Blood Hematological and Biochemical Constituents, Antioxidant Enzymes, Immunity and Lymphoid Organs of Broiler Chicks Supplemented with Propolis, Bee Pollen and Mannan Oligosaccharides Continuously or Intermittently

Mannan oligosaccharides improve the fur quality of raccoon dogs by regulating the gut microbiota

Introduction

Adding antibiotics to animal basal diets can improve growth and production performance. However, the use of antibiotics poses a potential threat to public health safety.

Methods

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) on the fur quality, nutrient apparent digestibility, serum immunity, antioxidant status, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota of fur-growing raccoon dogs. Divide 24 male raccoon dogs (120 ± 5 d) of similar weight (5.01 ± 0.52 kg) into 4 groups randomly. Add 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2% MOS to the basal diets of groups C, L, M, and H, respectively.

Results

Compared to the C group, the addition of 0.05% and 0.1% MOS in the diet increased the apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP), Underfur length (UL), Guard hair length (GL), immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels in the serum (p < 0.05); Under the dosage of 0.05 % MOS, the activities of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) increased (p < 0.05). Compared to the C group, adding 0.05% MOS significantly increased the VH/CD of the duodenum and ileum, while also increasing the VH and CD of the jejunum (p < 0.05). Through Spearman correlation analysis of the gut microbiota, it was found that MOS can improve fur quality by reducing the abundance of Dorea while improving the immune response of raccoon dogs by reducing the abundance of Blautia and Gemmiger.

Discussion

In conclusion, MOS can improve the fur quality, serum immunity, antioxidant capacity, and gut microbiota of raccoon dogs. Therefore, MOS has the potential to replace antibiotics.

Effects of enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast supplementation on blood attributes, antioxidant status and gene expression of cytokines in vaccinated dairy cows

This study was done to assess the effects of hydrolyzed yeast on blood cells counts, antioxidant status and gene expression of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines of vaccinated dairy cows. Twenty Holstein lactating dairy cows were randomly divided into four groups received basal diet without (control) and with 10, 20 and 30 g/d/head of hydrolyzed yeast. Cows were vaccinated against foot and mouth disease virus at day 10 and blood samples were taken 10 days after. Cows received hydrolyzed yeast at doses of 20 and 30 g/d/head had the lowest and those in the control group had the highest malondialdehyde concentration. Cows received hydrolyzed yeast at dose of 20 g/d/head had the highest lymphocyte and the lowest neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. IL-1β and TNF-α downregulated and INF-γ up-regulated in cows received different doses of hydrolyzed yeast. The lowest expression of IL-1β and TNF-α and the highest expression of INF-γ was for cows received hydrolyzed yeast at dose of 20 g/d/head. The highest titers against foot and mouth disease virus were for cows received hydrolyzed yeast at dose of 20 g/d/head and the lowest titer was for the control group. Supplementation of 20 g/d/head hydrolyzed yeast recommended in vaccinated cows.

Dietary propolis improves the growth performance, redox status, and immune response of Nile tilapia upon a cold-stress challenge

The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the potential of adding propolis (PR) to the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to mitigate the harmful effect of cold stress (CS) on the growth performance, redox status, and immunological response. Two trials were conducted in this study. First, 210 Nile tilapia fingerlings (28.61±0.20 g) were used in a preliminary trial to determine the appropriate PR level and supplementation period to be applied for the main trial. Fish were assigned into 7 treatment groups (3 aquaria replicates × 10 fish per aquarium in each treatment group) according to the rate of PR supplementation in the fish diets at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 g/kg for 6 consecutive weeks. The average body weight and body weight gain were determined weekly. It was found that PR supplementation at 10 g/kg in fish diet for 4 weeks was enough to obtain significant results on the growth performance of Nile tilapia. For the main trial of the present study, 480 Nile tilapia fingerlings (average weight 29.93±0.11 g) were distributed into randomized 2 PR × 2 CS factorial treatment groups (6 replicate aquariums containing 20 fish in each group). Fish of PR groups received a basal diet for a feeding period of 4 weeks, included with 10 g/kg PR (+ PR group) or without PR inclusion (- PR group). Fish of the CS groups were either challenged with cold stress at 18°C (+ CS group) or maintained at a temperature of 26°C during the feeding period (- CS group). The results showed that CS challenge significantly (p < 0.05) impaired the growth indices, redox status, and immune response in the challenged fish compared to the non-challenged fish. On contradictory, the inclusion of PR into fish diets enhanced (p < 0.05) the feed intake, growth indices, antioxidant enzyme activity, and immunological parameters. Moreover, PR treatment alleviated the CS deterioration of fish weights, specific growth rates, feed efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activity, lymphocyte proliferation, and phagocytosis activity and alleviated the elevated mortality, H/L ratio, and malondialdehyde levels by cold stress. It is concluded that the inclusion of propolis at 10 g/kg in the diet of Nile tilapia fish could be approved as a nutritional approach to enhance their performance, especially when stressed by low-temperature conditions.

