Natural Feed Additives Research Articles

Plant extracts and essential oils in rabbit diet: A practical green-way for sustainable and resilient production systems

Rabbits, integral to global agriculture, play a significant role in meat production in many developed and developing countries. As the demand for sustainable and natural farming practices rises, the utilization of plant extracts and essential oils in rabbit nutrition has garnered attention. Both plant extracts and essential oils offer multifaceted benefits in rabbit nutrition, positively impacting growth, digestion, and immune health. This comprehensive review consolidates the current understanding of the effects of plant extracts and essential oils on rabbit health and digestion, drawing from recent scientific literature. Emphasis is also placed on growth performance, nutrient utilization, immune response, and overall well-being. The outcomes underscore the practical significance of natural feed additives, paving the way for sustainable and resilient rabbit production systems.

Effects of dietary rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaf powder and Bacillus subtilis on the growth performance, digestive enzymes, antioxidant and immune-related gene expression, and resistance to Aeromonas hydriphila in common carp, Cyprinus carpio

Abstract Due to increasing demand about the application of natural feed additives in aquaculture, the efficacy of separate and the combination of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and B. subtilis on the growth performance, blood indices, innate immunity, antioxidant defense, digestive enzymes activity, the expression levels of genes with immunity modulation, as well as the act of resisting against Aeromonas hydriphila, in common carp, C. carpio is reported. Fish (44.63 ± 0.04 g) were divided into four treatments including the T0 (control treatment) fed with basal diet, T1 fed with rosemary at the rate of 3 %, T2 fed with 1.5×107 CFU g-1 B. subtilis, and T3 fed with a combination of rosemary at the rate of 3 % and 1.5×107 CFU g-1 B. subtilis. After 56 days enriched feed with B. subtilis and combination of rosemary and B. subtilis caused significant improvement in weight gain (WG %), feed conversion ratio (FCR), hematological and biochemical indices, the innate immune responses including in total Ig level, lysozyme and ACH50 activities as well as the chymotrypsin, pepsin, protease, and amylase activities correlate to the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, the serum CAT and GPX activity were significantly enhanced in the T3 group (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of CAT and LYS genes significantly increased in T2 and T3 contrary to T0 (p<0.05). Fish challenged with A. hydrophila had variable survival and the best survival was in the T3. In summary, combination the rosemary and B. subtilis enhanced immune parameters and the ability of fish to cope with A. hydrophila as a fish pathogen. These findings indicated the potential of these substances as a promising feed additive.

In Vivo Study of the Effect of Sugarcane Bagasse Lignin Supplementation on Broiler Chicken Diet as a Step to Validate the Established Chicken Gastrointestinal Tract In Vitro Model

Since the global restrictions on antibiotics in poultry systems, there has been a growing demand for natural and sustainable feed additives for disease prevention and poultry nutrition. This study evaluated the effects of incorporating sugarcane bagasse (SCB) lignin into broiler chicken diets. The performance of the chickens, including body weight, feed intake, and mortality, as well as intestinal histomorphometry, and cecum content pH, microbiota, and volatile fatty acids were assessed. In addition, we also aimed to validate an in vitro gastrointestinal tract (GIT) model developed by Carvalho et al. (2023). One hundred and eight 1-day-old Ross 308 chicks were randomly and equally divided into two groups. The first group was fed a basal diet (BD group), while the second group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 1% (w/w) SCB lignin (BD + SCB lignin group) for 36 days. The in vivo conditions of the chicken GIT were replicated in an in vitro model. In the in vivo study, SCB lignin increased cecum acetate and butyrate levels while reducing Bifidobacterium and Enterobacteriaceae, without affecting productivity (body weight, feed intake, and mortality). The in vitro assessment reflected microbiota trends observed in vivo, although without statistical significance. The divergence in organic acid production between the in vivo and in vitro conditions likely resulted from issues with inoculum preparation. This study demonstrates that SCB lignin incorporation positively influences cecal microbiota composition without impacting the animals’ productivity and physiology, suggesting its potential as a functional feed additive. For a more reliable in vitro model, adjustments in inoculum preparation are necessary.

Natural Feed Supplements From Crustacean Processing Side Streams for Improved Growth of Finfishes and Crustaceans: A Review.

