Abstract
In modern intensive breeding system, broilers are exposed to various challenges, such as diet changes and pathological environment, which may cause the increase in the incidence rate and even death. It is necessary to take measures to prevent diseases and maintain optimal health and productivity of broilers. With the forbidden use of antibiotics in animal feed, polysaccharides from plants have attracted much attention owing to their lower toxicity, lower drug resistance, fewer side effects, and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. It had been demonstrated that polysaccharides derived from plant exerted various functions, such as growth promotion, anti-inflammation, maintaining the integrity of intestinal mucosa, and regulation of intestinal microbiota. Therefore, the current review aimed to provide an overview of the recent advances in the impacts of plant-derived polysaccharides on anti-inflammation, gut health, and intestinal microbiota community of broilers in order to provide a reference for further study on maintaining the integrity of intestinal structure and function, and the related mechanism involved in the polysaccharide administration intervention.
Highlights
Broilers are often exposed to various external factors, such as diseases, nutritional, and environmental challenges, which lead to impaired growth, poor health, and even high mortality percentages owing to their imperfect intestinal function development and immature immunity [1]
Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of bioactive ingredients derived from plant, such as polysaccharide, which was used as growth promoter feed additives to enhance the overall performance parameters as well as health conditions of broilers owing to their safety properties, including lower drug resistances and relatively fewer side effects [11, 12]
Wu [17] and Long et al [41] suggested that Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharides or Acanthopanax senticosus polysaccharide supplementation promoted the humoral immunity of broilers as evidenced by the increased concentration of IgA and IgG in the serum
Summary
Broilers are often exposed to various external factors, such as diseases, nutritional, and environmental challenges, which lead to impaired growth, poor health, and even high mortality percentages owing to their imperfect intestinal function development and immature immunity [1]. The pathogenic bacteria existing in the breeding environment can cause diseases influencing the health of broilers, which in turn results in high mortality rates and huge economic losses in the poultry industry [2]. The extensive use of antibiotics caused the problems of antibiotic resistance and induced the accumulation of antibiotic residues in animal products, and developed new strains of drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria [4]. The addition of antibiotics in animal feed was forbidden in most countries of the world. It has become imperative to find safe and effective alternatives to antibiotics that can improve chicken health by improving the gut health and maintaining the optimum growth of broilers
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