The current study was conducted to evaluate the effects of stored wheat-based diet (1.5 and 2.5 years stored wheat) with and without the supplementation of xylanase and phytase enzymes in combination or individually on performance parameters, digestibility, digesta viscosity and carcass characteristics of broilers. For this purpose, a total of 640-day-old male broilers were randomly distributed to the 64 pens, and each pen had 10 birds. Two basal isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets contained 1.5 and 2.5 years stored wheat were formulated in this experiment. In the current study, experimental feeds were prepared by supplementing exogenous enzymes in both basal diets with xylanase (500 XU), phytase (500 FTU) alone or in a combination of phytase and xylanase. Performance parameters data represents that both in starter phase and finisher phase, inclusion of exogenous enzymes xylanase and phytase in both basal diets alone or in combination enhance the feed intake, and body weight gain (p < 0.05) and improve the feed conversion ratio in overall phase (p < 0.05). Similarly, supplementation of exogenous xylanase and phytase alone or in combination enhance the nutrient digestibility and reduce the digesta viscosity (p < 0.05). Based on the results of this experiment, it is concluded that supplementation of exogenous xylanase and phytase enzymes alone or in combination in wheat-based diets (stored wheat 1.5 and 2.5 years) enhance and improves the performance of birds.

Background and Aim: Soybean meal (SBM) is the primary protein source in broiler diets; however, its high cost and import dependency necessitate alternative protein sources. Sunflower meal (SFM) is a viable alternative but contains high fiber and non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs), which can impair nutrient utilization. This study evaluated the effects of partially replacing SBM with SFM, with or without NSP degrading enzymes (NSPase) enzyme supplementation, on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, digesta viscosity, and gut morphology in broilers. Materials and Methods: A total of 588 day-old Ross-308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments following a 3 × 2 factorial design, with three levels of SBM replacement (0%, 10%, and 20% SFM) and two levels of NSPase supplementation (0 or 100 g/ton feed). Diets were formulated for the starter (1–10 days), grower (11–21 days), and finisher (22–35 days) phases. Growth performance (body weight gain [BWG], feed intake [FI], feed conversion ratio [FCR]), nutrient digestibility (dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, and crude fiber [CF]), digesta viscosity, and gut morphology (villus height [VH], crypt depth [CD], villus width, and villus-to-crypt ratio) were assessed. Statistical analysis was conducted using two-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s test for mean comparisons (p < 0.05). Results: Replacing SBM with up to 20% SFM did not significantly impact BWG (p > 0.05), FI (p > 0.05), or FCR (p > 0.05). However, digesta viscosity increased significantly with higher SFM levels (p < 0.001), while NSPase supplementation reduced viscosity (p < 0.001). CF digestibility was lower with increasing SFM levels (p < 0.01) but improved with NSPase addition (p < 0.01). Gut morphology parameters, including VH and CD, were negatively affected by higher SFM inclusion but showed improvement with NSPase supplementation. Conclusion: SBM can be partially replaced with up to 20% SFM in broiler diets without compromising growth performance. However, increasing SFM levels can reduce CF digestibility and increase digesta viscosity. The addition of NSPase enzymes mitigates these adverse effects by enhancing fiber digestibility and reducing gut viscosity. These findings support the use of SFM as an economically viable protein alternative in broiler feed formulations, particularly in SBM-importing regions. Keywords: broiler nutrition, feed efficiency, gut morphology, non-starch polysaccharide degrading enzymes, nutrient digestibility, soybean meal replacement, sunflower meal.