Natural feed additives of plant/animal/microbial origin are researched as supplements in aquaculture to improve the properties of feed, minimize the usage of chemical alternatives, reduce food safety risks and ensure sustainability to combat global food and nutritional security. Side streams generated during shellfish processing possess valuable ingredients: protein, lipids, carotenoids, minerals and chitins. Considering the current trend of organic farming and antibiotic-free fish and shellfish, crustacean processing side streams and their derivatives seem promising and emerging resources as natural additives/supplements for formulating high-quality feeds with superior benefits. Lower concentrations of chitin and chitosan in diets are reported to stimulate the growth of shellfish and finfish under controlled conditions. Oligomers of chitosan and nano-chitosan are also the other potential derivatives as natural supplements in feed for better growth performance of aquaculture varieties. This review focuses on the significance of crustacean processing side streams and their derivatives, especially shrimp head meal, chitin, chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharides as potential natural additives in aquafeeds for promoting the growth performance of cultured fin fishes and shell fishes. Utilization in aquafeeds and the development of natural value-added supplements from crustacean processing side streams, especially shrimp head and shell leftover, offer an answer to the negative environmental impact due to its dumping; reduce the dependency on food fish for fish meal production & fishmeal for aquafeeds; solution to maintain the economic viability of the fish farmers & industry as well as to ensure the supply of safer and healthy aquatic foods to meet the objectives of sustainable development goals.

The role of some biological and natural feed additives against the deleterious effect of diazinon in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

The present research amid to investigate the toxic effect of diazinon (DZN) and assess the modulatory role of chitosan nanoparticle (ChNP), orange peel extract (OPE), spirulina platensis (SP) and curcumin nanoparticles (CNP) as feed additives in O. niloticus fish. A total of 900 fish were divided into six equal groups, each with 3 replicates by random distribution. The 1st group was kept as the control group which was fed a basal diet. The 2nd group (DZN) was given a basic diet and exposed to 1/10th of the 96-hour LC50 of DZN. The 3rd group (DZN+ChNP) was exposed to DZN (0.28 mg/L) + 1 gm ChNP/kg diet. The 4th group (DZN+OPE) was exposed to DZN (0.28 mg/L) + 2 gm OPE/kg diet. The 5th group (DZN+SP) was exposed to DZN (0.28 mg/L) + 5 gm SP/kg diet, while, the 6th group (DZN+SP) was exposed to DZN (0.28 mg/L) + 150 mg CNP/kg diet. Apart from feed conversion, DZN decreased fish's growth performance parameters as compared to the control, while these values were modulated with ChNP, SP or CNP supplement to fish with DZN exposure. Fish exposed to DZN had the lowest values Hb, RBCs WBCs, total protein, albumin and globulin and the highest values of ALT, AST and uric acid while dietary supplementation with ChNP, OPE, SP and CNP to DZN exposed fish restored their levels to the control values. Fish group fed diet supplemented with DZN+OPE or DZN+ChNP recorded the lowest value of ALT among all studied groups. DZN altered the lipid profile of exposed fish while the DZN+SP group had the best values of all lipid profile among all groups followed by DZN+CNP group. Fish exposed to DZN had lower serum lysozyme activity, immunoglobulin (M, A and G) levels and antioxidant parameters (SOD, GSH, CAT and TAC) while dietary supplementation of ChNP or OPE to DZN exposed fish had higher values for these traits but still under control values. The highest level of lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde (MDA) was observed in DZN group while dietary supplementation of ChNP or OPE to DZN exposed fish decreased the MDA level. According to the genetic distance and dendrogram for the analysis of genetic diversity between treatments, compared to control; it is clear that the highest genetic diversity was found with DZN group samples (4.80) while dietary treatments with ChNP, OPE or SP to DZN exposed fish showed the lowest diversity of (3.00, 3.32 and 3.87), respectively. It could be concluded that long-term exposure to a sub-lethal DZN dose resulted in growth retardation, haemato-biochemical alteration, immune depression, oxidative stress and genetic material damage of Nile tilapia. Furthermore, the antioxidant and protective properties of ChNP, OPE, SP, and CNP induced nearly total protection in fish exposed to DZN through diet.

