Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate Research Articles

Evaluating the effects of red osier dogwood extract and grape pomace on growth performance, plasma biochemistry, intestinal morphology and microbiota, and immune and antioxidant status of broiler chickens challenged with heat stress

288 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allotted into 4 dietary treatments; 1)Control (CON; corn-wheat-soybean based diet), 2)CON + 0.05% bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD), 3)CON + 0.3% ROD, and 4)CON + 2.5% GP and raised for 28 d. On d 21-27, birds were exposed to either a thermoneutral (TN; 24°C±1) or heat stress (HS; 32-34°C for 8 hr/day). On d 28, twelve male birds per treatment/temperature group were euthanized for measuring blood and intestinal health parameters. 0.05% BMD and 0.3% ROD inclusion improved (P ≤ 0.05) the ABWG and FCR, compared to CON. HS reduced (P ≤ 0.05) AFI, bursa and spleen weights, plasma ALT, lipase, and CK but increased (P ≤ 0.05) ALP, serum immunoglobulins compared to TN birds. HS further reduced (P ≤ 0.05) duodenal VH:CD, jejunal VH and VH:CD but this was reversed by ROD and GP. 0.05% BMD and 2.5% GP increased (P < 0.001) the relative abundance of Blautia and Sellimonas compared to the CON diet. ROD increased (P = 0.010) the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium compared to the BMD diet. The results suggest that 0.3% ROD extract may function as an alternative to antibiotics in improving broiler growth performance and intestinal health.

181 Effects of Soy protein concentrate replacing conventional soybean meal on intestinal health and growth of newly weaned pigs challenged with F18+ Escherichia coli.

Abstract This study aims to investigate the impact of various levels of soy protein concentrate (SPC) replacing conventional soybean meal (SBM) on various parameters related to intestinal health and growth performance of nursery pigs under F18+ Escherichia coli challenge. Newly weaned pigs [n = 72; initial body weight (BW) = 6.6 ± 0.3 kg] were randomly allotted to 6 treatment groups based on randomized complete block design with initial BW and sex as blocks and fed for 25 d (P1/2 for 11/14 d, respectively). The treatment groups were 1) NC: a diet with conventional SBM, 2) PC: NC with F18+ E. coli challenge at d 7 (2.1 × 1010 CFU); 3) T1: PC with 5% SPC replacing conventional SBM; 4) T2: PC with 10% SPC replacing conventional SBM; 55) T3: NC with 10% SPC replacing conventional SBM, and 6) AGP: PC with 0.25% bacitracin methylene disalicylate. At the end of study, all pigs were euthanized to collect jejunal tissues to measure parameters related to intestinal health. Data were analyzed using MIXED procedure in SAS. The PC decreased (P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) on d 7 to d 25 (post-challenge) compared with NC. The T2 decreased (P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI on post-challenge period compared with T3. The ADG tended to linearly decrease (P = 0.067) and ADFI linearly decrease (P < 0.05) on post-challenge period with increasing SPC supplementation replacing SBM in the diets. The E. coli challenge increased (P < 0.05) fecal score in PC, and T2 treatments compared with NC, and T3, respectively. The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in jejunal mucosa linearly increased (P < 0.05) with increasing SPC supplementation replacing SBM in nursery diets under E. coli challenge. The PC decreased (P < 0.05) interleukin-8 (IL-8) compared with NC. The PC (P = 0.078) and T3 (P = 0.099) tended to decrease immunoglobulin A (IgA) compared with NC. The AGP increased (P < 0.05) IgA compared with PC. The AGP increased (P < 0.05) the expression of occludin (OC) compared with PC. The expression of OC tended to linearly decrease (P = 0.099) with increasing SPC supplementation replacing SBM in nursery diets under E. coli challenge. The T2 increased (P < 0.05) villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH:CD) compared with T3. In conclusion, supplementation of SPC replacing SBM in the diet did not alleviate the deleterious effect of E. coli challenge on growth performance nursery pigs, which might be contributed by reduced feed intake. Additionally, supplementation of SPC seems to exacerbate the negative effect of E. coli challenge with increased intestinal inflammation and intestinal disintegration.

Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate (BMD) Treatment Affects Spleen Proteome in Broiler Chicks Infected with Salmonella enteritidis.

Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate (BMD), as a feed additive to poultry diets, enhances digestion, prevents Salmonella enteritidis (SE) colonization, and treats current infections. The objective of this study was to utilize a quantitative proteomic approach to determine the effect of BMD feed additive on broiler chickens challenged with SE in the spleen proteome. At 1 d of age, chicks were randomly allocated into four groups: control with and without SE challenge (CON, n = 60; CON-SE, n = 60), BMD with and without SE challenge (BMD, n = 60; BMD-SE, n = 60). Birds in the CON-SE and BMD-SE treatment were administered SE inoculum by oral gavage. On day three and day seven post-gavage, the spleen was collected aseptically from birds in each treatment group (CON, n = 4/day; CON-SE, n = 4/day; BMD, n = 4/day; BMD-SE, n = 4/day). Proteomic analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) showed an increased abundance of 115 proteins and decreased of 77 due to the BMD. Proteins that decreased in abundance were enriched for fibrinogen complex and extracellular space, whereas proteins that increased in abundance were enriched for proteasome-mediated ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic process and mitochondrion. Analysis of the interaction between BMD and the Salmonella challenge found 230 differentially abundant proteins including proteins associated with RNA binding, spliceosome, protein transport, and cell adhesion among the upregulated proteins, and those associated with protein folding, carbon metabolism, biosynthesis of nucleotide sugars, response to oxidative stress, positive regulation of NIK/NF-kappaB signaling, and inflammatory response among the downregulated proteins. The impact of BMD treatment on spleen proteome indicates an anti-apoptotic effect. BMD also modified the response of the spleen to the SE challenge with a marked decrease in proteins that prompt cytokine synthesis and an increase in proteins involved in the selective removal of unfolded proteins.

Use of Selected Plant Extracts in Controlling and Neutralizing Toxins and Sporozoites Associated with Necrotic Enteritis and Coccidiosis

Due to increasing concerns about the contamination of animal food products with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their byproducts, phytogenic feed additives in animal diets have been explored as antibiotic alternatives. In this study, we investigated the effect of ginger root extract (GRE), green tea extract (GTEC caffeinated and GTED decaffeinated), and onion peel combined (OPEC) on the activity of C. perfringens toxin genes and Eimeria tenella sporozoites. To this end, two Clostridium perfringens strains, CP19 and CP240 (Rollins Diagnostic Lab, Raleigh, NC, USA), were cultured (three replicates per treatment) as follows: without additives (Control), with Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate (BMD), with GRE, with GTEC, with GTED, and, finally, with OPEC for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 24 h. RNA was extracted to determine the expression of tpeL, alpha toxin (α-toxin), and NetB and we measured the protein concentration of NetB-positive C. perfringens toxin. Also, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of green tea and ginger extracts on E. tenella sporozoites. Results show that phytogenic extracts, GRE, GTEC, and GTED, significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the level of expression of α-toxin gene compared to control; however, BMD treatment showed much less effect. Furthermore, NetB and tpeL encoding gene expression was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by GRE and GTED, as well as BMD treatment, compared to the control. In contrast, GTEC treatment did not change the expression levels of these genes and was similar to control. With the CP240 strain, all the selected phytogenic extracts significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the expression of selected genes, except for OPEC, which was similar to control. GRE, GTEC, and GTED all reduced the viability of concentration of E. tenella sporozoites. Overall, our data show that these selected phytogenic extracts reduced the level of expression of toxin encoding genes associated with necrotic enteritis and decreased the viability of sporozoites which cause coccidiosis in broiler chicken.

Effect of Ginger Root Extract on Intestinal Oxidative Status and Mucosal Morphometrics in Broiler Chickens.

This study was designed to assess the effect of ginger root extract (GRE) supplementation on the oxidative status and intestinal mucosal development in broiler chickens for 6 weeks. Day-old chicks (Ross 708 strain, n = 432) were distributed into six treatments with six replicate of twelve birds each: Negative CON (basal), MX (basal diet + bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) 0.055 g/kg diet), GRE-1 (basal diet + 0.375% GRE), GRE-2 (basal diet + 0.75% GRE), GRE-3 (basal diet + 1.5% GRE), GRE-4 (basal diet + 3% GRE). Growth indices, goblets cell count, mucin (MUC2) in ileum tissue, antioxidant (SOD, CAT, and GPX) in ileum and liver, biological antioxidant potential (BAP), and reactive oxygen metabolite level in blood and intestinal villi measurement were determined. Body weight (BW) was highest (p < 0.05) in all groups except GRE-4, body weight gain (BWG) was best in GRE-1, while FCR was least in all groups except GRE-4. Optimum MUC2 gene expression, SOD, CAT, blood antioxidants, and intestinal morphometric values were observed in GRE-3. The inclusion of ginger root extract up to 1.5% improved growth and reduced oxidative stress while enhancing mucosal development in broiler chicks.

