Abstract
Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) are frequently used to enhance weight-gain in poultry production. However, there has been increasing concern over the impact of AGP on the emergence of antibiotic resistance in zoonotic bacterial pathogens in the microbial community of the poultry gut. In this study, we adopted mass-spectrophotometric, phylogenetic, and shotgun-metagenomic approaches to evaluate bioactive phenolic extracts (BPE) from blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) pomaces as AGP alternatives in broilers. We conducted two trials with 100 Cobb-500 broiler chicks (in each trial) in four equal groups that were provided water with no supplementation, supplemented with AGP (tylosin, neomycin sulfate, bacitracin, erythromycin, and oxytetracycline), or supplemented with 0.1 g Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/L or 1.0 g GAE/L (during the last 72 h before euthanasia) of BPE for 6 weeks. When compared with the control group (water only), the chickens supplemented with AGP and 0.1 g GAE/L of BPE gained 9.5 and 5.8% more body weight, respectively. The microbiomes of both the AGP- and BPE-treated chickens had higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratios. AGP supplementation appeared to be associated with higher relative abundance of bacteriophages and unique cecal resistomes compared with BPE supplementation or control. Functional characterization of cecal microbiomes revealed significant animal-to-animal variation in the relative abundance of genes involved in energy and carbohydrate metabolism. These findings established a baseline upon which mechanisms of plant-based performance enhancers in regulation of animal growth can be investigated. In addition, the data will aid in designing alternate strategies to improve animal growth performance and consequently production.
Highlights
The discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century followed by their economization due to large scale production during World War II for controlling human infections revolutionized food animal production, poultry and swine, in the post war era (Jukes, 1977)
Concerns over environmental and public health risks associated with the emergence of antibiotic resistance in zoonotic bacterial pathogens due to therapeutic and/or non-therapeutic use of antibiotics have led to global interest in adopting more stringent use of antibiotics in food animal production
In 1986 Sweden banned the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and this was followed by a series of events that led to an EU-wide ban that took effect on January 1, 2006.1 Recently, the Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended judicious use of medically important antibiotics in feed based on key reports and studies describing the impacts of AGP on development and transfer of antibiotic resistance traits among intestinal microbiota and to the environment and humans (Kuehn, 2014)
Summary
The discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century followed by their economization due to large scale production during World War II for controlling human infections revolutionized food animal production, poultry and swine, in the post war era (Jukes, 1977). In 1986 Sweden banned the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and this was followed by a series of events that led to an EU-wide ban that took effect on January 1, 2006.1 Recently, the Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended judicious use of medically important antibiotics in feed based on key reports and studies describing the impacts of AGP on development and transfer of antibiotic resistance traits among intestinal microbiota and to the environment and humans (Kuehn, 2014). Reduced growth rates in animals that are observed in the absence of AGPs will impact the efficiency of production and perhaps jeopardize food security. These emerging issues for both conventional and organic poultry production highlight the need for alternative approaches to improve feed efficiency in the absence of AGP supplementation
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