Antibiotics have been common feed additives in poultry rations as growth promoters to improve performance via reducing burden of pathogens. However, it has been increasing pressure to reduce or even eliminate antibiotic usage in poultry feed due to the negative human health issues of antibiotic resistance. Safe broiler production without medication and vaccination was conducted at present study...

It is well known that dietary protein affects the growth performance and carcass composition of poultry. Over the last several decades, numerous studies have been carried out to investigate to optimize the level of dietary protein since the protein is an important and expensive constituent in poultry feed. It is generally accepted that dietary protein should represent a balance of amino acids s...

phosphorus (p) is a macro mineral in broiler nutrition. in growing broilers, besides its requirement for proper bone development, it is also involved in almost all metabolic processes. poor p availability results in decreased productivity and poor health status.phosphorus availability from plant derived feeds is affected by an anti-nutritional factor “phytate”, which forms a variety of insolubl...

Certain strains of Campylobacter jejuni are implicated not only in diarrhea in humans, but also in the rare, but more serious Guillain-Barré syndrome, which may be fatal. Since poultry are the major reservoirs of C. jejuni, reducing contamination of poultry meat with this organism will decrease risk to the human consumer. Poultry meat which is contaminated with Campylobacter spp. and other huma...

Vitamin E is found in high quantities in vegetable oils. Although vitamin E has multiple functions in humans and animals, its key function is protecting cells from oxidative damage. Since its discovery, several studies have demonstrated that vitamin E deficiency causes impaired fertility in humans and lab animals. However, the effects of vitamin E deficiency or of its supplementation on the fer...

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract has the most extensive exposed surface in the body and is constantly exposed to a wide variety of potentially harmful substances. The GI tract acts as a selective barrier between the tissues of the bird and its luminal environment. This barrier is composed of physical, chemical, immunological, and microbiological components. A wide range of factors associated wit...

High cholesterol, obesity and cardiovascular diseases tend to accompany the economic development of a country. This occurs not only from increased supply of fatty foods, but also from ignorance and use of poor diets. It is known that the dietary habits of the different populations reflect a historical process of adaptation to the regional realities. Chicken skin is rich in cholesterol and the e...

determining the prevalence of saprophyte fungi in agricultural products and processed foods used in the poultry diet is important. these studies lead to an overall control plan and prevention of fungal infection in different stages of harvesting, transportation and storage. most of aspergillus species grow at ambient temperature. some species can produce toxins in the diet of birds; thus, speci...

Soybean meal is considered the “gold standard” among intact protein sources used in the feed industry (Cromwell, 1999). It has an excellent amino acid profile that complements cereal grains in diet formulation, as methionine is typically the only limiting amino acid for poultry. Soybean meal is characterized as either from dehulled beans or beans having hulls (NRC, 1994). Dehulled soybean meal ...