Effects of microencapsulated essential oils and organic acids preparation on growth performance, slaughter characteristics, nutrient digestibility and intestinal microenvironment of broiler chickens

To develop effective antibiotics alternatives is getting more and more important to poultry healthy production. The study investigated the effects of a microencapsulated essential oils and organic acids preparation (EOA) on growth performance, slaughter performance, nutrient digestibility and intestinal microenvironment of broilers. A total of 624 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into 6 groups including the control group (T1) fed with basal diet, the antibiotic group (T2) supplemented with basal diet with 45 mg/kg bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD), and four inclusion levels of EOA-treated groups (T3, T4, T5, T6 groups) chickens given basal diet with 200, 400, 600 and 800 mg EOA/kg of diet, respectively. Results showed that compared with the control, the 200 mg/kg EOA group increased average daily gain (ADG) and average body weight (ABW) during the early stage (P < 0.05). EOA addition decreased crypt depth of the ileum (P < 0.05), but villus height to crypt depth ratio was increased by EOA addition at 200 and 400 mg/kg at d 21 (P < 0.05). Compared with the control, dietary addition EOA at 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg increased the lipase activity in the duodenum at d 21 (P < 0.05). Increased lactic acid bacteria population was found in cecal digesta of the 400 mg/kg EOA group at d 21 (P < 0.05), and higher concentration of butyric acid level was observed in cecal digesta at d 21 and d 42 in the 200 mg/kg EOA group compared with the control (P < 0.05). RT-PCR analysis found that dietary EOA addition decreased the gene expression of IL-1β, COX-2 and TGF-β4 in the ileum at d 21 (P < 0.05), while only the 200 mg/kg EOA increased the gene expression of IL-10, TGF-β4, Claudin-1, ZO-1, CATH-1, CATH-3, AvBD-1, AvBD-9 and AvBD-12 in the ileum at d 42 (P < 0.05) compared with the control. In summary, adding 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of the EOA to the diet could improve the growth performance and intestinal microenvironment through improving intestinal morphology, increasing digestive enzymes activity and cecal lactic acid bacteria abundance and butyric acid content, improving intestinal barrier function as well as maintaining intestinal immune homeostasis. The improving effect induced by EOA addition in the early growth stage was better than that in the later growth stage. Overall, the EOA product might be an effective antibiotic alternative for broiler industry.

Investigating antibiotic free feed additives for growth promotion in poultry: effects on performance and microbiota

The poultry industry is evolving towards antibiotic-free production to meet market demands and decelerate the increasing spread of the antimicrobial resistance. The growing need for antibiotic free products has challenged producers to decrease or completely stop using antimicrobials as feed supplements in broiler diet to improve feed efficiency, growth rate, and intestinal health. Natural feed additives (e.g., probiotics and phytobiotics) are promising alternatives to substitute antimicrobial growth promoters. The goal of our study was to characterize the effects of a Probiotic and an Essential Oils blend on broilers' performance and perform a time-series analysis to describe their excreta microbiome. A total of 320 Cobb 500 (1-day-old) chicks were raised for 21 d in 32 randomly allocated cages. Treatments consisted of 4 experimental diets: a basal diet, and a basal diet mixed with an Antibiotic (bacitracin methylene disalicylate), an essential oils blend (oregano oil, rosemary, and red pepper), or a Probiotic (Bacillus subtilis). Body weight (on 1, 10, and 21d), and feed intake (10d and 21d) were recorded and feed conversion ratio was calculated. Droppings were collected daily (1-21d) to characterize broilers' excreta microbiota by targeted sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The Probiotic significantly improved feed conversion ratio for starter phase 1 to 10d (P = 0.03), grower phase 10 to 21d (P = 0.05), and total period 1 to 21d (P = 0.01) compared to the Antibiotic. Feed supplements did not affect alpha diversity but did impact microbial beta diversity (P < 0.01). Age also impacted microbiome turnover as differences in alpha and beta diversity were detected. Furthermore, when compared to the basal diet, the probiotic and antibiotic significantly impacted relative abundance of Bifidobacterium (log2 fold change -1.44, P = 0.03), Intestinimonas (log2 fold change 0.560, P < 0.01) and Ligilactobacillus (log2 fold change -1.600, P < 0.01). Overall, Probiotic supplementation but not essential oils supplementation positively impacted broilers' growth performance by directly causing directional shifts in broilers' excreta microbiota structure.

Dynamic effects of black soldier fly larvae meal on the cecal bacterial microbiota and prevalence of selected antimicrobial resistant determinants in broiler chickens

