The effects of organic selenium and mannan oligosaccharides on the productivity and health of pheasant chicken (Phasianus colchicus)

Abstract

The investigation included 37 pheasant chickens divided into three groups (control and two experimentals groups) which were all fed with a standard starter feed mixture (28% crude protein and 11.7 MJ ME/kg) for the first 28 days and then with a grower for pheasant chickens (24% of crude protein and 12.1 MJ ME/kg). Sel-Plex® was added to the first experimental group in a concentration of 0.2%. A biochemical investigation of the blood samples on the 70th day of the trial showed a significantly (P<0.05) lower concentration of creatinine and triacylglicerol (P<0.01), a significantly (P<0.05) higher level of band heterophils and a significantly lower (P<0.05) skin and offal weight (P<0.01). The highly valuable parts of the carcasses between groups were with no significant differences. Bio-Mos® (2 g/kg feed) was added to the second experimental group. These chickens had a higher level of glucose, triacylglicerol, lymphocites and monocytes, but with no statistical significance (P>0.05), when compared to the control.