Performance, intestinal microbial population, immune and physiological responses of broiler chickens to diet with different levels of silver nanoparticles coated on zeolite

Impact of adding zeolite to broilers' diet and litter on growth, blood parameters, immunity, and ammonia emission

This work was designed to assess the impact of varying zeolite concentrations in diet and litter to enhance broiler's growth performance, immunity, and litter quality. A complete random arrangement was used for distributing 525 unsexed "Cobb 500" broiler chicks into seven treatments (75 chick / treatment), each treatment divided into 3 replicates (25 chicks / replicate). The 1st group (control one) received the recommended basal diet. Zeolite has been introduced to the basal diet (ZD) of the second, third, and fourth groups at concentrations of 5, 10, and 15 g/kg, respectively. The 5th, 6th and 7th groups used zeolite mixed with litter (ZL) at 0.5, 1, and 1.5 kg/m2 of litter, respectively. Due to the obtained results, adding zeolite with levels 15 g/kg of diet and 1.5 kg/1 m2 of litter, a significant improvement occurred in live body weight (LBW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and European production efficiency factor (EPEF). Also, transaminase enzymes (ALT and AST), creatinine, white blood cells (WBCs) and different Immunoglobulins were significantly increased with different zeolite levels, except urea concentrations which showed reduced due to different zeolite treatments. In addition, spleen relative weight hasn't been affected by zeolite treatments, even though thymus and bursa relative weights had been affected significantly. Moreover, the antibodies' production to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and Avian influenza virus (AIV) had increased significantly with adding zeolite with levels 10 g/kg of diet and 1.5 kg/1m2 of litter. Litter quality traits (NH3 concentration, pH values, and Moisture content) were improved with zeolite addition. So, zeolite could be employed in both feed and litter of broilers to maximize their production, immunity and improve farm's climate.

Contribution of nanotechnology to greater efficiency in animal nutrition and production

Feed costs present a major burden in animal production for human consumption, representing a key opportunity for cost reduction and profit improvement. Nanotechnology offers potential to increase productivity by creating higher-quality and safer products. The feed sector has benefited from the use of nanosystems to improve the stability and bioavailability of feed ingredients. The development of nanotechnology products for feed must consider the challenges raised by biological barriers as well as regulatory requirements. While some nanotechnology-based products are already commercially available for animal production, the exponential growth and application of these products requires further research ensuring their safety and the establishment of comprehensive legislative frameworks and regulatory guidelines. Thus, this article provides an overview of the current state of the art regarding nanotechnology solutions applied in feed, as well as the risks and opportunities aimed to help researchers and livestock producers.

Using Natural Zeolite as a Feed Additive in Broilers' Diets for Enhancing Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality Traits

BACKGROUND

Using natural zeolites as a food additive in poultry diets offers an intriguing perspective. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of zeolite addition and particle size on broiler performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, moisture of excreta and litter, and intestinal measurements during 35 days.

METHODS

A total of 560 1-day-old female Ross-308 broilers were divided into five treatment levels (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 g zeolite/kg diet) (n = 16 replicates/treatment, n = 8 replicates /particle size of each treatment). Performance was calculated weekly. Carcass characteristics, meat quality, small intestine (SI) measurements, litter pH, and moisture content were determined on day 35.

RESULTS

Litter pH, breast redness, cooking loss, chewiness, total weight, and SI length were all affected by zeolite treatments (p < 0.05). Particle size had an impact on the gastric pH and texture analysis. Their interaction had an effect on color redness, litter pH, and cooking loss. Performance was unaffected by either the main or interaction effects.

CONCLUSION

Zeolite as a feed additive may be useful in broiler diets, particularly large particles. The performance and production efficiency factor improved numerically (p > 0.05) with increasing zeolite doses up to 10 g zeolite/kg diet.

Effect of Nanomaterials on Gut Microbiota

Nanomaterials are widely employed in everyday life, including food and engineering. Food additives on a nanoscale can enter the body via the digestive tract. The human gut microbiota is a dynamically balanced ecosystem composed of a multitude of microorganisms that play a crucial role in maintaining the proper physiological function of the digestive tract and the body's endocrine coordination. While the antibacterial capabilities of nanomaterials have received much interest in recent years, their impacts on gut microbiota ought to be cautioned about and explored. Nanomaterials exhibit good antibacterial capabilities in vitro. Animal studies have revealed that oral exposure to nanomaterials inhibits probiotic reproduction, stimulates the inflammatory response of the gut immune system, increases opportunistic infections, and changes the composition and structure of the gut microbiota. This article provides an overview of the impacts of nanomaterials, particularly titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs), on the gut microbiota. It advances nanomaterial safety research and offers a scientific foundation for the prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with gut microbiota abnormalities.

A meta-analysis of the effects of clay mineral supplementation on alkaline phosphatase, broiler health, and performance

The crucial constraint in the broiler production sector is feed efficiency; many feed additives have been widely employed to increase broiler growth. Nonetheless, some of these substances exacerbate health and animal-based food product safety concerns. This meta-analysis examines the effect of clay minerals on alkaline phosphatase (ALP), broiler health, and performance. Metadata was constructed from 369 data items that were harvested from 86 studies. The addition of clay minerals was set as a fixed effect and the difference between experiments was established as a random effect. The metadata were fitted using a linear mixed model. Due to the presence of clay minerals, growth performance as assessed by body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and performance efficiency index (PEI) increased significantly (P < 0.01). In the total period, the increases of BW, ADG, and PEI were 4.12 g, 0.0714 g/d, and 0.648, respectively, per unit of clay minerals added. Clay minerals did not affect blood serum parameters (e.g., ALP and calcium). The IgA and IgM concentrations in the jejunum and ileum were significantly greater (P < 0.01) in the starter phase. Among clay minerals, broilers fed diets with aluminosilicate, halloysite, kaolin, and zeolite consistently exhibited higher (P < 0.05) BW, ADG, PEI, and lower feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05) in the finisher phase. Aluminosilicate was the only clay that increased (P < 0.05) secretory IgA concentration in both jejunum and ileum. In conclusion, clay minerals could be used as a growth promoter, especially during the finisher phase, without adversely affecting feed intake, liver function, and mineral metabolism in broiler chickens. Aluminosilicate was superior in improving the mucosal immunity status of broiler chickens.

Effect of clay supplementation on growth performance of broiler chickens: a systematic review and meta-analysis

1. This review assessed the effect of dietary clay supplementation as a drug and toxin adsorbent on broiler growth performance as a meta-analysis.2. A total of 33 eligible studies were included in the present study after identification and evaluation from online databases. Standardised mean differences (SMD) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed with a fixed-effects model.3. The results indicated that clay supplementation significantly improved broiler daily gain (P < 0.001) and feed conversion ratio (P < 0.001), but did not affect feed intake (P = 0.954). Results of subgroup analysis showed that zeolite clay had the most stable medium improvement effect on FCR, while kaolin had a large effect. In addition, male broilers and Cobb or Ross broilers were more sensitive to the addition of clay, and the best supplemental levels, in general, were 10 g/kg to 30 g/kg.4. Meta-regression analysis showed that clay supplemental level and sex of broilers may be important factors in the effect of clay on ADG and FCR of broilers, respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed high stability of the results and no significant publication bias was found with funnel plot analysis and Egger's or Begg's test (P > 0.05).5. In conclusion, an appropriate addition level is a prerequisite for effective clay application. Kaolin and zeolite clays seem to be more suitable for enhancing broiler growth performance, and the value of clay is amplified in specific broiler breeds.