BackgroundWe had earlier described the growth-promoting and -depressive effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with low (12.5% and 25%) and high (50% and 100%) inclusion levels of black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM), respectively, in Ross x Ross 708 broiler chicken diets. Herein, using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we investigated the effects of replacing SBM with increasing inclusion levels (0-100%) of BSFLM in broiler diets on the cecal bacterial community composition at each growth phase compared to broilers fed a basal corn-SBM diet with or without the in-feed antibiotic, bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD). We also evaluated the impact of low (12.5% and 25%) inclusion levels of BSFLM (LIL-BSFLM) on the prevalence of selected antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in litter and cecal samples from 35-day-old birds.ResultsCompared to a conventional SBM-based broiler chicken diet, high (50 to100%) inclusion levels of BSFLM (HIL-BSFLM) significantly altered the cecal bacterial composition and structure, whereas LIL-BSFLM had a minimal effect. Differential abundance analysis further revealed that the ceca of birds fed 100% BSFLM consistently harbored a ~ 3 log-fold higher abundance of Romboutsia and a ~ 2 log-fold lower abundance of Shuttleworthia relative to those fed a BMD-supplemented control diet at all growth phases. Transient changes in the abundance of several potentially significant bacterial genera, primarily belonging to the class Clostridia, were also observed for birds fed HIL-BSFLM. At the finisher phase, Enterococci bacteria were enriched in the ceca of chickens raised without antibiotic, regardless of the level of dietary BSFLM. Additionally, bacitracin (bcrR) and macrolide (ermB) resistance genes were found to be less abundant in the ceca of chickens fed antibiotic-free diets, including either a corn-SBM or LIL-BSFLM diet.ConclusionsChickens fed a HIL-BSFLM presented with an imbalanced gut bacterial microbiota profile, which may be linked to the previously reported growth-depressing effects of a BSFLM diet. In contrast, LIL-BSFLM had a minimal effect on the composition of the cecal bacterial microbiota and did not enrich for selected ARGs. Thus, substitution of SBM with low levels of BSFLM in broiler diets could be a promising alternative to the antibiotic growth promoter, BMD, with the added-value of not enriching for bacitracin- and macrolide-associated ARGs.

Phytosome-conjugated carvacrol: A novel approach for improving growth performance, intestinal morphology and economics of production in Broiler Chicken

Essential oils are plant-derived aromatic volatile oils, and they contain bioactive compounds that have been shown to improve poultry nutrition. However, considering problems associated with the solubility and bioavailability of polyphenolic compounds, the study was planned to find out the effect of the novel feed-grade delivery system, phytosomes for conjugation of plant-derived polyphenolic compound carvacrol on the growth performance of broiler chickens. The experiment was conducted, on 240 broiler chicks for a period of 6 weeks. The chicks were divided into 4 groups having 4 replicates of 15 birds each. The birds in the control group (T0) offered a standard diet as per BIS (2007) specification. Group T1 received a standard diet supplemented with Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate (BMD) antibiotic at standard dose and group T2 received a standard diet supplemented with carvacrol essential oil @100 mg/kg feed. Group T3 received a standard diet supplemented with phytosome-conjugated carvacrol essential oil (carvacrol @16.6%) @100 mg/kg feed. The performance of all the treatment groups was assessed with respect to the different performance parameters. The supplementation of phytosome-conjugated carvacrol essential oil (carvacrol @16.6%) @ 100 mg/kg feed was found beneficial in terms of growth performance, feed efficiency, and intestinal morphometry. In terms of economics of broiler production, the results revealed that the addition of phytosome- conjugated carvacrol essential oil and carvacrol essential oil in diets was found beneficial in reducing the cost of broiler production, thereby enhancing the margin of profit in broiler production and fetching higher net profit than the control group.

Comparative impact of bacitracin and select feed additives in the feeding program of Lohmann LSL Lite pullets at the onset of lay through to 31 weeks of age

Abstract There are limited investigations on the role of feed additives in easing transition of pullets to egg production phase. We investigated effects of supplementation of bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) and select feed additives (myristic acid (MA), benzoic acid (BA), and Aspergillus Niger (PRO)) in feeding program for pullets from onset of lay through to 31 weeks of age (woa). Parameters measured included hen-day egg production (HDEP), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), egg quality characteristics, ceca microbial activity, apparent retention of components, and plasma metabolites. A total of 1,200 Lohmann LSL Lite pullets were procured at 18 woa and placed in enriched cages (30 birds/cage) based on body weight (BW) and allocated to 5 diets. The diets were: a basal diet formulated to meet specifications or basal mixed with either BMD, MA, BA or PRO. Birds had free access to feed and water throughout the experiment. Between 18 to 20 woa, birds fed BMD ate a similar (P&amp;gt;0.05) amount of feed to BA birds, but more (P=0.0003) than birds fed basal, MA or PRO diets. Basal birds had lower HDEP (P=0.001), and lighter eggs (P&amp;lt;0.0001) than birds fed any of the feed additives between 21 and 31 woa. The basal hens had a higher (P=0.009) abundance of E. coli than birds fed BMD, BA, and PRO diets. Consequently, BMD, BA, and PRO birds had a higher (P=0.011) Lactobacillus: E. coli ratio (LER) than hens fed the basal diet. Specifically, relative to basal-fed hens, the LER ratio of the BMD, MA, BA, and PRO hens was higher by 37, 21, 26, and 45%, respectively. Moreover, birds fed PRO tended to have higher concentration of ceca digesta acetic acid (P=0.072) and lower concentration of isobutyric acid (P=0.096). In conclusion, supplementing pullet diets with broad spectrum antibiotic or feed additives (MA, BA, and PRO) had positive impact on feed intake, and egg production linked to modulation of indices of gut health. The results suggested feed additives in feeding programs for pullets at the onset of lay can bolster productivity outcomes.