Propolis (Bee Glue): A Promising Natural Feed Additive for Poultry and Rabbits – A Review

Abstract The concerns about the possible adverse effects of synthetic feed additives in livestock production world-wide has led producers to search for alternative natural feed additives. Propolis (bee glue) is a mixture of natural viscous substances that are collected by honeybees from plants. This natural product consists of about 200–300 compounds with high biological and pharmacological properties. Propolis induces an improvement in growth parameters, feed utilization, and meat quality. It also exerts antioxidant, anti-stress, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory as well as immuno-modulatory and hepatic and cardiac protective effects. The presence of a huge amount of polyphenols such as flavonoids, phenolic acid esters, triterpenes, aromatic acids, diterpenic acids, and lignans are responsible for the biological properties of propolis. Therefore, propolis shows potential promising effects when applied in livestock and poultry production system. Accordingly, this review article is aimed to highlight the influences of propolis on the general health conditions of poultry and rabbits regarding the performance parameters and carcass characteristics, as well as the antioxidant, anti-stress, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and the immuno-potentiation potentials.

EFFECT OF VARYING LEVELS OF CASHEW LEAF MEAL (ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE) ON THE HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES OF BROILER CHICKEN

The low nutrient utilization which is combatant to soaring cost of raising poultry has made the animal nutritionist to explore avenues to use natural feed additives to maximize the utilization of nutrients in the available feed for cost reduction. Some of these natural feed additives may impact negatively on blood parameters of broilers thereby negating their use. This study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the dietary supplementation of cashew leaf Anarcadium occidentale meal (CLM) on haematological indices of finisher broiler chicken. One hundred and twenty Anak-2000 breed of finisher broilers were distributed randomly in a completely randomized design (CRD) of four treatments replicated three times. The experimental diets consist of CLM added at levels of 0%, 1.5%, 2.5% and 3.5% in treatment 1 (control), 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The diets were fed for 28 days after which blood samples were collected for haematological analysis. The result showed a progressive significantly (p<0.05) increase in red blood cell (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), and white blood cell (WBC) as the inclusion level of CLM increased. The mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, and mean cell value (MCV) (p>0.05) reduced in diets 2, 3, and 4 compared to the control. It was concluded that CLM up to 3.5% inclusion has the potential to impact positively on haematological parameters of finisher broiler chicken and therefore should be included in the formulation of finisher broilers diets at up to 3.5%.

GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND SERUM BIOCHEMICAL INDICES OF BROILER CHICKEN AS INFLUENCED BY DIETARY INCLUSION OF PICRALIMA NITIDA SEED MEAL.

The use of natural feed additives in poultry industry cannot be overemphasized. Thus a 6 weeks trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary Picralima nitida seed meal (PNSM) as substitute to antimicrobial feed additives on the growth performance and serum biochemical indices of broiler chickens. A total of 256 one-day-old, unsexed Arbor-Acre Plus broiler chicks were randomly allotted into four dietary treatments, replicated eight times with eight birds in a completely randomized design. PNSM was incorporated into the experimental diet at varying levels; 0, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.0 g/100g. Feed and water were offered ad-libitum to the birds for six weeks. Data collected on growth performance and serum biochemical indices were subjected to one-way analysis of variance. Results indicated that dietary PNSM inclusion level significantly (p<0.05) influenced weight gain positively with birds fed 0.5% PNSM having the highest weight gain (1837.43g). However, the addition of PNSM in the broiler diets did not affect serum biochemical indices (liver enzymes, electrolytes and serum lipids) significantly (P>0.05). Total cholesterol (P=0.053) and low-density lipoprotein (P=0.094) levels increases at 0.5% inclusion of PNSM when compared with the control. The supplementation did not significantly (P>0.05) affect serum antioxidant content (total phenols and total flavonoids). It can be concluded that PNSM supplemented at 0.5% in the diets of broiler chicken improved weight gain, better feed conversion ratio and improved the chicken’s serum antioxidants.

INFLUENCE OF PHYTOBIOTICS BLEND (TURMERIC, GARLIC, GINGER AND CLOVE) ON COOK LOSS, WATER ABSORPTIVE POWER, CHILLING LOSS AND COLOUR OF RABBIT MEAT

