Replacing biochar with mineral premix and its interaction with vitamin C on laying hen production and egg quality factors

This researchers focused at how adding vitamin C (VC) to biochar and replacing it with a mineral supplement affected egg quality and laying hen performance. 50 experimental units were created from 400 laying hens using a 5 × 2 factorial treatment design (10 treatments, 5 repeats, and 8 laying hens per repetition). Biochar levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% replacement with mineral supplements of diet) and VC levels (0 and 100 mg/kg of diet) were some of the studied variables. The results showed that different experimental diets had no significant effect on performance parameters (feed intake, feed conversion ratio, daily weight gain, egg weight, egg production, and egg mass) of laying hens. In the whole of experiment (50-62 weeks of age), dietary treatments had no influence on egg albumen %, Haugh unit, albumen index, yolk %, yolk index, yolk color, egg shell thickness, or egg shell ash. The results revealed that biochar, due to its availability and easy production, can replace mineral supplements in laying hens' diet, with no adverse effects on productive performance and egg quality traits.

Growth performance, internal organ traits, intestinal morphology, and microbial population of broiler chickens fed quinoa seed-based diets with phytase or protease supplements and their combination

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of quinoa seed-based diets with phytase and protease enzymes, individually or in combination, on the productive performance, internal organs, microbiota activity, and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 250 1-day-old broiler chicks (ROSS 308) were randomly distributed into five treatments with each five replicate pens of 10 birds in a 42-day trial. Dietary treatments were a conventional diet (CC) based on a corn-soybean meal or an experimental diet (EC) which contained 150 g/kg of quinoa seed. Other treatments were EC diet supplemented with 500 FTU/kg phytase (EPH), 0.2 g/kg protease (EPR) enzymes, or their combination (EPPC). At the end of the trial, the feed intake of the EPH broilers was higher than those of the EC and EPPC birds (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, broiler chickens fed the EPH and EPPC diets had higher body weight gain compared with those of the birds fed the other diets (P < 0.05). The EC and EPPC broilers consumed less feed than the EPH birds (P < 0.05), while CC and EPR birds were intermediate. The EC group had the highest feed conversion ratio among all groups (P < 0.05). The EPPC group had the best feed conversion ratio compared with other groups except for the EPH group (P < 0.05). The highest relative weight of the bursa and spleen was observed in EPPC and CC groups, respectively. The pancreas had the lowest weight in the broilers fed protease-supplemented diet. An increase in villus length and villus width was observed in birds fed EPH and EC diets, respectively (P < 0.05). The ratio of VL to crypt depth was greater in the phytase-supplemented group (P < 0.05). Inclusion of phytase or phytase + protease to QS diet increased the cecal Lactobacillus population, while the count of Coliforms decreased in EPR and EPPC groups (P < 0.05). It is concluded that addition of phytase and protease enzymes to QS-based diet may have beneficial effects on the growth performance, gut bacteria ecology, and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens.

Isolated and combined organic acids in diets of broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria acervulina

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the effect of isolated or combined citric and benzoic acids added to the diets of broiler chickens on performance, allometry of the digestive system organs, intestinal pH and quantity of microorganisms in the jejunum. A total of 840 male Cobb broiler chicks were utilized, distributed in a complete random design in 2 × 2 factorial scheme, supplemented or not with citric acid, and sodium benzoate, with seven replications. At 14 days old, 1mL of a solution containing 1 × 105 sporulated oocysts of Eimeria acervulina per bird was inoculated orally. There was no effect of the acids on the broiler’s performance in the 1 to 21-day period. In the total period (1 to 42 days), the broilers fed with a blend of citric and benzoic acid presented greater feed intake, without increment in weight gain. The data of allometry of the digestive system organs and the jejunal pH values were not influenced by the treatments. The citric acid increased the bacterial quantity of gram-positive coccus and total anaerobes in the jejunum. Under the conditions of the present study, we conclude that the citric and benzoic acids, isolated or combined, do not benefit the nutrition of broilers challenged with E. acervulina.

