The Effects of Agave fourcroydes Powder as a Dietary Supplement on Growth Performance, Gut Morphology, Concentration of IgG, and Hematology Parameters in Broiler Rabbits

Effects of dietary supplementation of cobiotic based on Agave fructans on growth performance, blood parameters, oxidative damage and immune status of broiler

This study evaluated the effect of cobiotic (CO) composed of organic fructans powder of Agave tequilana and turmeric powder of Curcuma longa L. as an alternative of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) on growth performance, blood parameters, intestinal pH, oxidative stress, and cytokines serum levels of broiler chickens. A total of 135 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers distributed to five experimental groups, which included starter or finisher standard diets without AGPs (CON), CON + 0.25 COLI-ZIN g/kg feed (AGP), CON + 0.1 g Agave fructans/kg feed (AF), CON + 0.5 g turmeric powder/kg feed (TP) and CON + 0.1 g AF + 0.5 g TP /kg feed (CO), for 49 days. AF followed by TP, decreased feed intake, obtaining the best FCR. AGP increased the heterophil-lymphocyte ratio compared to other groups. CO significantly decreased the pH of the cecal content. AF increased IL-10 levels, while TP decreased it. AF decreased the IL-1β levels. The present study showed that including a cobiotic based on AF and TP or components separately in a broilers diet improved growth performance, modified intestinal and cecum pH, and stimulated the immune system, which suggests CO as a safe alternative to AGP.

Effect of rearing system (free-range vs cage) on gut and muscle histomorphology and microbial loads of Italian White breed rabbits

OBJECTIVE

The growing consumers' interest on animal welfare has raised the request of products obtained by alternative rearing systems. The present study was conducted to assess the influence of housing system on gut and muscle morphology and on microbial load in rabbits reared under free-range (FR) and cage system (CS).

METHODS

A total of forty weaned (35 days of age) male Italian White breed rabbits were allotted according to the rearing system, and at 91 days of age were randomly selected and slaughtered for the morphological evaluation of tissue from duodenum and longissimus lumborum. Morphometric analysis of the villus height, villus width, crypt depth, villus height/crypt depth ratio, and villus surface was performed. The microbial loads on hind muscle was determined by total mesophilic aerobic count (TMAC), Escherichia coli and Enterobacteriaceae; whereas, total anaerobic bacteria count (TABC) and TMAC, E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae was determined on caecal content.

RESULTS

Rearing system did not interfere with the duodenum and muscle histomorphology in both rabbit groups. Similarly, microbial load of caecal content showed no significant differences on the TABC and TMAC. Conversely, significant difference was found for E. coli strains in caecal content, with the lower counts in FR compared to CS rabbits (p<0.01). Microbiological assay of muscle revealed significant lower TMAC in FR vs CS rabbits (p< 0.05). All rabbit meat samples were negative for E. Coli and Enterobacteriaceae.

CONCLUSION

Free-range could be considered a possible alternative and sustainable rearing system in rabbits to preserve gut environment and muscle quality.

Dietary Supplementation with Agave tequilana (Weber Var. Blue) Stem Powder Improves the Performance and Intestinal Integrity of Broiler Rabbits

This study evaluated the effect of Agave tequilana (Weber var. azul) stem powder on the growth performance and the intestinal integrity in rabbits. A total of 120 male rabbits [New Zealand × California] were weaned for 35 days and randomized into four dietary treatments, 15 replicates per treatment, and two rabbits per replicate. The treatments consisted of a basal diet (T0) and dietary supplementation with 0.5% (T1), 1.0% (T2) and 1.5% (T3) of Agave tequilana stem powder. The T3 treatment improved the body weight and average daily gain (p < 0.05) compared to the other groups, without affecting viability and feed conversion ratio (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the T3 treatment enhanced (p < 0.05) the thickness of the muscular and mucous layers, and the height, thickness, and number of villi in the duodenum (p < 0.05). However, this treatment (T3) significantly decreased (p < 0.05) values for the area and depth of the crypts in the duodenum and the villus/crypt ratio. Likewise, in the cecum, T3 treatment provoked a marked decrease (p < 0.05) in the depth and thickness of the crypts. The results indicate that the dietary use with 1.5% of A. tequilana stem powder had a natural growth-promoting effect and enhanced the histomorphometry of the concentric layers (muscle and mucosa), villi, and crypts as indicators of intestinal health in rabbits.

Dietary encapsulated Bifidobacterium animalis and Agave fructans improve growth performance, health parameters, and immune response in broiler chickens

Objective

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with Bifidobacterium animalis, Agave fructans, and symbiotic of both encapsulated on growth performance, feed efficiency, blood parameters, and immune status in broiler chickens, and to compare these with diets including antibiotic growth promoters and without additives.

Methods

A comparative experimental study was carried out with 135 male Ross 308 broiler chickens. Each trial was divided into 5 equal groups. Control group (CON) received a standard diet without growth promoter; GPA: a standard diet with colistin sulfate and zinc bacitracin (0.25 g/kg of feed); PRE: a standard diet with 1% Agave fructans; PRO: a standard diet with Bifidobacterium animalis (11.14±0.70 log CFU/g); SYM: a standard diet with B. animalis and Agave fructans.

