Growing Broiler Chickens Research Articles

Effect of Moringa oleifera Leaves Extract, Whey Protein, and Their Combination on Growth, Carcass and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

Effect of Moringa oleifera Leaves Extract, Whey Protein, and Their Combination on Growth, Carcass and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

Evaluation of dietary supplementation of frankincense oil on broiler chicken growth performance, hepatic histomorphology, antioxidant activity, blood biochemical parameters, and inflammatory responses

This investigation aimed to assess the potential impact of frankincense oil (FKO) from Boswellia serrata on broiler chicken growth performance parameters, including body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the starter, grower, and finisher phases. We also evaluated the hepatic histology, serum hepatorenal function tests, antioxidant activity, and inflammatory responses. A total of 400 three-day-old male chicks (Ross 308 broiler) (100.40 ± 0.13 g) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (10 replicates/group, ten chicks/replicate). The birds were fed basal diet (FKO0, control group) or basal diet supplemented with 200, 400, and 600 FKO/kg of diet (FKO200, FKO400, FKO600, respectively). The experiment lasted 35 days. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that FKO contained 36 constituents, with the dominant compounds being 1,6,10-DODECATRIEN-3-OL, 3,7,11-TRIMETHYL-, [S-(Z)]- (12.42%), ç-Elemene (12.42%), à-Farnesene (12.42%), PHENOL and 2,4-BIS(1,1-DIMETHYLETHYL)- (7.15%). Distinctive FKO levels (200-600 mg/kg) showed greater BW without influencing total feed intake compared to the FKO0 treatment. The FCR was improved by the addition of FKO to the diets. The blood concentrations of alanine aminotransferase and creatinine increased (p < 0.05) in the FKO600 treatment. Dietary FKO linearly lowered serum malondialdehyde levels and enhanced blood total antioxidant capacity, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukine-1 β and interferon γ) compared to the control group. Broilers fed FKO at levels 200–600 mg kg−1 diet also exhibited lower serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Furthermore, the FKO400 and FKO600 treatments showed an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.01). Histomorphological analysis of the liver indicated no significant differences between the FKO-supplemented groups and the control group. However, the immunoexpression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine (transforming growth factor β) was considerably increased in the liver and spleen tissues of birds fed FKO in a level-dependent manner. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of FKO at levels up to 600 mg/kg can serve as a natural growth promoter in broiler chickens, leading to enhanced growth, hypolipidemic properties, antioxidant status, and immune responses.

Effect of coconut oil on growth performance, carcass criteria, liver and kidney functions, antioxidants and immunity, and lipid profile of broilers

The aim of this study is to evaluate the beneficial effects of coconut essential oil on growth performance, carcass criteria, antioxidant status, and immune response of broiler chicks. A total of 192 un-sexed 7-days broiler chicks were divided into six treatment sets with four copies of 8 chicks per set. The groups were as follows: (1) basal diet (without additive), (2) basal diet plus 0.5 ml coconut essential oil/kg, (3) basal diet plus 1 ml coconut essential oil/kg, (4) basal diet plus 1.5 ml coconut essential oil/kg, (5) basal diet plus 2 ml coconut essential oil/kg and (6) basal diet plus 2.5 ml coconut essential oil/kg. The results showed that the most prevalent compound in coconut oil is 6-Octadecenoic acid (oleic acid) representing 46.44% followed 2(3H)-Furanone, dihydro-5-pentyl- (CAS) (11.36%), Hexadecanoic acid (CAS) (4.71%), and vanillin (2.53%). Dietary 1 and 1.5 ml of coconut oil improved significantly the body weight and gain of broiler chickens. Dietary supplementation of 1 ml of coconut oil improved significantly liver function compared to control and other treatment groups. The supplementation with 1 ml coconut oil significantly reduced TG and VLDL compared to control and other treatment groups, while no significant differences in TC, HDL, and LDL due to dietary coconut oil. The present findings showed that dietary coconut oil with 1 and 1.5 ml/kg feed improved significantly antioxidants status through increased antioxidant enzymes like SOD and GSH while decreasing significantly MDA levels compared to control and other treatment groups. Therefore, it was concluded that the diets of broiler chickens could be fortified with coconut oil with 1 or 1.5 ml to improve the growth, feed utilization, and antioxidant status of broiler chickens.

