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Background: Our hypothesis centred on the potential to mitigate ascites outbreaks in birds exposed to cold stress by inhibiting pulmonary artery contraction through dietary intervention. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of natural and synthetic medications on growth performance, ascites‐related parameters and the expression of ascites‐related genes in the lung tissue of broiler chickens under low ambient temperature. Methods: We randomly assigned 450 one‐day‐old male Ross 308 chicks to six dietary treatments across five replicate pens, each containing 15 chicks. The treatments included a basal diet (control), and the basal diet was supplemented with hydroalcoholic extracts of sumac (HES, 200 mg/kg), Syrian mesquite (HEM, 200 mg/kg), l‐arginine (40% above requirement), captopril (15 mg/kg) and vitamin E (100 mg/kg). Results: Diets containing HEM, l‐arginine and vitamin E resulted in increased average daily gain on days 8–14 and 0–28, whereas HES showed a similar effect only during days 8–14 compared to the control diet (p < 0.05). Additionally, feed additives decreased packed cell volume, left and right ventricle volumes and systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05). Moreover, chickens fed the control and l‐arginine diets exhibited higher levels of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) mRNA in lung tissue compared to those fed HES, HEM and captopril (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, supplementation with HEM and l‐arginine increased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA in lung tissue compared to other treatments (p < 0.05). Regarding Cu/Zn‐superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn‐SOD) expression, feed additives increased mRNA level in lung tissue, except for captopril (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the plant extracts may reduce the incidence of ascites syndrome not only through their antioxidant properties but also by modulating the expression of ACE, iNOS and Cu/Zn‐SOD genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of two plant extracts as alternatives to dietary antibiotics in broiler chickens exposed to low ambient temperature. A total of 300 one-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments (5 replicate pens; 15 broiler chickens each) which consisted of starter (d 0 to 10), and grower (d 10 to 28) diets. Dietary treatments included a basal diet (negative control, NC) and three similar diets that were either supplemented with 200 mg/kg of Prosopis farcta extract (PFE), Rhus coriaria L. extract (RCE) or an antibiotic premix containing oxytetracycline (positive control, PC). In order to simulate low ambient temperature, room temperature was maintained at 32°C during the first 3 d of the trial and afterwards, the temperature was gradually reduced by approximately 1.5°C each day to 14°C on d 21. PFE and PC treatments exerted a significant effect on body weight gain at d 28. Diet PFE was effective in reducing mortality when compared with diet NC (p < 0.05). Furthermore, diet PFE caused increases in ileal digestibility of gross energy, dry matter and organic matter when compared with diet NC (p < 0.05). Diets PFE and PC decreased coliforms, total aerobic bacteria and total anaerobic bacteria loads in the caeca when compared with diet NC (p < 0.05). Moreover, the addition of PFE to the diet improved villous height in all small intestinal segments as well as villous height:crypt depth ratio in the duodenum when compared with diet NC (p < 0.05). The results indicated that PFE is not only a valid alternative to oxytetracycline under cold stress conditions, with no antibiotic resistance, but also has the potential to increase the resistance of broiler chickens against ascites syndrome. Moreover, the addition of RCE at the concentration of 200 mg/kg to the diet was not sufficient to improve the performance of broiler chickens (similar to diet PC) but maybe more effective at higher concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study was conducted to investigate the genetic diversity of Iranian camels using mitochondrial DNA. A fragment of 1052 bp cyt-b was amplified and sequenced in 120 individuals from four camel populations. The results revealed that there are 30 mutations for Bactrian camels and 9 mutations for dromedaries that lead to nine and six mtDNA haplotypes, respectively. Nucleotide diversity was calculated as 0.0015 and 0.0121 for dromedaries and Bactrian camel populations respectively. We found high haplotype diversity in Bactrian camel populations (0.886±0.145) and low genetic differentiation among dromedary populations. Phylogeny analysis showed different cluster for camelids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]