Dietary Addition Research Articles

The Effects of Microbial Additive Supplementation on Growth Performance, Blood Metabolites, Fecal Microflora, and Carcass Characteristics of Growing-Finishing Pigs.

This study aimed to assess the effects of microbial additives that produce antimicrobial and digestive enzymes on the growth performance, blood metabolites, fecal microflora, and carcass characteristics of growing-finishing pigs. A total of 180 growing-finishing pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc; mixed sex; 14 weeks of age; 58.0 ± 1.00 kg) were then assigned to one of three groups with three repetitions (20 pigs) per treatment for 60 days of adaptation and 7 days of collection. Dietary treatments included 0, 0.5, and 1.0% microbial additives in the basal diet. For growth performance, no significant differences in the initial and final weights were observed among the dietary microbial additive treatments, except for the average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and feed efficiency. In terms of blood metabolites and fecal microflora, immunoglobulin G (IgG), blood urea nitrogen, blood glucose, and fecal lactic acid bacteria count increased linearly, and fecal E. coli counts decreased linearly with increasing levels of microbial additives but not growth hormones and Salmonella. Carcass quality grade was improved by the microbial additive. In addition, carcass characteristics were not influenced by dietary microbial additives. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 1.0% microbial additive improved average daily gain, feed efficiency, IgG content, and fecal microflora in growing-finishing pigs.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals in children's and their parents' urine: Is the exposure related to the Chinese and Western lifestyle?

Children are known to be more vulnerable to exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) compared to adults, but evaluating the exposure pathways can be challenging. This research employed target and non-target analysis (NTA) to examine the exposure characteristics of EDCs in spot urine samples collected from 46 children's (aged 3–12 years) and their parents in Hong Kong (Chinese/Western lifestyle) and Guangzhou (mainly Chinese lifestyle). The results revealed that the geometric mean concentrations of phthalate esters metabolites (mPAEs) and bisphenols (BPs) in children's urine were 127.3 μg/gcrea and 2.5 μg/gcrea in Guangzhou, and 93.7 μg/gcrea and 2.9 μg/gcrea in Hong Kong, respectively, which were consistent with global levels. NTA identified a total of 1069 compounds, including 106 EDCs, commonly detected in food, cosmetics, and drugs. Notable regional differences were observed between Guangzhou and Hong Kong with potential sources of EDCs including dietary and cosmetic additives, toys, flooring and dust, as well as differences in lifestyles, diet, and living environment. However, age was found to significantly impact EDC exposure. The quantified EDCs (mPAEs and BPs) posed possible health risks to 60% of the children. Moreover, the presence of caffeine in children's urine, which exhibited higher detection rates in children from Hong Kong (95.6%) and Guangzhou (44.4%), warrants further attention. The sources of EDCs exposure in these regions need to be fully confirmed.

Nutritional, ruminal, and metabolic parameters of beef bulls fed high-energy diets as a function of dietary addition of a magnesium oxide blend associated or not with monensin

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a magnesium oxide blend (MG) and monensin (MON) on the nutritional, ruminal, and metabolic parameters of finishing bulls fed high grain diet. Six ruminally cannulated bulls (542 ± 33.6 kg) were used in a 6 × 6 Latin square design with treatments arranged as a 2 × 3 factorial, with 6 periods of 23 days. The MG was included at 0, 2.5, or 5.0 g/kg of dry matter (DM) - MG0, MG2.5, and MG5.0, respectively, without or with MON (30 mg/kg of DM). During each experimental period, days 1–10 were designated for dietary additive adaptation. Days 11–20 (feeding period), were used to assess DM and nutrient intakes, digestibility, ruminal pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) profile, and blood parameters. Days 21–23 (corn challenge period), included supplementing all treatments with 2 kg/day of ground corn, replacing 2 kg/day of forage, to observe responses in ruminal pH and DM intake (DMI) in the presence of increased fermentable carbohydrates in the rumen. The ruminal pH increased linearly (P = 0.01) with the MG level during the feeding period. In the corn challenge, bulls fed diets without MON and MG5.0, as well as those fed MON and MG2.5 or MG5.0 showed a marked increase in rumen pH value during the first day. In the feeding period, the DMI was greater (quadratic: P = 0.05) for MG2.5 compared to other tested doses. The DM and nutrient intakes were greater (quadratic: P ≤ 0.05) for the MG2.5 group. Bulls fed MON diets had 0.5 kg lower DM and nutrient intakes than those without MON (P ≤ 0.05). The ruminal and intestinal digestibility of diet compounds did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.08). The DM and organic matter (OM) apparent total-tract digestibility tended to be (quadratic: P = 0.06) and were greater (quadratic: P = 0.05) for the MG2.5 group. The microbial crude protein synthesis (MCP) was greater for bulls fed the MG2.5 diet (quadratic: P = 0.03). Bulls fed diets without MON had a lower valeric acid (MON × Time: P = 0.03) and those fed diets without MG had a lower iso-valeric acid (MG × Time: P = 0.03) molar proportion 12 hours post-feeding than 1 hour pre-feeding. Glucose levels increased linearly with MG doses (P < 0.001). In summary, a dosage of 5.0 g/kg of DM of MG promotes a superior response in ruminal pH, whereas beneficial effects on digestive parameters are achieved with 2.5 g/kg of DM. Furthermore, MON and MG showed no significant associative effects.