Effect of genotype on growth, fear-related behaviours, and walking ability of FUNAAB Alpha broiler chickens

The FUNAAB Alpha broiler, a tropical chicken breed developed in Nigeria, has three genotypes which are normal feather (NF), naked neck (NN), and frizzle feather (FF). This 56-day study investigated the effect of genotype on growth, fear-related behaviours, and walking ability of FUNAAB Alpha broiler chickens. Two hundred and four (204) chickens (68 NF, 68 NN, and 68 FF chickens; 34 males and 34 females per genotype) were used for the experiment. Body weight and growth rate were measured on days 27 and 56. The level of fear using the tonic immobility test (TI) on days 23 and 51, and emergence from a dark box on days 25 and 53 were measured. Walking ability was assessed using the latency to lie test on day 54. There was a genotype effect on body weight on days 27 and 56 (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively) and growth rate from days 1–27 and days 1–56 (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively). Of the three genotypes, the NN chickens were lighter in body weight, while the NF and FF had similar body weights on days 27 and 56 (p = 0.64 and p = 0.85, respectively), and growth rate from days 1–27 (p = 0.79). The male chickens were heavier on days 27 and 56 (p = 0.04 and p = 0.04, respectively) and had a better growth rate from days 1–27 (p = 0.03). The duration of tonic immobility on days 23 and 51 was similar in all three genotypes. The latency to emerge from a dark box on day 25 was not affected (p = 0.70) by genotype, but it took the NF chickens a longer time (138.20 ± 18.70 s) to emerge from the dark box on day 53. The walking ability of the birds was not affected (p = 0.83) by the genotype. However, male chickens had better (p = 0.01) walking ability by standing for a longer time than the females during the latency to lie test. In conclusion, the NF and FF chickens were heavier than the NN on days 27 and 56, and the NN and FF chickens were less fearful than the NF chickens on day 53. The FF genotype is recommended for meat production due to its better growth and less fearfulness.

Genome-Wide and 16S rRNA Sequencing-Based Analysis on the Health Effects of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei XLK401 on Chicks.

Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, serves as a growth promoter used in the poultry industry, contributeing to broiler development. However, practical studies are needed to determine the probiotic potential and growth-promoting effects of specific L. paracasei strains. This study aims to determine whether L. paracasei XLK401 influences broiler chicken growth and the mechanisms involved. Notably, we identified several bile salt and acid tolerance-related genes (Asp23, atpD, atpA, atpH, and atpF) in L. paracasei XLK401. This bacterium demonstrates robust probiotic properties under acidic conditions (pH 2.0) and 0.3% bile salt conditions. It also contains a variety of antioxidant-related genes (trxA, trxB, and tpx), carbohydrate-related genes, gene-encoding glycosidases (e.g., GH and GT), and three clusters of genes associated with antimicrobial compounds. Supplementation with L. paracasei XLK401 significantly increased the body weight of the chicks. In addition, it significantly increased hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities (GSH-Px, SOD, and T-AOC) while significantly decreasing the levels of oxidative damage factors and inflammatory factors (MDA and IL-6), resulting in improved chick health. Improvements in body weight and health status were associated with significant increases in α-amylase activity and the remodeling of the host gut microbiota by L. paracasei XLK401. Among them, actinobacteria abundance in chicken intestines after feeding them L. paracasei XLK401 was significantly decreased, Bifidobacterium sp. abundance was also significantly decreased, and Subdoligranulum sp. abundance was significantly increased. This suggests that L. paracasei XLK401 can regulate the abundance of certain bacteria without changing the overall microbial structure. In addition, in the correlation analysis, Subdoligranulums sp. were positively correlated with SOD and negatively correlated with IL-1β and MDA. Overall, our study demonstrates that L. paracasei XLK401 effectively promotes healthy chick growth. This is made possible by the modulation of gut microbe abundance and the underlying probiotic effect of L. paracasei XLK401. Based on these findings, we postulate L. paracasei XLK401 as a potential efficient growth promoter in broiler farming.

Effect of endo-1,4-beta-xylanase supplementation to low-energy diets on performance, blood constituents, nutrient digestibility, and gene expressions related growth of broiler chickens.

