Implication of dietary barberry (Berberis Vulgaris) leaves inclusion on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass traits in ostriches
dc.contributor.author | Afshin, Mojtaba | |
dc.contributor.author | Afzali, Nazar | |
dc.contributor.author | Hosseini-Vashan, Seyyed Javad | |
dc.contributor.author | Hajibabaei, Ali | |
dc.contributor.author | Ghavipanje, Navid | |
dc.contributor.author | Vargas-Bello-Perez, Einar | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-04T07:18:06Z | |
dc.date.available | 2025-07-04T07:18:06Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2024-10-20 | |
dc.description | DATA AVAILABILITY : All of the required data have been presented in our article. | |
dc.description.abstract | This study determined production performance, nutrient intake, digestibility, and carcass traits from ostrich chicks fed with barberry (Berberis Vulgaris) leaves (BVL) as a replacement for alfalfa hay (AH). For 150 days, 30 male ostrich (Struthio camelus) (9.10 ± 0.89 kg live weight, mean ± SD) were randomly grouped into five dietary BVL inclusion levels to replace AH: a control diet based on 100% AH (CTRL), and four groups with BVL as a substitute for AH at varying levels including 25% (BVL25), 50% (BVL50), 75% (BVL75), and 100% (BVL100). The average daily feed intakes (ADFI) were recorded and birds were weighed monthly. The nutrient intake and digestibility were measured for the following final 5 days of the trial. The ADFI was higher (p = 0.025) for BVL100 and BVL75 than for CTRL. Ostriches fed on BVL50 had the highest average daily gain (ADG, p = 0.025) and the lowest feed conversation ratio (FCR, p = 0.0001). Return per kg BW gain was also enhanced (p = 0.018) with BVL50 feeding. Dietary BVL levels did not affect the digestibility of OM (p = 0.257), CP (p = 0.260), EE (p = 0.610), CF (p = 0.427), and Ash (p = 0.461). Also, there were no changes in AME (p = 0.180) or AMEn (p = 0.670). The hot carcass weight (HCW, p = 0.331) and dressing BW (p = 0.237) were not affected. Overall, the results suggest that BVL can replace AH in ostrich diets without deleterious impact on performance, however, its partial substitution (for 50% AH of diet) has been associated with improved ADG, FCR, and reduced feeding costs. | |
dc.description.department | Animal and Wildlife Sciences | |
dc.description.librarian | am2025 | |
dc.description.sdg | SDG-03: Good health and well-being | |
dc.description.uri | https://www.nature.com/srep/ | |
dc.identifier.citation | Afshin, M., Afzali, N., Hosseini-Vashan, S.J. et al. 2024, 'Implication of dietary barberry (Berberis Vulgaris) leaves inclusion on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass traits in ostriches', Scientific Reports, vol. 14, art. 24641, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-73809-7. | |
dc.identifier.issn | 2045-2322 (online) | |
dc.identifier.other | 10.1038/s41598-024-73809-7 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/103180 | |
dc.language.iso | en | |
dc.publisher | Nature Research | |
dc.rights | © The Author(s) 2024. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | |
dc.subject | Growth performance | |
dc.subject | Ostrich (Struthio camelus) | |
dc.subject | Sustainability | |
dc.subject | Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) | |
dc.subject | Berberis vulgaris leaves (BVL) | |
dc.title | Implication of dietary barberry (Berberis Vulgaris) leaves inclusion on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass traits in ostriches | |
dc.type | Article |