Results

A significant decrease in food consumption was found for the GPA, PRE, and SYM, compared to the CON group. The results show a better feed conversion index in PRE and GPA with respect to the CON group with the highest conversion index. Interestingly, the weight of the gastrointestinal tract shows a statistically significant difference between GPA and PRE groups. Moreover, the length of the gastrointestinal tract of the GPA group was less than the PRE group. In the total leukocyte count, there was a statistically significant increase in the GPA group compared to the CON, PRE, and PRO groups, and the H:L index was lower in PRO. Regarding the cytokines, IL-10 decreased in PRO compared to CON and PRE, while IL-1β increased in the SYM group.

Conclusion

Alternative treatments were shown to achieve similar productive results as growth-promoting antibiotics and showed improvement over diet without additives; however, they have immunomodulatory properties and improved the development of the gastrointestinal tract compared to the treatment of growth-promoting antibiotics.

High Throughput Profiling of Flavonoid Abundance in Agave lechuguilla Residue-Valorizing under Explored Mexican Plant

Agave lechuguilla waste biomass (guishe) is an undervalued abundant plant material with natural active compounds such as flavonoids. Hence, the search and conservation of flavonoids through the different productive areas have to be studied to promote the use of this agro-residue for industrial purposes. In this work, we compared the proportion of total flavonoid content (TFC) among the total polyphenolics (TPC) and described the variation of specific flavonoid profiles (HPLC-UV-MS/MS) of guishe from three locations. Descriptive environmental analysis, using remote sensing, was used to understand the phytochemical variability among the productive regions. Furthermore, the effect of extractive solvent (ethanol and methanol) and storage conditions on specific flavonoid recovery were evaluated. The highest TPC (16.46 ± 1.09 GAE/g) was observed in the guishe from region 1, which also had a lower normalized difference water index (NDWI) and lower normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). In contrast, the TFC was similar in the agro-residue from the three studied areas, suggesting that TFC is not affected by the studied environmental features. The highest TFC was found in the ethanolic extracts (6.32 ± 1.66 QE/g) compared to the methanolic extracts (3.81 ± 1.14 QE/g). Additionally, the highest diversity in flavonoids was found in the ethanolic extract of guishe from region 3, which presented an intermedia NDWI and a lower NDVI. Despite the geo-climatic induced variations of the phytochemical profiles, the results confirm that guishe is a valuable raw material in terms of its flavonoid-enriched bioactive extracts. Additionally, the bioactive flavonoids remain stable when the conditioned agro-residue was hermetically stored at room temperature in the dark for nine months. Finally, the results enabled the establishment of both agro-ecological and biotechnological implications.

Protective effect of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide on cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression in chickens

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the protective effects of polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide (PP), an important component of rhizome polygonatum, on cyclophosphamide (CY) induced immunosuppressed chickens. Four hundred and eighty one-day-old Erlang mountainous chickens were randomly allocated into four treatments. The main factors consisted of dietary supplement (PP at 0 or 800 mg/kg of diet) and immunosuppressive challenge (birds challenged with CY or treated with sterile saline). The results showed that PP enhanced chickens' growth performance via elevating daily weight gain (DWG), serum protein production, and decreasing feed conversion ratio (FCR). Moreover, physical measurements revealed that PP accelerated recovery of relative weights of immune organs and maintained their structure and function. Biochemical analysis indicated that PP significantly stimulated immunoglobulin and antioxidant indexes in serum, and improved the proliferation of peripheral blood T lymphocytes. In addition, PP promoted immune organs cells to enter into S and G₂/M phases as well as inhibited the apoptosis in the spleen, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius. PP up regulated the expression of IL-2, IL-6 and IFN-γ genes. Therefore, PP performs a profile in antagonizing Cy-induced immunosuppression in chickens, and it seems that PP can be used as a potential immunostimulant agent.

Antibacterial Activity and Phytochemical Components of Leaf Extracts of Agave americana

Background

Ethiopian flora is a source of innumerable cures for several infections. The medicinal potential of A. americana has been evaluated in some studies. The current study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial effect of A. americana leaf extracts on selected bacterial strains and to determine the phytochemical components.

Purpose

To determine the phytochemical constituents and in vitro antibacterial activity of leaf extracts of Agave americana against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella species, and Eshercia coli.

Methods

The macerated and Soxhlet crude extracts of Agave americana were further fractionated to petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, and methanol fractions. The agar well diffusion method and disc diffusion methods were used to test the antibacterial effect and determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the plant extract. Standard methods of determination were used to determine the phytochemical components of Agave americana.

