Effect of arginine and threonine in ovo supplementation on immune responses and some serum biochemical attributes in broiler chickens

Figures & data

Table 1. Ingredients and composition of the diets.‎

Diet ingredients, %	Starter (1–11 d)	Grower (12–24 d)	Finisher (25–42 d)
Corn	47.90	41.18	41.79
Soybean meal (42% CP)	41.22	37.35	31.22
Wheat	5.00	15	20
Soybean oil	1.67	2.90	3.62
Calcium carbonate	1.14	0.99	0.96
Dicalcium phosphate	1.84	1.47	1.45
dl-Methionine	0.29	0.21	0.16
l-Lysine	0.12	0.01	0.00
Sodium chloride	0.27	0.34	0.25
Vitamin premixa	0.25	0.25	0.25
Mineral premix^b	0.25	0.25	0.25
Multi enzyme^c	0.05	0.05	0.05
Calculated composition
ME, Kcal/Kg	2850	2950	3050
Crude protein, %	21.92	20.62	18.56
Lysine , %	1.34	1.16	1.01
Methionine + Cystine, %	1.00	0.89	0.79
Threonine, %	0.85	0.80	0.71
Arginine, %	1.62	1.51	1.34
Calcium, %	0.98	0.84	0.81
Available phosphorous, %	0.49	0.42	0.40

^aVitamin premix provided per kg of diet: vitamin A (retinol), 2.7 mg; vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol), 0.05 mg; vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate), 18 mg; vitamin k3, 2 mg; thiamine 1.8 mg; riboflavin, 6.6 mg; panthothenic acid, 10 mg; pyridoxine, 3 mg; cyanocobalamin, 0.015 mg; niacin, 30 mg; biotin, 0.1 mg; folic acid, 1 mg; choline chloride, 250 mg; antioxidant 100 mg; ^bMineral premix provided per kg of diet: Fe (FeSO4.7H2O, 20.09% Fe), 50 mg; Mn (MnSO4.H2O,32.49% Mn), 100 mg; Zn (ZnO, 80.35% Zn), 100 mg; Cu (CuSO4.5H2O), 10 mg; I (KI, 58% I), 1 mg; Se (NaSeO3, 45.56% Se), 0.2 mg; ^cThe multienzyme constitutions were composed of xylanase, b-glucanase, cellulase, pectinase, phytase, protease, lipase, and α-amylase.

Table 2. Effects of in ovo feeding arginine (Arg) and threonine (Thr) on hatchability of broiler chicks.

	Treatments
Parameters	Control	Sham	Arg	Thr	Arg + Thr	SEM	p-value
Hatchability, %	89.10^a	86.20^ab	77.40^b	89.90^a	74.70^b	6.31	.009

^a,b,cValues in the same row not sharing a common superscript differ significantly (p < .05); Arg: arginine; Thr: threonine; BWG: body weight gain; FI: daily feed intake; FCR: feed conversion ratio.

Table 3. Effects of in ovo feeding arginine (Arg) and threonine (Thr) on performance of broilers during the entire rearing period.

	Treatments
Parameters	Control	Sham	Arg	Thr	Arg + Thr	SEM	p-value
BWG, g/bird
1–42	2155.60^cd	2073.80^d	2322^b	2569.40^a	2279.40^bc	143.05	<.001
FI, g/bird
1–42	3700.40^c	3750.60^c	4061.40^b	4414.20^a	4170.60^ab	176.25	.006
FCR
1–42	1.71	1.80	1.74	1.71	1.82	0.07	.055

^a,b,cValues in the same row not sharing a common superscript differ significantly (p < .05); Arg: arginine; Thr: threonine; BWG: body weight gain; FI: daily feed intake; FCR: feed conversion ratio.

Table 4. Effects of in ovo feeding arginine and threonine on the antibody titre (day 30), lymphoid organs (days 11 and 42) and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (day 31).

	Treatments
Humoral immunity	Control	Sham	Arg	Thr	Arg + Thr	SEM	p-value
IDV, log2	6.13	6.63	6.26	5.88	6.51	0.11	.337
NDV, log2	7.51	7.88	7.51	7.76	8	0.18	.468
SRBC, log2	7.01^b	7.21^ab	8^a	7.86^a	7.63^a	0.45	.026
Bursa of Fabricius d 11, % BW	0.15^ab	0.14^b	0.180^a	0.17^ab	0.17^ab	0.01	.048
Spleen d 11, % BW	0.07^ab	0.06^b	0.090^a	0.07^ab	0.08^ab	0.05	.036
Bursa of Fabricius d 42, % BW	0.20	0.18	0.270	0.20	0.19	0.02	.690
Spleen d 42, % BW	0.11	0.10	0.100	0.13	0.10	0.01	.455
H/L^c	0.36	0.34	0.350	0.34	0.35	0.01	.067

^a,bValues in the same row not sharing a common superscript differ significantly (p < .05); Arg: Arginine, Thr: Threonine; IDV: Influenza disease virus; NDV: Newcastle disease virus; SRBC: Sheep red blood cells; BW: body weight; ^cHeterophil to lymphocyte ratio.

Table 5. Effects of in ovo feeding arginine and threonine on differential leukocyte counts on day 31 of age.

	Treatments
Parameters	Control	Sham	Arg	Thr	Arg + Thr	SEM	p-value
Lymphocytes, %	72.76	72.88	72.40	72.60	72.80	0.54	.396
Monocytes, % BW	2.13	2.26	2.13	1.13	1.88	0.07	.528
Eosinophils, % BW	1.17	1.21	1.00	1.00	1.00	0.07	.314
Heterophils, % BW	25.51	24.13	24.88	24.88	25.01	0.49	.112

Arg: Arginine; Thr: Threonine; BW: body weight.

Table 6. Effects of in ovo feeding arginine and threonine on serum biochemical parameters on day 14 of age in broiler chickens.

	Treatments
Serum biochemical parameters	Control	Sham	Arg	Thr	Arg + Thr	SEM	p-value
Total protein, g/dL	4.24	4.27	4.04	4.38	4.02	0.06	.091
Total cholesterol, g/dL	109	111	113	113	115	1.41	.112
Triacylglycerol, g/dL	100^ab	104^a	88^ab	99^ab	87^b	2.37	.043
Glucose, g/dL	189^b	201^b	200^b	216^a	195^b	1.99	.002
Albumin, g/dL	1.71^b	1.77^ab	1.74^ab	1.92^a	1.78^ab	0.03	.042
Globulin, g/dL	2.54	2.50	2.31	2.46	2.24	0.55	.921
Albumin/globulin	0.67	0.70	0.75	0.79	0.80	0.55	.930
AST, IU/L	312^a	300^a	212^b	254^ab	210^b	10.52	.031

^a,bValues in the same row not sharing a common superscript differ significantly (p < .05); Arg: Arginine; Thr: Threonine; AST: aspartate aminotransferase.