Effects of Feeding Nivalenol-Contaminated Diets to Male Broiler Chickens

The feeding dynamics of broiler chickens.

Contrary to a commonly held belief that broiler chickens need more space, there is increasing evidence that these birds are attracted to other birds. Indeed, commercially farmed birds exhibit a range of socially facilitated behaviours, such as increased feeding and preening in response to the presence of other birds. Social facilitation can generate feedback loops, whereby the adoption of a par...

Feeding value of dried lime pulp in broiler diets

Energy Type and Amount in the Diets of Broiler Chickens: Effects on Performance and Duodenal Morphology

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary energy sourcesandlevels on performance and small intestinal morphology in broiler chickens. A total of 600 one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into five treatments with four replicates each. Chicks were fed diet based on corn as main energy source and energy level based on Cobb 500 manual instruction considered c...

Electrolyte diets, stress, and acid-base balance in broiler chickens.

We compared the acid-base balance in broiler chickens provided diets containing 2 dietary electrolyte balances (DEB), and administered with either adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or saline solution. Diets were moderate (174 mEq/kg) or high (241 mEq/kg) DEB formulated by altering Na-K-Cl based on actual analysis. The experiment was designed as a split plot, with the main unit consisting of 4 ...

Proventriculitis in broiler chickens: effects of immunosuppression.

Proventriculitis in broilers causes carcass condemnation when swollen proventriculi tear during evisceration. The cause of this proventriculitis is unknown, but several infectious agents have been associated with it. One such agent, infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), has been implicated as a cause of proventriculitis, but a direct effect of this virus on the proventriculus has not been pro...