Effects of Dietary Incorporation of Neem (Azadirachta indica), Moringa (Moringa oleifera), and Jute (Corchorus olitorius) Leaf Powder on Production Performance and Blood Indices of Broiler Chickens as a Substitute of Antibiotic

The study was planned to determine the effects of dietary incorporation of Neem (Azadirachta indica), Moringa (Moringa oleifera), and Jute (Corchorus olitorius) leaf powder on production performance, carcass traits, and blood indices of broiler chickens as a substitute for the antibiotic. A total of 200-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were divided randomly into 5 experimental groups. Whereas groups T1, T2, T3, and T4 were offered basal feed supplemented with 2% Neem Leaf Powder (NLP), 2% Moringa Leaf Powder (MLP), 2% Jute Leaf Powder (JLP), and antibiotics, respectively. In this research, the total feed consumption of birds was significantly (P &lt; 0.05) lower in the T1 and T2 group than in the T3 and T4 group. Final live weight was significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher in 2% MLP treated group T2 followed by T1, T3, and T0 group. Significantly (P &lt; 0.05) better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found in the T2 group compared to T0, T3, and T4 groups. There found no significant (P &gt; 0.05) effect of treatments on the survivability percentage of birds. All the treatment groups showed an insignificant (P &gt; 0.05) effect on dressing percentage and organs (liver, heart, and gizzard) weight of broiler chicken. Weight of immune organs (spleen and bursa) and blood parameters (concentration of hemoglobin, glucose, and cholesterol) were not influenced (P &gt; 0.05) by dietary addition. Birds fed the lower amount of feed, higher body weight, and improved FCR were found in the 2% MLP treated group. In overall aspects, the effectiveness of 2% MLP addition was better than 2% NLP and 2% JLP as an antibiotic alternative.

Growth Performance, Quantitative Analysis and Economics of Broiler Chickens as Influenced by Herbal Dietary Additives as Alternative Growth Booster

Growth Performance, Quantitative Analysis and Economics of Broiler Chickens as Influenced by Herbal Dietary Additives as Alternative Growth Booster

Dietary supplementation of ornithine improved the growth, immune response and acute NH3 stress tolerance of Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei

Ornithine is an arginine family amino acid and is not incorporated into protein. This study evaluated its role in growth, immune response and acute NH3 stress tolerance of Penaeus vannamei. Six diets with graded levels (0.6, 0.9, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, 2.1 g kg−1) of L-ornithine were formulated, and fed the shrimp for 8 weeks. The growth of shrimp was significantly improved with the dietary ornithine levels increased from 0.6 to 1.5 g kg−1. Feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio and protein productive value showed a similar trend to the growth performance of shrimp. Whole body protein and muscle lipid of shrimp were significantly increased in shrimp fed 1.8 g kg−1 ornithine compared to those fed 0.6 g kg−1 ornithine. The contents of several amino acids were increased with the dietary ornithine increased to 1.5 g kg−1. Elevated levels of ornithine increased the Nitric Oxide (NO) content and suppressed arginase activity in the hemolymph. The relative mRNA expression of superoxide dismutase, heat shock protein 70, dorsal and caspase 3 were increased with the dietary addition of ornithine, while the mRNA level of arginase was decreased with the increasing dietary ornithine levels. After 9 h acute NH3 stress, mortality of shrimp reduced with the increasing dietary ornithine levels. The relative mRNA levels of superoxide dismutase, heat shock protein 70, dorsal and catalase were increased with the dietary addition of ornithine after the acute NH3 stress. The second-order regression analysis of weight gain and survival after acute stress revealed that the suitable ornithine content in the shrimp diet was 1.4–1.5 g kg−1.

