In ovo Administration of Nucleosides Improved the Performance, Apparent Metabolizable Energy and Gut Development in Broiler Chickens

摘要

An in ovo study on administration of combination of nucleosides (25, 50 and 100 mg per egg) on hatchability, growth performance, energy metabolizability, and intestinal morphology in broilers was carried out. Four hundred eighty (480) fertile eggs were divided into four groups (in four replicates each having 30 eggs). On the 18th day of incubation of the eggs, candling was carried out and the fertile eggs were selected and given one of the four in ovo administration. The group one served as control and injected with PBS. The other groups were given in ovo administration of nucleosides (25, 50 and 100 mg per egg) at 100 μL through the yolk sac route, and chicks of respective groups were hatched out. Among the experimental groups, the hatchability was comparable; however, the hatchability was affected in groups injected with higher level of nucleosides at 100 mg/egg. The hatched out chicks from higher dose of nucleosides (50 and 100 mg) had higher BW (P 0.05) than the control. Higher energy metabolizability (%) was observed in nucleosides injected groups. Plasma protein concentration was higher in groups administered with nucleosides (50 and 100 mg). Histologically, the intestinal villi length was maximum at 100 mg injected group followed by 50 and 25 mg. Relative expression of homeobox (Cdx) in the jejunum was significantly (P 0.05) upregulated in all the injected groups at 3, 7 and 14 days of age. Nucleosides administered groups had better performance, energy metabolizability and intestinal morphology. Among the experimental groups, the administration of nucleosides at 50 mg per egg resulted in higher growth performance, plasma protein, intestinal surface and villi development in broiler chickens.