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of natural feed additives on meat quality of rabbit. A total of forty eight (48) 7-8 weeks old crossbreed rabbits were used to determine the influence of phytobiotics blend (turmeric, garlic, ginger and clove) on rabbit meat quality. The rabbits were allocated into two treatments. T1-24 rabbits fed diet without blend and T2- 24 rabbits fed mash diets with 10g inclusion of phytobiotics blend in a one way analysis of variance arrangement. Data collected on cook Loss, water absorptive power, chilling loss and colour and were analyzed using analysis of variance. Significant (P<0.05) differences were obtained on meat colour A, B, A*and B*. Rabbits fed the blend-containing diet had the highest (P<0.05) value A (10.88), while those fed the diet without the blend-containing diet had the least value (9.43). The blend-containing diet-fed rabbits had the highest (P<0.05) B (8.42) value, while the blend-free diet-fed rabbits had the lowest value (7.42). Highest (P<0.05) A* (11.91) value was recorded with rabbits fed diet containing the blend whereas those fed diet without the inclusion of the blend had the least value (10.37). Rabbits fed the blend-containing diet had the highest (P<0.05) B* (10.21) value, while those fed the diet without the blend had the lowest value (9.15). In conclusion feeding diet containing phytobiotic blend had positive effect on cook Loss, water absorptive power, chilling loss and colour of rabbit meat. Therefore it is recommended to feed rabbit with diet containing phytobiotic blend in order improve the meat quality.

Enhancing the feed efficiency of crop residues in ruminants: a comprehensive review

Abstract Worldwide, the production of agricultural residues exceeds five billion metric tons per year. Regardless of their many applications and substantial potential to increase crop and animal productivity, many crop residues, particularly in Asian, African, and Arabian nations, are burned. This detrimental practice limits the recycling of soil nutrients while increasing air pollution and wellness risks. Enhancing feed efficiency while simultaneously lowering production costs and increasing animal protein is a key objective of nutritional supplements in livestock feeding. Antibiotics have been utilized in farm animals at sub-therapeutic levels to increase feed use effectiveness and digestion, as well as animal welfare and performance. However, the present ban on antibiotics as nutritional supplements has boosted the search for substitutes, with natural feed additives considered cutting-edge options. On the other hand, feed that has undergone biological treatment improves animal productivity, feed intake, and digestibility. Nevertheless, the absence of agents and expertise and substrate weight decrease may result in a 40% dry matter loss limits application. In this review, we look at the importance of detrimental residue administration and the advancement and adoption of technologies to handle surplus residue.

Composition, antioxidant and development-promoting activity of fermentation modified crude polysaccharides from stem and leaves of Chenopodium album L.

Chenopodium album L. (CAL) has many bioactive compounds and pharmacological activities. Fermentation is the preferred modification method of releasing target bioactive. We prepared two crude polysaccharides: SLC (the polysaccharide from the unfermented stem and leaves of CAL) and FSLC (the polysaccharide from the fermented stem and leaves of CAL). In vitro antioxidant and composition of SLC and FSLC were compared, and the effects of FSLC on antioxidant activity in the IPEC-J2 cells model and development-promoting activity in the zebrafish model were evaluated. The results revealed that FSLC possesses stronger DPPH, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and reducing power than SLC. The levels of total polysaccharide, polyphenol, and flavonoid, as well as the molar ratio of glucuronic acid increased in FSLC. Compared with SLC, the relative contents of protocatechuic acid, protocatechualdehyde, gentisic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, quercetin, ferulic acid methyl ester, hispidulin, diosmetin, cinnamic acid, isorhamnetin, syringic acid and kaempferol in FSLC increased. In IPEC-J2 cells, antioxidant enzyme activities and GSH levels were significantly increased, while the MDA level was reduced by treatment with 0.25 mg/mL FSLC. In the zebrafish model, treatment with 25 ~ 300 μg/mL of FSLC had no harmful impact on the morphology and viability of embryos at 12 ~72 hpf. At 48 and 60 hpf, treatment with 100 ~ 300 μg/mL FSLC increased the hatching rate of embryos. At 72hpf, treatment with 100 ~ 300 μg/mL FSLC could relieve morphological abnormalities caused by LPS in zebrafish and improve the hatching rate of embryos. Together, these results provide useful information on the potential for applying polysaccharides from the stems and leaves of CAL as natural feed additives to exert its antioxidant and development-promoting functions.Graphical

The Potential of Grape Polyphenols Additive in Pig Nutrition: Chemical Structure, Bioavailability and Their Effect on Intestinal Health of Pigs

