomized design with 5 replications.

Dry matter, ash, crude protein, crude energy, crude fat, calcium and phosphorus were not affected by different processing methods (P <0.05). However the amount of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and natural detergent fiber (NDF) with heat processing methods was significantly lower than non-processing method (P <0.05). Autoclaving and extrusion of Lathyrus sativus reduced the amount of phenolic compounds compared to the control (P <0.05). In addition, the furnace at 120 ° C and roasting even more than autoclaving and extrusion reduced the total phenolic compounds. The amount of gas production during various hours and its rate were significantly affected by the different processing procedures (P<0.05). At the initial hours (2 and 8 h) of incubation, the amount of gas produced in Lathyrus sativus unprocessed and processed in oven 100 ˚C was higher than autoclave 120 ˚C, furnace 120 ˚C, and roasted seeds. Extruded seeds were reduced gas production in initial hours than any other processed methods except those put in the furnace 200 ˚C. The Lathyrus sativus placed in 200 ˚C furnace severely diminished gas production of the incubation at primary hours. The extruded Lathyrus sativus showed higher gas at the 12th and 24th hours of incubation compared with primary hours. This trend continued up to the 96th hour of incubation. The results of gas production had conformity with rumen and intestine digestibility. It seems that the steam pressure in extrude and autoclave process can influence Lathyrus sativus fermentation. This effect in extrude process was higher than autoclave. The rumen and intestine dry matter and protein digestibility in extruded process was higher than the others. Lathyrus sativus with no process, at oven 100 ˚C and furnace 200 ˚C were shown equal dry matter and protein digestibility. The findings of the present research revealed that extruding, autoclaving and roasting procedures lead to increase of dry matter through decreasing water content and that it had no significant effect on other chemical composition. Also, the findings showed that place of Lathyrus sativus in furnace 200 ˚C decreased ADF and NDF Lathyrus sativus which might be due to the removal of some of the shells in this processing. Consequently, the process of extruding, autoclaving and roasting reduced the rapid part degradation of dry matter and protein of Lathyrus sativus and caused the slow part of degradation to increase, which is in consistent to other researcher about increasing of intestine protein digestibility in extruded and roasted soybean seed.

Extruded, autoclaved and roasted Lathyrus sativus with the reduction of the amount of ruminal disappearance and the increase of the post ruminal digestibility of dry matter and crude protein transferred the place of the digestion of protein from the rumen to the small intestines. In furnace 200 ˚C, due to the intense denaturation of the protein or the formation of a protein-carbohydrate complex, the digestibility of dry matter and crude protein of Lathyrus sativus in the rumen and intestine was reduced. In addition, the results of our studies in confirming the studies of others reduced the concentration of total tannin and total phenolic compounds in Lathyrus sativus.

Reproduction is directly affected by various management related factors. Manipulation of these factors can cause changes in reproductive performance. The reproductive performance is considered as the most important factor in determining the profitability of ruminant breeding. Estrous synchronization and supper ovulation are considered as the two valuable management tools used to increase the efficiency of reproduction in small ruminants and seasonal breeder animals, thanks to the use of hormonal therapies The control and manipulation of the sheep reproduction has been the objective of scientists around the world for many years. Identifying the appropriate foreign and indigenous breeds to improve reproductive performance is an essential requirement for self-sufficiency of sheep products. Intensive lamb production systems involve the obtention of more than one lambing per ewe per year. Accelerated lambing systems require the implementation of two, three or even five breeding periods at different times of the year. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using CIDR and PMSG as an appropriate method of concomitant with artificial insemination of imported ewes and comparing them with native Iranian ewes on reproductive performance. 

