| Abstrakt: |
This study investigated the effects of in ovo administration of arginine on duodenal villi development, weight gain and haemato-biochemical indices of FUNAAB-Alpha chickens. A total of 528 hatching eggs of FUNAAB-Alpha chickens were used in the experiment. The hatching eggs were balanced for weight, fumigated and, thereafter, set in the incubator. On 14th day of incubation, 378 eggs were confirmed fertile and assigned into 3 treatments (0, 11 and 22 mg of arginine/ egg) each consisting of 126 eggs, replicated 14 times (9 eggs per replicate). At 18th day of embryonic age, in ovo administration of arginine was carried out and at 21st day of incubation, resulting chicks were balanced for weight on treatments basis, assigned to replicates and they were assessed for post-hatch performance. Data on gastro-intestinal development and haemato-biochemical indices were subjected to Completely Randomized Design. In the results, influence of in ovo injection of arginine (11 and 22 mg per egg) on duodenal histology of FUNAAB-Alpha chickens (at 14 days of age) resulted in marked improvement in the duodenal villi, as against that observed in birds under the control (without in ovo injection of arginine). Also, in ovo administration of arginine did not pose any deleterious effects on the haemato-biochemical indices of FUNAAB-Alpha chickens (at 4 weeks of age), as the values recorded were within normal ranges for healthy chickens. In conclusion, for enhanced performance in terms of duodenal villi, gastrointestinal development and haemato-biochemical indices of FUNAAB-Alpha chickens the in ovo injection of arginine (up to 22 mg/egg) is suitable without negative implications on the health status of the birds at 4 weeks of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