Organic Acids Mixture as a Dietary Additive for Pigs-A Review

Simple Summary

Many countries have enforced a ban on the use of all antibiotics in animal feed as growth promoters due to public health concerns about the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. There are a variety of candidates for the replacement of antibiotic growth promoters like probiotic, prebiotics, herbs, or essential oil. Organic acids have been suggested as alternatives to replace antibiotics in the diets of animals. It is reported that the lower the pKa of the OAs, the greater its effect on the reduction of stomach pH and the lower its antimicrobial effect in the more distal portions during its transit through the GIT which eventually will have better effect on animal’s health as well as their performance. Herein, we focus on the use of organic acids’ mixture as feed additives in the diet of swine in term of their immune system, gut health, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance as well as gas emission.

Abstract

Due to the increasing safety concerns about the risk of spreading antibiotic resistance in the environment, and the presence of chemical residues in animal products, using organic acids (OAs) to replace antibiotic in the diet of farm animals has increased considerably in recent years. It has been suggested that OAs could attribute to diverse elements such as antimicrobial activity, decreasing the pH of digesta particularly in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), slowing feed transit in the GIT to maximize feed digestion and nutrient absorption, inducing enzyme secretion and activity in the small intestine, and providing nutrients to intestinal tissue. It has been reported that OAs mixture might be more effective than individual OAs due to the synergistic effects of different pKa values and have a broad-spectrum activity. In conclusion, this review showed that an OA mixture, which can improve nutrient digestibility and growth performance, modulate intestinal bacterial populations and improve gut health, as well as decreasing gas emission, can be used as alternative to antibiotic growth promoters. However, the results of OA mixtures are not always consistent, and the response to dietary OAs could be affected by the type of OAs, dosage, feed formula, and the age of animals. In this review, we will give an overview of the current use of OAs mixture in swine feed.

Effects and interaction of dietary electrolyte balance and citric acid on the intestinal function of weaned piglets

Fifty-six piglets (6.26 ± 0.64 kg BW) were weaned at 21 d and randomly assigned to one of the eight dietary treatments with seven replicate pens for a 14-d experimental period. The eight experimental diets were prepared via a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with citric acid (CA; 0% and 0.3%) and dietary electrolyte balance (dEB, Na + K - Cl mEq/kg of the diet; -50, 100, 250, and 400 mEq/kg). Varying dEB values were obtained by altering the contents of calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate. An interaction (P < 0.05) between dEB and CA in diarrhea score and the number of goblet cell in jejunum were observed. Ileum pH significantly decreased in weaned piglets fed 250 mEq/kg dEB diet compared with those fed -50 and 400 mEq/kg dEB diets (P < 0.05). Supplementation of 0.3% CA decreased the number of goblet cell in the ileal crypt (P < 0.05) and the relative mRNA expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-10 (IL-10), zona occludens-1, and Claudin-1 (P < 0.05). Increasing dEB values increased the number of goblet cells in the jejunal crypt (P < 0.05). A 250-mEq/kg dEB diet decreased the relative mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-10 (P < 0.05) than 100-mEq/kg dEB diet. The interaction between dEB and CA on the relative abundances of Cyanobacteria and Saccharibacteria was observed (P < 0.05). Supplementation of 0.3% CA increased relative abundances of and Streptococcus hyointestinalis. Piglets fed 250-mEq/kg diet increased relative abundances of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus rennini, and decreased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Veillonella, Actinobacillus minor, and Escherichia-Shigella.In conclusion, supplementation of 0.3% CA resulted in differential expression of inflammatory cytokines, ion transporters, and tight junction proteins, and changes in the microbial community composition. A 250-mEq/kg dEB diet reduced gastrointestinal pH and promoted the enrichment of beneficial microbes in the gut microbiota, thereby suppressing inflammation and harmful bacteria. However, the addition of CA to diets with different dEB values did not promote intestinal function in weaned piglets.