The recognition of the necessity for employing natural additives in animal feed has grown alongside the ban on antibiotics in the animal feed sector. Grapes, as well as by-products of the wine-making industry (grape marc and seed extracts), possess biologically active chemical constituents that can be used to improve animal production by incorporating them into animal feed. Grapes are a valuable resource of polyphenols, especially flavonoids, stilbenes and phenolic acids, most of them showing therapeutic or health-promoting properties. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the impact of polyphenols on animal gut health. The first section of the review discusses the chemical structure of the major polyphenols in grapes and the polyphenols’ bioavailability and metabolism in pigs. The second and major part of the review reviews the results of investigations into the antioxidant, antimicrobial and prebiotic effects of grape polyphenols in pig diets, as well as their regulation of intestinal barrier functions through signalling pathways and intestinal responses. All of this is supported by previous research, findings and conclusions. There are fewer recorded pig studies, but the inclusion of up to 9% grape by-products resulted in improved performance with an increased mean daily gain. Ultimately, this analysis concluded that supplementation of pigs with grape phenolic compounds as natural feed additives enhanced their antioxidant capacity, improved humoral and cellular immune responses, and promoted gut ecosystem biodiversity and the overall production performance in pigs.

Antibacterial and gut health effects of Amomum tsao-ko in aquatic feed: A sustainable alternative to chemical antibiotics.

Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemarie (Zingiberaceae), an aromatic plant, has been considered to have diverse medicinal values and economic significance. It has been reported to possess antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic effects. With the increasing risk of diseases in aquaculture, there is a need for alternative solutions to chemical antibiotics. Plant extracts have shown promise as natural feed additives for aquatic animals. In this study, the antibacterial effect of Amomum tsao-ko crude extracts was evaluated using the Oxford cup method. The extracts exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis. Furthermore, the addition of Amomum tsao-ko to fish feed resulted in notable changes in the gut structure of zebrafish and tilapia. The length and morphology of intestinal villi were enhanced, promoting improved digestion. Analysis of the gut microbial community revealed that Amomum tsao-ko supplementation induced key changes in the gut microbial community composition of both zebrafish and tilapia. Notably, a 1% inclusion of Amomum tsao-ko resulted in a marked rise in Proteobacteria levels in zebrafish, which diminished at 10% dosage. The supplement elicited mixed reactions among other bacterial phyla like Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobiota. Fluctuations were also observed at the genus level, pointing to the concentration of Amomum tsao-ko playing a pivotal role in influencing the structure of intestinal bacteria. The findings of this study suggest that Amomum tsao-ko has antibacterial properties and can positively influence the gut health of fish. The potential use of Amomum tsao-ko as a natural feed additive holds promise for improving aquaculture practices and reducing reliance on chemical antibiotics. Further research is needed to explore the full potential and applications of Amomum tsao-ko in fish feed development.

Benefits of Mushroom-Based Supplements on Growth Performance, Immunocompetence, and Meat Quality in Poultry.

The restriction on the use of antibiotics in poultry has led to an increase in the use of natural products that could serve as alternatives to antibiotics. Mushrooms contain bioactive compounds that exhibit antifungal, antiparasitic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic properties. Hence, they are being tested, revealing as performance-enhancing natural feed additives for livestock. This review focused on the role of different species of mushrooms commonly used in poultry on the performance, immunomodulatory actions, cholesterolemic properties, and meat quality of poultry birds. Different studies reviewed show that mushrooms could positively impact poultry production, improve growth performance, modulate immune response, exert tissue antioxidant activity, influence intestinal morphology, enhance gut microbiome, and improve lipid profile. The variations in their efficacy could be attributed to the variations in physicochemical properties of different species and dosage levels applied in the experiments. However, the use of mushrooms as a natural product supplement is in its infancy, and more basic, pilot and large-scale research is required to make it a viable approach for improving immune responses in the poultry industry.

The Effects of Resveratrol and Apigenin on Jejunal Oxidative Injury in Ducks and on Immortalized Duck Intestinal Epithelial Cells Exposed to H2O2.

