Journal: |
Journal of Thermal Biology
Elsevier
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Volume: |
99
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Abstract: |
By reducing feed consumption, animals suffering from heat stress prefer to reduce their heat output. Heat
exposure has also contributed to major adverse effects on the productive and reproductive performance of quails.
Therefore, this research was intended to estimate the preventive function of licorice as a safe feed additive
against the negative effects caused by heat stress conditions on laying quail productivity. A total number of 180
Japanese quail birds (120 females and 60 males), nine-weeks old were divided into five groups. Each group
contained 36 birds in four replicates (nine birds) with completely randomized design. The dietary treatments
were a basal diet without supplementation as control (T1), basal diet + 100 mg Tylosine kg 1 diet (T2), (T3), (T4)
and (T5) fed basal diet + 250, 500 and 1000 mg licorice kg 1 diet, in respect. The results indicated that dietary
supplementation with different feed additives had no significant effects on egg-laying rate, egg number, average
egg weight, egg mass and feed conversion ratio compared with control. Also, different treatments showed no
significant variations on serum IgG, total protein, globulin, albumin, creatinine, ALT and TAC and caused significant
(P ≤ 0.05) improvement in IgM, AST, ALP, uric acid and MDA concentrations as compared to the control.
Results indicated that total serum lipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL concentrations were significantly
decreased due to different feed additives. However, HDL concentrations and HDL/LDL ratios were markedly
increased by the other treatments than the control group. In addition, yolk total lipids were significantly (P ≤
0.001) decreased with increasing licorice root powder’s dietary levels compared with the control group. Also, a
significant (P ≤ 0.01) reduction in egg yolk cholesterol level was observed in the group fed with 500 mg licorice
compared to other treatments. In conclusion, fortified laying quail diets with licorice powder could be a useful
strategy to alleviate adverse effects induced by heat stress as alternative to antibiotics on laying Japanese quail
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