 The experiment was conducted at the Research Unit Farm of the Light Livestock Breeding Center of the Water and Soil Conservation Company, located in the southern Khorasan province, Iran. 180 ewes with average weight of 50 ± 1.5 kg were divided into 6 groups of 30 rats based on internal and external breeds including: 1- Romanov group 2- Sharouleh group 3- Suffolk 4- Baluchi 5- Mogani group 6- Afshari were selected. Estral synchronization was performed in spring with CIDR. Ewes after CIDR (14 day) extraction and PMSG injection as soon as the signs of estrus were observed, the ewes were isolated from the others and artificially inseminated with fresh sperm using the transcortical method. Ultrasonography examination was performed by an ultrasound device (6 MHz linear probe, ECM model, France). The nutrition program with software (SRNS) version was adjusted based on the pregnancy diet. Investigation of the number of graafian follicles (follicles larger than 4 mm), was examined simultaneously with CIDR removal and estrus observation. Then, in each experiment parameters such as the time of estrus initiation (hour), rate of return to estrus, parturition rate, rate of multiple births, number of lambs and rate of lambing were evaluated.  

There were no difference between the experimental groups in terms of estrus symptoms. Results showed that Ovarian ultrasound at day 10 postoperatively showed that the number of lutein in foreign races was higher than other races and significant statistical differences were observed (p<0.05). The results of the present study showed that the mean daily body weight change of ewes was affected by experimental groups (p<0.05). Ovulation in most ewes, depending on the breed, occurs at a fixed time in relation to the onset of estrus. The breed of ewe could be one of the factors influencing the time of ovulation. Results Ovulation rate, Pregnancy rate, stillbirth rate, was significant difference in fertility rate and twinning rates between the groups (P <0.05). The highest ovulation rate (100%), pregnancy rate (100%), The fertility rate (160%) and Twinning rates (66%) belonged to the Romanov group and statistical differences were observed (p<0.05). Variability between results could be attributed to different protocols, management systems, nutritional status or physiological status resulting from diverse experimental conditions. Furthermore, these variable results may indicate that breed, timing of treatment or doses used in these treatments produce critical effects on fertility rate and embryo survival. 

In general, the use of some new technologies such as estrous cycle control and the use of hormones was effective in this study and increased the average production of lambs per ewe mixed in the herd. Significant differences between Romanov ewes in pregnancy rate, lambing rate and twinning with other breeds indicate the high genetic capacity of this breed of sheep in the success of reproductive performance. Due to low productivity of Iranian breeds compared to foreign breeds, it can be suggested that foreign sheep be used to improve breeding efficiency of Iranian sheep for breeding.

Despite extensive progress in reproductive techniques, sperm cryopreservation leads to reduction of motility and viability in comparison to fresh sperm. Scientists have studied different antioxidants to reduce the loss of viability, motility and DNA fragmentation, because this loss causes decrease in fertility. The biochemical changes which occurs during sperm cryopreservation affects the plasma membrane and as a result, sperm viability and fertility are affected after thawing. In ram sperm due to the high content of saturated high acid, cause high sensitivity to low temperatures and freezing. The process of fertilization introduces stress that greatly reduce its viability and fertility potential. Different antioxidants have been used to improve the quality of frozen semen which include methylxanthines such as pentoxifylline. Pentoxifylline can act as a protective against ROS, as well as protect and integrate cell membranes and is still used in freezing techniques and reduce the amount of lipid peroxidation. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of adding different levels of pentoxifylline antioxidant to ram semen during nonbreeding season on membrane integrity, motility parameter and viability of freezing and thawing sperm.

In this study, semen was collected from 8 mature ram twice a week during spring season using an artificial vagina and the ejaculates were pooled in order to eliminate the individual effects of the rams. Tris lecithin–based extender was used in this study. After cooling, filling and sealing the samples, they were frozen with nitrogen vapor and immersed in liquid nitrogen and were stored until evaluation time. All steps were repeated in five replicates. For sperm evaluation, one month after freezing, the straws were extracted from liquid nitrogen and thawed in water bath at temperature of 37 °C for 30 s. Evaluation of sperm was performed for parameters containing CASA, abnormal morphology, malondialdehyde concentration.

