Table 2.
Effect of different levels of (SiO2@AgNPs) on productive performance, hematological and immunological parameters of boiler chickens from 1 to 5 weeks of age (n/group = 24).
| Traits | (SiO2@AgNPs) levels (mg/kg diet) (means ± SD) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | ||
| Body weight (g) | |||||
| 1 day | 42.73 ± 3.39 | 42.67 ± 2.92 | 42.54 ± 2.81 | 42.50 ± 3.21 | |
| 21 days | 881.66 ± 60.52 | 911.99 ± 61.18 | 891.26 ± 64.86 | 892.94 ± 104.46 | |
| 35 days | 1919.30 ± 179.08 | 1894.60 ± 144.66 | 1931.10 ± 182.12 | 1952.50 ± 215.64 | |
| Body weight gain (g) | |||||
| 1–21 days | 838.93 ± 61.22 | 869.32 ± 60.80 | 848.72 ± 66.37 | 850.43 ± 103.97 | |
| 21–35 days | 1037.60 ± 143.56 | 982.60 ± 95.61 | 1039.90 ± 136.73 | 1059.60 ± 158.89 | |
| 1–35 days | 1876.60 ± 180.13 | 1851.90 ± 144.12 | 1888.60 ± 183.31 | 1910.00 ± 216.22 | |
| Feed consumption (g/bird) | |||||
| 1–21 days | 1107.10 ± 27.74 | 1125.00 ± 7.74 | 1125.00 ± 36.13 | 1118.90 ± 8.64 | |
| 21–35 days | 1533.10 ± 21.39 | 1515.20 ± 1.40 | 1534.20 ± 26.81 | 1521.40 ± 8.64 | |
| 1–35 days | 2640.20 ± 17.35 | 2640.20 ± 4.35 | 2659.20 ± 18.63 | 2640.20 ± 6.63 | |
| Feed conversion ratio (g feed/g weight gain) | |||||
| 1–21 days | 1.320 ± 0.02 | 1.295 ± 0.02 | 1.328 ± 0.06 | 1.315 ± 0.01 | |
| 21–35 days | 1.485 ± 0.13 | 1.545 ± 0.05 | 1.478 ± 0.03 | 1.443 ± 0.10 | |
| 1–35 days | 1.410 ± 0.06 | 1.428 ± 0.03 | 1.413 ± 0.04 | 1.383 ± 0.05 | |
| Hematological parameters | |||||
| Red blood cells (RBCs 106/mm3) | 1.57 ± 0.05 | 1.47 ± 0.26 | 1.47 ± 0.19 | 1.43 ± 0.12 | |
| White blood cells (WBCs 103/mm3) | 21.00b ± 0.82 | 22.00b ± 0.82 | 25.67a ± 0.94 | 24.00a ± 1.63 | |
| Hemoglobin (Hb g/dl) | 10.67 ± 0.47 | 10.67 ± 0.47 | 10.33 ± 0.94 | 10.67 ± 0.47 | |
| Packed cell volume (PCV %) | 33.67 ± 0.47 | 34.33 ± 0.47 | 34.33 ± 2.62 | 34.00 ± 0.82 | |
| Lymphocytes (%) | 62.33 ± 1.25 | 61.00 ± 0.82 | 61.67 ± 0.94 | 60.33 ± 2.05 | |
| Heterophils (%) | 32.70 ± 2.49 | 34.67 ± 2.36 | 33.70 ± 1.26 | 33.89 ± 2.91 | |
| H/L ratio | 1.92 ± 0.16 | 1.77 ± 0.12 | 1.83 ± 0.05 | 1.79 ± 0.09 | |
| Monocytes (%) | 3.00 ± 1.41 | 2.33 ± 1.25 | 3.00 ± 0.82 | 3.67 ± 1.70 | |
| Basophils (%) | 0.67 ± 0.47 | 0.33 ± 0.47 | 1.00 ± 0.17 | 0.67 ± 0.47 | |
| Eosinophils (%) | 1.30 ± 0.50 | 1.67 ± 1.25 | 0.97 ± 0.05 | 1.33 ± 0.47 | |
| Immunity parameters | |||||
| Phagocytic activity (PA) | 19.33 ± 1.25 | 21.00 ± 0.82 | 20.67 ± 0.47 | 20.00 ± 2.16 | |
| Phagocytic index (PI %) | 1.97 ± 0.12 | 1.97 ± 0.12 | 2.00 ± 0.14 | 1.97 ± 0.17 | |
| Antibody titter against NDV; HI | 5.67 ± 0.47 | 6.33 ± 0.94 | 7.00 ± 0.00 | 5.67 ± 0.94 | |
| Immunoglobulin M; IgM (mg/dl) | 23.53 ± 0.17 | 23.77 ± 0.34 | 23.30 ± 0.28 | 23.37 ± 0.21 | |
| Immunoglobulin G; IgG (mg/dl) | 973.67 ± 2.05 | 972.67 ± 3.30 | 969.33 ± 6.85 | 971.00 ± 2.16 | |
| Lymphoid organs weight (%) | |||||
| Spleen | 0.144a ± 0.02 | 0.081b ± 0.03 | 0.093b ± 0.03 | 0.065b ± 0.03 | |
| Bursa | 0.093 ± 0.05 | 0.117 ± 0.03 | 0.133 ± 0.05 | 0.122 ± 0.05 | |
| Thymus | 0.187c ± 0.05 | 0.221b,c ± 0.04 | 0.315a ± 0.03 | 0.286a,b ± 0.06 | |
Means not bearing superscripts are not statistically differed (P > 0.05).
a–cMeans in the same row having different letters are significantly different at (P < 0.05).