Economic and Behavioral Benefits of Using Aqueous Plant-mixture Extracts in Broiler Production with High Stocking Density

The rising demand for white meat has led to an increased reliance on intensive farming systems involving high stocking density that can cause stress on birds, hinder their growth and behavior, and reduce profitability. This necessitates the use of antioxidant growth enhancers to mitigate the impact of stress. In response to this challenge, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of natural growth promoters compared to antibiotics in alleviating the negative impact of stocking density stress by conducting an experiment using 300 one-day-old Cobb 500 chicks over 35 days. After 7 days of acclimatization, the chicks were weighed, wing-tagged, and divided into five groups with 60 chicks each, divided into three replicates of 20 birds. The groups were categorized as follows: low stocking density (LSD) with 10 birds/m2, high stocking density (HSD) with 18 birds/m2, HSD+AGP feeding diet with 55 ppm/kg feed Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate (BMD-50; Zoetis Products, Chicago Heights, IL, USA) as antibiotic growth promoter, HSD+LPEM with a low concentration of aqueous plant extracts mixture (LPEM) (8 ml fennel + 8 ml fenugreek + 8 ml thyme/L of drinking water), and HSD+HPEM with a high concentration of aqueous plant extracts mixture (HPEM) (10 ml fennel + 10 ml fenugreek + 10 ml thyme/L of drinking water). The findings revealed that HSD led to a decline in productivity, behavior, and economic efficiency when compared to LSD. AGP improved these aspects but at a lower level than PEM. In conclusion, to ensure the production of antibiotic-free meat, decrease antibiotic resistance, and achieve better behavioral, productive, and economic outcomes, it is proposed to use a combination of fennel, fenugreek, and thyme aqueous extracts in PEM at a concentration of 8 or 10 mL/L in the drinking water. However, for an optimal cost-benefit ratio, it is recommended to utilize PEM at a concentration of 10 mL per liter of the bird's drinking water.

258 Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Myristic Acid on Intestinal Health and Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of myristic acid on intestinal health and growth performance of nursery pigs. Thirty-six newly weaned pigs (6.6 ± 0.4 kg BW) were assigned to 3 treatments (n = 12) in a randomized complete block design with initial BW and sex as blocks. Pigs were fed for 35 d in 3 phases (10, 10, and 15 d respectively). Treatments were 1) NC: basal diet; 2) PC: NC + 0.25% bacitracin methylene disalicylate (antibiotic; bacitracin: 276 g/t feed) in all phases; and 3) MA: NC + myristic acid at 0.075% in phases 1 and 2 and 0.045% in phase 3. Diets contained nutrients meeting the requirement. Growth performance and fecal score were measured for each phase. Pigs were euthanized to collect jejunal mucosa, jejunal tissues, and ileal digesta. Data were analyzed using preplanned contrasts (NC vs. PC and NC vs. MA) in the Proc MIXED procedure of SAS. Compared with the NC, the PC improved (P &amp;lt; 0.05) ADG in phase 1 (43 to 101 g/d) and ADFI in phase 2 (458 to 578 g/d), whereas the MA improved (P &amp;lt; 0.05) ADG (541 to 668 g/d) and ADFI (801 to 996 g/d) in phase 3. Overall, the PC tended to improve ADG (353 to 419 g/d; P = 0.063), and ADFI (515 to 606 g/d; P = 0.051), whereas the MA improved (P &amp;lt; 0.05) ADG (353 to 431 g/d) and ADFI (515 to 623 g/d) compared with the NC group. The PC decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) fecal score (3.17 to 3.03) in phase 2 compared with the NC. The PC tended to decrease IL8 (P = 0.053; 0.53 to 0.37 ng/mg of protein) and protein carbonyl (P = 0.075; 2.65 to 1.66 nmol/mg of protein) in jejunal mucosa compared with the NC. The PC increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the villus height to crypt depth ratio (2.61 to 3.02) compared with that of NC. The MA tended to decrease IgG (P = 0.051; 2.44 to 1.67 µg/mg of protein) and IL8 (P = 0.090; 0.53 to 0.39 ng/mg of protein) in jejunal mucosa compared with that of the NC. The MA tended to increase relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (P = 0.075; 3.8 to 13.9) at phylum level, Prevotellaceae (P = 0.073; 3.7 to 13.8) at family level, and Prevotella (P = 0.085; 4.2 to 15.4) at genus level compared with the NC. In this study, it was shown that both bacitracin and myristic supplementation could improve the intestinal health and growth performance of nursery pigs. Effects of bacitracin on intestinal health and growth performance was rather immediate whereas the effects of myristic acid were obtained after a 3-week feeding.

