Search

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is one of the best known and very often used herbs with positive effect on liver. The aim of this article was to study influence of addition of milk thistle pressed parts in feed ration on liver histology and weight increase of laboratory rats. The experiment was tested by 15 pieces of laboratory rats divided into 3 groups (A, B, C). The rats in first group (A) hade feed ration with addition of 10% milk thistle pressed parts, second group (B) hade feed ration with 20% and control group (C) hade feed ration without addition of milk thistle pressed parts. The silymarin content of pressed milk thistle seed was 26.2 mg/g. The aim of this article is to study influence of addition of milk thistle pressed parts in feed ration on liver histology and weight increase of laboratory rats. The hypothesis is that the feeding addition - milk thistle seed pressed parts has positive effect on weight performance and liver histology. Does the feeding addition have any effect on these health indicators? Does feeding of milk thistle seed pressed parts have any sense? In results, the groups with addition of milk thistle had significant bigger average gain increases than the control group. Histological results vary considerably among groups of rats. All rats in the control group had dystrophic liver with sinusoidal congestion. In most rats of the group A, the dystrophy was minimal without congestion. On the other hand, most of rats of the group B had liver dystrophy caused by large droplets steatosis with congestion. All rats in control group C were found to have significant dystrophy caused by steatosis. The results indicate rats receiving the addition of milk thistle pressed parts in their feed had a lower incidence of liver steatosis due to the hepatoprotective effects of silymarin.

Aim of the experiment was evaluation of the effect of reduced calcium and magnesium content in the broiler chickens diet on its parameters of fattening, bone strength and calcium and magnesium content in liver. The trial was performed with cockerels of Ross 308 hybrid (n = 160) which were fattened in cage batteries from day 11th to 36th day of age. Cockerels were divided into 4 groups (differ in various intake levels of calcium and magnesium) in four replications. The maize-wheat-soybean basal diet contained 2.33 g Ca and 1.58 g Mg per kilogram. Calcium was added by CaCO3 and magnesium by MgSO4. Control group (C) received feed mixture with added CaCO3 in dose of 19.49 g.kg-1 and 0.41 g.kg-1 of MgSO4. Three experimental groups contain added CaCO3 in dose of 11.83 g.kg-1 and 0 g.kg-1 MgSO4 (group Exp1); CaCO3 11.83 g.kg-1 and 0.41 g.kg-1 MgSO4 (group Exp2); CaCO3 19.49 g.kg-1 and 0 g.kg-1 MgSO4 (group Exp3), respectively. The feed consumption was daily monitored and the cockerels were weighed twice a week. At the end of the study the experimental animals were weighted and slaughtered by decapitation. The weight of carcasses, liver and proportion of breast and thigh muscle was determined in the selected chickens (n = 24). The atomic absorption spectrometry was used for Ca and Mg evaluation in liver tissues. Bone strength parameter was measured at the femur bone. The statistically significant differences (p >0.05) were not detected between control and experimental groups in the case of studied parameters of fattening, bone strength and calcium and magnesium content in the chicken´s liver. Based on the obtained results it could be concluded the reduction of determined elements in the chicken diet did not deteriorate parameters of yield, elements content in liver tissue as well as the bone strength of broiler chickens.

The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of reduced supplemental zinc levels on broiler growth and carcass yield. A total of 160 male broiler chicks (Ross 308) divided into four groups were allotted to 16 cages with 10 birds per cage in each of group and kept in a temperature-controlled room. During the trial, chicks were ad libitum access to feed and water. The experiment started at 11 days of broiler age and chicks were fattened up to 35 days of age. It consisted of 4 dietary treatments with 4 replications per treatment. A corn-wheat-soybean meal basal diet containing 25.84 mg Zn.kg-1 was formulated and zinc levels of 120, 40 or 20 mg.kg-1 was supplied as zinc oxide to give four dietary treatments. At the end of the feeding trial, 24 birds from each group were randomly selected, slaughtered and carcass evaluation was performed. The results show that different levels of zinc had no significant effect on body weight of broilers or feed consumption ratio. These parameters increased by decreasing zinc levels from 120 to 20 mg Zn.kg-1 similarly as the carcass yield, percentages of breast meat and leg meat, but differences between these groups were not significant. In case of relative liver weight and zinc concentration in liver there were significant difference (p -1 and group without zinc supplementation and 120 mg.kg-1 and 40 mg.kg-1, respectively. No signs of disorders such as loss of appetite, growth depression or abnormalities of the skin was appeared in chicks. It seems that reduced supplemented zinc levels from 120 to 20 mg.kg-1 (total Zn 153.13 mg.kg-1 to 45.28 mg.kg-1 respectively) not influenced growth performance parameters of broilers fed corn-wheat-soybean meal diet.

