effects of 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and fruit hydroalcoholic extract of withania coagulans on bone histological properties and blood parameters of male chickens

an experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of fruit hydroalcoholic extract of withania coagulans (wc) and 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol on bone mechanical and histological properties of male chickens. diets were arranged factorially (2×3×2) consisted of a positive control with adequate ca (10.4 g/kg diet) and nonphytate p (npp; 5 g/kg diet) exceed the requirements suggested in the ross 308 broiler nutrient specifications and a negative control diet with ca (7.3 g/kg diet) and nonphytate p (npp; 5 g/kg diet), three levels of withania coagulans (0, 100 and 200 mg/kg diet), and two levels of 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (0 and 0.5 μg/kg diet). both ca and p retention significantly increased by reducing dietary ca level (p<0.01). a two way interaction among control and wc on ca retention led to significant increased in ca retention with increase in the levels of wc to 200 mg/kg at positive control diet (p<0.01). at 42 d of age, birds fed 0.5 g/kg 1, 25-(oh)2 d3 had higher concentration of serum ca than those fed no dietary supplementation of 1, 25-(oh)2 d3 (p<0.01). at 21 day of age birds provided with 100 mg/kg of wc compare to those fed 0 or 200 mg/kg of wc had a significant higher cortical thickness (p<0.05). the results of this experiment indicated that supplementation of 100 mg/kg fruit hydroalcoholic extract of withania coagulans exhibit beneficial effects on bone characteristics (cortical thickness and mineralized width) without adverse effects on productive performance.