Microbial diversity within the digestive tract contents of Dezhou donkeys

Gastrointestinal microbiota has significant impact on the nutrition and health of monogastric herbivores animals including donkey. However, so far the microbiota in different gastrointestinal compartments of healthy donkey has not been described. Therefore, we investigated the abundance and function of microbiota at different sites of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) (foregut: stomach, duodenum, jejunum and ileum; hindgut: cecum, ventral colon, dorsal colon, and rectum) of healthy adult donkeys mainly based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) analysis. Collectively, our results showed that donkey has a rich, diverse and multi-functional microbiota along the GIT. In general, the richness and diversity of the microbiota are much higher in the hindgut relative to that in the foregut; at phylum level, the Firmicutes is dominant in the foregut while both Firmicutes and Bacteroides are abundant in the hindgut; at the genus level, Lactobacillus was dominant in the foregut while Streptococcus was more dominant in the hindgut. Our further PICRUSt analysis showed that varying microbiota along the GIT is functionally compatible with the corresponding physiological function of different GIT sites. For example, the microbes in the foregut are more active at carbohydrate metabolism, and in the hindgut are more active at amino acid metabolism. This work at the first time characterized the donkey digestive system from the aspects of microbial composition and function, provided an important basic data about donkey healthy gastrointestinal microbiota, which may be utilized to evaluate donkey health and also offer clues to further investigate donkey digestive system, nutrition, even to develop the microbial supplements.

Performance, intestinal microflora, and amino acid digestibility altered by exogenous enzymes in broilers fed wheat- or sorghum-based diets

The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of dietary enzymes and nutrient restriction on performance and bone mineralization in birds fed wheat- or sorghum-based diets. A total of 720 d-old male broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 8 treatments, with 6 replicates per treatment and 15 birds per replicate. Birds were reared in floor pens from 0 to 35 d. The study used a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with 2 grains (sorghum or wheat) and 4 diets: positive control (no enzyme and ME, digestible Lys, Ca, and P sufficient, negative control (NC; no enzyme and reduced ME [-100 kcal/kg], digestible AA [-2%], Ca [-0.12 percentage points], and available P [-0.18 percentage points in the starter phase and -0.22 percentage points in the grower phase]), NC + nonstarch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes + phytase (500 phytase units [FTU]; NCCP), and NC + phytase (1,000 FTU; NCP). From 0 to 35 d, birds fed wheat-based diets had greater G:F (4.5%), BW gain (9.2%), breast meat yield (6.8%), and tibia ash (2.0%) compared with birds fed sorghum-based diets. Across grain types, the NCCP treatment improved BW gain ( < 0.001), feed intake ( < 0.001), G:F ( < 0.05), and livability ( < 0.001) compared with the NC treatment. Birds fed NCP had greater BW gain ( < 0.001), feed intake ( < 0.001), G:F ( < 0.001), and livability ( < 0.001) compared with birds fed NC. Birds fed the NCP diet had greater BW gain ( < 0.001), toe ash ( < 0.01), and tibia ash ( < 0.001) compared with birds fed the NCCP diet. There was a grain × diet interaction for feed intake ( < 0.01), BW gain ( < 0.001), tibia ash ( < 0.01), and tibia breaking strength ( < 0.05). The influence of enzymes was more pronounced in sorghum-based diets than in wheat-based diets. Birds fed wheat-based diets had greater ileal digestibility of His, Met, Val, Phe, Ile, Leu, Trp, Glu, Pro, Ala, Tyr, and Cys compared with those fed sorghum-based diets ( < 0.05). Across grain types, NCP had greater apparent ileal digestibility of Met, Lys, Ser, Pro, Gly, and Cys than NC ( < 0.05). The results suggest that wheat is superior to sorghum for broilers, as expected, but that enzyme supplementation has the capability to restore the compromised bird performance due to feeding sorghum. In addition, compared with nonstarch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes and phytase (500 FTU/kg feed) added in concert, phytase supplemented at 1,000 FTU/kg resulted in a further improvement of some of the performance and bone mineralization parameters in male broilers fed sorghum-based diets.

