Effect of reduced dietary protein and supplementation with a docosahexaenoic acid product on broiler performance and meat quality

Schizochytrium sp. and lactoferrin supplementation alleviates Escherichia coli K99-induced diarrhea in preweaning dairy calves

Calf diarrhea, a common disease mainly induced by Escherichia coli infection, is one of the main reasons for nonpredator losses. Hence, an effective nonantibacterial approach to prevent calf diarrhea has become an emerging requirement. This study evaluated the microalgae Schizochytrium sp. (SZ) and lactoferrin (LF) as a nutrient intervention approach against E. coli O101:K99-induced preweaning calve diarrhea. Fifty 1-d-old male Holstein calves were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 10): (1) control, (2) blank (no supplement or challenge), (3) 1 g/d LF, (4) 20 g/d SZ, or (5) 1 g/d LF plus 20 g/d SZ (LFSZ). The experimental period lasted 14 d. On the morning of d 7, calves were challenged with 1 × 1011 cfu of E. coli O101:K99, and rectum feces were collected on 3, 12, 24, and 168 h postchallenge for the control, LF, SZ, and LFSZ groups. The rectal feces of the blank group were collected on d 14. Data were analyzed using the mixed procedure of SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute Inc.). The E. coli K99 challenge decreased the average daily gain (ADG) and increased feed-to-gain ratio (F:G) and diarrhea frequency (control vs. blank). Compared with the control group, the LFSZ group had a higher ADG and lower F:G, and the LFSZ and SZ groups had lower diarrhea frequency compared with the control group. In addition, the LFSZ and SZ groups have no differences in diarrhea frequency compared with the blank group. Compared with the control group, the blank group had lower serum nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1, d-lactic acid (D-LA), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations, as well as serum IgG, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α levels on d 7 and 14. On d 7, compared with the control group, all treatment groups had lower serum NO level, the SZ group had a lower serum D-LA concentration, and the LF and LFSZ groups had lower serum LPS concentration. On d 14, compared with the control group, the fecal microbiota of the blank group had lower Shannon, Simpson, Chao1, and ACE indexes, the LFSZ group had lower Shannon and Simpson indexes, the SZ and LFSZ groups had a higher Chao1 index, and all treatment groups had a higher ACE index. In fecal microbiota, Bifidobacterium and Actinobacteria were negatively associated with IL-10 and d-lactate, while Akkermansia was negatively associated with endothelin-1 and positively correlated with LPS, fecal scores, and d-lactate levels. Our results indicated that LF and SZ supplements could alleviate E. coli O101:K99-induced calf diarrhea individually or in combination. Supplementing 1 g/d LF and 20 g/d SZ could be a potential nutrient intervention approach to prevent bacterial diarrhea in calves.

Microalgae as an Alternative Mineral Source in Poultry Nutrition

This review explores the potential of microalgae as a sustainable and nutritionally rich alternative for mineral supplementation in poultry diets, addressing both the opportunities and challenges in this emerging field. Poultry nutrition, pivotal to the health and productivity of birds, traditionally relies on inorganic and organic mineral sources which, while effective, raise environmental and economic concerns. Microalgae offer a promising solution with their high contents of essential minerals, proteins, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. This review delves into the nutritional profiles of various microalgae, highlighting their rich contents of minerals which are crucial for physiological processes in poultry. It examines the bioavailability of these minerals and their impact on poultry health and productivity. Furthermore, it evaluates the environmental sustainability of microalgae cultivation and acknowledges the challenges in using microalgae in poultry diets, particularly in terms of the economic viability of large-scale production and the consistency of nutrient composition. It discusses the importance of rigorous safety assessments and regulatory compliance, given the potential risks of toxins and heavy metals. Overall, this analysis aims to provide a clear understanding of the role microalgae could play in poultry nutrition and address sustainability challenges in animal agriculture while also considering future perspectives and advancements needed in this field.

Microalgae as a Sustainable Source of Antioxidants in Animal Nutrition, Health and Livestock Development

Microalgae are a renewable and sustainable source of bioactive compounds, such as essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidant compounds, that have been documented to have beneficial effects on nutrition and health. Among these natural products, the demand for natural antioxidants, as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants, has increased. The antioxidant activity of microalgae significantly varies between species and depends on growth conditions. In the last decade, microalgae have been explored in livestock animals as feed additives with the aim of improving both animals' health and performance as well as product quality and the environmental impact of livestock. These findings are highly dependent on the composition of microalgae strain and their amount in the diet. The use of carbohydrate-active enzymes can increase nutrient bioavailability as a consequence of recalcitrant microalgae cell wall degradation, making it a promising strategy for monogastric nutrition for improving livestock productivity. The use of microalgae as an alternative to conventional feedstuffs is becoming increasingly important due to food-feed competition, land degradation, water deprivation, and climate change. However, the cost-effective production and use of microalgae is a major challenge in the near future, and their cultivation technology should be improved by reducing production costs, thus increasing profitability.

