Animals (Dec 2023)

Effects of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Supplementation on the Growth Performance, Serum Metabolites, Meat Quality, and Jejunal Basal Morphology in Broilers

  • Sara Basharat,
  • Sajid Khan Tahir,
  • Khalid Abdul Majeed,
  • Muhammad Shahbaz Yousaf,
  • Khalil Khadim Hussain,
  • Muhammad A. Rashid,
  • Hafsa Zaneb,
  • Habib Rehman

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010099
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
p. 99

Abstract

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The current research aimed to evaluate the supplemental effects of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) on production performance, viscera development, blood metabolites, redox status, meat quality, and jejunal histology in broilers. A total of 300 day-old broilers were randomly divided into six groups with five replicates per group. Birds were fed on a corn soybean-based diet supplemented with 0, 20, 40, 60, or 80 mg/kg IONPs or 80 mg/kg of FeSO4 for 35 days. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was improved in birds supplemented with 60 mg/kg IONPs. The pH24h was lower in birds supplemented with 40 mg/kg IONPs compared to that of the bulk group. Pectoral muscle fascicle diameter and fiber density were significantly increased in 20 mg/kg IONP-supplemented birds compared to those of the bulk group, respectively. The muscle fiber diameter was higher in 40 mg/kg IONP-supplemented birds compared with the bulk group. The jejunal villus height, crypt depth, and villus surface area were significantly increased with 60 mg/kg IONP supplementation, whereas villus width was decreased in birds supplemented with 40 mg/kg IONPs. The villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio was lower in IONP-supplemented birds compared to the bulk group. IONP supplementation improved the FCR, jejunal, and pectoral muscle morphology without affecting the carcass characteristics and redox status of broilers.

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