The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of dietary horsetail (Equisetum arvense) and spirulina (Spirulina platensis) supplementation on performance, egg quality, serum biochemical and antioxidant status of laying hens. A total of 648, 63-week-old Hy-Line W-36 layers were divided into nine groups with eight replicates per group (nine birds per replicate). A feeding trial was conducted under completely randomized design with factorial arrangement 3 × 3 consisting of three different dietary levels of horsetail supplementations (0, 0.25, and 0.50%, respectively) in combination with three levels of spirulina (0, 1, and 2%, respectively). Results showed that feed intake, egg production, egg weight and mass, and feed conversion ratio were not significantly affected by the dietary treatments. Eggshell thickness, strength, and yolk color were significantly improved in diets supplemented with 0.5% horsetail and 2% spirulina and their interactions. Egg yolk cholesterol was not significantly different among groups; however, a significant reduction was found when fed 2% spirulina. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentration decreased by supplementing 2% spirulina in diet; also, spirulina increased total superoxide dismutase (TSOD) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in laying hens. Overall, the findings indicated that the combination of horsetail and spirulina could have potential for improving the egg’s physical parameters, whereas spirulina was more effective in improving blood traits and oxidative status.

The poultry nutritionists constantly attempt to identify and alleviate the factors responsible for adverse effects on nutrient utilization and production performance in avian species, which are necessary for successful productivity of poultry. Enhanced feed utilization can reduce levels of some nutrients in the diet with concomitant mitigation in nutrient excretion into the environment, reduction of eutrophication and acidification potentials of excreta. Commercial enzymes have been used to improve feed efficiency and utilization in poultry. Among many anti-nutritional factors, the existence of ß-mannans in poultry feed ingredients including soybean and other leguminous seeds has been associated with negative effects on nutrient digestibility and high intestinal viscosity that adversely affects innate immunity and microbial proliferation in poultry gut. The ß-mannanase (a commercial product named as Hemicell) can hydrolyze ß-mannan, an anti-nutritional fiber present in many poultry feed ingredients. Supplement of ß-mannanase to ß-mannan-rich diets may boost the population of intestinal beneficial bacteria, increase the digestibility of mannans, enhance the immunity, suppresses the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria, enhance the digestion and absorption of nutrients in intestinal tracts and reduce the environmental pollution due to poultry excreta. Supplementation of β-mannanase at the level of 200 and 400 mg/kg in poultry diets has positively improved blood glucose and anabolic hormone homeostasis, FCR, digestible energy, and digestible amino acids. This review describes the promising beneficial effects of β-mannanase, which may be used in the poultry feed industry for economic benefits. Another objective of this review is to explore the underlying mechanisms of ß-mannanase that can influence growth, digestion coefficients of nutrients, health and metabolism of nutrients in poultry birds and also the knowledge regarding the useful application of this feed enzyme in the commercial poultry feed industry.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that cannot be synthesized in the body and must be obtained through diet. Despite being one of the earliest vitamins identified, a complete range of biological actions is still unknown. Carotenoids are a category of roughly 600 chemicals that are structurally related to vitamin A. Vitamin A can be present in the body in the form of retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid. Vitamins are required in minute amounts, yet they are critical for health, maintenance, and performing key biological functions in the body, such as growth, embryo development, epithelial cell differentiation, and immune function. Vitamin A deficiency induces a variety of problems, including lack of appetite, decreased development and immunity, and susceptibility to many diseases. Dietary preformed vitamin A, provitamin A, and several classes of carotenoids can be used to meet vitamin A requirements. The aim of this review is to compile the available scientific literature regarding the sources and important functions, such as growth, immunity, antioxidant, and other biological activities of vitamin A in poultry.

A total of 320 one-day-old broiler chickens were used in a 42-day feeding trial to evaluate the effects of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) in comparison with a prebiotic on-growth performance, blood constitutes, immunity and intestinal microflora. The dietary treatments were as follows: basal diet (control); control + prebiotic (Fermacto™); control + 0.1% peppermint; control + 0.1% chicory, respectively. A significant (p < 0.05) body weight gain and feed intake was found at 21 and 42 days of growth period in broilers fed diet supplemented with 0.1% chicory compared with other groups. Feeding of prebiotic or chicory led to higher (p < 0.05) feed intake. Chickens fed control diet had higher (p < 0.05) abdominal fat compared with the other groups. Serum blood constituents indicated that broilers fed prebiotic or supplemented with peppermint or chicory had reduced (p < 0.05) levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein than control group. Immunity-related parameters showed that chicken fed chicory had lower (p < 0.05) heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio compared with the other groups. Intestinal microflora revealed that chickens fed prebiotic or herbals had higher count of Lactobacillus and lower E. coli than control. Thus, it can be concluded that broiler dietary supplementation with prebiotic or chicory can improve performance supporting positively health status.

This study was aimed at determining the effects of two phytogenic antioxidants, namely, cinnamaldehyde and 1,8-cineole, and an antibiotic added to laying hen feed on the fatty acid profile of egg yolk and the weight loss and lipid peroxidation levels of eggs stored for different periods. Ninety-six 48-week-old Bovans White hens were randomly assigned to four groups, each with four replicates of six hens per replicate. The four groups were provided with the following feeds: maize and soybean-based laying [...] ABSTRACT This study was aimed at determining the effects of two phytogenic antioxidants, namely, cinnamaldehyde and 1,8-cineole, and an antibiotic added to laying hen feed on the fatty acid profile of egg yolk and the weight loss and lipid peroxidation levels of eggs stored for different periods. Ninety-six 48-week-old Bovans White hens were randomly assigned to four groups, each with four replicates of six hens per replicate. The four groups were provided with the following feeds: maize and soybean-based laying