Search Result

This research was guided to investigate the effects of supplementation of DL-methionine (DLM) and liquid DL-methionine hydroxy analog free acid (MHA) in diets on productive performance, hematological, blood metabolites and histological parameters in broiler chickens under summer conditions in Sina. A total number of 180 one day old Hubbard broiler chicks, with initial body weight (46.9 ± 2.5 g), were divided into 6 equal treatment groups. The treatment were DL-methionine (DLM) at 0.25% level, acid liquid methionine (ALM) and methionine hydroxyl analogue Ca salt (MHA) at 0.29 and 0.30%, respectively with and without dietary L-Threonine (0.0 and 1.0 g/kg diet). Chicks were raised for 35 days in battery cages under semi – arid conditions (high ambient temperature and relative humidity) in open-side housing. The obtained results indicate: The productive performance of DLM and MHA were not significantly different. Supplementation of DLM and MHA significantly improved final body weight, body weight gain, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio when compared to the control group (P<0.01). The use of DLM enhanced the plasma methionine concentration (P<0.01) and increased the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio (P<0.05). While MHA elevated the plasma urea and uric acid concentration levels (P<0.05).

This study evaluated the haematological and serum biochemical indices of broiler chickens fed diets containing varying inclusion levels of sun-dried false yam meal (SFYM) as a partial replacement for maize. A total of 150-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16% SFYM inclusion) in a completely randomized design (CRD), with three replicates of ten birds per treatment. Data on haematological indices showed that increasing SFYM levels led to a significant (P<0.05) decrease in packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC), MCV, MCH, MCHC, and percentage heterophil, whilst the WBC increases. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) declined with increasing SFYM levels, indicative of a microcytic, hypochromic effect. Percentage eosinophil and lymphocytes were significantly (P<0.05) higher in broiler chickens maintained in T2 and T5 respectively compared to other treatment groups. The serum biochemical indices revealed (P<0.05) reduction in total protein, glucose, ALP, and AST of broiler chickens as the inclusion levels of SFYM increased, while the concentration of albumin, urea and creatinine increased. These findings suggest that SFYM can be used to substitute maize partially up to 16% level without negative impact on broiler chickens health.