Inclusion of Quillaja Saponin Clarity Q Manages Growth Performance, Immune Response, and Nutrient Transport of Broilers during Subclinical Necrotic Enteritis.

Necrotic enteritis (NE) is an intestinal disease that results in poor performance, inefficient nutrient absorption, and has a devastating economic impact on poultry production. This study evaluated the effects of a saponin-based product (Clarity Q, CQ) during an NE challenge. A total of 1200 male chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments (10 pens/treatment; 30 birds/pen): treatment 1 (NC), a non-medicated corn-soybean basal diet; treatment 2 (PC), NC + 50 g/metric ton (MT) of bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD); and treatments 3 (CQ15) and 4 (CQ30), NC + 15 and 30 g/MT, respectively. On the day (d) of placement, birds were challenged by a coccidia vaccine to induce NE. On d 8, 14, 28, and 42, performance parameters were measured. On d 8, three birds/pen were necropsied for NE lesions. On d 8 and d 14, jejunum samples from one bird/pen were collected for mRNA abundance of tight junction proteins and nutrient transporter genes. Data were analyzed in JMP (JMP Pro, 16), and significance (p ≤ 0.05) between treatments was identified by Fisher's least significant difference (LSD) test. Compared to PC and NC, CQ15 had higher average daily gain (ADG), while CQ30 had lower average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). NE lesions in the duodenum were lower in CQ15 compared to all other treatments. On d 8, mRNA abundance of CLDN1, CLDN5, AMPK, PepT2, GLUT2, and EAAT3 were significantly greater in CQ30 (p < 0.05) compared to both PC and NC. On d 14, mRNA abundance of ZO2 and PepT2 was significantly lower in PC when compared to all treatments, while that of ANXA1, JAM3, and GLUT5 was comparable to CQ15. In summary, adding Clarity Q to broiler diets has the potential to alleviate adverse effects caused by this enteric disease by improving performance, reducing intestinal lesions, and positively modulating the mRNA abundance of various tight junction proteins and key nutrient transporters during peak NE infection.

Supplementation of ginger root extract into broiler chicken diet: effects on growth performance and immunocompetence

Ginger contains bioactive compounds that possess anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. In this study, 432-day-old Ross 708 broiler male chicks were randomly allocated to 6 dietary treatments to investigate the effect of ginger root extract (GRE) on immunocompetence and growth performance to 6 wk of age. Treatment 1 (CON) consisted of chicks fed a corn-soybean meal (SBM), a base diet without GRE. Treatment 2 (MX) chicks were given basal diets containing bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) at 0.055 g/kg. Treatments 3 (GRE-0.375%), 4 (GRE-0.75%), 5 (GRE-1.5%), and 6 (GRE-3%) were fed similar diet to control with GRE supplemented at 0.375%, 0.75%, 1.5%, and 3%, respectively. Moreover, HPLC analysis of GRE was carried out to determine the concentration of bioactive compounds found in GRE. Each treatment consisted of 6 replicate pens with 12 chicks/pen. Bodyweight (BW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded. Results show that the concentration of bioactive compounds increased with increasing GRE supplementation. Likewise, dietary GRE supplementation did not have any detrimental effect on growth performance parameters up to 1.5%, as values for BWG was not different from CON and MX; however, 3% GRE had the poorest FCR and a lower BWG as compared to other treatments. On d 27 and d 41, fecal and cecal concentrations of total bacteria count (TBC), Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus spp., and Bifidobacterium spp enumerated using selective plating media showed that GRE supplementation significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the amount of TBC and E. coli but increased the number of beneficial microorganisms such as Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. On d 20, no significant differences were observed (P > 0.05) among all treatments for antibody titer against Newcastle disease virus and total IgY antibodies; however, on d 27, GRE-0.75% had the highest value for both immune indicators and was not different from MX. Dietary supplementation of GRE up to 1.5% enhanced the immune system and suppressed E. coli while promoting the growth of healthy bacteria, without any detrimental effect on growth performance.