Effects of Phytosterol Ester Supplementation on Egg Characteristics, Eggshell Ultrastructure, Antioxidant Capacity, Liver Function and Hepatic Metabolites of Laying Hens during Peak Laying Period.

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary Phytosterol Ester (PSE) supplementation on egg characteristics, eggshell ultrastructure, antioxidant capacity, liver function, hepatic metabolites, and its mechanism of action in Hy-Line Brown laying hens during peak laying period. A total of 256 healthy Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly allocated into four groups. The hens in the control group were fed a basal diet, while those in the experimental groups were fed a basal diet further supplemented with 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg PSE, respectively. It was found that the addition of 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg PSE to the diets increased egg weight, but decreased egg breaking strength (p < 0.05). The addition of PSEs to the diets increased albumen height and Haugh unit in all experimental groups (p < 0.05). Electron microscopic observation revealed that the mammillary thickness increased significantly at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg, but the total thickness decreased, and the effective thickness also thinned (p < 0.05). The mammillary width narrowed in all experimental groups (p < 0.001). Dietary supplementation with 40 mg/kg PSE significantly increased egg yolk Phenylalanine, Leucine, and Isoleucine levels (p < 0.05). In untargeted liver metabolomic analyses, L-Phenylalanine increased significantly in all experimental groups. Leucyl-Lysine, Glutamyl-Leucyl-Arginine, and L-Tryptophan increased significantly at doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg (p < 0.05), and L-Tyrosine increased significantly at doses of 10 and 40 mg/kg (p = 0.033). Aspartyl-Isoleucine also increased significantly at a dose of 10 mg/kg (p = 0.044). The concentration of total protein in the liver was significantly higher at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg than that of the control group, and the concentrations of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The concentration of triglyceride and alkaline phosphatase were significantly reduced in all experimental groups (p < 0.05). Steatosis and hemorrhage in the liver were also improved by observing the H&E-stained sections of the liver. Concerning the antioxidant capacity in the liver, malondialdehyde concentration was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) at a dose of 40 mg/kg. In the ovary, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide concentrations were significantly reduced (p < 0.001). In all the experimental groups, plasma nitric oxide concentration was significantly decreased while superoxide dismutase was significantly increased, and total antioxidant capacity concentration was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the 10 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg doses. Metabolomics analyses revealed that PSEs play a role in promoting protein synthesis by promoting Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism, among other pathways. This study showed that the dietary addition of PSEs improved egg characteristics, antioxidant capacity, liver function, and symptoms of fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome in Hy-Line Brown laying hens at peak laying stage. The changes in liver metabolism suggest that the mechanism of action may be related to pathways such as Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that PSEs are safe and effective dietary additives as an alternative to antibiotics.

Dietary apidaecin Api-PR19 addition enhances growth performance by regulating gut health and microbiota in broilers.

