Abstract
A total of 360-day-old broiler chicks were allocated into six groups in 2 (Coccidial challenge or not) × 3 (dietary treatments) factorial design. Three dietary treatments including: basic diet, basic diet plus organic acids (OAs) in drinking water, and basic diet plus OAs in the feed with and without coccidial challenge. The OAs in water or feed improved (P < 0.01) average body weight (ABW), average body weight gain (ABWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) as compared with the control diet during starter, grower, and whole experimental period. Coccidial challenge decreased BW, ABWG, and average feed intake (AFI), as well as resulted in poor FCR during the starter and whole experimental period (P < 0.05). Though there was no interaction between OAs supplementation and coccidial challenge, the OAs supplementation improved the overall performance with and without coccidial challenge birds on 21 d and 35 d. IgG was found higher (P = 0.03) in broilers fed OAs in feed without the coccidial challenge group. On 18 d, OAs supplementation in feed increased TNF-γ (P = 0.006), whereas the coccidial challenge decreases TNF-γ (P = 0.01) and IL-10 (P = < .0001), and increases IgM (P = 0.03), IgG (P = 0.04) and IgA (P = 0.02). On 29 d, the coccidial challenge increases IgM and IgA. On 18 d, jejunal lesion score was found significantly higher in the coccidial challenged group as compared to OAs supplementation with coccidial challenged groups on 18 d (P < 0.0001) and 29 d (P = 0.03). Crypt depth was higher, and Villus-height to Crypt depth ratio was lower in the coccidial challenge group on 18 and 29 d. The Goblet cells were found higher in the non-coccidial challenge on 18 d. After 18 d, 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis of ileal chyme has shown that coccidial challenge decreases Lactobacillus_reuteri species as compared to the non-challenged group (P = 0.02). After 29, Cyanobacteria abundance reduced (P = 0.014) in the challenged group than the non-challenged group at the phylum level. At the genus level, Lactobacillus (P = 0.036) and unidentified Cyanobacteria (P = 0.01) were found higher in the non-challenged group than the coccidial challenge group. The results indicate that the OAs supplementation showed improved responses in a pattern similar to the non-challenged control group by neutralizing the negative effects of the coccidial challenge.
Highlights
Avian coccidiosis is a major parasitic disease that leads to significant intestinal tissue damage, higher mortality, and ineffective nutrient absorption resulting in economic losses to the poultry industry (Abdelrahman et al 2014; Ott et al 2018)
The results indicated that supplementation of organic acids (OAs) in water or feed improved (P < 0.01) the Average body weight (ABW), average body weight gain (ABWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared with the control diet during starter, grower, and whole experimental period
There was no interaction between OAs supplementation and coccidial challenge, the supplementation had improved the overall performance with and without coccidial challenge birds on 21 d and 35 d
Summary
Avian coccidiosis is a major parasitic disease that leads to significant intestinal tissue damage, higher mortality, and ineffective nutrient absorption resulting in economic losses to the poultry industry (Abdelrahman et al 2014; Ott et al 2018). (belonging to phylum Apicomplexa) are responsible for avian coccidiosis (Quiroz-Castañeda and DantánGonzález 2015) These are universal pathogens present in the poultry farm environment causing hindrance in the control of the disease (Abdelrahman et al 2014). These parasites enter the mucosal membrane of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), causing intestinal lesions, dehydration, and bloody diarrhea (Pattison et al 2007; Yang et al 2019). The poultry industry and farmers focus on suitable alternatives to antibiotics and anticoccidial drugs to enhance bird performance, intestinal health, and promote healthy microbiota
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