 Despite the availability of advanced reproductive techniques, semen freezing is characterized by lower motility and viability compared to newly ejaculated sperm. Researchers try to prevent sperm motility and DNA damage and increase cell death under oxidative stress by using antioxidants, which can cause sperm loss. In physiological conditions, there is a balance between ROS production and semen's antioxidant capacity. Over-production of ROS disrupts the function of semen antioxidant enzymes and ultimately sperm function. It has been shown that in sperm, cAMP activates protein kinase (PKA), which regulates the phosphorylation of tyrosine protein, which is an important regulatory pathway in modulating events related to sperm capacity and that it makes the sperm acrosome healthy and preventing its hyperactivity. Pentoxifylline enhances cAMP levels by inhibiting phosphodiesterase enzyme, which increases ATP, cellular glycolysis, energy production, therefore increases sperm motility, and energy source (ATP) production.Sperm motility is one of the main quality parameters of semen samples for artificial insemination. Pentoxifylline can act as a protector against ROS, it also protects and integrates cell membrane and is also used in sperm freezing. Addition of pentoxifylline to sperm increases creatine kinase protein activity, which may modulate the ability to use pentoxifylline to increase sperm motility. The researchers reported that this antioxidant could have a positive effect on sperm motility. Pentoxifylline and caffeine have increased sperm motility and viability of frozen sperm in different mammalian species. The results of the data analysis indicate that adding all levels of antioxidants to semen in the non-breeding season increases the progressive sperm motility, but this increase in treatments receiving 1.5 and 3 μM levels were significant compared to the control group. (P <0.05). The highest amount of motility parameters belonged to the 3 μM treatment. Addition of 1.5 and 3 μM of antioxidant Pentoxifylline significantly increased total motility compared to the control group (P <0.05). Results showed that STR parameters significantly increased (P <0.05) by adding 1.5 and 3 μM treatment. Although no significant differences were observed between control treatment and other experimental treatments for VAP, VCL, ALH, LIN, BCF, VSL parameters, by adding these treatments, these parameters were increased compared to control treatment.

In this study, various parameters such as sperm viability, morphology, sperm motility parameters and plasma membrane integrity, and level of malondialdehyde were evaluated during non-reproductive season. The results of this study showed that use of 3 μM pentoxifylline in the extender significantly improved the functional parameters of sperm after freezing-freezing in non-breeding season, while higher concentrations had less effect on the evaluated parameters.

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of nigella sativa meal and multi enzyme on growth performance, relative weight of carcass components, blood parameters and intestinal morphology of broiler chicken.

The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with five treatments in four replicates and 14 chickens in each replicate (80 chickens). Broiler chickens was fed with diets including: without nigella sativa meal and enzymes (control), 7.5% nigella sativa meal (without enzymes), 7.5% nigella sativa meal with 0.2% multi enzyme, 15% nigella sativa meal (without enzymes) and 15% nigella sativa meal with 0.2% multi enzyme for 42 days. Then, the performance of chickens, blood biochemical indicators, intestinal morphology and economic index were measured and recorded. Finally, the analysis of data was performed using GLM method by SAS software. The means were compared using Duncan's multiple range tests.

The results showed that, treatments did not have a significant effect on feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio during the growth period. Whereas, the effect of experimental treatments was significant on feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio in the finishing period. The lowest feed conversion ratio was observed in chickens fed control group and 7.5% nigella sativa meal without enzyme (P<0.05). In total experimental period, the lowest feed intake and weight gain were observed in the groups receiving 15% nigella sativa meal (both with and without enzymes; P<0.05). The lowest feed conversion ratio was observed in the control group and the group receiving 7.5% enzyme-free nigella sativa meal (P<0.05). Finally, in the total experimental period, the final body weight was significantly the highest in the control group (P<0.05). The high levels of nigella sativa meal and enzymes used in this study may have significantly reduced feed intake and feed conversion ratio due to the increase in fiber intake compared to lower levels. On the other hand, the use of different levels of nigella sativa meal and enzymes did not have significant effect on carcass percentages and carcass components, only using 15% nigella sativa meal without enzymes increased the ratio of intestinal length to live weight compared to other treatments. Due to the different results presented in different studies, the levels of use of nigella sativa meal in this study are probably less than the level affecting the relative weight of body organs. According to blood indices, the different treatments did not have any significant effect on serum lipids include cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL. The lack of significant effect of using different levels of nigella sativa meal in the present study is probably due to the use of low levels. Indeed, the use of enzymes with high levels of nigella sativa meal resulted in significantly increase in height of villus jejunum and ileum compared to the control group (P<0.05). The thickness of villus jejunum and ileum of broiler chicken fed 7.5% nigella sativa meal without enzyme increased significantly than the other treatments (P<0.05). The use of 15% nigella sativa meal significantly decreased villus height to crypt depth ratio of jejunum and ileum than the same level without enzymes, but 7.5% nigella sativa meal with enzyme resulted in higher villus height to crypt depth ratio than the without enzymes group (P<0.05). The improvement in villi height to crypt depth ratio may be related to the antimicrobial properties of black seed. For this reason, when the microbial activity in the contents of the intestine decreases at the surface of brush border, the need for enterocytes and new cells to multiply in the intestine decreases, resulting in higher villi height and less crypt depth. Since the main source of protein in poultry diets comes from soybean meal, replacing new and inexpensive sources is a great economic help to reduce feed costs. The replacement of soybean meal by nigella sativa meal decrease feed costs and increase profitability without adversely affecting the broilers.

