Italian Journal of Animal Science

2024) Growth performance, serum biochemical profile and liver histopathology of broiler chickens supplemented with graded level of dried sprouted wheat grains ABSTRACT This study examined the effects of dried sprouted wheat grains (SWGs) on the growth performance , serum biochemical profile and liver histopathology of broiler chickens at starter to finisher phases of growth. A total of 320, day-old Ross-308 as hatched broiler chicks (43.23 ± 2 g) were randomly assigned to four different replicated (n ¼ 4; 20 birds/replicate) dietary treatments. All birds were reared in cages (5l � 5w � 3h feet) that served as an experimental unit and fitted with drinker, feeder, bulb and saw dust as bedding material. Dietary treatments were designated as TRT1 that served as control (CON) and birds in this group were fed a standard diet only, TRT2 (CON þ 5 g/kg SWG), TRT3 (CON þ 10 g/kg SWG) and TRT4 (CON þ 15 g/kg SWG). It was noticed that birds supplemented on higher level of SWG (15 g/kg of diet) had significantly improved body weight gain (BWG) (1806 g) and feed efficiency (1.67) compared to birds in other groups. Similarly, birds in TRT4 had significantly higher high-density lipoprotein both at starter (99.4 mg/ dL) and finisher (110 mg/dL), and lower (p < .05) total cholesterol (82 mg/dL), triglyceride (84.5 mg/dL) and alanine transaminase (ALT) (25.6 U/L). Liver histopathological investigations did not reveal any adverse impact of supplementing SWG at even at higher level (15 g/kg of diet) of supplementation. It could be deduced from present findings that supplementation of dried SWG could strategically be used in broiler feed for improved BWG, feed efficiency and without any adverse impact. Further studies are recommended to explore the implication of SWG supplemen-tation at higher level and its impact on nutrients utilisation and digestive enzymes. HIGHLIGHTS � Sprouted wheat grains (SWGs) enchanted birds growth and favourably modulated its blood lipid profile. � SWG did not alter the liver histopathology of the broiler birds. ARTICLE HISTORY

Although it has widely been applied in human applications for therapeutic purposes, the use of fermented herbal products to improve growth performance in broiler chickens is still disputable. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of fermented versus unfermented herbal products in improving the growth performance, breast meat quality, and small intestinal morphology of broiler chickens and to determine the optimal conditions according to meta-analysis and response surface methodology. The database was developed based on 23 articles comprising 123 data points collected in 2023. The metadata was analysed using OpenMEE and R, with the inclusion of fermented herbal products as fixed factors and individual studies as random factors. The optimal dosage was determined using response surface methodology (RSM). A significant difference (p < 0.05) was detected between unfermented and fermented herbal products in terms of broiler body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the starter phase. The principal notable impact is associated with the utilisation of Zingiber officinale and fermenting agents, such as Lactobacillus sp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Both treatments resulted in a substantial reduction (p < 0.01) in the FCR. According to the meta-regression, growth performance exhibited a consistent pattern with the results of the meta-analysis, including overall production parameters during the starter phase (p < 0.05), such as body weight, average daily gain, and daily feed intake. Significant differences were detected in breast meat quality, particularly in terms of polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.05), as well as in the morphology of the digestive tract, such as duodenum crypt depth, villus height, and their ratio (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that fermenting dietary herbs can enhance the growth, breast meat quality, and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens, particularly during their initial growth phase. It is envisaged that broiler producers ferment herbs before adding them to chicken feed at �26.3 g/kg. HIGHLIGHTS