Evaluation of animal feed grade sodium bisulfate supplementation on performance, intestinal morphology and vitamin D status of broilers challenged with coccidiosis vaccine

Effects of sodium bisulfate or sodium sesquicarbonate as a sodium source in broiler chicken diets with or without a coccidiosis challenge

Broilers commonly experience stressors such as coccidiosis, a parasitic infection that results in intestinal damage, malabsorption, and performance losses. The poultry industry is exploring alternatives to anticoccidials for controlling coccidiosis, especially through the enhancement of gut health. Sodium bisulfate (NaHSO4; SBS), an acid salt, has been used for many years as a litter acidifier to reduce aerial ammonia in poultry housing. More recently, SBS has shown promise as a feed additive that improves growth performance through enhancing gut health in poultry. Two trials of 1,920 broiler chicks each were raised to 42 d in floor pens. Chicks were randomly divided into 1 of 4 treatments (480 chicks/treatment) on d 0 that utilized SBS (0.3 or 0.4% of diet) or control diets using sodium sesquicarbonate (0.2 or 0.3% of diet) as a sodium source. In Trial 2, birds were challenged with a 2 × dose of coccidiosis vaccine on d 0. Growth performance was measured on d 0, 14, 28, and 42. Each trial was analyzed independently to yield results for non-challenged or coccidiosis-challenged conditions. All data were analyzed with means separation using a Duncan's test. SBS and control treatments with equivalent sodium contributions were also directly compared. Significance was accepted at P ≤ 0.05. On d 28, broilers fed 0.4% SBS weighed more (P < 0.05) than broilers from either control, regardless of challenge status. This effect was sustained in the challenged broilers at d 42 but was not different (P > 0.05) in non-challenged broilers. No differences (P > 0.05) in feed intake or mortality were observed in either trial. Birds fed 0.4% SBS had lower feed conversion than both control treatments for d 0-42, regardless of challenge status. Collectively, these results indicate that SBS promoted growth performance with and without a coccidiosis challenge more than that of sodium sesquicarbonate as a supplemental sodium source. Because experimental treatments were balanced for mineral content, it is possible the sulfate content of SBS influenced these results.

Impacts of phytase and coccidial vaccine on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, bone development, and intestinal gene expression of broilers fed a nutrient reduced diet

An experiment was conducted to evaluate effects of phytase and coccidial vaccine on growth performance, bone ash, bone 3-D microstructure, nutrient digestibility, and gene expression of intestinal biomarkers in broilers fed a regular or nutrient-reduced diet. The experiment was conducted in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with 6 replicates per treatment and 10 birds per replicate. Two main factors were coccidial vaccine and dietary treatments. The dietary treatments included: 1) a positive control (PC; normal nutrient levels); 2) a negative control (NC; with a reduction of 0.15% of Ca and avP and 5% of essential amino acid (EAA) and crude protein relative to PC); 3) NC + 500 FTU/kg of phytase; and 4) NC + 1,500 FTU/kg of phytase. No interaction effect of phytase and coccidial vaccine on growth performance, bone ash, and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) was observed. For the main effect, birds fed the NC diet showed lower (P = 0.007) BWG during d 0 to 21 compared to PC birds, whereas supplementing 500 or 1,500 FTU/kg phytase increased BWG to the similar level to the PC. During d 0 to 21, vaccinated birds had a lower (P < 0.001) FI and better (P = 0.045) FCR compared to unvaccinated birds. Birds fed the NC diet resulted a decrease in tibia fat-free dry bone weight (P = 0.012), ash weight (P = 0.005), ash percentage (P < 0.001), and ash concentration (P = 0.019) compared to the PC group at d 21, whereas supplementing phytase at 500 or 1,500 FTU/kg in NC diet was able to improve these bone parameters to the similar level to the PC; however, vaccination did not have any effect on bone ash. Similarly, birds fed with the NC diet showed had significant lower bone microstructure levels including bone volume, bone mineral density, and bone mineral content (P < 0.001), and supplementing phytase at 1,500 FTU/kg improved these parameters. Vaccination improved AID of nitrogen (P < 0.001). Birds from the NC and both phytase supplementation groups had a higher (P = 0.001) AID of Ca compared to the PC. Supplementing phytase at 500 FTU/kg or 1,500 FTU/kg improved (P < 0.001) AID of P compared to the NC. Additionally, the NC had a lower AID of DM than the PC, whereas supplementing phytase at 500 FTU/kg or 1,500 FTU/kg improved DM digestibility (P = 0.0299). In conclusion, supplementation of phytase at 500 or 1,500 FTU/kg improved growth performance, bone mineralization, and nutrient digestibility regardless of vaccination, with a more pronounced effect when supplementing phytase at 1,500 FTU/kg.

Effects of phytase and coccidial vaccine on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, bone mineralization, and intestinal gene expression of broilers

A study was conducted to evaluate effects of phytase and coccidial vaccine on growth performance, bone mineralization, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal gene expression of broiler chickens. The experiment was conducted in a 2 × 4 completely randomized factorial arrangement with 6 replicates per treatment and 10 birds each. Applications of coccidiosis vaccine and different dietary treatments were the 2 main factors in the current study. The dietary treatments included 1) a positive control (PC; 0.90% Ca and 0.45% available P: avP); 2) a negative control (NC; 0.75% Ca and 0.30% AvP); 3) NC + 500 FTU/kg of phytase (NC + 500PHY); and 4) NC + 1500 FTU/kg of phytase (NC + 1500PHY). Data were analyzed using SAS by 2-way ANOVA via GLM procedure. The statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05, and means were further separated using Tukey's Test. The results indicated that vaccination had no effect on growth performance except for feed intake from 0 to 14 d but negatively (P < 0.05) regulated bone ash and Ca digestibility. Birds fed with the Ca and P-reduced diet (NC) showed a lower BWG and bone ash compared to birds fed with the normal diet (PC), but supplementing phytase mitigated the negative effects on those birds. Broilers fed the NC diet had higher (P < 0.05) total Ca and P digestibility, and phytate degradation; supplementing phytase further increased P digestibility and phytate degradation of the broilers. A significant interaction (P < 0.05) between phytase and vaccination was observed, suggesting the vaccinated birds fed the PC diet and the unvaccinated birds fed the NC + 1500PHY increased calcium-sensing receptor gene expression compared with the unvaccinated birds fed the PC diet. In conclusion, in spite of coccidiosis vaccine, supplementing phytase at 1,500 FTU/kg alleviated the negative effects on growth performance, bone mineralization, and apparent ileal digestibility of P and phytate.