According to the results, the use of nigella sativa meal reduced the performance of chickens and the use of enzyme supplements could not eliminate these negative effects. On the other hand, 7.5% nigella sativa meal (without enzyme supplements) had a positive effect on morphometric indices.

Application of antibiotics causes two major health problems, including antibiotic residues in body tissues and animal products and the resistance of pathogens to antibiotics. On the other hand, antibiotics improve growth, feed efficiency and control infectious diseases. Following the ban on the use of antibiotics as growth stimulants in the poultry industry, the EU has been paying more attention to non-antibiotic growth-promoting compounds since 2006, including organic acids, probiotics and herbs. Previous studies have shown that in many oils of dark plants Mentha pipperita, thymol, carvacrol, menthol and in some cases paracetamol are the most important components of growth improvement, their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. kefir is also a natural probiotic. The fermenting agent of kefir milk is kefir seeds, which contain casein and the species Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces, Streptococcus and others. Diets containing Mentha pipperita, by improving the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract and reducing the population of harmful microbes, can create better conditions for the use of final feed products and thus improve the growth and better performance of chickens. In studies, the positive effects of kefir on the performance and biochemical parameters of broiler blood have been reported.

This study was conducted in the animal husbandry research station of Khuzestan University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In this study, four hundred one-day-old Japanese quails were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments, four replications and 25 observations per replication for 35 days. The experiment was performed. Treatments are: Treatment 1) Basic diet + drinking water (control group), Treatment 2) Basic diet + drinking water + 0.5% Mentha pipperita extract, Treatment 3) Basic diet + drinking water + kefir milk 2%, Treatment 4) Basic diet + drinking water + Mentha pipperita extract 0.5% + kefir milk are 2%. The weight of quails was measured at the end of each week and the feed consumed was determined. The average of daily weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were calculated. At the end of the fifth week, from each replicate, two quails with a weight close to the average were selected and slaughtered.  Breast and thigh meat samples were used to measure pH, water holding capacity and meat moisture content. Also, at the end of the fifth week, two samples were randomly selected from each replicate and blood was taken from their wing vein to measure blood parameters, thyroid hormones and testosterone.

The addition of mint and kefir extract significantly increased the weight of Japanese quails. The highest weight gain in the third and fourth weeks was observed in treatments 2, 3 and 4, respectively. In a study that investigated the effect of kefir on broiler performance, it was shown that the use of kefir as a natural probiotic causes significant weight gain, which is consistent with the present results. Mentha pipperita essential oil and kefir have been reported to improve feed conversion ratio and stimulate digestion in broilers. Kefir added to broiler drinking water has been reported to increase body weight, increase daily weight, reduce daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio, and improve performance. Mentha pipperita lowers blood cholesterol levels by liver or intestinal cells. Peppermint also accelerates LDL catabolism by increasing liver LDL receptors. In addition, Mentha pipperita inhibits the activity of the enzyme fatty acid synthase (FAS) and increases the beta oxidation of fatty acids, thereby effectively reducing fat storage. The concentration of thyroid hormones was not affected by the treatments. In some studies, thyroid hormone concentrations increase with nutrition of mint and kefir. Testosterone concentrations were significantly affected by experimental treatments. Changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis are the most important factors affecting the reproductive system. So far, the effect of many different plant extracts on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal hormonal axis has been investigated. Plant extracts such as marjoram and ginger have been reported to increase testosterone, LH and sometimes FSH, and play an effective role in activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Peppermint, with its special chemical composition, can stimulate the signaling pathways of sex steroid production in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. The effect of experimental treatments on pH and moisture of breast and thigh meat and their water holding capacity was not significant.