The presence of soluble and insoluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) was reported to reduce nutrient utilisation, and adversely impact the broilers' growth performance; accordingly, NSP-degrading enzymes are essential supplements to cereal-based diets. Therefore, the current trial was conducted to characterise the impacts of supplemental xylanase (Xyl) to diets with low-ME levels on performance, carcass traits, blood parameters, nutrient digestibility and some genes expressions in broiler chickens. A total of 600 1-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 6 treatments with 10 replications of 10 birds each per group in a completely randomised design. The 6 treatments were as follow: (1) basal diets with balanced ME content served as control (positive control, PC), (2) low-energy diet (negative control 1 [NC1]; ME content reduced by 70 kcal/kg compared with PC), (3) low-energy diet (negative control 2 [NC2]; ME content reduced by 140 kcal/kg compared with PC), (4) NC1 + 100 g/ton xylanase (NC1 + 100Xyl), (5) NC2 + 100 g/ton xylanase (NC2 + 100Xyl), and (6) NC1 + 50 g/ton xylanase (NC1 + 50Xyl). At the end of the experiment (35 days of age), the reduction of energy in the NC diets yielded lower live body weight (BW) and total body weight gain (BWG) (p ˂ 0.001); however, it significantly increased feed intake (p ˂ 0.05), leading to worst feed conversion ratio (FCR) and European production efficiency factor (EPEF) (p ˂ 0.01) than PC. There was non-significant variation in final BW, BWG, FCR, or EPEF between the PC group and the NC groups supplemented with Xyl. Carcass yield, gizzard, liver and, muscle relative weights were not influenced by dietary treatments; while broilers fed diet with low-energy diets with or without Xyl addition had lower abdominal fat (p ˂ 0.01) than PC. Furthermore, broilers fed on low-ME diets supplemented with Xyl showed a reduction in plasma total cholesterol (p ˂ 0.05) and low density lipoprotein (p ˂ 0.01) levels. Greater antibody titre against Newcastle disease (p ˂ 0.05) was recorded in the NC1 + 100Xyl and NC2 + 100Xyl groups. The addition of Xyl to low-energy diets significantly improved (p ˂ 0.05) fibre digestibility compared to the PC group. Moreover, enzyme supplementation increased muscle total lipids content and decreased muscle thiobarbituric acid retroactive substance content. In addition, enzyme supplementation increased gene expression related to growth and gene expression related to fatty acid synthesis. It was concluded that a low-ME diet might diminish broiler performance, whereas Xyl supplementation to low-ME diets beneficially affected growth performance, abdominal fat percentage, nutrient digestibility and immunity for broilers, and gene expressions related to growth and fatty acid synthesis in broiler chickens fed low-energy diets.

Supplementing Levocarnitine and Thymosin V To improve Growth and Immunity in Broiler Chickens

Supplementing Levocarnitine and Thymosin V To improve Growth and Immunity in Broiler Chickens

Natural rubber serum protein as a potential feed ingredient for growing broiler chickens

Natural rubber serum protein as a potential feed ingredient for growing broiler chickens

Dietary selenium and zinc supplementation alters growth and immunity of broiler chicken

This study evaluated the influence of varying dietary levels of selenium (Se) and Zinc (Zn) on the performance index, carcass characteristics, and immune response in broiler chicken. The experimental trial was carried for 42 days with a 3 × 3 factorial design involving three levels of each Se (0.15, 0.30, and 0.45 mg/kg diet) and Zn (40, 80, and 120 mg/kg diet) resulting in nine treatments. Six replicate groups with eight birds in each were assigned to each treatment (48 birds/treatment). During starter phase (0-3 weeks), optimum growth performance and growth efficiency of chicken was observed at 0.30 mg Se/kg diet. However, during finisher phase (4-6 week) and overall growth phase (0-6 week), 0.15 mg Se/kg diet was found to be optimum. Similarly, weight gain during starter phase was higher in birds fed at least 80 mg Zn/kg diet. The carcass characteristics did not reveal significant effect of Se and Zn supplementation in broiler chicken. And, on similar lines, cell mediated immunity remained unaffected. However, better humoral immunity was observed in birds supplemented with NRC recommended Se level in diet, but the NRC recommendation of 40 mg Zn/kg diet was inadequate for better humoral immune response compared to 80 or 120 mg level. Further, higher spleen and thymus weight was observed at 0.3 mg Se/kg diet and higher spleen weight at 80 mg Zn/kg diet. In conclusion, Se supplementation of 0.30 mg /kg diet and Zn supplementation of 80 mg/kg diet resulted in optimum growth performance, efficiency, and immunity of broiler chicken.

