Girish Varma, GSethu Nair, CKAU2020-11-112020-11-112003172261https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810154910MVScEnhancement of total production without compromising aspects of wholesomeness and subject Iconsumer lenvironmental safety of the produce forms the new challenge of Indian poultry industry. Since nutrition is the single largest external factor affecting performance of the stock and accounting lion share of the input cost, nutritional manipulations have widely been used to take up this challenge. Especially in the wake of set backs from potential residual hazards of anabolic steroids used as growth promoting feed additives, use of certain blue green algae as dietary supplement offers more innocuous organic alternatives, for being safe to the subject, consumers and environment. Owing to their success in human health with anabolic and therapeutic effects cyanobacteria, the blue green algae, are being tried in livestock/poultry production as well. Spirulina is rich in protein, vitamins and provitamins such as carotenoids, and minerals. Protein from spirulina is believed to be highly digestible due to the lack of a cell wall; it contains 18 amino acids, major ones being lysine, arginine, threonine, methionine and phenylalanine. High levels of arginine is normally believed to be insulinogenic, indirectly through stimulation of growth hormone secretion The present study forms part of an exploration of growth promoting and fertility augmenting aspects of one of the popular species of blue green algae, Spirulina platensis, envisaging evaluation of its influence on haematological, biochemical and fertility parameters of Austra-white male chicken, when used as a dietary supplement. Thirty-two numbers of eight-week-old Austra-white male chickens were reared under standard management conditions in battery cages in Department of Physiology, College Of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. The birds were selected randomly and divided into two groups, G I (control) and G 11 (spirulina supplemented) comprising of sixteen birds in each. Birds of group G I were solely fed with standard layer rution und formed lhe controls in the experiment while birds of G 1I group were fed layer ration with dietary supplementation of Spirulina platensis at the level of 2.5% of feed. Both rations were made isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Feed and water were provided to birds ad libitum. Body weight of the birds was taken at monthly intervals from initial period (eight week of age) to thirty-two weeks of age. Blood was collected at monthly intervals from third to eighth months of age. Estimation of haematological parameters comprised total erythrocyte count (TEC), haemoglobin content (Hb), volume of packed red cells (VPRC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and total leukocyte count (TLC). Erythrocytic indices were calculated from the estimated values of TEC, Hb and VPRC. Biochemical profile of plasma included estimation of total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin globulin (A: G) ratio (protein profile), cholesterol, triglycerides, total lipids (lipid profile), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and bilirubin at monthly intervals from third to eighth month. Plasma antioxidant status was assessed by estimating catalase enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation level. Semen was collected at twenty- fourth, twenty-eighth and thirty-second weeks of age. Semen evaluation was done by observing the motility, mass activity, semen volume, methylene blue reduction time (MBRT), percentage of live sperms (differential staining and hypo osmolarity swelling) and heat and cold shock resistance tests in the collected semen samples. Birds were sacrificed at thirty-two weeks of age and the relative organ weight of liver,' spleen, pancreas and testes was estimated. Lipid peroxidation level of homogenized samples of liver, spleen, pancreas and testes were also estimated. The data were statistically analysed using appropriate tests. Body weight of birds fed with spirulina (G II group) was significantly higher when compared to control (G I group). Relative organ weight also showed a significantly higher relative weight for spleen, pancreas and testes. The birds of G II group tSpirulina platensis- fed) showed a significantly higher values of TEC, Hb concentration, VPRC and TLC compared to control (G I group) birds. The value of ESR was significantly lower for the spirulina fed group. Plasma protein profile indicated a significant higher concentration of total protein, albumin and globulin levels in spirulina-fed group. Plasma lipid profile had a low total lipid and cholesterol level in spirulina fed birds of G II group when compared to the controls in G I group. However, the triglyceride levels was significantly higher for spirulina fed birds (G II group). Plasma concentrations of BUN and bilirubin were also significantly higher for G 11 group. The results indicated a strong haematopoietic effect of spirulina and its usefulness as a protein rich nutritional supplement for poultry. Plasma antioxidant activity was significantly higher for G II group in the sense that the spirulina fed group showed an increased blood catalase activity and a decreased plasma lipid peroxidation levels. Estimation of peroxidation level in homogenised samples of liver and testes also had a significantly lower peroxidation level in birds of G 11 group. Results underlined the strong antioxidant capacity of spirulina. Semen evaluation studies revealed a significantly higher semen volume, motility, and percentage of live sperms in semen samples from birds of G II group (spirulina fed) when compared to G I group. Semen samples from G II group also showed a significantly lower methylene blue reduction time compared to G I group. Heat and cold shock resistance test failed to show any significant difference between the two groups. Results indicated the fertility augmenting property of spirulina. The present study is consistent with earlier reports of growth promoting and erythropoietic effects of spirulina. Free radical scavenging effect of this species of alga has caused a marked increase in the antioxidant status of the subjects, congruent with earlier findings. Additionally, this is the first publication to report indications of a fertility augmenting effect of this alga in male birds. However, confirmation of the latter effect needs further investigation, preferably with insemination studies.EnglishThesis