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Background: The increase in the intensity of agricultural production is associated with the action of various stress factors on the organism of birds, which can lead to negative consequences. Prevention of the development of stress conditions in farm birds, particularly broiler chickens, in industrial production, is the most important task facing scientists and practitioners. Aim: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a combined probiotic preparation and zinc glycinate on the indicators of immunity, biochemical parameters, and antioxidant status. Methods: The study was conducted on broilers of Arbor Acres cross: the birds in the negative control group received a balanced feed mixture, a mineral and vitamin premix without zinc; the positive control group treated with an injection of cyclophosphamide and received the balanced feed with the mineral and vitamin premix without zinc; in experimental group I, broilers was treated with the injection of cyclophosphamide and received balanced feed, probiotic and zinc glycinate; in experimental group II, broilers received balanced feed, probiotic and zinc glycinate. At the end of the experiment, some blood from the wing vein was collected for evaluation of hematological and biochemical blood parameters using automatic morphological and biochemical analyzers, evaluation of immune status by enzyme immunoassay, and antioxidant status by colorimetric method. Results: It was found that the developed strategy nutrition leveled the effects of immunosuppression - there was an increase in the level of lymphocytes, interleukin-4, and interleukin-10; the level of cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and total protein (TP) tended to the control values; there was a significant increase in serum interleukin-2 and interferon gamma; increase in TP on the background of triglycerides decreased in broilers of experimental group II. An increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase against the background of a decrease in the level of malonic dialdehyde was revealed in the experimental groups. Conclusion: The developed strategy of broiler chicken nutrition can be used for the successful protection of birds from immunodeficiency states, improvement of antioxidant status, and maintenance of complete protein and lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Modern scientific research focuses on a detailed study of the immune system, the mechanisms of immunosuppression, and the search for an effective means to restore disturbed immune homeostasis in farm animals. The present study examined the cytokine and immunoglobulin (Ig) profiles of healthy broiler chickens during physiological development. Materials and Methods: Arbor Acres broilers (n = 28) were used in the study to achieve this objective. The immune status of broiler chickens was assessed on 7, 14, 28, and 42 days of age, including serum levels of cytokines, Igs, and lysozyme by enzyme immunoassay. Results: We observed a decrease in the efficiency of immune system functioning of birds with increasing age. The most pronounced immunological deficiency in the body of broiler chickens is noted at the age of 7-14 days, which is associated with immaturity of the immune system and is characterized by the fact that non-specific humoral and specific cellular defense factors are at a rather low level. The levels of lysozyme, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-10, and IgA in blood serum at this age were minimal; starting from 28 days of age, there is a specific humoral immune deficiency, which is compensated by strengthening of cellular defense factors. The serum level of IgY intensively decreases against the background of an increase of lysozyme, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10. Conclusion: During postnatal ontogenesis, the immune system of broiler chickens undergoes dynamic changes that have an age direction and phase character. Changes in the immune system may affect immunocompetence, disease susceptibility, and, consequently, productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to study the milk productivity and zinc species in dairy Holstein cow blood serum depending on the level of lead accumulation. Fat and protein content in milk was assessed by the FIL-IDF procedure. The major zinc species in dairy cow blood serum were tested using a hybrid high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry technique. The lead content in the blood serum of all animals was in the intervals of the physiological standard. Animals with low-normal values (Pb concentration up to the 25th percentile) and high-normal values (Pb concentration above the 75th percentile) were taken to form comparison groups. Animals with high-normal values of lead had a statistically significant decrease of milk yield by 21.8% and daily production of fat by 16.4%. There was a tendency towards a decrease in the yield of protein and its percentage. It was found that the zinc content in all studied fractions (a 2-macro-globulin tetramer, a 2-macroglobulin dimer, albumin, citrates, total content) was statistically significantly lower (more than 4.8 times) in the group with high-normal values of lead. The change in the redistribution of zinc-binding ligands was found depending on the level of lead in the blood. The relative content of the a2-macro-globulin tetramer and a2-macro-globulin dimer was significantly higher by 7% and by 13% in the group with high-normal values of lead. There was the decrease in the level of animal productivity, the metal-ligand forms of zinc underwent changes despite the absence of a significant difference in the total level of lead in the blood serum. This indicates a high potential for the use of speciation analysis in the laboratory diagnosis and allows predicting and correcting zinc metabolism. The studies were performed in accordance with the research plan for 2019-2021 of the Federal Research Center of Biological Systems and Agrotechnologies RAS No. 0526-2019-0001. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]