Spatial Variation of the Gut Microbiota in Broiler Chickens as Affected by Dietary Available Phosphorus and Assessed by T-RFLP Analysis and 454 Pyrosequencing

Molecular fingerprinting and sequencing based techniques have been widely used to characterize microbial communities. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and 454-pyrosequencing were used to determine the microorganisms present in the different sections of the chicken gastrointestinal tract (GIT) (crop, jejunum, ileum and caeca). Broilers fed with diets differing in phosphorous (P) and calcium (Ca) as well as in phytase levels were used to study the microbiota of the upper and lower part of the GIT. A database with terminal restriction fragments (T-RF) of the most important organism present in the different gastrointestinal sections was constructed. The analysis revealed a distinct microbial assemblage on each section. Regardless of the diet, crop, jejunum and ileum were mainly colonized by Lactobacillaceae, and caeca were the most diverse site. The correlation between Lactobacillus crispatus and L. reuteri was positive in the crop, but negative in the jejunum. In crop samples, higher P and Ca levels led to a shift in the abundance of L. reuteri and L. crispatus to L. salivarius and L. taiwanensis whereas in the ileum supplementation of phytase favored L. salivarius and L. taiwanensis but resulted in decreased abundance of L. crispatus. Both methods were correlating significantly, being T-RFLP a reliable fingerprinting method to rapidly analyze large numbers of samples in a cost-effective and rapid manner. Results are easy to interpret with no need of deep bioinformatics knowledge and can be integrated with taxonomic information.

Acidic stress caused by dietary administration of citric acid in broiler chickens

Abstract. Citric acid (CA) is commonly used in poultry diets to promote growth by acidifying the gastrointestinal contents, improving nutrient digestibility, and reducing pathogen loads; therefore, this study was conducted to demonstrate the effects of 0, 30 and 60 g of CA per kilogramme of diet on productive performance, selected blood metabolites, immune response and certain gut-related variables in broiler chickens using 150, 7-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks in five replicates of 10 birds each per diet. Growth performance, daily feed intake and tibia phosphorous (P) retention were significantly improved by the diets containing 30 g kg−1 of CA (P < 0.01) but were suppressed as CA increased to 60 g kg−1. Dietary CA increased proventriculus, gizzard and ileum percentage and villus length, crypt depth and goblet cell number in duodenum, jejunum and ileum as well as ileal digestibility of crude protein, apparent metabolisable energy and total phosphorus while it decreased the pH of contents in the gut segments concerned (P < 0.01). Diets containing 60 g kg−1 of CA significantly reduced plasma P and Fe levels as well as cholesterol level and Alkaline phosphatase activity (P < 0.05) while increasing the aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities (P < 0.01) in the blood serum of the birds at day 42 of age. The percentage of bursa and thymus was greater in the birds fed on diets containing 60 and 30 g kg−1 of CA, respectively (P < 0.01). It was concluded that inclusion of 60 g kg−1 of CA in the diet resulted in a severe reduction in performance, nutrient digestion and absorption and liver dysfunctions in broiler chickens, a phenomenon we call as acidic stress.

Hydrolysis of phytate and formation of inositol phosphate isomers without or with supplemented phytases in different segments of the digestive tract of broilers

The objective was to characterise degradation of myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis (dihydrogen phosphate) (InsP₆) and formation of inositol phosphate (InsP) isomers in different segments of the broiler digestive tract. Influence of an Aspergillus niger (PhyA) and two Escherichia coli-derived (PhyE1 and PhyE2) phytases was also investigated. A total of 600 16-d-old broilers were allocated to forty floor pens (ten pens per treatment). Low-P (5·2 g/kg DM) maize–soyabean meal-based diets were fed without (basal diet; BD) or with a phytase added. On day 25, digesta from different digestive tract segments were pooled per segment on a pen-basis, freeze-dried and analysed for P, InsP isomers and the marker TiO₂. InsP₆ degradation until the lower ileum (74 %) in BD-fed birds showed a high potential of broilers and their gut microbiota to hydrolyse InsP₆ in low-P diets. Different InsP patterns in different gut segments suggested the involvement of phosphatases of different origin. Supplemented phytases increased InsP₆ hydrolysis in the crop (P < 0·01) but not in the lower ileum. Measurements in the crop and proventriculus/gizzard confirmed published in vitro degradation pathways of 3- and 6-phytases for the first time. In the intestinal segments, specifically formed InsP_4–5 isomers of supplemented phytases were still present, indicating further activity of these enzymes. Myo-inositol tetrakisphosphate (InsP₄) accumulation differed between PhyE1 and PhyE2 compared with PhyA in the anterior segments of the gut (P < 0·01). Thus, the hydrolytic cleavage of the first phosphate group is not the only limiting step in phytate degradation in broilers.