Effects of ginger extract and/or propolis extract on immune system parameters of vaccinated broilers

Newcastle disease (ND), avian influenza (AI, H5N8), and infectious bronchitis (IB) are important diseases in the poultry industry and cause significant losses. Vaccination is the most practical method for controlling infectious diseases. To reduce vaccination costs and several disorders in poultry farms, using herbal water supplements for immunomodulation with vaccination is critical to improving or preventing some conditions in the poultry industry. However, drinking water supplementation of ginger extract (GE)/propolis extract (PE) alone/in combination may increase broilers' humoral and cellular immunity due to the immunomodulatory effects of ginger and propolis. This protocol aimed to see how GE/PE alone or in combination improved the immunity, immune organ gene expression, and histology of the immune organs of broilers for 35 d after vaccination against NDV, H5N8, IBV, and IBDV. The chicks were dispensed into 5 groups according to GE and/or PE with vaccination. The control group was offered normal drinking water without any supplements or vaccinations. The GE group was supplemented with ginger extract (1 mL/L drinking water) in the drinking water before and after vaccination for 2 and 3 d, respectively. The GE+PE group was supplemented with GE (0.5 mL/L drinking water) and PE (0.5 mL/L drinking water) in the drinking water before and after vaccination for 2 and 3 d, respectively. The PE group was supplemented with propolis extract (1 mL/L drinking water) in the drinking water before and after vaccination for 2 and 3 d, respectively. The fifth group was the vaccinated untreated group. This experiment showed the immunomodulatory properties of GE and/or PE against 3 common diseases, NDV, AI, and IB, in broiler chicken farms for 35 d applied to a vaccination program. Thus, ginger extract and propolis extract supplementation in drinking water increased antibody titer, INF, IL10, and IL2 and TLR3 gene expression in the bursa of Fabricius, thymus, and spleen, respectively, as well as cellular immunity as indicated by increased CD3, CD4, and CD8 in the bursa of Fabricius, thymus, and spleen, respectively, with normal lymphocytes in the medulla of the bursa, thymus, and spleen. In conclusion, propolis extracts alone or with GE improved all of the metrics mentioned above without harming the histology of the immune organs.

Modulation of Antioxidant Defense, Immune Response, and Growth Performance by Inclusion of Propolis and Bee Pollen into Broiler Diets

(1) Background: Propolis and bee pollen have natural bioactive compounds that may support the performance and immunological response of broilers. (2) Methods: The study included 300 1 d old Cobb-500 broiler chicks. Starting from 22−42 d of age, chicks were divided according to a 2 × 2 factorial design into one of the four treatment groups (5 replicates × 15 chicks per replicate); a basal diet without supplementation (CONT) or supplemented with 1 g/kg of propolis (PR) or bee pollen (BP) separately or in an even combination (PR + BP). (3) Results: A significant (p < 0.05) increase was obtained in the body-weight gain of broilers treated with PR, BP, and PR + BP compared to the CONT. The total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase were highly (p < 0.05) activated in all treated groups compared to the CONT. Immunological parameters, especially the leukocyte cell viability, T- and B-lymphocyte proliferation, immunoglobulins (IgA and IgM), antibody titers, and wattle-swelling test were significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced in the treated broilers with PR and/or BP compared to the CONT. (4) Conclusions: The dietary supplementation of PR and/or BP could be beneficial for broiler growth through maximizing the antioxidant- and immune-system defenses.

Yeast-Derived Products: The Role of Hydrolyzed Yeast and Yeast Culture in Poultry Nutrition—A Review

Simple Summary

Yeast and yeast-derived products are largely employed in animal nutrition to support animals’ health and to improve their performance. Thanks to their components, including mannans, β-glucans, nucleotides, vitamins, and other compounds, yeasts have numerous beneficial effects. Among yeast-derived products, hydrolyzed yeasts and yeast cultures have received less attention, but, although the results are somewhat conflicting, in most of the cases, the available literature shows improved performance and health in poultry. Thus, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of hydrolyzed-yeast and yeast-culture employment in poultry nutrition, exploring their effects on the production performance, immune response, oxidative status, gut health, and nutrient digestibility. A brief description of the main yeast bioactive compounds is also provided.

Abstract

Yeasts are single-cell eukaryotic microorganisms that are largely employed in animal nutrition for their beneficial effects, which are owed to their cellular components and bioactive compounds, among which are mannans, β-glucans, nucleotides, mannan oligosaccharides, and others. While the employment of live yeast cells as probiotics in poultry nutrition has already been largely reviewed, less information is available on yeast-derived products, such as hydrolyzed yeast (HY) and yeast culture (YC). The aim of this review is to provide the reader with an overview of the available body of literature on HY and YC and their effects on poultry. A brief description of the main components of the yeast cell that is considered to be responsible for the beneficial effects on animals’ health is also provided. HY and YC appear to have beneficial effects on the poultry growth and production performance, as well as on the immune response and gut health. Most of the beneficial effects of HY and YC have been attributed to their ability to modulate the gut microbiota, stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria and reducing pathogen colonization. However, there are still many areas to be investigated to better understand and disentangle the effects and mechanisms of action of HY and YC.