Enzymatically prepared alginate oligosaccharides improve broiler chicken growth performance by modulating the gut microbiota and growth hormone signals

BackgroundAlginate oligosaccharide (AOS) holds great potential as a novel feed supplement in farm animals. However, the effects of AOS on chicken health and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aimed to optimize the enzymatic preparation of AOS by using bacterial alginate lyases expressed in yeast, investigate the effects of the prepared AOS on the growth performance and gut health of broiler chickens, and reveal the underlying mechanisms.ResultsFive alginate lyases from bacteria were cloned into Pichia pastoris GS115 and the alginate lyase PDE9 was expressed at relatively high yield, activity and stability in P. pastoris. Animal trials were carried out using 320 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers (four groups; 8 replicates/group × 10 chicks/replicate) receiving either a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg PDE9-prepared AOS for 42 d. The results showed that dietary supplementation of 200 mg/kg AOS displayed the highest activity in promoting the birds’ ADG and ADFI (P < 0.05). AOS ameliorated the intestinal morphology, absorption function and barrier function, as indicated by the enhanced (P < 0.05) intestinal villus height, maltase activity, and the expression of PEPT, SGLT1, ZNT1, and occludin. AOS also increased serum insulin-like growth factor-1, ghrelin (P < 0.05), and growth hormone (P < 0.1). Moreover, the concentrations of acetate, isobutyrate, isovalerate, valerate, and total SCFAs in cecum of birds fed AOS were significantly higher than the control birds (P < 0.05). Metagenomic analysis indicated that AOS modulated the chicken gut microbiota structure, function, and microbial interactions and promoted the growth of SCFAs-producing bacteria, for example, Dorea sp. 002160985; SCFAs, especially acetate, were found positively correlated with the chicken growth performance and growth-related hormone signals (P < 0.05). We further verified that AOS can be utilized by Dorea sp. to grow and to produce acetate in vitro.ConclusionsWe demonstrated that the enzymatically produced AOS effectively promoted broiler chicken growth performance by modulating the chicken gut microbiota structure and function. For the first time, we established the connections among AOS, chicken gut microbiota/SCFAs, growth hormone signals and chicken growth performance.Graphical

Growth and body morphometric parameters of broiler chickens orally administered varying levels of lemongrass extract, at finisher phase

The study was conducted to evaluate the growth and body morphometric parameters of broiler chickens orally administered varying levels of lemongrass extract at finisher phase. A total of 150 ROS 308 day old broiler chicks were allotted into five (5) treatments containing ten (10) chicks with three replications in a completely randomized design. The diets consist of; T1 control (not administered antibiotic or lemongrass extract), T2 (administered 0.2 mls of antibiotic), T3 (administered 0.2 mls of lemongrass extract), T4 (administered 0.4 mls of lemongrass extract) and T5 (administered 0.6 mls of lemongrass extract). Data were collected on growth performance and morphometric parameters. The collected data were analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the differences among mean were separated using Duncan Multiple range. The results showed that broiler chickens administered varying level of lemongrass extract had no significant difference (p&gt;0.05) in the growth parameters. The average body weight of broiler birds in T3 was significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher as compared to those in T1, T2, T4 and T5. The birds administered varying level of lemon grass extract (T3, T4, T5) recorded higher weight gain and feed intake than T1 (control group) and T2 (0.2mls antibiotic), and were not significantly affected (P&gt;0.05). Feed conversion ratio was significantly higher (p&lt;0.0.5) in T5 (2.82) as compared to T1 (2.81), T2 (2.49), T3 (2.77) and T4 (2.73). Also, for the morphometric parameters, there were significant (p&lt;0.05) differences in average initial body width, final body girth, final shank length and shank length gain compared to other parameters which were not significantly (p&gt;0.05) affected. It can be concluded that the use of lemongrass extract improved the growth performance as well as better performance of the morphometric parameters, and can therefore be included at the levels 0.6 mls and 0.2 mls without adverse effect.