This study investigated the effects of Apidaecin Api-PR19 as feed additive on growth performance, intestinal health, and small intestinal microbiota of broilers. A total of 360 1-d-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 3 groups with 6 replicates including control group with basal diet (CON), antibiotic growth promotor group with basal plus 10 mg/kg colistin sulfate and 50 mg/kg roxarsone (AGP), and antibacterial peptide group with basal diet plus 330 mg/kg Apidaecin Api-PR19 (ABP). The trial lasted 35 d. Results showed that dietary Api-PR19 addition increased (p<0.05) the average daily feed intake, average daily gain and decreased (p<0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) during 1 to 21 d compared with the CON group. The digestibility of dry matter and crude protein were higher in AGP and ABP groups (p<0.05) where greater trypsin activity was detected in duodenum (p<0.05). The ratio of villus height to crypt depth (V/C) in duodenum and jejunum was increased at 35 d when broilers were given diets with ABP or AGP (p<0.05). Besides, ABP treatments up-regulated (p<0.05) the mRNA expression of EAAT3, GLUT2, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 in duodenum of broilers at 35 d of age. The results of immunohistochemistry showed that ABP treatment significantly increased (p<0.05) duodenal secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) content. In addition, 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that there were differences in the intestinal microbiota diversity and composition among three groups. Notably, the linear discriminant analysis effect size showed that p_Firmicutes, g_Enterococcus, g_Carnobacterium, g_Kitasatospora, and g_Acidaminococcus were dominant in ABP group. Redundancy analysis showed that these changes in gut microbiota in ABP group had correlation with growth performance, intestinal morphology, and content of sIgA. In general, these results indicated that dietary 330 mg/kg Apidaecin Api-PR19 supplementation promoted growth performance of broilers by improving intestinal development, nutrients absorption, immune function and modulating intestinal microbiota.

Dose-response analysis for the effects of Coffea arabica L. on growth performance, health status, and economic efficiency of fattened rabbits raised under high ambient temperature

Abstract The dose-response analysis was used to investigate the effects of green coffee (GC) on growth performance, feed utilization, carcass traits, and health status of newly weaned rabbits. A total of 60 clinically healthy growing rabbits (5 weeks old) reared during summer season were divided randomly into three experimental groups, 20 rabbits each, and received 0, 2, and 4 g GC/kg diet, (GC0, GC2, and GC4), respectively. Growth performance (live body weight, LBW and average daily gain, ADG) and feed utilization (feed conversion ratio, FCR) as well as the dressing percentage and the relative weight of liver were improved significantly in the GC-treated groups compared to the control group. The dose-response regression analysis showed that the optimal doses were 2.75 and 3 g GC/kg diet for ADG and FCR, respectively. Moreover, GC treatments significantly decreased both rectum temperature and respiration rate compared to GC0, with an optimal dose being at 2.5 g GC/kg diet. Erythrocytes and leukocyte counts improved significantly in the GC-treated groups compared to the GC0 group. Blood protein and its fractions, liver and kidney functions, and lipid profile were quadratically improved by GC supplementation. The optimal dose was 3 g GC/kg diet for total protein and its fractions, ALT, and TG, while it was 2.5 and 2.75 g GC/kg diets for creatinine and TC, respectively. Total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione activities were significantly higher, while the levels of malondialdehyde were significantly lower in the GC-treated groups than the GC0 group. A level of 2.5 g GC/kg diet was the optimal dose required for improving immunoglobulin A and G, which improved in blood serum of GC treated groups compared to the control. Economically, dietary addition of GC enhanced the economic efficiency of the supplemented diets, thereby improving the profitability of the fattening process. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of GC at level of 2.5–3 g/kg diet could be effectively used to enhance the growth indices, redox status, immune function, and economic efficiency of rabbits fattened during the summer season.

Investigating the Impact of Marigold Supplementation on Egg Yolk Color Intensity: A Study on Dietary Additives

Investigating the Impact of Marigold Supplementation on Egg Yolk Color Intensity: A Study on Dietary Additives

Improving Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Utilization with Sodium Butyrate in Nile Tilapia Diets: Effects on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histology, Antioxidative Response, and Blood Biomarkers

Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meal was introduced to aquafeed as a suitable protein source to replace fish meal (FM) and soybean meal and, thereby, consistent aquaculture production. However, mealworms should be added at adequate levels due to the presence of antinutritional factors such as chitin. Consequently, sodium butyrate (SB) is suggested to improve feed quality and ensure aquatic animals’ productivity and welfare. In this study, parallel with the protein source (T. molitor meal or FM), dietary supplementation of SB (1 g/kg) is involved as a factor in the 2 × 2 factorial study. The first and the second diets were formulated using FM as a protein source with or without SB, while the third and fourth diets were prepared by replacing FM with T. molitor meal with or without SB supplementation. After 60 days, fish fed with FM or T. molitor and SB showed improved final body weight and weight gain, while those fed with T. molitor without SB had a reduced protein efficiency ratio. Histological analysis revealed that dietary SB improved intestinal histological features by increasing the height and branching of intestinal villi and immune cell infiltration near intestinal crypts in Nile tilapia-fed FM or T. molitor. Furthermore, fish-fed FM or T. molitor and SB had higher Hb, red blood cells, PCV, total protein, and globulin levels than fish-fed respective test diets without SB supplementation. Dietary SB addition to FM or T. molitor-based diets also significantly enhanced blood lysozyme and phagocytic activities, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and reduced MDA levels. Our results demonstrate that T. molitor meal can replace FM without compromising Nile tilapia’s growth performance and health status. Additionally, SB supplementation improved T. molitor meal utilization by Nile tilapia, thereby significantly enhancing the growth, digestion capacity, intestinal histological features, and antioxidative and immune responses. Consequently, dietary T. molitor meal reduces the reliance on FM and improves the sustainability and efficiency of Nile tilapia production.

