Growth performance and bone characteristics of broiler chickens fed corn-soy diet supplemented with different levels of vitamin premix and sources of mineral premix

Nanoselenium effect on growth performance, carcass traits, antioxidant activity, and immune status of broilers

A 42-day comparative study was conducted to assess the impact of nanoselenium to other selenium sources on performance, antioxidant activity, immunity, and carcass traits in broilers. Ross 308 (n = 156) 1-day-old broiler chicks, with average initial body weight of 45.80 ± 0.35, were randomly allocated to 4 groups. The first group (G1) fed the basal diet without selenium supplementation. The second group (G2), the third group (G3), and the fourth group (G4) were supplemented with dietary selenium at the level of 0.3 mg kg^-1 diet in the form of sodium selenite, seleno-methionine, and nanoselenium, respectively. The results revealed significant improvement on most of the performance parameters of nanoselenium at the level of 0.3 mg kg^-1 diet (P < 0.05). Nanoselenium and seleno-methionine achieved the best dressing %, spleen index %, and thymus index %. Concerning to internal organ indices, none of these indices was significantly affected by any selenium sources (P < 0.05). Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were not significantly affected by different selenium sources among all experimental groups. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) showed significant (P < 0.05) decrease in nanoselenium supplemented group compared with other groups. In case of serum IL-10 level, a significant (P < 0.05) increase was reported in nanoselenium supplemented group followed by G3 then G2. There were no statistical differences in the serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, total protein, albumin concentration, serum creatinine level, and uric acid concentration levels among all experimental groups. It is concluded that nano selenium can be a useful and better source of selenium for broilers.

Organic minerals restore the acid-base and electrolyte balance in broiler chicks with nutritionally induced metabolic acidosis

The present study evaluated the blood gas and electrolyte balance in broiler chicks fed with diets containing different levels of vitamin premix (VM) and forms of trace minerals. VM was included at 30 or 100% of commercial levels. Trace minerals were provided as either inorganic (IOM) or organic trace minerals (OTM). This experiment, which used one-day-old male broiler chicks, featured a factorial treatment structure with four treatments using 12 replicate pens (22 chicks/pen), each arranged in a randomised complete block design. An i-STAT® handheld, point-of-care, clinical analyser, loaded with blood gas, lactate and electrolyte cartridges, was used to analyse blood samples. Significant interactions for vitamin levels and mineral form were observed for bicarbonate, base excess, total carbon dioxide, ionised calcium and haematocrit levels. Using OTM, but not IOM, in the premix resulted in blood gas and electrolyte values that were comparable to those in 100% VM-fed group. The consumption of 30% VM reduced pO2 (P<0.01), sO2 (P<0.01), pH (P=0.05) and K+ with concomitant increases in lactate, glucose and Na+ (P<0.03). However, OTM tended to reverse the Na+ effect (P=0.05) along with higher partial CO2 (P<0.05). These results demonstrated the negative effects of a 30% VM diet on blood gas and electrolyte balance, which triggered nutritionally induced metabolic acidosis. However, metabolic acidosis induced by underfeeding VM (30%) was restored or normalised by using OTM, but not IOM, in the vitamin-mineral premix.