Evaluation of the zootechnical performance of broiler chicken at the level of different types of breeding in Algeria

The objective of this work was to study the influence of livestock farming type on the performance of broilers chickens (COBB 500 strains) in the semi-arid region of Sétif in Algeria. It has been determined the zootechnical parameters of chickens (live weight (g), Average daily gain, Consumption Index, Mortality) for control of livestock farming type. Indeed, the growth of broiler chickens was influenced by livestock farming type; the live weight and the average daily gain respectively were linked to livestock farming type (p &lt; 0.05). Whereas the consumption Index was close to the meaning (p=009). Broiler chickens of larges breeders had more growth performance with heavy carcasses (2872, 22±251,39 g), the more the average daily gain (61,94±7,23 g/day), and better consumption index (1,76 ± 0,16) at 47 days of age. The mortality rate, in fact, is high and exceeds 10%. The efforts must be concentrated on equipping buildings, hygiene rules and health programs, strengthening the training of the human factor to obtain the best performance from the broiler chicken: a low mortality rate, better weight growth and an improved consumption index

Chitosan Hydroxyapatite: Physic-chemical Properties and its Effect on the Growth and Development of Broiler Chickens

The current study aimed to obtain a calcium-containing, biocompatible drug based on chitosan Bombyx mori. Composites of Chitosan (CS) Bombyx mori with hydroxyapatite (HA) in the ratio of CS/HA = 50:50 mass percentage were synthesized in situ conditions at Ca/P = 1.67 mol% with intensive stirring for one hour at a speed of 1400 rpm and a temperature of 40 ± 2ºС. It was revealed that the components form an intermediate complex through –N-Ca, O-Ca, O (glycosidic bond)–Ca, H–O-bonds interacted by electrostatic forces. Atomic force microscopy studies indicated particles in the 100-50 nm size range on the polymer matrix surface. The polymer matrix prevented the growth of HA crystals and particle agglomeration. It was also determined that the CS/HA composite was non-toxic, and the LD50 was more than 5000 mg/kg. The composites were introduced into the chickens’ diet in groups for 30 days at 25 to 40 mg/kg doses. The findings indicated an increased survival rate of chickens by 100%, improved the morphological parameters of the blood, and enhanced the contents of calcium, phosphorus, and hemoglobin. The addition of CS/HA=50:50 mass percentage contributed to an increase in the number of erythrocytes in the blood of broilers and hemoglobin by 11-12%. It should be noted that CS/HA did not adversely affect other morphological parameters of chicken blood. Therefore, CS/HA is recommended for the prevention of osteoporosis and osteomalacia in broiler chickens.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Vitex doniana (Black Plum) Leaf Meal on Growth Performance, Blood Parameters, Carcass Traits, and Relative Organ Weights of Broiler Chickens

Introduction: Evaluation of using plants, such as Vitex doniana leaf meal as an alternative feed resource in broiler diets decreases the feed costs. The current study examined how air-dried Vitex doniana, Black Plum Leaf Meal (BPLM) could affect broiler chicken growth performance, hematological parameters and serum biochemical indices, carcass yield, and relative organ weights.&#x0D; Materials and methods: In a completely randomized design, 54 Arbor Acre broiler chicks aged 28 days old were allocated to two treatments. Each group included 27 chickens with three replicates (nine chickens per replication). The chickens were fed two diets, including basal diet (control) and basal diet with 5% dry matter BPLM for two weeks. &#x0D; Results: The results of the nutrient composition of BPLM revealed 17.16% crude protein, 11.10% crude fiber, 1.70% ether extract, 7.10% ash, 39.0% nitrogen-free extract, 2413 metabolizable energy (kcal), 1.34% calcium, and 0.06% phosphorus. As a rich source of phytic acids, BPLM contains (14.69 mg/100g), tannins (3.23 mg/100 g), and oxalates (20 mg/100 g). The results showed that chickens fed a 5% BPLM-supplemented diet had lower feed intake but improved growth performance compared to the control. There was no significant difference in hematological and serum biochemical indices, carcass traits, cut-up parts, and relative organ weights.&#x0D; Conclusion: Incorporating BPLM into a finisher broiler diet decreases feed intake but improves growth performance. In addition, the results showed no effect on hematological and biochemical parameters or relative organ weights in chickens supplemented with BPLM.