Results

The percentage yield of crude extracts of A. americana was 15.11%. Alkaloids, saponins, tannins, polyphenols, and flavonoids were identified as phytochemical constituents of A. americana. The crude and solvent fractions of A. americana have an antibacterial activity comparable to gentamycin, with zones of inhibition ranging from 17 to 40mm and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2.5 mg mL for S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and S. typhi strains and 10 mg mL for E. coli strains. S. aureus and E. coli were the most and least susceptible bacteria among the four bacterial test strains tested.

Conclusion

The crude and solvent fractions of A. americana have antibacterial activity against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and S. thyphi, comparable to gentamycin.

Forsythia suspensa extract enhances performance via the improvement of nutrient digestibility, antioxidant status, anti-inflammatory function, and gut morphology in broilers

This experiment aims to determine the effects of Forsythia suspense extract (FSE) as an antibiotic substitute on performance, antioxidant status, anti-inflammatory function, intestinal morphology, and meat fatty acid deposition in broilers. 192 male Arbor Acre broilers (1-day-old, weighing 45.6 ± 1.3 g) were randomly allocated to 3 treatments, 8 replicate pens per treatment, 8 broilers per pen. The treatments contain a control diet (corn-soybean meal basal diet, CTL), an antibiotic diet (basal diet + 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline, CTC), and an FSE diet (basal diet + 100 mg/kg FSE; FSE). The experiment includes phase 1 (day 1 to 21) and 2 (day 22 to 42). Compared with CTL and CTC, broilers supplemented with FSE showed higher (P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI in phase 2 and overall (day 1 to 42). On day 21, serum catalase and total antioxidant capacity contents were enhanced (P < 0.05) in broilers fed FSE compared with CTL. On day 42, broilers fed FSE showed increased (P < 0.05) serum superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase contents, and enhanced (P < 0.05) apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, gross energy, total carbohydrates, and phosphorus, as well as reduced (P < 0.05) nitrogen and phosphorus excretion in feces compared with CTL. These broilers also showed decreased (P < 0.05) n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio in thigh meat, and tumor necrotic factor-alpha, interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 contents in the liver on day 42 compared with CTL. The villus height was increased (P < 0.05) in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of broilers fed FSE compared with CTL. In conclusion, dietary F.suspense extract supplementation as a chlortetracycline substitute under non-challenge conditions enhanced performance via the improvement of nutrient digestibility, antioxidant status, anti-inflammatory function, and intestinal morphology in broilers. Moreover, F.suspense extract may also benefit environment by reducing nitrogen and phosphorus excretion and benefit human health via modulating meat fatty acid profiles in broilers.

Effect of dietary supplementation with insect fats on growth performance, digestive efficiency and health of rabbits

BACKGROUND

The present work aimed at evaluating the effect of the dietary replacement of soybean oil (S) by two types of insect fats extracted from black soldier fly larvae (H, Hermetia illucens L.) and yellow mealworm larvae (T, Tenebrio molitor L.) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, intestinal morphology and health of growing rabbits.

METHODS

At weaning, 200 crossbred rabbits (36 days old) were allotted to five dietary treatments (40 rabbits/group): a control diet (C) containing 1.5% of soybean oil and four experimental diets where soybean oil was partially (50%) or totally (100%) substituted by H (H50 and H100) or T (T50 and T100) fats. Total tract digestibility was evaluated on 12 rabbits per treatment. The growth trial lasted 41 d and, at slaughtering (78 days old), blood samples were collected from 15 rabbits per treatment, morphometric analyses were performed on duodenum, jejunum and ileum mucosa, and samples of liver, spleen and kidney were submitted to histological evaluation.

RESULTS

No difference was observed between the control and the experimental groups fed insect fats in terms of performance, morbidity, mortality and blood variables. The addition of H and T fats did not influence apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, protein, ether extract, fibre fractions and gross energy. Gut morphometric indices and organ histopathology were not affected by dietary inclusion of H and T fats.

CONCLUSIONS

H and T fats are suitable sources of lipid in rabbit diets to replace soybean oil without any detrimental effect on growth performance, apparent digestibility, gut mucosa traits and health.

Dietary Inclusion of a Mixed Powder of Medicinal Plant Leaves Enhances the Feed Efficiency and Immune Function in Broiler Chickens

The trial was designed to determine the effect of the mixed powder of leaves of Anacardium occidentale (60%), Psidium guajava (20%), and Morinda citrifolia (20%) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and immunoglobulin concentration in broiler chickens. A total of 80 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments from days 1 to 21 of age, with 8 replicates by treatments and 5 birds per replicate. Treatments consisted of a control diet (T0) and the dietary inclusion of 0.5% of mixed powder of medicinal plant leaves (T1). The inclusion of herbs decreases the feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR; P<0.05) in week 2 and in the period studied (1–21 days) compared with T0 but did not modify (P<0.05) the body weight (BW) and average gain (AG). Also, the mixed powder has no influence (P>0.05) on nutrient digestibility and IgA concentration; however, the IgG concentration increased by the effect of this experimental treatment. The results allow recommending the dietary inclusion of mixed powder of medicinal plant leaves as an alternative for obtaining acceptable performance in broilers.