According to this study and economic considerations, it seems that the combined use of 2% kefir and 0.5% Mentha pipperita in drinking water can improve the performance and also modulate lipid profiles in Japanese quails, as well as increase reproductive performance in males.

As the highest cost of poultry production is the cost of feed, optimizing feed consumption and reducing feed conversion ratio are very important in the poultry industry. Also, the problem of lower egg shell quality caused by prolonged egg production period is an important issue affecting the breeding of old layer hens. Approximately 10% of the eggs produced in poultry farms are lost due to breakage of eggshells, which accounts for huge economic loss to the egg industry. Improving eggshell quality are essential for protection against penetrating of pathogenic bacteria. As a result, a great deal of efforts have been applied to improving egg shell quality in old laying hens in the fields of mineral nutrition. Numerous researchers have focused on the addition of trace elements in the diet to regulate egg quality by improving eggshell ultrastructure. Manganese is an indispensable trace element, Manganese takes a crucial part in biological processes, including the metabolism of lipid, protein, and carbohydrate. The low Mn content in corn–soybean meal diets used in production and the inefficient intestinal absorption of Mn in birds calls for the need for optimizing the supplemental provision of Mn to birds. In the process of egg formation, manganese is important for the formation of the shell and the pleasure affects the quality of the shell. Manganese is an important nutrient for laying hens. Dietary Mn is known to have profound effects on the skeleton. Manganese supplementation affects the function and characteristics of the tibia.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of two inorganic and organic forms of manganese on performance, antioxidant activities, immune system and bone strength in older laying hens. 250 Leghorn laying hens (w-36) with 80 weeks of age were divided into 5 treatments and 5 replications in a completely randomized design. Treatments were: control (without manganese supplement), treatments containing 100% manganese sulfate (diet 1), 75% manganese sulfate and 25% organic manganese chelated (diet 2), 50% manganese sulfate and 50% organic chelated (diet 3) 25% sulfate Manganese and 75% organic chelated (diet 4). During the experiment, daily feed intake (g), egg weight, number and production of eggs (g/hen/day) and feed conversion ratio were calculated. To evaluate the humoral immunity on the day of slaughter (94 weeks age), 10 cc of blood was taken from two selected birds and its immunoglobulins were measured. To evaluate the bone strength, two pieces of chicken were selected from each replication and after slaughter, the tibia of the right foot was isolated and after preparation, the mechanical properties of the bones were measured. Also The antioxidant activities of SOD (Superoxide dismutase), DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and MDA (malondialdehyde) were evaluated.

The results obtained in this experiment showed that the production performance was affected by experimental treatments. The lowest feed conversion ratio and the highest feed intake, egg production, egg weight and egg mass were observed in diets 4 and5, i.e. treatments receiving 50% and 75% manganese organic chelate. Also, the levels of immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M were significantly affected by experimental treatments. The levels of immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M in the experimental treatments showed a significant increase compared to the control treatment, while in immunoglobulin M there was no statistically significant difference between diet 3 and basal diet. In addition, antioxidant activity was significantly affected by experimental treatments. The amount of malondialdehyde was significantly reduced in diet treatments 4 and 5 compared to the control treatment. The percentage of DPPH (2,2-dipheny l-1-picrylhydrazyl) in diets 3, 4 and 5 showed a significant increase compared to the basal diet. Also, the amount of superoxide dismutase in diet 2 showed a significant decrease compared to other diets and control diet. However, the effects of inorganic and organic manganese supplements on the tibia strength of older laying hens were not affected by experimental treatments.