Dietary calcium and nonphosphate phosphorus interaction influences tibiotarsus development and related gene expression of broilers from 1 to 21 days of age

The dietary needs of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) are interdependent, thus accurate evaluation of Ca and P requirements of broilers to support skeleton health and optimal growth is critical. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary Ca and nonphytate P (NPP) levels and their interactions on growth performance, tibiotarsus characteristics, tibiotarsus metabolism-related enzyme and proteins, and their gene expression of broilers, so as to provide a rational recommendation for Ca and NPP levels in diet. A total of 540 one-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly allotted to 1 of 15 treatments with 6 replicate cages of 6 birds per cage for each treatment in a completely randomized design involving a 5×3 factorial arrangement of treatments (5 levels of Ca×3 levels of NPP). The birds were fed the corn-soybean meal diet containing 0.60%, 0.70%, 0.80%, 0.90%, or 1.00% Ca and 0.35%, 0.40%, or 0.45% NPP for 21 d. Dietary Ca level affected (P < 0.03) the bone mineral density, bone mineral content (BMC), breaking strength, ash percentage and ash Ca contents in tibia, which showed linear (P < 0.006) responses to dietary Ca levels. Dietary NPP level affected (P < 0.05) tibia BMC, ash percentage, and FGF23 mRNA level. Broilers that received 0.40% and 0.45% NPP had higher (P < 0.04) tibia BMC and ash percentage than those that received 0.35% NPP, but no differences (P > 0.05) were found between 0.40% and 0.45% NPP. Broilers that received 0.40% NPP had higher (P=0.02) tibia FGF23 mRNA level than those that received 0.35% NPP, but no differences (P > 0.05) were detected between 0.40% and 0.45% NPP or 0.45% and 0.35% NPP. The interactions between dietary Ca and NPP affected (P < 0.05) ADG, ALP activity, bone gal protein, FGF23 contents, and the mRNA expression levels ALP and bone gal protein in tibia of broilers. Results from the present study indicate that dietary Ca and NPP interaction influences growth, tibiotarsus development, and related gene expression of broiler chickens. Considering all the criteria, the dietary levels of 0.90% Ca and 0.45% NPP would be optimal for both growth and tibiotarsus development of broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet from 1 to 21 d of age.

Host-mediated beneficial effects of phytochemicals for prevention of avian coccidiosis.

Both in vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to evaluate the beneficial effects of green tea extract (GT), cinnamon oil (CO), and pomegranate extract (PO) on avian coccidiosis. In experiment (EXP) 1, an in vitro culture system was used to investigate the individual effects of GT, CO, and PO on the proinflammatory cytokine response and integrity of tight junction (TJ) in chicken intestinal epithelial cells (IEC), on the differentiation of quail muscle cells and primary chicken embryonic muscle cells, and anticoccidial and antibacterial activities against Eimeria tenella sporozoites and Clostridium perfringens bacteria, respectively. In EXP 2 and 3, in vivo trials were carried out to study the dose-dependent effect of blended phytochemicals (GT, CO, PO) on coccidiosis in broiler chickens infected with E. maxima. For EXP 2, one hundred male broiler chickens (0-day-old) were allocated into the following five treatment groups: Control group for non-infected chickens (NC), Basal diet group for E. maxima-infected chickens (PC), PC group supplemented with phytochemicals at 50 (Phy 50), 100 (Phy 100), and 200 (Phy 200) mg/kg feed diets for E. maxima-infected chickens. For EXP 3, one hundred twenty male broiler chickens (0-day-old) were allocated into the following six treatment groups: NC, PC, PC supplemented with phytochemicals at 10 (Phy 10), 20 (Phy 20), 30 (Phy 30), and 100 (Phy 100) mg/kg feed for E. maxima-infected chickens. Body weights (BW) were measured on days 0, 7, 14, 20, and 22, and jejunum samples were used to measure cytokine, TJ protein, and antioxidant enzyme responses at 8 days post-infection (dpi). Fecal samples for oocyst enumeration were collected from 6 to 8 dpi. In vitro, CO and PO reduced LPS-induced IL-1β and IL-8 in IEC, respectively, and GT enhanced the gene expression of occludin in IEC. PO at 1.0 and 5.0 mg/mL exerted antimicrobial effect against E. tenella sporozoites and C. perfringens bacteria, respectively. In vivo, chickens fed a diet supplemented with phytochemicals showed enhanced BW, reduced oocyst shedding, and decreased proinflammatory cytokines following E. maxima challenge. In conclusion, the combination of GT, CO, and PO in the diet of broiler chickens infected with E. maxima induced enhanced host disease resistance including innate immunity and gut health, which contributed to improved growth and reduced disease responses. These findings provide scientific support for the development of a novel phytogenic feed additive formula that enhances the growth and intestinal health of broiler chickens infected with coccidiosis.

