This 42-d study evaluated the effects of phytase, calcium butyrate (CB), and bacitracin methylene disalicylate 50 (BMD) on broiler performance, processing yields, and nutrient digestibility. Ross YPM x 708 male broilers (2,880 total) were distributed in 72 floor pens and assigned to 1 of 9 treatments (8 replicates/treatment) on d of hatch. This experiment was a 2 × 4 + 1 factorial arrangement, including 2 phytase concentrations (500 or 1,500 FTU/kg), 4 microbiota modulating feed additive groups (MMFA; none, CB (0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFControlling during broiler production is a topic of interest from a public health standpoint, as colonized birds can contaminate poultry products during processing and sicken humans if not properly cooked or handled before consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate dietary yeast cell wall (YCW) as a potential alternative to antibiotic growth promoters with or without a challenge. A total of 2240 day-old Ross 708 males were randomly assigned within 8 experimental groups with a 4 × 2 factorial design, with 4 diets (negative control [CTL-], positive control [CTL+, bacitracin, 50 g/ ton], YCW constant dose [400 g/ton], and YCW step-down dose [SD, 800, 400, and 200 g/ton in the starter, grower, and finisher periods, respectively]) and with or without a Day-16 oral gavage challenge at a 10-colony-forming-units (CFU)/ml dose.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of our study was to evaluate the effect of endophyte-infected tall fescue (E+) seeds intake on liver tissue transcriptome in growing Angus × Simmental steers and heifers through RNA-seq analysis. Normal weaned calves (~8 months old) received either endophyte-free tall fescue (E-; n = 3) or infected tall fescue (E+; n = 6) seeds for a 30-d period. The diet offered was ad libitum bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) hay combined with a nutritional supplement of 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this study was to evaluate combined effects of corn particle size and feed form on performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, and gastrointestinal tract development of broilers from 1 to 39 d of age. A total of 1,800 days old, male Cobb 500 broilers were randomly assigned to 9 dietary treatments with 8 replicate pens (25 birds/pen). The experiment consisted of a factorial arrangement of 3 corn particle sizes (750, 1,150, and 1,550 μm) and 3 feed forms (mash, 3- and 4-mm pellets) provided from 1 to 39 d.
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