The results of this experiment showed that the addition of manganese supplement to the diet improves the production performance and immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M through the use of organic manganese source in laying hens and manganese amino acid chelate can replace 75% of manganese sulfate in the diet of older laying hens. Also, antioxidant status was significantly affected by experimental treatments. In general, the addition of manganese supplement in the diet of laying hens improves performance, immune system and antioxidant activity in aged laying hens.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects by antioxidants. Commercial poultry faces a wide range of environmental, technological, nutritional, and biological stresses, which are responsible for low productivity and reproductive performance in poultry. In addition, chronic oxidative stress can deplete antioxidant vitamins and trace elements, impair immune function resulting in significant economic losses to the poultry industry. Most of this stresses at the molecular level are associated with oxidative stress and damage to important biological molecules. High levels of fatty acids are found in the plasma membrane of sperm cells. Fatty acids and other lipid compounds in sperm membranes play an important role in regulating spermatogenesis, sperm maturation, acrosome reaction, capacity building, and membrane fusion. Specifically, sperm lipid peroxidation disrupts these functions and inhibits spermatogenesis. Oxidation of sperm fatty acids leads to the production of free oxygen radicals (ROS), which are normally necessary for physiological processes of sperm, but excessive production of ROS in sperm causes low membrane fluidity, DNA breakdown (directly by attacking the purine and pyrimidine bases), protein damage, and ultimately reduced sperm motility and fertility. ROS cause damage via single and double strand DNA breaks, cross links, and chromosomal rearrangements) vitamin E is one of the most important natural antioxidants and effective in preventing of the spermatozoa lipids oxidation. Consumption of high amounts of vitamin E (200 mg / kg diet) increases its concentration in blood and semen plasma and causes beneficial changes in antioxidant capacity and lipid profile of rooster semen in normal conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of diet supplementation with vitamin E on the quality of frozen-thawed sperm in breeder rooster under dexamethasone-induced oxidative stress.

A total of 18 roosters of Ross 308 broiler breeder at 28 weeks of age were completely randomized with 3 experimental groups and 6 birds in each experimental group. Experimental groups include 1- Normal rooster fed basal diet (control) 2- Roosters treated with subcutaneous injection of dexamethasone 4 mg / kg body weight (DEX) 3- Dex + Vitamin E (200 mg / kg diet). After 2 weeks of habitation period and 3 weeks after experimental treatments, semen samples of roosters were collected twice a week from each rooster using abdominal massage method. Sperm viability was assessed by eosin-negrosin staining. For this purpose, mix 10 μl of diluted semen with 20 μl of dye containing eosin dye (1.67 g), nigrosin dye (10 g) and sodium citrate (2.9 g) in 100 ml of distilled water. The viability of sperm was examined by light microscope (Olympus, Japan) with a magnification of 400 × and sperms that were completely or partially reddish and those did not stain were considered died and live sperm respectively. Qualitative characteristics of sperm including viability, percentage of total (MOT, %), and progressive motility (PROG, %), plasma membrane integrity as well as malondialdehyde content, antioxidant capacity (TAC) and activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase enzymes (SOD) were evaluated. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS software version 9.1. Duncan’s test was used to compare groups.

The results showed that dexamethasone injection as a cause of oxidative stress, increases lipid peroxidation (9.11) and decreases antioxidant capacity (1.01) of sperm (P<0.05). Total motility (49.16), progressive motility (12.46), survival rate (50.84) and plasma membrane integrity (50.26) significantly decreased by DEX treatment (P<0.05). Dietary supplementation with vitamin E improves total motility (73.63), survival rate (74.12) and plasma membrane integrity (72.74), antioxidant capacity (1.50) and activity of glutathione peroxidase (73.58), superoxide dismutase (144.95) and reduction of malondialdehyde (4.61) compared to the other two groups (P<0.05). Progressive motility (26.33) was highest in the control group compared to the other two groups and Lateral Head Displacement (16.08) was higher in the dexamethasone group than the other experimental groups (P<0.05). These positive effect vitamin E on sperm quality could be due to its antioxidant properties.

It can be concluded that dexamethasone injection increases lipid peroxidation and decreases sperm quality. Addition of vitamin E to the broiler breeder rooster’s diet under oxidative stress condition improves the quality of frozen thawed sperm. Therefore, it is recommended to supplement the diet of broiler breeder roosters with vitamin E under oxidative stress conditions.

