| Abstract: |
This work was designed to assess the
impact of varying zeolite concentrations in diet and litter
to enhance broiler’s growth performance, immunity, and
litter quality. A complete random arrangement was used
for distributing 525 unsexed “Cobb 500” broiler chicks
into seven treatments (75 chick / treatment), each treat
ment divided into 3 replicates (25 chicks / replicate). The
1st group (control one) received the recommended basal
diet. Zeolite has been introduced to the basal diet (ZD)
of the second, third, and fourth groups at concentrations
of 5, 10, and 15 g/kg, respectively. The 5th, 6th and 7th
groups used zeolite mixed with litter (ZL) at 0.5, 1, and
1.5 kg/m2 of litter, respectively. Due to the obtained
results, adding zeolite with levels 15 g/kg of diet and
1.5kg/1m2 of litter, a significant improvement occurred
in live body weight (LBW), body weight gain (BWG),
feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and
European production efficiency factor (EPEF). Also,
transaminase enzymes (ALT and AST), creatinine,
white blood cells (WBCs) and different Immunoglobu
lins were significantly increased with different zeolite
levels, except urea concentrations which showed reduced
due to different zeolite treatments. In addition, spleen rel
ative weight hasn’t been affected by zeolite treatments,
even though thymus and bursa relative weights had been
affected significantly. Moreover, the antibodies’ produc
tion to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and Avian influ
enza virus (AIV) had increased significantly with adding
zeolite with levels 10 g/kg of diet and 1.5 kg/1m2 of litter.
Litter quality traits (NH3 concentration, pH values, and
Moisture content) were improved with zeolite addition.
So, zeolite could be employed in both feed and litter of
broilers to maximize their production, immunity and
improve farm’s climate.
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