الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The present study was conducted at a private farm in Sadat City, Menoufia governorate, Egypt, throughout the experimental period from July to September 2018 in order to investigate the effect of dietary graded levels of the commercial probiotic (Proact)* supplementation on the Molar ducks performance, carcass traits, serum blood biochemical parameters, some histomorphological measurements and economical efficiency . A total of 240 Molar ducks unsexed one - day old chicks, were distributed at random into 8 groups each in 3 replicates, 10 chicks each.
All birds were fed a starter diet until 21- day of age and finisher diet from 22 day until marketing (70 day). Chicks of group 1 (control) was fed the starter and finisher diets that did not supplemented with Proact. Chicks in groups 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 were fed the control diets plus graded levels of Proact as follow, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50 and 1.75g / kg diet, respectively.
The results indicated that:
1- There were significant differences among Proact levels, ducks fed 1g Proact/ kg diet having the significantly higher body weight (1043g) followed by those fed 0.75, 0.50 and 1.25g Proact / kg diet (1034, 1011 and 1016g, respectively) compared to 880g in the control group at 3 weeks of age.
2- On the marketing age (at the end of 10th weeks of the study period), the same trend was noticed. Groups fed the three levels (0.75, 1.00 and 0.50g / kg diet) have significantly the heaviest body weight (BW, 4312, 4191 and 4178g and about 21.60, 18.19 and 17.82%) compared to 3615 and 3546g in groups fed the highest additional level (1.75g / kg diet) and the control group.
3- Average daily weight gain was significantly influenced by the supplementation; groups fed Proact showed higher daily weight gain especially for chicks fed levels of 0.75 and 1g/ kg diet compared to the control group which showed the best daily weight gain than the other levels.
4- Ducks fed Proact at levels of 0.75 and 1g/ kg diet have the best performance index compared to the control group, being (53.02 and 57.16), (81.73 and 76.35) and (141.46 and 130.24 %),respectively in comparison with 40.90, 60.86 and 106.48% in the control group at (0- 3), (4- 10) and (0- 10) wks of age.
5- Birds fed different levels of Proact significantly consumed more feed than the control group. Whereas, birds fed Proact level (1.75g/ kg diet) consumed significantly less feed than the other Proact groups and nearly equal to the control group at the same periods 0- 3, 4 – 10 and 0 – 10 weeks of age (79, 172 and 144 vs. 81, 178 and 149g / day).
6- Inclusion of 0.75 and 1g Proact / kg diet improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the control group, being (1.88, 1.75), (3.44, 3.65) and (3.07, 3.27) vs. (2.05, 3.82 and 3.33) at periods of 0 – 3, 4 – 10 and 0 – 10weeks, respectively.
7- Addition of graded levels of Proact to Molar diets was significantly affecting all carcass traits (carcass weight and giblets percentage).
8- Adding graded levels of Proact significantly increased both serum glucose and AST enzymes, but significantly reduced serum createnine, cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipids compared to the control group.
9- Morphological sections of Molar ducks small intestine revealed that villi height, width and villi height : villi width are significantly increased with the Proact supplementation levels up to the level of 1.25g/ kg diet and tend to decrease after that, but still better than the control.
10- Duodenum villi height and width in chicks fed diets supplemented with 1.25g Proact / kg diet were higher than the control by about 34.05 and 101.02%, respectively in comparison with the other levels.
11- Ducks fed 1g Proact / kg diet was higher than the control in jejunum villi percent by about 59.31% and the best illume villi height and width percent (61.95 and 52.38%) compared to the other treatments.
12- The histomorphological changes in the intestine of ducks in the present study provide new information regarding the potential for using Proacts in their diets. Increasing the villus height suggests an increased surface area capable of greater absorption of available nutrients.
13- Through our inputs and outcomes for 10 weeks old Molar chick’s ducks, relative economical efficiency was increased with the addition of Proact up to 0.75g/ kg diet (112%) and net revenue was about 95.82 L.E compared to 75.22 L.E in the un supplemented group.
14- European efficiency index confirms these results and tested chicks (T4) had 201% compared to 152% in the control group.
15- In general, the obtained results in the present investigation indicated that supplementation of 0.75g Proact/ kg diet can be used in diets of Molar ducks for 10 weeks to improve performance and efficiency of diet due to an increase in small intestinal absorption and activity. This, in turn, resulted in an increase in European efficiency index and economical efficiency.