Abstract
The use of natural feed additives could be a beneficial approach to maintaining the health of chickens and a way to improve food digestion. Flaxseed is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid, oleic acid, and fiber. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of 4% flaxseed on the intestinal morphology, specific enzymatic activity, and cecal microbiome in broiler chickens. The 4-week feeding trial was conducted on 100 Cobb 500 (14 days of age) unsexed broiler chickens divided into two groups: a control group (C) and an experimental group (E). The broilers were housed in boxes of size 3 m2 (each group was housed in a single box with 10 replicates, 5 chickens per replicate) and reared on permanent wood shaves litter (10–12 cm thick). At the end of the experiment, chickens (n = 10) were sacrificed and tissue samples were harvested from the duodenum, jejunum, and cecum for histological, enzymatic, and microbiome analyses. In group E, histological analysis revealed a significant increase in villus height (p < 0.001) possibly leading to enhanced intestinal nutrient absorption. An increase in the specific activities of α-amylase (p < 0.05), invertase (p < 0.01), and endo-β-1,4-glucanase (p < 0.001) was noticed in the E group for the duodenum and jejunum compared to the control group. In contrast, maltase activity decreased in the duodenum and increased in the jejunum in the E group. The trypsin and lipase specific activities did not vary in a significant way. In addition, the cecal microbiome of the E group was characterized by an increase in Lactobacilli (p < 0.01) and Clostridium coccoides and a decrease in Bacteroides, Ruminoccocus, Enterobacteriaceae, and Clostridium leptum. In conclusion, our results suggest that dietary supplementation of flaxseed meal may boost intestinal health status in poultry.
Highlights
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.At a global level, poultry meat is a mass consumer product
The fatty acid content was assessed via fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) gas chromatography according to ISO/TS 17764-2 (2008), as described by Panaite et al [39]
The results obtained in this study are similar to those reported by Panaite et al [48], Akhtar et al [49], and Vlaicu et al [50] regarding the flaxseed meal’s chemical composition
Summary
Poultry meat is a mass consumer product. The United States and the members of the European Union are among the highest poultry consumers [1]. Poultry are commonly the most prevalent livestock in resource-poor areas and contribute to food security in world meat production through the supply of nutrient-rich products [2]. Cost efficiency is pivotal in poultry production; it is desirable not to include antibiotics in the diet because their use in both. The Cobb 500 hybrid is the most widely used in industry and is the broiler with the earliest growing time and the best feed conversion rate. It is appreciated due to its superior productive performance in conditions with low nutrient density [5]
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