 The quality of drinking water is an important factor that may affect broiler performance. Water is very important resource for poultry and is mainly supplied from groundwater sources, rivers, and springs. In addition to being a nutrient, water also softens food and carries it through the body, aids in digestion and absorption, and cools the body as it evaporates through the bird’s lungs and air sacs. Water helps remove waste, lubricates joints, is a major component of blood, and a necessary medium for many chemical reactions that help form meat and eggs. This study discusses some of the most common factors that impact poultry farms water quality. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the chemical quality of samples obtained from various sources of poultry drinking water in Noorabad city of Fars province and neighboring villages.

 This study is a cross-sectional study and was conducted for evaluating the quality of water used in poultry farms in Noorabad city of Fars province and neighboring villages such as Dam Qanat, Kol Gah, Gazargah, Arab Khalifa Sofla, Fahlian, Tal Kohneh, Mal Mahmoud and Bajgah. Total hardness, pH, total dissolved solids, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and sodium of water in nine regions were evaluated. This study was conducted in the second quarter of 1399. Water sampling was done in 30 poultry farms with three replicates. For this purpose, three samplings were randomly taken from each poultry farm three times a month. The samples collected in plastic containers were immediately tested for pH and transferred to the laboratory for other experiments at room temperature. The sampled poultry farms used well water.Total hardness, pH, chlorine, calcium, and water magnesium were measured using a model 7500 photometer according to the device's instructions and APHA. Results were analyzed statistically by SPSS software version 20 and the One-way ANOVA test with the Duncan post hoc test. Mean ± SD was considered significant if (P<0.05). 

 When the water looks clear and tastes okay, water quality is easy to take for granted. However, water quality is impossible to judge adequately except with laboratory testing. Field experience has conclusively shown that unobservable differences in water quality, from farm to farm and even from one well to another within a complex, can result in significant differences in bird performance. Drinking water should be clear, tasteless, odorless, and colorless. As a general observation, a reddish-brown color may indicate the presence of iron, while blue color indicates the presence of copper. Hydrogen sulfide is indicated by a rotten egg odor. Hydrogen sulfide may also combine with iron to form black water (iron sulfide) that may also implicate the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Taste can be affected by the presence of salts, and a bitter taste is usually associated with the presence of ferrous and manganese sulfates. The highest amounts of total hardness (1169 ± 0.52 ppm), calcium (583 ± 0.57 ppm), total dissolved solids (1398 ± 1.5 ppm), sodium (259 ± 0.57 ppm), and chlorine (403 ± 1.00 ppm) belonged to the water of the Bajgah region. In talkohneh, the amount of magnesium in water (289 ± 0.55 ppm) was significantly higher than in other regions. Water pH in Nourabad (7.15 ± 0.020) was less than in other regions and was neutral. 

 Water quality attributes can have a direct or indirect effect on performance. Poor water quality can retard the growth, curtail egg production, or result in production of lower egg quality. Feed conversion, for example, has been positively correlated to the presence of sulfate and copper concentrates in the water, and livability with potassium, chloride, and calcium. Bodyweight is positively influenced by water hardness and dissolved oxygen and negatively influenced by total bacteria and pH less than 6.0. While several elements can cause poor water quality, the interaction between elements is more significant in water quality problems than the simple fact of their presence. The findings of this study reveal that, in terms of total hardness, Damghanat water was more suitable for poultry drinking and aviculture than other regions. Water TDS of each nine evaluated regions as appropriate. In Damghanat and Arabkhalifehsofla, the amount of water calcium was more suitable. In Malmahmoud, Fahlyan, and Talkohneh the amount of water magnesium was more than a threshold for poultry. Gazergah has the most suitable water chlorine status. Water sodium was more than 50 ppm in all regions except Kalgah. pH less than 6.3 decreases the yield of the poultry, however pH of none of the regions was less than 6.3. Low pH water can be unpalatable, corrosive to equipment, and may have a negative impact on performance. High pH water is also unacceptable since it reflects high levels of calcium and magnesium, which can clog water systems. Poultry accepts water on the acid side better than they accept water on the alkaline side. The results of the present study indicate the poor quality of water in Nurabad, which is recommended through solutions such as the use of acidic compounds to remove sediments and adjust the pH of water, as well as the use of orthophosphates to harden water.