Effects of Fermented Wheat Bran on Blood Biochemical Parameters and Carcass Characteristics of Broiler Birds

The experiment was conducted during 5th September 17th October, 2022 (42 Days) in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Central Agricultural University, Selesih, Aizawl, Mizoram, India to study the effect of feeding fermented wheat bran on blood biochemical parameter and carcass characteristics of broiler birds. Two hundred (200) numbers of day-old chicks were divided into five dietary groups with four replicates in each group. Each replicate contained 10 birds. Five dietary treatments: basal diet (Control); basal diet with Bacitracin methylene disalicylate (AGP) @ 0.5 g kg-1 of feed; basal diet with inclusion of 10% wheat bran; basal diet with inclusion of 10% fermented wheat bran; and basal diet with inclusion 15% fermented wheat bran. The feed and water were given at free choice to the birds. Fermented wheat bran was prepared by inoculating Lactobacillus fermentum using Solid-state fermentation technology. Blood biochemical parameters like total protein, albumin, globulin, triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL and HDL did not differ significantly among the experimental groups. However, the glucose level showed significantly higher (p&lt;0.01) at 28th and 42nd days old birds, whereas HDL was significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher at 42nd day in AGP, FWB-10 and FWB-15 group as compared to control and WB-10 group at old birds. Therefore, it was concluded that 15% fermented wheat bran can be incorporated in the diet of broiler chickens without any adverse affect.

Spray-Dried Plasma Promotes Broiler Chick Growth by Enhancing Immune Surveillance.

Spray-dried plasma (SDP) contain a variety of functional proteins that play an immunomodulatory role. To evaluate the potential of SDP to stimulate the immune system, day-old Ross 708 male broiler chicks (200) were allocated randomly to five dietary treatments. Treatment 1 (CX) comprised chicks fed basal unmedicated corn-soybean meal (SBM) without the addition of SDP. Treatment 2 (MX) includes chicks fed unmedicated corn-SBM basal containing Bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) at 0.055 g/kg diet. Treatments 3 (SDP1), 4 (SDP2), and 5 (SDP3) contained chicks given unmedicated corn-SBM basal, into which SDP was included at 10, 20, and 30 g/kg diet, respectively. On d 7, 14, and 21, chicks' body weight and FCR were calculated. Additionally, leucocyte counts, oxidative status, and IgY concentrations were determined in blood. On d 23, fecal populations of selected indicator bacteria species were determined. Results showed that FCR for SP3 was superior (p < 0.05) to other treatments. Likewise, heterophil numbers decreased in MX and SDP treatments compared to CX. Circulating IgY concentration was higher for SDP dietary treatments (p < 0.05) compared to MX. In conclusion, dietary SDP at 30 g/kg enhanced immune surveillance by increasing circulating IgY levels, maintaining a normal oxidative state, and increasing gut Bifidobacteria, thereby improving chick growth performance.

A field study of Bacillus licheniformis-fermented products on growth performance and faecal microbiota of weaning piglets

This study investigated the effects of Bacillus licheniformis-fermented products (BLFPs) on the growth performance, faecal microbiota, and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) expression in weaning piglets on a commercial farm. Ninety-six weaning piglets were randomly assigned to four treatments as follows: basal diet as control (C), basal diet plus 30 mg/kg of antibiotics (bacitracin methylene disalicylate) (A), basal diet plus 1 g/kg of BLFPs (F), and basal diet plus 15 mg/kg of antibiotics and 0.5 g/kg of BLFPs (AF), with six replicate pens per treatment and four pigs per pen. Results showed that, similar to antibiotics, replacing all or half the antibiotics with BLFPs improved the feed conversion ratio of weaning piglets from 15–28 d. Microbiota analysis showed that microbial community composition in the faeces showed a clear separation between groups. Replacing all the antibiotics with BLFPs increased the abundance of the genus, Streptococcus, in the faeces compared with the other groups. Half replacement of antibiotics with BLFPs increased the chloramphenicol resistance gene levels in the faeces compared with the C group, whereas full replacement of antibiotics with BLFPs reduced the streptomycin resistance gene levels compared with the C group. A trend of decreased levels of formic acid and acetic acid was observed in the group treated with BLFPs in combination with antibiotics compared with the C group. In conclusion, the field study demonstrates that replacing all or half the antibiotics with BLFPs can improve feed conversion ratio, modulate faecal microbiota, and alter ARG expression in weaning piglets.

Effect of dietary Saccharomyces-derived prebiotic refined functional carbohydrates as antibiotic alternative on growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens reared in a commercial farm