Oxidative stress increases the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and impairs intestinal epithelial cell renewal, which further promotes intestinal barrier dysfunction and even death. Extensive evidence supports that resveratrol and apigenin have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties. Here, we investigated the ability of these two compounds to alleviate diquat-induced jejunal oxidative stress and morphological injury, using the duck as a model, as well as the effects of apigenin on oxidative stress induced by H2O2 in immortalized duck intestinal epithelial cells (IDECs). Ducks were randomly assigned to the following four groups, with five replicates: a control (CON) group, a diquat-challenged (DIQ) group, a resveratrol (500 mg/kg) + diquat (RES) group, and an apigenin (500 mg/kg) + diquat (API) group. We found that serum catalase (CAT) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) markedly reduced in the RES and API groups as compared to the DIQ group (p < 0.05); moreover, serum S superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels increased significantly in the API group as compared to the DIQ group (p < 0.05). In jejunal mucosa, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the RES and API groups decreased more than that in the DIQ group (p < 0.05). In addition, the jejunal expression levels of the NRF2 and GCLM genes in the RES and API groups increased notably compared with those in the DIQ group (p < 0.05); meanwhile, CAT activity in the RES and API groups was markedly elevated compared with that in the CON group (p < 0.05). In IDECs, apigenin significantly restrained the H2O2-mediated increase in MDA content and decrease in CAT levels (p < 0.05). Furthermore, apigenin increased the protein expression of p-NRF2, NRF2, p-AKT, and p-P38; downregulated that of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9; and reduced the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 in H2O2-treated IDECs (p < 0.05). In conclusion, resveratrol and apigenin can be used as natural feed additives to protect against jejunal oxidative stress in ducks.

EFFICACY OF PROBIOTICS AND ESSENTIAL OILS AS ALTERNATIVES TO ANTIBIOTIC GROWTH PROMOTERS IN BROILER CHICKENS

The current study was carried out on broiler chickens to assess whether probiotics or essential oils could be utilized instead of antibiotics growth promoters (AGP) in typical feed formulations, to determine their effectiveness. A total of 2250 broiler chicks at one-day old age were allocated into 5 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 9 replicates per treatment and 50 chicks/replicate. The Probiotic included three strains of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, the essential oil (EO) was a blend of Cinnamaldehyde-Thymol, and the AGP was Lincomycin™. These additives were added to the basal diets (BD) to formulate the following dietary treatments (T): (T1) control-fed BD that is regularly used by broiler farmers (T2) control-fed BD that is regularly used by broiler farmers and supplemented with Lincomycin™ (100 g/ton) as AGP; (T3) fed BD + Probiotics (Enviva® PRO 60 g/ton); (T4) fed BD + EO (Enviva® 100g/ton); and (T5) fed BD + combination of both probiotics and EO with the same doses used in T3 and T4. The study findings demonstrated that the use of probiotics or essential oils did not have any significant impact on the average body weight gain, final body weight, feed conversion ratio, or footpad lesion scores when compared to the AGP group. It was concluded that replacing the AGP with probiotics or EO, as natural feed additives, had no negative effects on broiler performance. The probiotic strains or the EO could be safe alternatives to AGP.

Effects of dietary tea polyphenols on intestinal microflora and metabonomics in juvenile hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser baerii♀ × A. schrenckii ♂)

The present study aimed to evaluate the role of the modulatory effect of Tea polyphenols (TPs) on intestinal microbiota and its metabolism of juvenile hybrid sturgeon. A total of 450 fish (97.20 ± 0.18 g) were fed five diets with different concentrations of TPs mg / kg: 0 (TP-0), 100 (TP-100), 300 (TP-300), 500 (TP-500) and 1000 (TP-1000) for 56 days. The results showed that dietary 300 mg / kg TPs significantly increased villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD) and the number of goblet cells (GC) in the intestine (p < 0.05), and 1000 mg/kg TPs supplementation significantly decreased muscle thickness (MT) and villus width (VW) compared with TP-0 group (p < 0.05). With the increase of dietary TPs, relative abundance of the potential probiotics including Lactobacillus and Rhodobacteraceae were increased, while the relative abundance of potential pathogens especially Clostridiaceae were decreased. And dietary TPs at 300 mg / kg could be beneficial to its self-colonization in the intestinal microflora of sturgeon. Metabonomics analysis showed that the differential amino acids metabolites were increased and amino acids metabolism pathways were enriched with the increase of dietary TPs. The highest enriched pathways in the intestines of sturgeon were tryptophan metabolism, and protein digestion and absorption metabolism with the increase of TPs supplementation at 300 mg / kg. These results provide a novel insight into the immune-protective effect of TPs on regulating the intestinal microbiota and metabolism, which are helpful for thoroughly understanding the function of TPs and providing a solid basis for the deeper utilization of TPs as a natural feed additives.

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.