Effect of DHA supplementation on broilers' growth performance, meat quality and blood profile

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is vital in the meat composition of broilers which is helpful to maintain a healthy diet in humans. The purpose of this study is to observe the effect of DHA from fish oil on growth performance, organ weight, and meat quality along with the blood profile of broilers. A total of 1600, 1-day old, Ross 308 broilers with an average body weight of 43.15 ± 1.35 g were used in 5 weeks trail. Birds were randomly allotted into one of four dietary treatment groups named: control (CON), basal diet; treatment (TRT)1, CON + 0.05% DHA; TRT2, CON + 0.1% DHA; TRT3, CON + 0.15% DHA. Each treatment group consisted of 20 replications with 20 broilers per pen. The experiment was divided into three phases. Phase 1 (Day 1-7), Phase 2 (Day 7-21), and overall phase (Day 21-35). During Phase 1 and 2, no significant changes were observed on body weight gain (BWG) as the DHA levels increased in the diet. However, during Phase 3, broilers fed diet supplemented with DHA at increasing levels linearly increased (p < 0.05) BWG and feed intake (FI). Also, water holding capacity was reduced and drip loss percentage on Day 7 was increased linearly (p < 0.05) with the increase in DHA supplementation. At the end of trial, pH value of the meat was increased linearly (p < 0.05) with DHA levels. Moreover, blood cholesterol level, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein was significantly and linearly (p < 0.05) decreased in DHA supplemented groups. Broiler-fed diet with DHA supplement decreased the red blood cell linearly (p < 0.05) in blood. The results of the study indicate that DHA supplementation increased BWG with FI. Moreover, it has reduced blood lipid constituents with some adverse effect on meat quality.

Using Microalgae as a Sustainable Feed Resource to Enhance Quality and Nutritional Value of Pork and Poultry Meat

Cereal grains and soybean meal are the main feedstuffs used in swine and poultry feeding, two of the most consumed meats and of key relevance to food security worldwide. Such crops are grown mostly in North and South America and transported over large distances creating sustainability concerns and, furthermore, are in direct competition with human nutrition. Alternatives to these ingredients are, thus, a pressing need to ensure the sustainability of swine and poultry production. Microalgae seem to be a viable alternative due to their interesting nutritional composition. The use of different microalgae in monogastric feeding has been addressed by different researchers over the last decade, particularly their use as a supplement, whilst their use as a feed ingredient has been comparatively less studied. In addition, the high production costs of microalgae are a barrier and prevent higher dietary inclusion. Studies on the effect of microalgae on meat quality refer mostly to fatty acid composition, using these either as a functional ingredient or as a feedstuff. Within such a context and in line with such a rationale, in this review we address the current research on the topic of the use of microalgae in poultry and swine nutrition, particularly aspects concerning pork and poultry meat quality and nutritional traits.

Microalgae as feed ingredients: recent developments on their role in immunomodulation and gut microbiota of aquaculture species

Microalgae are rapidly evolving alternative ingredients in food and feed. Desirable nutritional and functional qualities make them high potential sources of feed ingredients. Certain microalgae species are known to accumulate large amounts of protein, containing all essential amino acids while some species contain essential fatty acids and bioactive compounds hence offering several possible health benefits. However, successful inclusion of microalgae-based products in feed requires a clear understanding of physiological responses and microbiota of animals receiving microalgae diets. In this review, key microalgae-based feed ingredients and their effect on gut microbiome and immunomodulatory responses of microalgae fed animals, with a focus on aquatic species will be discussed.

Influence of dietary Chlorella vulgaris and carbohydrate-active enzymes on growth performance, meat quality and lipid composition of broiler chickens