Illegal food chemicals sensing with photonic crystal fiber sensor in the terahertz spectrum

The method by which a photonic crystal is manufactured fiber is detailed throughout the subsequent undertaking, containing a hexahedron core and hazardous dietary additives using a hexagonal cladding. Saccharine, sorbitol, and butyl acetate are used as analytes for sensing purposes. The sensor contains five tiers of circular ventilation holes within the hexagonal framework, as well as two tiers of hexahedron circles in the central area. FEM (Finite Element Method) is implemented in the sensor design of COMSOL software version 4.2. We noticed the response of the PCF sensor to the specific substances. We examined key optical metrics encompassing specifications including V-parameter, Relational sensitivity, effective refractive index, and power fraction to assess the suitability of the sensor for precisely and effectively detecting various food additives. The revised model attains sensitivity values of 90.10%, 91.30%, and 86.60%, respectively, at a frequency of 1 THz, the identification of saccharine (1.550 in the index of refraction), sorbitol (1.375 in the index of refraction), and butyl acetate (1.394 in the index of refraction) is performed. Furthermore, the compositions of saccharine (1.550 in the index of refraction), sorbitol (1.375 in the index of refraction), and butyl acetate (1.394 in the index of refraction) demonstrate losses from confinement of 6.15 × 10−8 dB/m, 7.25 × 10−8 dB/m, and 6.35 × 10−8 dB/m, which are comparatively minimal, and 0.0235 cm−1 is an insignificant effective material loss. These structures are studied at the terahertz frequency spectrum. Owing to its superior wave-guiding properties, this proposed sensor can be used for polarization-preserving terahertz wave applications and detecting dangerous food additives. Besides, because of simple fabrication, high sensitivity, and low confinement loss, we strongly believe this optimized geometrical structure will contribute to real-life applications that lead to safer food and support a circular economy in developing countries.

Unchanged water stress induces growth retardation, histopathological alterations, and antioxidant-immune disruptions in Oreochromis niloticus: the promising role of dietary organic acids

Legal restrictions and consumer trends are contributing to the growing movement for fish welfare. Therefore, the aquaculture sector is a means of reducing animal stress and enhancing physiological state, which raises financial profits. Feed additives have therefore been suggested as possible dietary stress alleviation. In this trend, a 75-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of three organic acids (formic acid (FA), lactic acid (LA), and commercial organic acids mix (COM)) as dietary additives in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared under a stressful condition (unchanged water). Fish (weighing 3.95 ± 0.05 g) were randomly housed into eight groups (n = 210 fish/group; 70 fish/replicate; 3 replicates/group). The first (negative control) and second (positive control) groups were fed a basal diet without additives and with water exchange at 20% of the water volume every 2 days for the first group and without water exchange for the second. The other six groups (FA1, FA2, LA1, LA2, COM1, and COM2) were fed basal diets supplemented with OAs at two doses (1 and 2%) without water exchange during the trial. The results revealed that fish kept without water exchange (positive control) had the highest level of water-unionized ammonia and nitrite and a marked decline in growth performance (weight gain and specific growth rate). The unchanged water induced substantial decreases in the hematological profile (white and red blood cell count, hemoglobin value, and hematocrit %), protein profile indices (total protein, albumin, and globulin), and antioxidant-immune response (superoxide dismutase, catalase, lysozyme, and total immunoglobulin M). In addition, the biochemical indices (glucose, creatinine, urea, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase) and lipid peroxide (malondialdehyde) were substantially increased in the positive control group. In addition to that, marked and severe histopathological alteration in the gills, liver, and intestine including hyperplasia, hemorrhage, and degenerative and necrotic changes that were associated with desquamation and sloughing were obvious in the PC group. Dietary LA1 significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) the overall measured indices; meanwhile, the dietary FA and COM recorded the worst results. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the unchanged water negatively affected the growth and physiological functions of Nile tilapia. Dietary incorporation of organic acids did not protect the fish from these hazards except the LA (1%). The latter can reduce nitrogenous compounds, enhance immune response, and alleviate these alterations for the sustainable aquaculture industry.