European honey bees (Apis mellifera) are the most important pollinator insects that play vital role in maintenance of all most all life forms on earth. However, over the last decade major concerns have raised due to decline in the population of these insect species. A variety of factors have been responsible for these concerns of which the most important is honey bee bacterial diseases like Nosemosis (Nosema), American and European foulbrood diseases. While, overuse of antibiotics utilized for the treatment and control of these diseases has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of these pathogens. Probiotics have been considered a suitable substitute of antibiotics in human and animals. In last several years, lactobacillus species isolated from honeybees have been considered of significance in enhancing the life span of honeybees by reducing the incidence of bacterial and viral infections in these tiny insects. Among the isolated microbes in the gut of honeybees, Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are of utmost importance showing direct impacts on the health of their host by modulating the gut microbial flora and are termed as Probiotic bacteria.The objective of this research was to isolate and identify LAB from different parts of the intestinal tract of honeybees Apis mellifera and to characterize their probiotic properties.

Twenty-four honeybees collected from the hives located in the city of karaj were analyzed for the presence of LAB species. The stomach contents of honeybees were inoculated into MRS broth, incubated at 37ºCfor 48 hrs. The obtained colonies were purified and identified to species levels phenotypically and geno-typically. Hemolytic activity and sugar fermentation reactions of the isolates were recorded and later subjected 16SrRNA sequencing using a pair of universal primers. The identified isolates were evaluated for their viability in acidic conditions at pH 2.5, 3.0, 4.0 and 6.5 at different time intervals. Bile resistance of the isolates was tested by culturing the isolates in the presence of different concentrations of the said salts (0.5, 0.7 and 1%). Survival of LAB isolates in simulated gastric and intestinal conditions containing different enzymes and bile salts, antibacterial spectrum against a number of gram positive and gram-negative pathogens by agar well diffusion assay, and their in vitro colonization ability (aggregation, co-aggregation and hydrophobicity percentages) were evaluated. The results were analyzed statistically.

Twenty nine gram positive, catalase negative and non-hemolytic colonies were isolated from 24 honeybee samples. Among these, only 7 colonies showed enhanced antibacterial activity and were selected for further studies. Based on phenotypic characteristics, sugar fermentation reactions and 16S rRNA sequencing the isolates were identified as Lactobacillus acidophilus (1), Lacticaseiobacillus casei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (2), Lactobacillus apis (1), Enterococcus faecium (1) and Pediococcus acidilactici (1). During probiotic characterizations, the identified isolates were shown to retain their viability in acidic conditions and resisted pH 2.5, 3 and 4 for more than 4 hrs. However, slight decrease in viability at pH 2.5 and 3.0 was observed, compared to pH 4.0 and above. All isolates appeared bile resistant and tolerated all used concentrations of bile salts during 8 hrs of incubation. Survival rate of the isolates in simulated intestinal conditions was significantly (p˂0.05) greater compared to simulated gastric conditions indicating greater stability of the isolates to alkaline conditions rather than to acidic conditions. L.acidophilus and E.faecium showed least resistance in gastric conditions and their growth rate was decreased more than 50% under said conditions. In contrast, the growth rate of these two isolates was highest in simulated intestinal conditions as they resisted these conditions for more than 24 hours.  The isolates demonstrated antibacterial affect against a number of tested pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Streprtococcus mutans. The auto-aggregation, and cell surface hydrophobicity percentages of L.casei appeared highest compared to other tested Lactic Acid bacteria in study (p˂0.05), while, L.apis showed the highest co-aggregation with S.typhi strain. P.acidilactici possessed the least auto-aggregation (46%), co-aggregation (10%) and hydrophobicity (43%) percentage. Auto-aggregation ability appeared directly related to hydrophobicity percentages and isolates showing high aggregation ability also showed high hydrophobicity %.

In conclusion, honeybee gut appeared a reservoir of LAB with probiotic potential. It is suggested that further studies should be conducted in order to determine the health benefits of these LABs in honeybees, with especial emphasis on their ability to prevent honeybee diseases.