The influence of the probiotic “Bioseven” on indicators of survival and growth of calves in the early postnatal period

Dairy cattle breeding is one of the promising areas of agriculture. With a systematic approach and modern technologies, it is a highly profitable agrarian business that is dynamically developing. According to experts, the competitiveness and profitability of the industry can be increased due to the use of natural feed additives and preparations to obtain ecologically safe products for humans. Among them, preparations of microbiological origin are increasingly used, in particular, probiotics, which contain living microorganisms useful for the macroorganism. These drugs are used for prophylactic or therapeutic purposes. It is known that most microorganisms inhabiting the intestines are safe and do not cause diseases, but there is a constant competition between bacteria of different species for space and nutrients. The inconsistency of the microclimate parameters in the calf pens had a direct negative effect on the calf's body, especially in the early postnatal period. In particular, the deviation from the temperature balance, increased air humidity, and the presence of drafts caused a violation of the heat exchange processes of the calves' body with hypothermia and overheating of the body, and, as a result, provoked the frequent occurrence of respiratory diseases. In addition, increased air humidity and high microbial pollution caused the emergence of diseases with functional disorders in the digestive tract due to an imbalance of normal flora and increased activity of the development of transit microbes from the external environment, which negatively affected the homeostasis of the calves' body, weakened the natural resistance of calves, their growth, preservation and often led to the death of animals. Oral use of the probiotic “Bioseven” in a dose of 5.0 g (1.5·109 CFU/cm3) based on 10 kg of live weight ensured the complete preservation of the herd of young calves, accelerated their growth energy, as evidenced by exterior indicators of the animals of the experimental group against the control and probable (P &lt; 0.05) average daily gains in live weight – 1.236 ± 0.37 kg/day versus 1.002 ± 0.41 kg/day in the control group of calves. In further studies, we used a dose of the probiotic “Bioseven” – 5.0 g (1.5·109 CFU/cm3) based on 10 kg of live weight, as the optimal dose of the experimental drug, established by the results of research. Comparative results of studies of growth indicators in the calves of the experimental group showed a significant advantage in the actual probable (Р &lt; 0.01) increase in their live weight during the experimental period, which exceeded the similar indicators of the control by 23.6 %. The results of studies of indicators of average daily live weight gain were significantly (Р &lt; 0.05) higher than those of control calves by 28.5 % (Р &lt; 0.01), which testified to the effectiveness of the use of the probiotic “Bioseven” in young calves. Taking into account the obtained results, it becomes clear that the components of the probiotic drug “Bioseven” have a positive effect on the formation of cicatricial digestion in calves.

The effect of combining green iron nanoparticles and algae on the sustainability of broiler production under heat stress conditions.

Natural feed additives in broiler feed contribute to the overall health, productivity, and economic viability of broiler chickens while meeting consumer demands and preferences for natural products. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of green iron nanoparticles (Nano-Fe) and Halimeda opuntia supplementation in broiler diets on performance, ammonia excretion in excreta, Fe retention in tissues and serum, carcass criteria, and meat quality under hot environmental conditions. A total of 256 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to one of four feeding treatments for 42 days. Each treatment had eight replications, with eight chicks per replicate. The treatments were Negative control (CON), positive control (POS) supplemented with 1 g/kg Halimeda opuntia as a carrier, POS + 20 mg/kg Nano-Fe (NFH1), POS + 40 mg/kg Nano-Fe (NFH2). When compared to CON and POS, dietary Nano-Fe up to 40 mg/kg enhanced (p < 0.001) growth performance in terms of body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Nano-Fe had the highest BWG and the most efficient FCR (linear, p < 0.01, and quadratic, p < 0.01) compared to POS. Without affecting internal organs, the addition of Nano-Fe and POS enhanced dressing and reduced (p < 0.001) abdominal fat compared to control (CON). Notably, the water-holding capacity of breast and leg meat was higher (p < 0.001), and cooking loss was lower in broilers given Nano-Fe and POS diets against CON. In comparison to POS, the ammonia content in excreta dropped linearly as green Nano-Fe levels increased. When compared to CON, increasing levels of Nano-Fe levels boosted Fe content in the breast, leg, liver, and serum. The birds fed on POS showed better performance than the birds fed on CON. Green Nano-Fe up to 40 mg/kg fed to broiler diets using 1 g/kg Halimeda opuntia as a carrier or in single can be utilized as an efficient feed supplement for increasing broiler performance, Fe retentions, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and reducing ammonia excretions, under hot conditions.