In our experiment, we studied the antimicrobial and antioxidative effect of phytogenic additives. Three additives (grapevine seeds, grape and rosehip pressings) were selected to be monitored. The extracts about concentrations of 1:3 and 1:5 were prepared from them. The monitoring of antimicrobial properties was focused on the pathogenic bacteria Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli causing a serious disease in avian species. The bacteria were prepared in the dilutions of 102, 104 and 106. The antimicrobial effect was observed in the inhibition zones. The antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH method within the antioxidant analysis. Furthermore, the content of flavanols, hydroxycinnamic acids and the total content of polyphenolic compounds was also determined. In the monitoring of the antimicrobial effect of grapevine seeds, grape and rosehip pressings at E. coli, a reduced growth of KTJ (colony forming units) was observed in the disk area during the dilution of 106 and 104. Reduced growth of C. perfringens at a dilution of 106 was noticed using the extracts of grapevine seeds and grape pressings. Low reduced growth of C. perfringens at a dilution of 106 was found out using rosehip pressings. In a dilution of 102 and 104 in C. perfringens and 102 in E. Coli, a very low increase of KTJ was observed therefore the zones of inhibition were not possible to measure. In all monitored additives, the antimicrobial effect was proved. The additives reduced the growth of pathogenic E. coli and C. perfringens. Within the antioxidant analysis, the highest antioxidant activity was found out in grapevine seeds (7.021 g.L-1 GAE), which also contained the highest content of flavanols (3000 times higher than the rosehip pressings and 300 times higher than grapevine seeds pressings), hydroxycinnamic acids (1000 times higher than in grape pressings and 7600 times higher than in rosehip pressings) and the total content of polyphenolic compounds (580 times higher than grape pressings and 2000 times higher than the rosehip pressings) of the monitored additives.

Due to a ban of use of antibiotic growth promoters in the poultry industry it is necessary to look for alternative solutions. The use of some herbs showing antimicrobial effects can be one of such alternatives. In this experiment, effects of three different concentrations of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) extract, (0.3%; 0.6% and 1.2%) in feeding doses on the microbial population in the gastrointestinal tract of growing broiler chickens were studied. The main attention was paid to the population of Clostridium perfringens and to numbers of coliform microbes. Clostridia were cultivated under anaerobic conditions at 46 °C on the Tryptone Sulfite Neomycin (TSN) agar for a period of 24 hours. Coliform microbes were grown on the violet red bile lactose (VRBL) agar at 37 °C for a period of 24 hours. The experiment lasted 39 days and involved 80 chicks that were slaughtered in the course of their growth period at the age of 18, 25, 32 and 39 days; there were 5 chicks in each group. The obtained results indicated that increasing doses of chamomile in the feeding ration decreased numbers of coliform microbes in the digestive tract of chicks and also reduced the population of C. perfingens.

In 2006 the European Union banned the feeding of antibiotic growth promoters because of possible risk of drug resistance in human pathogens bacteria. This is the reason for the study of various phytogenic additives and their extracts as a natural source of biologically important compounds. Antimicrobial substances are a commonly included in chicken feed rations. They are used mainly as prevention against various diseases, and also to stimulate growth. The beneficial effects of garlic on animal organism resulting from their antimicrobial, antioxidative and antihypertensive properities. Studies focused on growth, conversion and meat quality of different types of animals indicate its positive effects. In our experiment we studied the influence of garlic extract in a dose of 0, 10 g and 15 g per 1 kg of chicken feed mixture. We focused on weight gains and antioxidant status of an organism. The experiment took 39 days. 54 seven-day-old chickens were included in the experiment. The chickens were weighed once a week, when aged 11, 17, 24, 31 and 38 days, at the same time of the day. The chickens had ad libitum access to feed ration and water. The chickens were taken blood sample at the end of the experiment when 39 days old. Their antioxidant status were measured using ABTS, FRAP and DPPH methods. Our results show that owing to higher concentration of garlic extract in feed ration the antioxidant status of observed chickens was increased. DPPH method showed an increase in antioxidant status of both experimental groups by 38% (a group with a dose of 10 g/kg of mixture) and by 46% (a group with a dose of 15 g/kg of mixture) compared to the control group. When using FRAP method, antioxidant status of both G10 and G15 groups increased by 24%, resp. 16%. No evidential differences in antioxidant activity between the experimental groups and control group were found using ABTS method. The supplement of garlic extract into a feed ration did not have any influence on weight gains of chickens.

Introduction of genetically modified (GM) food or feed into the commercial sale represents a very complicated process. One of the most important steps in approval process is the evaluation of all risks on the health status of people and animal models. Within our project the genetically modified peas was breeded that showed significant resistance against Pea seed-borne mosaic virus and Pea enation mosaic virus. Preclinical studies have been conducted to found out the effect of GMO peas on animals - rats of outbreeding line Wistar. In a total, 24 male, specific pathogen free Wistar rats were used in the experiment. At the beginning of the experiment, the animals were 28 days old. The three experimental groups with 8 individuals were created. The first group of rats was fed with GMO peas, the second group of rats consumed mix of pea cultivar Raman and the third group was control without pea addition (wheat and soya were used instead of pea). In the present study we focused our attention on health, growth and utility features of rats fed with GM pea. All characteristic were observed during the experiment lasting 35 days. Consumed feed was weighted daily and the weight of the animals was measured every seven days. The average values were compared within the groups. The aim of the experiment was to verify if resistant lines of pea influence the weight growth of animal models. The results of our experiment showed that even a high concentration (30% of GM pea) did not influence growth rate of rats to compare with both rats fed with pea of Raman cultivar and control group. We did not observe any health problems of animal models during the experiment.