Herein, we investigated the effect of Chlorella vulgaris as ingredient (10% of incorporation) in broiler diets, supplemented or not with 2 formulations of Carbohydrate-Active enZymes (CAZymes; Rovabio Excel AP and a mixture of recombinant CAZymes, composed by an exo-β-glucosaminidase, an alginate lyase, a peptidoglycan N-acetylmuramic acid deacetylase and a lysozyme), on growth performance, meat quality, fatty acid composition, oxidative stability, and sensory traits. One hundred twenty 1-day-old Ross 308 male birds were randomly assigned to one of the 4 experimental diets (n = 30): corn-soybean meal–basal diet (control), basal diet with 10% C. vulgaris (CV), CV supplemented with 0.005% of a commercial CAZyme cocktail (Rovabio Excel AP), (CV + R), and CV supplemented with 0.01% of a 4-CAZyme mixture previously selected (CV + M) during the experimental period lasted from day 21 to day 35. Body weight gain and feed conversion rate of broilers were not affected by C. vulgaris but digesta viscosity increased more than 2-fold (P < 0.001) relative to the control. In addition, neither cooking loss, shear force, juiciness, flavor nor off-flavor was impaired by dietary treatments (P > 0.05). By contrast, the dietary C. vulgaris increased tenderness, yellowness (b∗) and total carotenoids in breast and thigh meats. However, no additional protective effect against lipid oxidation was observed in meat with the inclusion of microalga. Chlorella vulgaris, independently of CAZymes, had a minor impact on meat fatty acid composition but improved the proportion of some beneficial fatty acids. In summary, our data indicate a slight improvement of broiler meat quality and lipid nutritional value, without impairment of broilers' growth performance, thus supporting the usefulness of this microalga in poultry diets, up to this high level of incorporation. By contrast, the selected CAZyme mixtures used do not significantly improve the release of microalga nutrients in poultry diets, through the disruption of microalga cell wall, which warrants further research.

Milk Replacer Supplementation with Docosahexaenoic Acid from Microalgae Does Not Affect Growth and Immune Status in Goat Kids

Simple Summary

The consumption of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has beneficial effects on human health. Meat from suckling goat kids is highly valuable, especially in Mediterranean countries. Based on this, several strategies have been implemented to increase the content of DHA in foodstuffs such as meat and meat products. Several studies have observed how feeding diverse sources of DHA can improve the fatty acid profile in goat kid meat. However, few studies have focused on the effect of using these DHA supplements on growth and the immune system development in these animals. Consequently, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different levels of DHA supplementation on growth and the immune system development in newborn goat kids. The current study showed that the DHA supplementation did not affect either growth or the immune status of goat kids during the first 35 days of life.

Abstract

Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has beneficial effects for consumers’ health. Consequently, there is an increased interest in enhancing meat fatty acid profiles (i.e., PUFA and DHA content) through diverse nutritional strategies. This study aimed to investigate the effect of supplementing a microalgae-derived product rich in DHA on growth and immune system development in newborn goat kids. In this experiment, newborn goat kids were fed milk replacer (MR) supplemented with three levels of a microalgae-derived product rich in DHA (DHA-Gold^®, Martek Biosciences, MD, USA). Groups were designed as follows: MR-NS (milk replacer without DHA-Gold^® supplementation; n = 10), MR-DHA-9 (9 g of DHA-Gold^®/L milk replacer; n = 10) and MR-DHA-18 (18 g of DHA-Gold^®/L milk replacer; n = 10). The immune status of the kids was evaluated by the plasma IgG and IgM concentrations, as well as by the complement system and chitotriosidase activities. Dietary supplementation with DHA did not affect either growth or innate and humoral immunity (p > 0.05). This study concludes that supplementation with DHA does not cause negative effects on growth and immune status in newborn goat kids.

Impact of dietary incorporation of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) and exogenous enzymes on broiler performance, carcass traits, and meat quality

This study assessed the effect of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), individually and in combination with exogenous enzymes, on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of broiler chickens. One hundred and twenty Ross 308 male chickens were allocated into 40 battery brooders, with 3 birds per cage, and fed ad libitum a corn-based diet during the first 21 D of the trial. The experimental period lasted from day 21 to 35, during which birds were fed 4 different diets: a corn-soybean basal diet, taken as the control group, a basal diet containing 15% Spirulina (MA), a basal diet containing 15% Spirulina plus 0.005% Rovabio Excel AP (MAR), and a basal diet containing 15% Spirulina plus 0.01% lysozyme (MAL). Body weight gain (P < 0.001) and feed conversion rate (P < 0.001) were improved in control chickens, when compared with those fed with Spirulina. In addition, Spirulina increased the length of duodenum plus jejunum in relation to the other treatment (P < 0.01). Chickens on the MAL diet showed a considerable increase in digesta viscosity (P < 0.05) compared with the control group. Breast and thigh meats from chickens fed with Spirulina, with or without the addition of exogenous enzymes, had higher values of yellowness (b*) (P < 0.001), total carotenoids (P < 0.001), and saturated fatty acids (P < 0.001), whereas n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (P < 0.01) and α-tocopherol (P < 0.001) decreased, when compared with the control. In conclusion, the incorporation of 15% Spirulina in broiler diets, individually or combined with exogenous enzymes, reduced birds' performance through a higher digesta viscosity, which is likely associated with the gelation of microalga indigestible proteins. In addition, cell wall of Spirulina was successfully broken by the addition of lysozyme, but not by Rovabio Excel AP. Therefore, we anticipate that the combination of lysozyme with an exogenous specific peptidase could improve the digestibility of proteins from this microalga and avoid their detrimental gelation.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids in Poultry Nutrition: Effect on Production Performance and Health