The effects of essential oil from Lippia origanoides and herbal betaine on performance, intestinal integrity, bone mineralization and meat quality in broiler chickens subjected to cyclic heat stress.

Essential oils (EO) affect performance, intestinal integrity, bone mineralization, and meat quality in broiler chickens subjected to cyclic heat stress (HS). Day-of-hatch Cobb 500 male broiler chicks (n = 475) were randomly divided into four groups. Group 1: No heat stress (Thermoneutral) + control diets with no antibiotics; Group 2: heat stress control + control diets; Group 3: heat stress + control diets supplemented with thymol chemotype (45ppm) and herbal betaine (150ppm) formulation EO1; Group 4: heat stress + control diets supplemented with phellandrene (45ppm) and herbal betaine (150ppm) formulation EO2. From day 10-42, the heat stress groups were exposed to cyclic HS at 35°C for 12h (8:00-20:00). BW, BWG, FI, and FCRc were measured at d 0, 10, 28, and 42. Chickens were orally gavaged with FITC-d on days 10 (before heat stress) and 42. Morphometric analysis of duodenum and ileum samples and bone mineralization of tibias were done. Meat quality was assessed on day 43 with ten chickens per pen per treatment. Heat stress reduced BW by day 28 (p < 0.05) compared to thermoneutral chickens. At the end of the trial, chickens that received both formulations of EO1 and EO2 had significantly higher BW than HS control chickens. A similar trend was observed for BWG. FCRc was impaired by EO2 supplementation. There was a significant increase in total mortality in EO2 compared with EO1 EO1 chickens had lower FITC-d concentrations at day 42 than the HS control. In addition, EO1 treatment is not statistically different if compared to EO2 and thermoneutral. Control HS broilers had significantly lower tibia breaking strength and total ash at day 42 than heat-stressed chickens supplemented with EO1 and EO2. Heat stress affected intestinal morphology more than thermoneutral chickens. EO1 and EO2 improved intestinal morphology in heat-stressed chickens. Woody breast and white striping were more common in thermoneutral chickens than heat stress chickens. In conclusion, the EO-containing diet could improve broiler chicken growth during cyclic heat stress, becoming increasingly relevant in antibiotic-free production in harsh climates.

Compound non-starch polysaccharide enzymes improve growth performance, slaughter performance, immune function, and apparent utilization rate of nutrients in broiler chickens fed a low-metabolizable energy diet.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of compound non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) enzymes on growth performance, slaughter performance, immune function, and apparent utilization of nutrients in broiler chickens fed a low-metabolizable energy diet. A total of 240 healthy 1-day-old AA broilers (Arbor Acres, 47.2 ± 0.31 g) were randomly divided into four treatment groups, each with six replicate groups and 10 broilers per replicate. The control group was fed a basal diet; the EL-H group was fed the basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg compound NSP enzyme, including β-mannanase 5,000 IU/g, β-glucanase 2000 IU/g, xylanase 10,000 IU/g, and cellulase 500 IU/g. The EL-M group was fed the basal diet with 50 kcal/kg metabolizable energy removed, supplemented with 200 mg/kg compound NSP enzyme. Finally, the EL-L group was fed the basal diet with 100 kcal/kg metabolizable energy removed, supplemented with 200 mg/kg compound NSP enzyme. The results showed that feeding with a low-metabolizable energy diet supplemented with compound NSP enzymes did not significantly affect the growth performance of broilers (p > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the abdominal fat rate of broilers in the EL-L group was significantly reduced, and that of broilers in the EL-M group was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Apparent utilization of dry matter, crude protein, and energy in the diet was lower in the control group than in the EL-L group, but significantly higher in the control group than in the EL-H group (p < 0.05). In addition, apparent utilization of crude fiber was significantly increased in the EL-H, EL-M, and EL-L groups compared with the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this experiment showed that the addition of 200 mg/kg compound NSP enzyme enabled maintenance of the normal growth and development of broiler chickens fed a low-metabolizable energy diet (replacing 50-100 kcal/kg metabolizable energy). This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of the compound NSP enzyme in broiler chickens.

