Aya Alaa Khazal from Department of Animal production successfully defended her M.Sc. work with the title (The Effect of Adding Powder from the Local Strain of Shiitake Mushroom to Broiler Diets on Some Physiological, Microbial, and Immune Traits, as well as Meat Oxidation Indicators)
The study aimed to collect the studied mushroom from the Iraqi environment, isolate, purify, and identify it, and investigate the preparation of the origin culture and fungal inoculum, as well as cultivate the obtained wild strain. The fruiting bodies obtained were subjected to quantitative and qualitative analysis to detect chemical and nutritional compounds. The Shiitake mushroom produced was used in broiler chicken nutrition by adding it to their feed, and its impact on production performance and carcass quality traits, including physiological, microbial, and immune characteristics of the birds, were studied. Additionally, its role as an antioxidant was investigated by examining meat oxidation indicators after storage for 1 and 30 days.
The researcher recommended increasing local mushroom production by allocating dedicated spaces and laboratories for cultivation to benefit from the nutritional value of the mushroom and its byproducts. Furthermore, it was suggested to use Shiitake mushroom as a feed additive in poultry diets or as a primary component in feed formulations due to its high nutritional value and its role as an effective antioxidant.
Congratulations to the researcher on this success