The effects of Bacillus subtilis on the immunity, mucosal tissue morphology, immune-related gene transcriptions, and intestinal microbiota in flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) with two feeding methods: Continuous versus discontinuous feeding

Probiotics as dietary additives can improve weight gain, feed efficiency, and disease resistance in cultured fish. In this research, we evaluated and compared the effects of Bacillus subtilis on immunity, mucosal tissue morphology, immune-related gene transcriptions, and intestinal microbiota in flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) by a 30-day feeding experiment based on a continuous feeding schedule (E1) and a discontinuous feeding schedule (E2). As a result, the use of B. subtilis exerted the best positive effects on survival rate, enzyme activity, mucosal tissue morphology, immune-related gene transcriptions, and intestinal microbiota in flounders. Alkaline phosphatase (AKP), lysozyme (LZM), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the liver of E2 were higher than those of E1 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the villi length in the intestinal tract and the fold length in the stomach of E2 were also higher than in E1 (P < 0.05). The il-1 expression levels in the spleen were significantly increased in E2 (P < 0.05) compared to E1. We performed 16 S rRNA sequencing analysis to find that Bacillus in E1 (1.06%) and E2 (1.01%) had higher relative abundances than in E0 (0.053%) at the end of the experiments, indicating that short-term application of B. subtilis with the continuous or discontinuous feeding method can allow both the adaptation of the ecosystem to the presence of probiotics by the establishment of new species in the gut microbiota and the ability these new probiotic species to perform corresponding functions. No significant differences in the ability of probiotic establishment were observed between E1 and E2. Our findings provided a unique perspective to explore the mechanism of immune enhancement with probiotics and to screen the optimal administration strategy in aquaculture application for probiotic use. Together, these results point to some level of enhancement in immune status by continuous and discontinuous feeding after a short-term feeding period, which could be used as a prophylactic strategy for flounder health management.

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.

From growth promotion to intestinal inflammation alleviation: Unraveling the potential role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GCC-3 in juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a probiotic, which not only promotes the growth of animals, but also has anti-inflammatory effects. However, the mechanism by which Lactobacillus rhamnosus regulates intestinal immunity is not well comprehended. Hence, the study aimed to research how Lactobacillus rhamnosus affects the intestinal immunity using juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) as a model. We selected 1800 juvenile grass carp for testing. They were divided into six treatments and fed with six gradients of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GCC-3 (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 g/kg) for 70 days. Enteritis was subsequently induced with dextroside sodium sulfate. Results indicated that dietary Lactobacillus rhamnosus GCC-3 addition improved growth performance. Meanwhile, appropriate levels of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GCC-3 alleviated excessive inflammatory response by down-regulating the expression of TLR4 and NOD receptors, up-regulating the expression of TOR, and then down-regulating the expression of NF-κB. Additionally, appropriate Lactobacillus rhamnosus GCC-3 improved intestinal immunity by reducing pyroptosis triggered by NLRP3 inflammasome and mediated by GSDME. Furthermore, 16 S rRNA sequencing showing appropriate levels of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GCC-3 increased Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium abundance and decreased Aeromonas abundance. These results suggest that Lactobacillus rhamnosus GCC-3 can alleviate intestinal inflammation through down-regulating NF-κB and up-regulating TOR signaling pathways, as well as by inhibiting pyroptosis.

Dietary 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol Supplementation as a Vitamin D3 Substitute Improves Performance, Egg Quality, Blood Indexes, Jejunal Morphology, and Tibia Quality in Late-Phase Laying Hens.