Omega-3 (ω-3) and omega-6 (ω-6) fatty acids are important components of cell membranes. They are essential for health and normal physiological functioning of humans. Not all fatty acids can be produced endogenously owing to the absence of certain desaturases; however, they are required in a ratio that is not naturally achieved by the standard diet of industrialized nations. Poultry products have become the primary source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), with one of the most effective solutions being to increase the accretion of PUFAs in chicken products via the adjustment of fatty acids in poultry diets. Several studies have reported the favorable effects of ω-3 PUFA on bone strength, bone mineral content and density, and semen quality. However, other studies concluded negative effects of LC-PUFA on meat quality and palatability, and acceptability by consumers. The present review discussed the practical application of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids in poultry diets, and studied the critical effects of these fatty acids on productive performance, blood biochemistry, immunity, carcass traits, bone traits, egg and meat quality, and semen quality in poultry. Future studies are required to determine how poultry products can be produced with higher contents of PUFAs and favorable fatty acid composition, at low cost and without negative effects on palatability and quality.

Supplemental Docosahexaenoic-Acid-Enriched Microalgae Affected Fatty Acid and Metabolic Profiles and Related Gene Expression in Several Tissues of Broiler Chicks

This experiment was to enrich docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in broiler tissues through feeding a DHA-rich microalgal biomass and to explore the underlying metabolic and molecular mechanisms. Hatchling Cornish male broilers (total = 192) were fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet containing a full-fatted microalgae ( Aurantiochytrium) at 0%, 1%, 2%, and 4% for 6 weeks ( n = 6 cages/treatment, 8 birds/cage). The inclusion of microalgae led to dose-dependent ( P < 0.01) enrichments of DHA and decreases ( P < 0.01) of n-6/n-3 fatty acids (FAs) in plasma, liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. The microalgae supplementation also lowered ( P < 0.05-0.1) nonesterified FAs concentrations in the plasma, liver and adipose tissue. The mRNA abundances of most assayed genes involved in lipid metabolism were decreased ( P < 0.05) in the liver but elevated ( P < 0.05) in the adipose in response to the biomass supplementation. In conclusion, the biomass-resultant DHA enrichments in the broiler tissues were associated with a distinctive difference in the expression of lipid metabolism-controlling genes between the liver and adipose tissue.

Whole-Life or Fattening Period Only Broiler Feeding Strategies Achieve Similar Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Enrichment Using the DHA-Rich Protist, Aurantiochytrium limacinum

The fatty acid composition of broiler chicken tissues can be increased by adding omega-3 rich ingredients to their diets. The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of tissue enrichment observed following the supplementation of broilers with the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich protist, Aurantiochytrium limacinum (AURA) for their whole life (42 days) or for the final 21-day fattening period. Day-old chicks (n = 350) were distributed among 35 pens (10 birds per pen) with each pen randomly assigned to one of five treatments: Control; 0.5% AURA from day 0-42; 1% AURA from day 0-42; 0.5% AURA from day 21-42; 1% AURA from day 21-42. Production parameters were recorded over the course of the study and the fatty acid profile of the breast, thigh, liver, kidney and skin with adhering fat was quantified at the end of the feeding period. The level of supplementation had a significant impact on the degree of omega-3 tissue enrichment, however, no differences were observed when the same dose was provided for 21 or 42 days. These results indicate that supplementation with AURA for a period of 21 days does not negatively affect broiler productivity and is the most efficient strategy to increase the nutritional value of broiler products.

Redressing the balance: including DHA-rich Aurantiochytrium limacinum in broiler diets increases tissue omega-3 fatty acid content and lowers the n-6:n-3 ratio

1. The consumption of sufficient quantities of long chain omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) from meat and other animal products can lead to a variety of health benefits in humans. The fatty acid content of poultry meat can be increased by feeding birds ingredients that are rich in n-3 LCFUFA 2. The effect of feeding a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) rich Aurantiochytrium limacinum biomass (AURA) on the fatty acid content of breast and thigh tissues was investigated in a feeding trial with 2880 male Ross 308 broilers. The broiler diets were supplemented with either 0, 0.25, 0.5 or 1% AURA from day 21 to 42 of age. 3. Supplementation significantly increased the DHA content of both breast and thigh meat at an inclusion rate of 1% in the diet, leading to a total of 42 and 46 mg DHA/100 g of fresh breast or thigh tissue respectively. Significant increases in the tissue eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentration were seen alongside a reduced omega-6/omega-3 ratio, improving the nutritional value of the meat for consumers and identifying supplementation of broiler diets with A. limacinum as an effective and sustainable method to increase n-3 LCPUFA consumption in the human population.

