Use of Corn Silk Meal in Broiler Diet: Effect on Growth Performance, Blood Biochemistry, Immunological Responses, and Growth-Related Gene Expression

Abeer A Kirrella; Safaa E Abdo; Karima El-Naggar; Mohamed Mohamed Soliman; Salama Mostafa Aboelenin; Mahmoud A O Dawood; Ahmed A Saleh

doi:10.3390/ani11041170

Use of Corn Silk Meal in Broiler Diet: Effect on Growth Performance, Blood Biochemistry, Immunological Responses, and Growth-Related Gene Expression

Animals (Basel). 2021 Apr 19;11(4):1170. doi: 10.3390/ani11041170.

Authors

Abeer A Kirrella¹, Safaa E Abdo², Karima El-Naggar³, Mohamed Mohamed Soliman⁴, Salama Mostafa Aboelenin⁵, Mahmoud A O Dawood⁶, Ahmed A Saleh¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Poultry Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh City 33516, Egypt.
² Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh City 33516, Egypt.
³ Department of Nutrition and Veterinary Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandrina City 21500, Egypt.
⁴ Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, Turabah University College, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Biology Department, Turabah University College, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh City 33516, Egypt.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of diets supplemented with corn silk meal (CSM) and non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) enzyme on growth performance, blood biochemistry, immunological response, and growth-related gene expression in broiler chickens. A total of 270 broiler chickens were divided into six experimental groups: (1) basal diets (BD) as control; (2) BD supplemented with 0.5 g/kg feed NSP enzyme; the other four groups are CSM diets as following; (3) and (4) fed diet contain 40 and 80 kg/ton of CSM; (5) and (6) fed diet contain 40 and 80 kg/ton CSM and supplemented with 0.5 g/kg NSP enzyme. Body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein retention and fiber digestibility were synergistically improved (p < 0.05) when fed CSM supplemented with NSP enzyme. Moreover, a synergistic decrease (p < 0.05) in the serum glucose and total cholesterol were found. Immune organ weights and Newcastle disease virus titers were increased with CSM diets. Interestingly, the relative mRNAs of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) and insulin growth factor (IGF) were increased (p < 0.05) with the CSM and NSP enzyme: the relative mRNA expressions of cholecystokinin (CCK) and leptin were decreased by feeding CSM diets with the NSP enzyme. It could be concluded that the dietary inclusion of CSM with the NSP enzyme might improve growth performance, modify plasma lipids, and enhance immune response in broilers.

Keywords: broiler; corn silk; enzyme; growth performance; immune status.

Grants and funding

TURSP-2020-105/This study was supported by Taif University, Saudi Arabia, for financial support through its Researchers Supporting Project (TURSP-2020-105).