This study aimed to investigate whether a dietary 25-OHD3 addition improved the performance, egg quality, blood indexes, antioxidant status, jejunal morphology, and tibia quality of aged laying hens compared to a dietary VD3 addition. A total of 270 Hy-Line Brown laying hens at 55 wk of age were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments with six replicates (15 birds per replicate with 3 birds per cage). Chickens were fed a corn-soybean meal diet supplementation of 4000 IU/kg VD3 (control group), 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 and 2000 IU/kg VD3 (experimental group 1), or 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 and 4000 IU/kg VD3 (experimental group 2) for 12 weeks. The results demonstrated that 25-OHD3 caused a significant increase in the laying rate, especially in the 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 + 2000 IU/kg VD3 group; the laying rate reached the maximum compared with other groups after 12 weeks (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant effects on the average egg weight, average daily feed intake, or feed-to-egg ratio (p > 0.05). A dietary supplementation of 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 and 2000 IU/kg VD3 provided an improved eggshell strength, thick albumen height, and Haugh unit after 12 weeks (p < 0.05). Further analysis of the blood indexes showed that alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and phosphorus were enhanced significantly in the 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 + 2000 IU/kg VD3 group, while the content of total bilirubin decreased significantly (p < 0.05). In addition, the 25-OHD3 addition in diets improved the calcium and phosphorus contents in the serum (p < 0.05). The concentrations of 25-OHD3, parathyroid hormones, follicle-stimulating hormone, and progesterone were increased in the 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 + 2000 IU/kg VD3 group, and the levels of cortisol, calcitonin, bone gla protein, and endotoxin in the serum reached a minimum in the 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 + 4000 IU/kg VD3 group (p < 0.05), which constitutes an advantage for the aged laying hens. The antioxidant enzyme activities and free radical scavenging abilities in the 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 + 2000 IU/kg VD3 group increased markedly, and the MDA level decreased significantly in the 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 + 4000 IU/kg VD3 group (p < 0.05). Improvements in jejunal morphology and intestinal integrity resulted in an increased villi-length-to-crypt-depth ratio in the 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 + 2000 IU/kg VD3 group (p < 0.05). Dietary 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 and 2000 IU/kg VD3 additions improved the tibia quality, including fresh tibia weight, strength, mineral content (Ca), and trabeculae area (p < 0.05). Taken together, compared with the dietary VD3 addition, dietary supplementation of 25-OHD3 supported a stable physiological status for sustained egg production, egg quality, and bone quality in late-phase laying hens, and the addition levels of 50 μg/kg 25-OHD3 and 2000 IU/kg VD3 had the best effect. Therefore, this could provide a theoretical basis for the use of 25-OHD3 as a substitute forVD3.

Effects of dietary supplementation of Bacillus, β-glucooligosaccharide and their synbiotic on the growth, digestion, immunity, and gut microbiota profile of abalone, Haliotis discus hannai

Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics are known to improve aquatic animals' growth and health conditions. In this study, we investigated the effect of Bacillus sp. KRF-7 (KRF-7), Bacillus sp. PM8313 (PM8313), β-glucooligosaccharide (BGO), and their synbiotics on the growth, digestive physiology, immunity, and gut microbiota of abalone, Haliotis discus hannai. The control diet (CON) was sprayed with 108 CFU/g KRF-7 (PRO1) or PM8313 (PRO2) as probiotics, 0.10% BGO (PRE) as prebiotic, and their combinations (SYN1: PRO1 + BGO; SYN2: PRO2+ BGO) as synbiotic treatments. These diets (triplicates) were given once daily to the abalone (initial body weight: 1.32 ± 0.05 g, initial shell length: 21. 69 ± 0.19 mm) for 12 weeks. The results showed that the PRE diet induced a significant 15% shell length and body weight increase against the CON (SLGR: 45.77% vs. 53.04%; WGR: 182.77% vs. 210.22%), the highest among dietary supplements (P < 0.05). The level of IGF and IGFBP in the cell-free hemolymph, protein expression of IGF signaling, and gene expression of myosin heavy chain in the adductor muscle increased significantly (P < 0.05) following dietary supplementation. Correspondingly, PRE-, PRO1-, and PRO2-fed abalone had the highest trypsin, lipase, and amylase secretion in the hepatopancreas (P < 0.05) and increased histomorphometry (stomach epithelial thickness and intestinal villi height) (P < 0.05). Regarding antioxidative capacity and immunity, the hepatopancreatic expression of SOD, CAT, IRAK-4, NF-Kb, TNF-α, and β-defensin were significantly upregulated in abalone fed with dietary additives compared to the CON (P < 0.05). In terms of gut microbiota profile, PRE-fed abalone had a significant reduction in microbial richness (P < 0.05). The phylum level was similarly occupied, while a diet-specific core microbiota at the genus level was apparent. The findings illustrated that BGO, KRF-7, and PM8313 can be used in abalone aquaculture as growth-promoting and immune-stimulating supplements.

