Volume 16, Issue 3 (9-2025)
Res Anim Prod 2025, 16(3): 70-82 |
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Ghaznavi T, Afzali N, Hosseini-Vashan S J, Sedghi M, Naeemipour Younesi H. (2025). The Effect of Adding Safflower Meal, Multi-Enzyme, and Acidifier on the Growth Performance and Intestinal Morphology of Broiler Chickens. Res Anim Prod. 16(3), 70-82. doi:10.61882/rap.2025.1473
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1473-en.html
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1473-en.html
Tahereh Ghaznavi1, Nazar Afzali1, Seyyed Javad Hosseini-Vashan *1 
, Mohammad Sedghi2, Hossein Naeemipour Younesi1
, Mohammad Sedghi2, Hossein Naeemipour Younesi1
1- Department of Animal Science, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
2- Department of Animal Science, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
2- Department of Animal Science, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract: (1068 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: In recent years, there has been an increase in cost, and sometimes the scarcity of the main components of poultry feed, including corn and soybean meal, in Iran has led to research in the field of finding suitable alternatives. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an annual herb that is abundantly found in Iran. Safflower meal, a high-quality protein supplement, can be used as a substitute for soybean meal in broiler diets. However, safflower meal contains high crude fiber and low energy, which is one of the limiting factors for the use of this edible material in poultry diets. To facilitate the use of safflower meal in poultry feed, it is suggested to include additives, such as enzymes and acidifiers. Several researchers have reported that the use of food additives, such as probiotics, enzymes, and acidifiers, may improve the digestibility of foods containing high fiber. Therefore, enzymes were used to increase the digestion of safflower meal. Endopower multi-enzyme has high enzyme activity of alpha-galactosidase, galactomanase, xylanase, and beta-glucanase. This product is produced using the Aspergillus niger fungus by the fermentation method, and side products (e.g., amylase, phytase, cellulase, and protease enzymes) are produced during the fermentation process. These enzymes improve growth performance by degrading non-starch polysaccharides and increasing the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Therefore, the present experiment aimed to investigate the effect of safflower meal, multienzyme, and acidifier on the growth performance, blood biochemical indices, and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens.
Methods: A total of 495 one-day-old male chickens were used in a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement (2*2*2), including nine treatments, five replications, and 11 chicks per replication. Experimental treatments included a control and two levels of safflower meal (0, 7.5, and 15%) and two levels of multienzyme (0 & 0.2%) and acidifier (0 & 0.1%). The growth performance traits (body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio) were recorded at the end of each rearing period, involving starter, grower, and finisher periods. To determine blood biochemical indices, the blood was gathered from two birds of each replicate and then centrifuged at 3000 rpm. Plasma samples were used to determine the concentrations of LDL, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, uric acid, albumin, and plasma enzyme activity of AST and ALT in broiler chickens. At the end of the experiment (42 days old), two birds from each replicate were slaughtered to determine the carcass weight and organ weight, and to calculate the relative weight of organs. The determined intestinal morphology involved villus height, villus width, crypt depth, and villus height to crypt depth ratio.
Results: The results of the data showed that adding 15% of safflower meal, multi-enzyme, and acidifier to the diet of broiler chickens in the starter period reduced the daily weight and feed intake and decreased the feed conversion ratio (FCR). Throughout the grower period, the highest daily weight gain was observed in the group fed with 15% safflower meal. The control treatment had the lowest feed intake and FCR. The weights of thigh, breast, spleen, abdominal fat, gizzard, heart, and different parts of the small intestine were affected by experimental treatments. The inclusion of 15% safflower meal, along with the acidifier and the multi-enzyme, increased the weights of the gizzard, heart, and different parts of the small intestine compared to the control group.
The highest activity of GOT and GPT enzymes and concentrations of total protein, uric acid, and glucose were assigned to the treatment that consumed safflower meal along with acidifier and multi-enzyme compared to the control. The concentrations of triglycerides and cholesterol decreased in the blood of birds treated with 15% safflower meal and the acidifier and 15% safflower meal with the acidifier and the multi-enzyme. However, the concentration of HDL increased in the treatment of 15% safflower meal with the acidifier and the multi-enzyme, and the level of LDL decreased in the treatments containing 15% safflower meal with the acidifier and 15% safflower meal with the acidifier and the multi-enzyme compared to the control. Villus height, crypt depth, and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth were higher in the treatment of 15% safflower meal combined with acidifier and multi-enzyme than in the other treatments.
