The objective of this study was to determine the appropriate concentration of dietary supplementation of curcumin, and its effect on growth performance, intestinal morphology, fat metabolism and nutrients utilization of broiler chicks. Four hundred eighty, 1-day-old Arbor Acre broiler chicks were allocated into four groups with 6 replicates of 20 birds per cage. Birds were fed a corn-soybean basal diet supplemented with curcumin at 0 (control, CRM0), 100 (CRM100), 150 (CRM150) and 200mg/kg (CRM200) levels for 42 days. All birds were kept in wire floor triple deck battery cages under semi-intensive housing management. The results revealed that dietary supplementation of curcumin at 200mg/kg significantly improved live body weight and feed efficiency at marketing age (42 d); while, there was no significant difference on feed intake as compared to control. Curcumin significantly improved utilization of apparent metabolizable energy and decreased abdominal fat at 42 d in CRM150 and CRM200 broilers, respectively. Plasma T4 hormone level and fat utilization were significantly increased; while plasma cholesterol level was significantly reduced in dose dependent manner for CRM200 broilers. The results showed that dietary supplementation of curcumin influenced the histomorphological measurements of small intestinal villi. The villus height was significantly increased in duodenum, jejunum and ileum in curcumin supplemented broilers. Villus width was also significantly increased in duodenum and jejunum (42 d). While, there was no significant difference in ileum villus width. Furthermore, villus height to crypt depth ratio was significantly increased in all segments (except jejunum 42 d) of small intestine in CRM200 group; however, the intestinal crypt depth was lowered in curcumin supplemented broilers. In conclusion, supplementation of curcumin at 200mg/kg feed enhanced the growth performance and fat metabolism, and increased villus absorptive area of small intestine, resulting in improved nutrients absorption in CRM200 group.

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Curcumin on Growth Performance, Intestinal Morphology and Nutrients Utilization of Broiler Chicks

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary turmeric rhizome powder (TP) on performance, blood metabolite, immune system, antioxidant status, and relative weight of organs in pre and post heat stressed broilers. Two hundred and sixty-four (264) day-old male Arian broiler chicks were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments containing 0, 0.4 or 0.8% turmeric powder. Each diet was fed to four replicates of 22 birds each. Heat stress was applied for 5 h (33°C) from 28 to 42 days. Two birds from each replicate were randomly selected and blood samples were taken to collect the serum, plasma and whole blood. These were slaughtered to determine the relative weight of organs pre (28 days PHS) and after heat stress (42 days AHS). TP did not affect feed intake, body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), production index, and protein and energy efficiency ratio of broilers. Blood cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) decreased and blood high density lipoprotein (HDL) increased when fed TP in PHS and AHS birds. TP did not affect serum triglyceride, protein, antibody production against sheep red blood cell (SRBC), IgG, IgM and Newcastle vaccination (ND) in PHS and AHS. TP suppressed the enzyme activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of heat stressed birds. The enzyme activity of creatine kinase (CK) in AHS and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in PHS were not affected by TP diets. TP diets increased blood activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and SOD and decreased blood thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) index. The H:L ratio, relative weight of bursa of fabircus and abdominal fat decreased in birds fed TP diets. TP diets did not alter percentage of bone Ash, and P of heat stress broilers; however, it increased bone Ca of heat stressed broilers. It can be concluded that the supplementation of TP to diets, decreased the activity of dehydrogenase enzyme, stressor index, and improved the antioxidant status without affecting performance and the immune system of heat stressed broilers.

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Antioxidant status, immune system, blood metabolites and carcass characteristic of broiler chickens fed turmeric rhizome powder under heat stress

Our study aimed to determine the effect of increasing dietary levels of turmeric rhizome extract (TRE) on performance, carcass characteristics, antioxidant capability and meat quality of Wenchang broiler chickens. Three hundred, 1-day-old Wenchang broiler chickens were brooded together for 2 weeks, then randomly allocated into four treatments with five replicates of 15 birds each. Birds were fed a corn-soybean basal diet supplemented with TRE at 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg for 12 weeks. The results revealed that a TRE-supplemented diet had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the body weight, although birds fed a diet with TRE at 100 and 200 mg/kg had higher average daily weight gains and average daily feed as compared to controls from 9 to 12 week (P<0.05). Also, the addition of TRE at 100 to 300 mg/kg had a better feed conversion ratio compared to controls from week 9 to 12 (P<0.05). Dietary supplementation with TRE at 300 mg/kg increased the breast muscle weight ratio (P<0.05). Meanwhile, dietary supplementation with TRE at 100 to 300 mg/kg reduced the abdominal fat ratio (P<0.05), compared to that of the control group. TRE increased enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and reduced malondiadehhyde concentrations, compared to the control group. Dietary TRE supplementation at 300 mg/kg decreased the drip loss in both breast muscle and thigh muscles, compared with the control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, dietary TRE supplementation enhanced antioxidant capability, growth performance, breast muscle weight ratio, and reduced the abdominal fat ratio of Wenchang broiler chickens.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Turmeric Rhizome Extract on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Antioxidant Capability, and Meat Quality of Wenchang Broiler Chickens

Performance and blood biochemistry profile of broiler chickens fed dietary turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder and cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens) powders as antioxidants.

Global meat consumption per capita is expected to increase ~40% from 2019 to 2050. Over 30% of the total cropland worldwide is currently being used to produce either livestock and poultry feed or silage to meet the demand. One solution to reduce cropland use for animal feed is to increase the production of alternative protein sources. The primary protein sources for animal nutrition, including soybeans, peas and fish meal, are of increasing demand and are subsequently becoming more expensive, making their long-term use unsustainable. Insects such as the black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens), crickets (Gryllus testaceus Walker) or mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) offer a viable addition to the feed sources and can provide valuable, high-quality energy, protein and fat to an animal’s diet. Here, we review the environmental benefits of insect feedstuff, current research findings related to the use of insects for animal nutrition, and outline additional products that can generate benefits to insect producers.

Insect protein in animal nutrition

The experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of turmeric extract on blood parameters,feed efficiency and abdominal fat content in broilers. A total of 100 mixed-sexes Lohman chicks wereused in the experiment set up with completely randomized design of 5 different doses of turmeric extractgiven orally start from day-15 to day-35. The chicks given no turmeric extract were used as a control(T0), whereas T1, T2, T3 and T4 were the chicks given turmeric extract of 200, 400, 600 and 800mg/kg-live BW, respectively. Hemoglobin values of broilers given turmeric extract 800 mg/kg-live BWwas significantly higher (p 0.05)the concentration of erythrocytes, the levels of hematocrit as well as FCR and abdominal fat content ofbroiler. Turmeric extract seemed to be able to improve the digestion and metabolism (of fat) resulted inenhanced production of hemoglobin in broilers. The hypolipidemic effect of turmeric that could hamperits potential to promote the growth of broilers per se might explain why turmeric could not improve thefeed efficiency of broiler.

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N. S. Prabowo

Papers

Effect of turmeric extract on blood parameters, feed efficiency and abdominal fat content in broilers.