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A feeding experiment was carried out to examine the effect of dietary sodium selenite (SS) supplementation on pigeon squabs. A total of 864 paired pigeons were randomly and equally distributed into four groups with three replicates. Each group was given a basal diet either unsupplemented (T1) or supplemented with 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mg/kg of SS in feed (T2–T4). Diet had no significant effect on the final body weight of squabs (P > 0.05). However, during days 8–14, body weight gain (BWG) in SS supplemented groups was lower than the control group (P

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of starter feeding time on body growth and viscera development of newly hatched chicks. A total of 1080 Yangzhou chicks with similar weight derived from 1800 eggs were selected in this experiment. These chicks were randomly assigned to six groups (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) according to six feeding schedules (fasting for 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 hours posthatch), with 3 replicates per group and 60 chicks (30 males and 30 females) per replicate. After fasting, all birds were fed a crumbled starter feedstuff ad libitum until 6 days of age. At 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6d posthatch, eight chicks (4 males and 4 females) per replicate of each experimental group were randomly selected and individually weighed. Yolk sac, liver, heart, pancreas, bursal and small intestine of each chick were taken out and weighed; the length of small intestine, moreover, was measured. Results showed that food deprivation reduced body weight (BW) of experimental chicks; furthermore BW decreased more and more with a prolonged fasting time. At 6 d of age, the BW of the former five groups was higher than that of the Group 6 (P

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of intermittent lighting (IL) on broiler growth and slaughter performance as well as serum biochemical and tibia parameters. Two hundred and eighty 7-d-old Ross 308 broilers were selected and reared from 8 to 42 d under IL photoperiods of either 2 hours of light:2 hours of dark (2L:2D) or 4 hours of light:4 hours of dark (4L:4D), or under continuous lighting (CL). On day 42, body weight of broilers raised in the 4L:4D photoperiod was significantly increased compared to those reared in the 2L:2D photoperiod. The average daily feed intake (ADFI) of broilers in IL was significantly less than broilers in CL. The feed conversion of broilers raised in the 4L:4D photoperiod was significantly more efficient than broilers in CL. The intestinal tract weight was greater in birds raised in the 4L:4D photoperiod compared to birds in CL. Similarly, the eviscerated yield with giblet and eviscerated carcass weights in birds reared in the 4L:4D photoperiod were significantly higher than corresponding weights observed in broilers raised in CL. Serum total protein concentration was distinctly higher in birds raised in the 4L:4D photoperiod than that in the 2L:2D photoperiod. In addition, the bone elastic modulus of birds reared in the 4L:4D photoperiod was greater than measurements observed in the 2L:2D photoperiod. Accordingly, we concluded that the 4L:4D photoperiodic lighting schedule was superior to both the 2L:2D photoperiod and CL in broiler production.

This experiment aimed to investigate the effects of early dietary energy and protein dilution on growth performance, nutrient utilization and internal organs of broilers. Of Arbor Acres, 1200 day-old male chicks were selected and randomly distributed to 16 experimental groups with factorial arrangement (4×4) including 4 levels of energy dilution and 4 of protein dilution (8 to 14 d of age). Birds were fed the same diets during the other period. Experiment of nutrient utilization was carried out 11 to 14 d of age. At 14 d, 1 bird/pen was slaughtered to determine internal organs. From 8 to 14 d, average daily feed intake (ADFI) of treatments protein diluted 10% was significantly less than of treatments protein diluted 20% (P