The search for effective in-feed antibiotic alternative is growing due to the global trend to reduce or ban the utilization of antibiotics as growth promotors in poultry diets. This study was processed to assess the effect of dietary refined functional carbohydrates (RFCs) replacing antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) on growth performance, intestinal morphologic structure and microbiota, as well as intestinal immune function and barrier function of broilers reared on a commercial broilers farm. Trials contained 3 treatments with 4 replicate broiler houses, with about 25,000 birds each room. The treatments were control group (CON), RFCs group (CON+100 mg/kg RFCs), and AGP group (CON+50 mg/kg bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD), respectively. Results showed that RFCs and AGP group significantly increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) during d 22 to 45 in contrast to control. Compared with the control and AGP-treated groups, feeding RFCs increased (P < 0.05) jejunal villus height to crypt depth ratio. AGP addition reduced (P < 0.05) the jejunal villi surface area compared to broilers fed control and RFC supplemented diets. Supplementation of RFCs promoted (P < 0.05) the growth of Lactobacillus but inhibited Escherichia coli and Salmonella proliferation compared with the control group. Inclusion of RFCs and BMD enhanced (P < 0.05) antibody titers against avian influenza virus H9 compared with control. RFCs and AGP both down-regulated (P < 0.05) intestinal TLR4 mRNA levels, whereas RFCs tended to up-regulate (P=0.05) IFN-γ gene expression compared to control. Expression of intestinal tight junction genes was not affected by either AGP or RFCs supplementation. Based on above observation, we suggested that RFCs could replace in-feed antibiotic BMD in broiler diets for reducing intestinal pathogenic bacteria and modulating immunity of broilers.

Individual and Combined Effects of a Direct-Fed Microbial and Calcium Butyrate on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histology and Gut Microbiota of Broiler Chickens

This study evaluated the effects of a Bacillus direct-fed microbial and microencapsulated calcium butyrate fed individually and in combination, as compared to an antibiotic growth promoter, on growth performance, processing characteristics, intestinal morphology, and intestinal microbiota of Ross 708 broilers reared from 0 to 47 d post-hatch. Dietary treatments included: (1) a negative control with no antimicrobial (NC), (2) a positive control diet containing bacitracin methylene disalicylate (PC), (3) a diet containing a Bacillus direct-fed microbial (CS), (4) a diet containing microencapsulated calcium butyrate (BP), and (5) a diet containing both CS and BP. Treatments were replicated with 10 pens of 20 birds each. From 0 to 15 d post-hatch, the FCR of broilers fed the PC, CS, BP, and CS + BP diets were lower (p &lt; 0.05) than those fed the NC diet, but treatment effects (p &gt; 0.05) were not observed on subsequent performance. BP supplementation improved (p &lt; 0.05) total breast meat weight and yield at processing. Intestinal histology was not influenced (p &gt; 0.05) by the treatment. Analysis of the jejunal microbiota collected at 15 d post-hatch revealed that the genus SMB53 was significantly lower for the CS group, and Sporanaerobacter was lower in the CS and CS + BP groups compared with the NC (p &lt; 0.05). The jejunal microbiota from broilers in the CS + BP group had higher (p &lt; 0.05) alpha and beta diversities compared with broilers fed the NC and CS diets. The results reflected synergistic effects between CS and BP in modulating the jejunal microbiota at 15 d that may have been related to enhanced feed efficiency (i.e., lower FCR) observed during this period.

An evaluation of the thermoregulatory potential of in ovo delivered bioactive substances (probiotic, folic acid, and essential oil) in broiler chickens

Mitigating the negative effects of heat stress (HS) is a critical challenge for the global poultry industry. This study evaluated the thermoregulatory potential of 3 in ovo delivered bioactive substances using selected gut health parameters. Eggs were incubated and allotted to 5 groups, and respective bioactive substances delivered. These groups included-the noninjected, in ovo saline, in ovo folic acid (FA), in ovo probiotics (P), and in ovo essential oil (EO). At hatch, chicks were assigned to 5 new posthatch treatment combinations, including A) Negative control (NC)-noninjected eggs offered a basal corn-wheat-soybean diet, B) Antibiotics-NC+0.05% bacitracin methylene disalicylate, C) In ovo FA-eggs injected with FA+NC diet, D) In ovo probiotics-eggs injected with probiotics+NC diet, E) In ovo+in-water EO-eggs injected with EO and supplied EO via drinking water+NC diet. Birds were raised for 28 d in 8 replicate cages/treatment (6 birds/cage) and exposed to either a thermoneutral (24°C ± 0.2) or HS challenge (31°C) condition from d 21 to d 28. The in ovo delivered FA and EO treatments reduced (P < 0.001) hatchability by at least 26% compared to NC. Induced HS reduced (P < 0.001) total plasma protein, total antioxidant capacity, and villus width in the duodenum and jejunum. Independent of HS and compared to NC, the in ovo+in-water EO treatment resulted in (P < 0.05) at least a 15% increase in villus height: crypt depth across the 3 gut sections. The in ovo+in-water EO treatment also increased the relative mRNA expression of intestinal barrier-related genes (Claudin1,3,4, Occludin, Zona occludens-2, and Mucin 2). Under HS, the in ovo+in-water EO treatment recorded a 3.5-fold upregulation of amino acid transporter gene (SLC1A1), compared to NC. Subject to further hatchability optimization, the in ovo+in-water delivery of EO show potential to afford broiler chicken thermotolerance.