Supplementation of Biopeptide from Chicken Feet to the Immune System and Growth of Broiler Chicken

The safety of poultry products, especially broiler chickens, can be stated to be relatively low. Antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) is used to improve chicken performance and maintain immunity. The ban on the use of AGP triggers the innovation of other materials to replace the function of AGP. Biopeptide is a solution that can be used. Biopeptides can be made from materials with a high protein content, for example, waste from chicken slaughterhouses. The waste that can be used is chicken feet, biopeptides produced from hydrolytic proteins have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. These properties can improve the performance and immune system of broiler chickens. The aim of the study was to examine the supplementation of biopeptides from chicken feet on the immune system (total Escherichia coli and internal organ) and the growth of broiler chickens. The research material was 200 day old chickens of broiler strain cobb unsex, which were reared for 42 days of the rearing period. The treatment feeds were P0: basal feed, P1 basal feed + 2% biopeptide, P2: basal feed + 4% biopeptide, P3: basal feed + 6% biopeptide. The collected data were analyzed using analysis of variance with the Tukey test (BNJ). The results showed that biopeptide supplementation from chicken feet had a significant (P&lt;0.05) effect on total Escherichia coli, spleen weight, bursa of Fabricius weight, body weight gain, and feed efficiency for broiler chickens. However, the results of the study had no significant effect (P&gt;0.05) on liver weight and Avian Influenza antibody titers for broiler chickens. Biopeptide supplementation from chicken feet can reduce total Escherichia coli, and spleen weight, and increase the bursa of Fabricius weight, body weight gain, and feed efficiency for broiler chickens. Biopeptide supplementation from chicken feet of 6% gave the best results in body weight gain and feed efficiency.

Development of active jejunal glucose absorption in broiler chickens

Growth in chickens, especially meat-type chickens (broilers), is extremely rapid, but studies on the regulatory mechanism of intestinal glucose absorption with growth are few, contradictory, and unclear. Here, we investigated the regulation of intestinal glucose absorption with growth in broiler chickens using oral glucose gavage, intestinal Evans blue transit, intestinal glucose absorption, scanning electron microscopy, and glucose absorption- and cell junction-related gene expression analyses. Peak blood glucose levels after oral glucose gavage occurred at 10 and 50 min in chickens at 1 wk (C1W) and 5 wk (C5W) of age, respectively. The area under the curve for glucose levels was greater for the C5W than the C1W (P=0.035). The stain ratio in the small intestine in the C5W was lower than that in the C1W (P=0.01), but there were no differences in the tissue regions stained with Evans blue and the migration distance of Evans blue from Meckel's diverticulum. In everted sac and Ussing chamber experiments, we observed reduced intestinal glucose uptake and electrogenic glucose absorption in the jejunum of the C5W. Phloridzin, an inhibitor of sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), suppressed the glucose-induced short-circuit current in the C1W (P=0.016) but not the C5W. Although the addition of NaCl solution stimulated the glucose-induced short-circuit current in the C1W, no differences between the treatments were observed (P=0.056), which was also the case in the C5W. Additionally, tissue conductance was diminished in the C5W compared with that in the C1W. Moreover, in the C5W, the intestinal tract was more developed and the jejunal villi were enlarged. In conclusion, glucose absorption throughout the intestine could be greater in C5W than in C1W; however, reduced SGLT1 sensitivity, decreased ion permeability, and intestinal overdevelopment lead to decreased local glucose absorption in the jejunum with growth in broiler chickens. These data provide a detailed analysis of intestinal glucose absorption in growing broiler chickens, and can contribute to the development of novel feeds.