Comparative Effects of Including Inorganic, Organic, and Hydroxy Zinc Sources on Growth Development, Egg Quality, Mineral Excretion, and Bone Health of Laying Quails.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the dietary addition of zinc (Zn) in the form of sulphate (Zn-S), glycine (Zn-G), and hydroxychloride (Zn-H) on quail performance, eggshell quality, antioxidant status, mineral excretion, biomechanical properties and mineralization of bone. A total of 75 female quails (10-weeks-old) were randomly distributed into 3 groups with 5 replications, each with 5 female quails. Treatment groups were set up by adding Zn-S and Zn-H as the inorganic form and Zn-G as the organic form of zinc to the corn-soybean basal diet (34.14mg/kg Zn) to obtain 50mg/kg Zn and the feeding experiment lasted for 12 weeks. Performance parameters and egg production were not impaired by the Zn source (P > 0.05). The inclusion of Zn-S in the diet produced a reduction in eggshell thickness, while an improvement in yolk antioxidant capacity (measured as MDA concentration) was detected compared to the other Zn sources (P < 0.05). Shear strength and cortical bone area increased (P < 0.05) with Zn-G supplementation, however, the mineral concentration of the tibia was higher (P < 0.01) in those quails who had received Zn-H. Lower levels of mineral excretion were observed in both types of supplementations compared to Zn-S. Therefore, it can be stated that Zn-G or Zn-H supplementation in the diet of laying quails could be an interesting strategy to reduce mineral excretion and improve bone mineralization without affecting performance compared to Zn-S. However, further studies are needed to determine the differences between Zn-G and Zn-H.

Interactions between maternal parity and feed additives drive the composition of pig gut microbiomes in the post-weaning period

BackgroundNursery pigs undergo stressors in the post-weaning period that result in production and welfare challenges. These challenges disproportionately impact the offspring of primiparous sows compared to those of multiparous counterparts. Little is known regarding potential interactions between parity and feed additives in the post-weaning period and their effects on nursery pig microbiomes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of maternal parity on sow and offspring microbiomes and the influence of sow parity on pig fecal microbiome and performance in response to a prebiotic post-weaning. At weaning, piglets were allotted into three treatment groups: a standard nursery diet including pharmacological doses of Zn and Cu (Con), a group fed a commercial prebiotic only (Preb) based on an Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, and a group fed the same prebiotic plus Zn and Cu (Preb + ZnCu).ResultsAlthough there were no differences in vaginal microbiome composition between primiparous and multiparous sows, fecal microbiome composition was different (R2 = 0.02, P = 0.03). The fecal microbiomes of primiparous offspring displayed significantly higher bacterial diversity compared to multiparous offspring at d 0 and d 21 postweaning (P < 0.01), with differences in community composition observed at d 21 (R2 = 0.03, P = 0.04). When analyzing the effects of maternal parity within each treatment, only the Preb diet triggered significant microbiome distinctions between primiparous and multiparous offspring (d 21: R2 = 0.13, P = 0.01; d 42: R2 = 0.19, P = 0.001). Compositional differences in pig fecal microbiomes between treatments were observed only at d 21 (R2 = 0.12, P = 0.001). Pigs in the Con group gained significantly more weight throughout the nursery period when compared to those in the Preb + ZnCu group.ConclusionsNursery pig gut microbiome composition was influenced by supplementation with an Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, with varying effects on performance when combined with pharmacological levels of Zn and Cu or for offspring of different maternal parity groups. These results indicate that the development of nursery pig gut microbiomes is shaped by maternal parity and potential interactions with the effects of dietary feed additives.