This study aimed to assess the effects of different arginine (Arg) to lysine (Lys) ratios on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, growth performance, carcass characteristics, and antibody titers of Newcastle disease (ND) and infectious bronchitis (IB) disease in broilers during 35 days of trial. For this purpose, a total of 816 day-old broiler birds having an average weight of 38 ± 3 g were divided into six dietary treatments in such a way that each treatment had eight replicates and each replicate had 17 birds. The treatments were 0.95 (1.19/1.25, 1.12/1.18, and 1.05/1.1), 1 (1.25/1.25, 1.18/1.18, and 1.1/1.1), 1.05 (1.31/1.25, 1.24/1.18, and 1.17/1.1), 1.10 (1.38/1.25, 1.30/1.18, and 1.23/1.1), 1.15 (1.44/1.25, 1.36/1.18, and 1.28/1.1), and 1.20 (1.50/1.25, 1.42/1.18, and 1.34/1.1) Arg/Lys divided into different amounts according to the nutritional needs of starter, grower, and finisher diets, respectively. The results showed that in the finisher phase, the FI was influenced cubically, while in the overall period, a quadratic effect was observed for the FI (p < 0.05). The results of BWG showed that BWG was linearly increased in birds given different Arg/Lys in the grower, finisher, and overall period (p < 0.05). The results also showed that during the grower, finisher, and overall phases, the body weight gain (BWG) was better in birds fed with 1.05 and 1.10 Arg/Lys (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was shown in the starter and grower phases at 1.10 and 1.15 Arg/Lys (p < 0.05). The results of nutrient digestibility explored showed that the experimental treatments had a better effect (p < 0.05) on dry matter and crude fat digestibility in birds fed with 1.19/1.25, 1.12/1.18, and 1.05/1.1 and 1.25/1.25, 1.18/1.18, and 1.1/1.1 Arg/Lys in their diets while the crude protein digestibility remained unaffected with different treatments (p > 0.05). The treatments had no effect (p > 0.05) on relative organ weights, immune organs, and carcass characteristics. However, higher titers of ND and IBD were observed in birds fed with Arg/Lys of 1.38/1.25, 1.30/1.18, and 1.23/1.1 and 1.50/1.25, 1.42/1.18, and 1.34/1.1 in their diets (p < 0.05). Based on the results of the current study, it is concluded that the inclusion levels of 1.38/1.25, 1.30/1.18, and 1.23/1.1, and 1.44/1.25, 1.36/1.18, and 1.28/1.1 Arg/Lys resulted in better growth performance and immune response in the broiler birds, respectively. Therefore, adjusting the levels of Arg/Lys in feed is recommended to enhance broilers’ growth performance and immune response.

This study evaluated the effect of biochars on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass yield, bone mineralization, litter quality and footpad lesions in broilers. Eight hundred day-old chicks were randomly divided into four treatments, 10 replicates per treatment (20 birds/replicate) for 35 days. Treatments were basal diet (control), a control diet with corncob (CC) biochar (1%), a control diet with wheat straw (WS) biochar (1%) and a control diet with sugarcane bagasse (SCB) biochar (1%). Body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded weekly. Nutrient digestibility, bone mineralization and carcass parameters were determined on the 21st and 35th days, while footpad lesions and litter quality were also assessed. The results revealed significant improvement (p < 0.05) in FI, BWG and FCR with supplementation. Nutrient digestibility was higher (p < 0.05) in the SCB biochar group. Tibia calcium and phosphorus levels were enhanced (p < 0.05) in the WS and SCB biochar groups, respectively. Footpad lesions were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the CC biochar group, while litter quality was improved (p < 0.05) in the WS biochar group. Lymphoid organ relative weight results revealed that spleen weight was not affected by biochar supplementation in diet (p > 0.05), while dietary supplementation of CS and WS biochar in the diet resulted in the highest relative weights of thymus and bursa (p < 0.05). However, dietary supplementation of WS, SC and SCB biochar supplementation had affected positively the log value of the ND virus and IBV titers in birds. Overall, dietary supplementation of 1% biochars enhances growth performance, bone mineralization, footpad health immunity and litter quality in broilers.

The objective of this experiment was to check the effect of supplementation with exogenous bile acid (BA), emulsifier (Em) and their blend on performance parameters, fat utilization, relative organ weights, and blood lipid profile in growing broilers. A total of 800 day-old broiler chicks were procured from a local hatchery and distributed into four experimental treatments in completely randomized design, with ten replicates with twenty birds each. The treatments were: Control (CON) (basal diet without any Em or BA), CON supplemented with 0.03% Em, CON supplemented with 0.025% BA and CON supplemented with a blend of Em (0.03%) and BA (0.025%). Starter (0-7), grower (8-21) and finisher (22-35) diets were offered to birds for 35 days. Body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded weekly. On days 21 and 35, nutrient digestibility was assessed using the acid-insoluble ash method. Blood lipid profiles and internal organ weights were measured at the end of the trial. The results of digestibility assays carried out on days 21 and 35 showed that supplementing BA alone, Em alone or their combination increases (p<0.05) body weight gain and improves (p<0.05) feed conversion ratio on days 7 to 21, days 21 to 35, and days 0 to 35. Results also showed that supplementation of BA, Em and their blend in the diet improve dry matter and fat digestibility (p<0.05), while the level of low-density lipoprotein decreased (p0.05); however, BA, Em and their blend increased the weight of the spleen (p<0.05). In conclusion, BA, Em and their combination enhance growth performance and nutrient digestibility in broilers without negatively affecting lipid metabolism.