Conclusion: In general, the results show that adding 15% safflower meal along with multienzyme and acidifier increases the growth performance and health of the digestive system, thereby increasing the digestion and absorption of nutrients, leading to an increase in daily weight and feed consumption.
Background: In recent years, there has been an increase in cost, and sometimes the scarcity of the main components of poultry feed, including corn and soybean meal, in Iran has led to research in the field of finding suitable alternatives. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an annual herb that is abundantly found in Iran. Safflower meal, a high-quality protein supplement, can be used as a substitute for soybean meal in broiler diets. However, safflower meal contains high crude fiber and low energy, which is one of the limiting factors for the use of this edible material in poultry diets. To facilitate the use of safflower meal in poultry feed, it is suggested to include additives, such as enzymes and acidifiers. Several researchers have reported that the use of food additives, such as probiotics, enzymes, and acidifiers, may improve the digestibility of foods containing high fiber. Therefore, enzymes were used to increase the digestion of safflower meal. Endopower multi-enzyme has high enzyme activity of alpha-galactosidase, galactomanase, xylanase, and beta-glucanase. This product is produced using the Aspergillus niger fungus by the fermentation method, and side products (e.g., amylase, phytase, cellulase, and protease enzymes) are produced during the fermentation process. These enzymes improve growth performance by degrading non-starch polysaccharides and increasing the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Therefore, the present experiment aimed to investigate the effect of safflower meal, multienzyme, and acidifier on the growth performance, blood biochemical indices, and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens.
Methods: A total of 495 one-day-old male chickens were used in a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement (2*2*2), including nine treatments, five replications, and 11 chicks per replication. Experimental treatments included a control and two levels of safflower meal (0, 7.5, and 15%) and two levels of multienzyme (0 & 0.2%) and acidifier (0 & 0.1%). The growth performance traits (body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio) were recorded at the end of each rearing period, involving starter, grower, and finisher periods. To determine blood biochemical indices, the blood was gathered from two birds of each replicate and then centrifuged at 3000 rpm. Plasma samples were used to determine the concentrations of LDL, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, uric acid, albumin, and plasma enzyme activity of AST and ALT in broiler chickens. At the end of the experiment (42 days old), two birds from each replicate were slaughtered to determine the carcass weight and organ weight, and to calculate the relative weight of organs. The determined intestinal morphology involved villus height, villus width, crypt depth, and villus height to crypt depth ratio.
Results: The results of the data showed that adding 15% of safflower meal, multi-enzyme, and acidifier to the diet of broiler chickens in the starter period reduced the daily weight and feed intake and decreased the feed conversion ratio (FCR). Throughout the grower period, the highest daily weight gain was observed in the group fed with 15% safflower meal. The control treatment had the lowest feed intake and FCR. The weights of thigh, breast, spleen, abdominal fat, gizzard, heart, and different parts of the small intestine were affected by experimental treatments. The inclusion of 15% safflower meal, along with the acidifier and the multi-enzyme, increased the weights of the gizzard, heart, and different parts of the small intestine compared to the control group.
The highest activity of GOT and GPT enzymes and concentrations of total protein, uric acid, and glucose were assigned to the treatment that consumed safflower meal along with acidifier and multi-enzyme compared to the control. The concentrations of triglycerides and cholesterol decreased in the blood of birds treated with 15% safflower meal and the acidifier and 15% safflower meal with the acidifier and the multi-enzyme. However, the concentration of HDL increased in the treatment of 15% safflower meal with the acidifier and the multi-enzyme, and the level of LDL decreased in the treatments containing 15% safflower meal with the acidifier and 15% safflower meal with the acidifier and the multi-enzyme compared to the control. Villus height, crypt depth, and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth were higher in the treatment of 15% safflower meal combined with acidifier and multi-enzyme than in the other treatments.
Conclusion: In general, the results show that adding 15% safflower meal along with multienzyme and acidifier increases the growth performance and health of the digestive system, thereby increasing the digestion and absorption of nutrients, leading to an increase in daily weight and feed consumption.
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