Table 2 Effect of different levels of (SiO₂@AgNPs) on productive performance, hematological and immunological parameters of boiler chickens from 1 to 5 weeks of age (n/group = 24).

Body weight (g)

1 day

42.73 ± 3.39

42.67 ± 2.92

42.54 ± 2.81

42.50 ± 3.21

21 days

881.66 ± 60.52

911.99 ± 61.18

891.26 ± 64.86

892.94 ± 104.46

35 days

1919.30 ± 179.08

1894.60 ± 144.66

1931.10 ± 182.12

1952.50 ± 215.64

Body weight gain (g)

1–21 days

838.93 ± 61.22

869.32 ± 60.80

848.72 ± 66.37

850.43 ± 103.97

21–35 days

1037.60 ± 143.56

982.60 ± 95.61

1039.90 ± 136.73

1059.60 ± 158.89

1–35 days

1876.60 ± 180.13

1851.90 ± 144.12

1888.60 ± 183.31

1910.00 ± 216.22

Feed consumption (g/bird)

1–21 days

1107.10 ± 27.74

1125.00 ± 7.74

1125.00 ± 36.13

1118.90 ± 8.64

21–35 days

1533.10 ± 21.39

1515.20 ± 1.40

1534.20 ± 26.81

1521.40 ± 8.64

1–35 days

2640.20 ± 17.35

2640.20 ± 4.35

2659.20 ± 18.63

2640.20 ± 6.63

Feed conversion ratio (g feed/g weight gain)

1–21 days

1.320 ± 0.02

1.295 ± 0.02

1.328 ± 0.06

1.315 ± 0.01

21–35 days

1.485 ± 0.13

1.545 ± 0.05

1.478 ± 0.03

1.443 ± 0.10

1–35 days

1.410 ± 0.06

1.428 ± 0.03

1.413 ± 0.04

1.383 ± 0.05

Hematological parameters

Red blood cells (RBCs 10⁶/mm³)

1.57 ± 0.05

1.47 ± 0.26

1.47 ± 0.19

1.43 ± 0.12

White blood cells (WBCs 10³/mm³)

21.00^b ± 0.82

22.00^b ± 0.82

25.67^a ± 0.94

24.00^a ± 1.63

Hemoglobin (Hb g/dl)

10.67 ± 0.47

10.67 ± 0.47

10.33 ± 0.94

10.67 ± 0.47

Packed cell volume (PCV %)

33.67 ± 0.47

34.33 ± 0.47

34.33 ± 2.62

34.00 ± 0.82

Lymphocytes (%)

62.33 ± 1.25

61.00 ± 0.82

61.67 ± 0.94

60.33 ± 2.05

Heterophils (%)

32.70 ± 2.49

34.67 ± 2.36

33.70 ± 1.26

33.89 ± 2.91

H/L ratio

1.92 ± 0.16

1.77 ± 0.12

1.83 ± 0.05

1.79 ± 0.09

Monocytes (%)

3.00 ± 1.41

2.33 ± 1.25

3.00 ± 0.82

3.67 ± 1.70

Basophils (%)

0.67 ± 0.47

0.33 ± 0.47

1.00 ± 0.17

0.67 ± 0.47

Eosinophils (%)

1.30 ± 0.50

1.67 ± 1.25

0.97 ± 0.05

1.33 ± 0.47

Immunity parameters

Phagocytic activity (PA)

19.33 ± 1.25

21.00 ± 0.82

20.67 ± 0.47

20.00 ± 2.16

Phagocytic index (PI %)

1.97 ± 0.12

1.97 ± 0.12

2.00 ± 0.14

1.97 ± 0.17

Antibody titter against NDV; HI

5.67 ± 0.47

6.33 ± 0.94

7.00 ± 0.00

5.67 ± 0.94

Immunoglobulin M; IgM (mg/dl)

23.53 ± 0.17

23.77 ± 0.34

23.30 ± 0.28

23.37 ± 0.21

Immunoglobulin G; IgG (mg/dl)

973.67 ± 2.05

972.67 ± 3.30

969.33 ± 6.85

971.00 ± 2.16

Lymphoid organs weight (%)

Spleen

0.144^a ± 0.02

0.081^b ± 0.03

0.093^b ± 0.03

0.065^b ± 0.03

Bursa

0.093 ± 0.05

0.117 ± 0.03

0.133 ± 0.05

0.122 ± 0.05

Thymus

0.187^c ± 0.05

0.221^b,c ± 0.04

0.315^a ± 0.03

0.286^a,b ± 0.06