Review on docosahexaenoic acid in poultry and swine nutrition: Consequence of enriched animal products on performance and health characteristics

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are linked to a variety of health benefits against human disorders and disease. However, the typical western diet is generally low in n-3 PUFA and high in n-6 PUFA, suggesting that the recommended intake of these essential fatty acids is seldom achieved. Therefore, dietary enrichment of animal meat and eggs with n-3 PUFA could help increase consumption of these fatty acids. Fish oils and microalgae (MA) are rich sources of long chain n-3 PUFA, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Feeding these marine products has been shown to increase DHA content of tissues and yolk, however, this may also lead to an increased requirement for anti-oxidants to prevent oxidative deterioration and associated negative sensory attributes. Nonetheless, increased DHA has been linked to promising results in animal growth, fertility, immunity and bone strength in both pigs and poultry. These findings suggest that feeding DHA-rich ingredients to mono-gastric can enrich human diets as well as providing additional benefits to the animal.

Performance and tissue fatty acid profile of broiler chickens and laying hens fed hemp oil and HempOmegaTM

This study was conducted to determine the effects of hemp oil (HO) and HempOmega (HΩ), an equivalent product to HO, on performance and tissue fatty acid profile of layers and broiler chickens in two separate experiments. In the first experiment, forty 19-wk old Lohmann white laying hens were randomized to 1 of 5 dietary treatments, either a control diet or a control diet supplemented with 4 or 8% hemp oil provided by HO or HΩ, for a period of 6 wk (n = 8/diet). In experiment 2, 150-day-old mixed-sex (75 male; 75 female) Ross 308 chicks were randomly allocated into 5 dietary treatments, a control diet or a control diet supplemented with either 3 or 6% hemp oil provided by HO or HΩ, each with six replicates of 5 chicks for a 21-d feeding period. Performance of layers and broilers was not affected by dietary treatments. Animals provided with either HO or HΩ diets had greater total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in egg yolks, thighs, and breasts compared to the control diet (P < 0.01), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) content of egg yolks and thighs decreased (P < 0.05). The levels of total n-6 PUFAs, linoleic acid (LA), or arachidonic acid (ARA) of the egg yolk and meat were generally not affected by dietary supplementation with HO or HΩ, but gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) was notably increased (P < 0.01). The current data show that inclusion of hemp oil up to 8% in layer diets and 6% in broiler diets provided by HO or HΩ does not negatively affect overall performance of birds and results in the enrichment of n-3 PUFAs and GLA in eggs and meat.

Is it possible to increase n-3 fatty acid content of meat without affecting its technological and/or sensory quality and the growing performance of chickens?

The aim of this study was to increase the content of n-3 fatty acids (FA) of meat without affecting its sensory and/or technological properties or the growth performance of chickens reared under standard conditions. Male chickens, Ross 308, were distributed into 5 groups corresponding to 5 different diets for the growing and finishing periods: control (T), containing extruded linseeds exhibiting high concentration of fibre (ELHF), extruded linseeds exhibiting low concentration of fibre (ELLF), microalgae, or an association of 75% ELLF and 25% MA (ELLF+MA). The diet containing microalgae induced a decrease in feed consumption without affecting growth rate. Chickens exhibited a lower feed conversion ratio than the other groups for the growing and finishing periods but also the whole rearing period. The use of linseeds in diets had no effect on the growth performance of chickens in comparison to the control group. The dietary enrichment with n-3 FA had few effects on carcass composition or the ultimate pH and colour of breast meat. The microalgae increased the meat susceptibility to oxidation. The lipid content of breast meat was not affected by the diets. The breast meat of chickens fed on diets containing linseeds and/or microalgae had greater n-3 FA content (2.4 to 3.9 times higher than group T). The linseeds and microalgae mainly increased the contents in linolenic acid and long chain n-3 FA, respectively. Dietary enrichment with n-3 FA had no effect on the sensory quality of fillets whereas the thighs of the MA group exhibited the lowest score for the flavour "chicken" and the greatest score for the flavour "abnormal" corresponding to a fish flavour.