Growth performance and heamatobiochemical parameters of broilers fed diets containing Artemisia afra essential oil

The study was conducted to determine the effects of Artemisia afra Jacq. ex Willd. essential oil inclusion in diets on growth performance and blood parameters in broiler chickens. Four hundred day-old Cobb 500 chicks were randomly allotted to four treatments: NC – negative control (commercial broiler diet without antibiotics), PC – positive control (commercial broiler diet), AA1 – commercial diet + 0.1% A. afra essential oil, and AA2 – commercial diet + 0.3 % A. afra essential oil. Each treatment was replicated 10 times. From the results, birds fed the PC diet had the highest average daily feed intake (105.60 g ± 3.18) and average daily gain (ADG) in the grower phase. The highest ADG in the finisher phase was obtained in the AAI treatment (170.23 g·d−1 ± 2.00), whereas the feed conversion ratio was lower in the essential-oil-containing diets. Diet significantly improved protein utilization efficiency in both grower and finisher phases. Birds fed AA1 had the highest values for neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils, whereas those fed the NC diet had the highest alkaline phosphatase levels (102.00 IU·L−1 ± 7.61). The findings of the study suggest the use of A. afra essential oil in broiler diets can positively improve growth and flock health.

Dietary Supplementation of Fructooligosaccharides Enhanced Antioxidant Activity and Cellular Immune Response in Broiler Chickens

This study investigated the impact of various concentrations of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) prebiotic on the production performance, antioxidant status, and immune response of broiler chicken. The FOS was used at 0, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7%. The cycle included 340 broilers distributed into 4 batteries, with 85 broiler chickens in each battery. There were 5 replicates with 17 broiler chickens each, and the analyses were triplicated. The studied parameters were production performance, antioxidant status, hematological measurements, cellular and humoral immune response, intestinal acidosis, intestinal microbial counts, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) level in the hindgut. Results showed that broiler chickens fed 0.7% of FOS had significantly higher body weight gain than the control group and the groups fed 0.3% and 0.5% of FOS. Supplementing broiler feed with FOS at all levels increased the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and reduced the malondialdehyde of the sera (P = 0.015 and 0.025, respectively). Liver catalase enzyme in the broiler chickens fed 0.5 and 0.7% of FOS was higher than that of the control group and the group fed 0.3% of FOS (P = 0.001). However, the liver MDA of the control group was higher than that of all the other groups (P = 0.031). The total WBC and heterophils % were the highest after supplementing broilers with 0.7% FOS (P = 0.004 and 0.003, respectively) at 3 wks of age. Conversely, lymphocytes and monocytes were the lowest for the 0.7% FOS group (P = 0.030 and 0.020, respectively). Dietary 0.05 and 0.7% of FOS induced the highest cellular response compared to the other treatments (P = 0.020). Thymus, bursa of Fabricious, and spleen weights were enhanced after FOS supplementation, which indicates a higher specific cellular response. To conclude, FOS prebiotic at all levels can be utilized safely to enhance the antioxidant activity and the cellular immune response of broiler chickens. Using 0.7% of FOS resulted in higher body weight of broilers. Accordingly, this amount of FOS is sufficient to reach the required results.

Growth performance, morphometric of the small intestine, lymphoid organ, and ovary of laying hens supplemented with Dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) extract in drinking water

Background and Aim:

Antibiotic, improves the growth performance of laying hens when used as a feed additive; however, it has been banned in Europe. Furthermore, secondary metabolites used as a substitute for antibiotics are compounds produced by plants. Therefore, this aims to determine the effect of dates water extract (DWE) on the performance of laying hens. This study used dates containing secondary metabolites as a feed additive and substitute for antibiotics.

Materials and Methods:

A completely randomized design was used, dividing 400 Lohmann brown day old chick into five groups (each group has five replications and each replication consisted of 16 laying hens). Furthermore, there were two control groups such as mineral water control group and antibiotic growth promoters (basal feed+50 mg/kg of bacitracin), and three DWE groups such as 5% DWE (50 mg/mL), 10% DWE (100 mg/mL), and 20% DWE (200 mg/mL). Dates extract treatment was administered through drinking water for 54 days, whereby three laying hens from each replication were taken randomly and decapitated on the neck. Afterwards, a necropsy was performed for histological preparations of the small intestine, ovary, and lymphoid organs. The structure and morphology of the small intestine, and ovaries were observed through histological preparations, while lymphoid organs were observed through histological preparation and morphometry, and body morphometry, body weight, feed intake and weight gain were observed by measurements and weighing.

Results:

Small intestine morphology, ovarian follicle, and growth performance of the DWE2 group increased significantly compared to the control group, but the lymphoid organs index was influenced by DWE1.

Conclusion:

The administration of 10% dates extract (100 mg/mL) in drinking water improves the morphology of the small intestine, ovarian follicles, lymphoid organs, and growth performance.

Optimization of Emulsification Conditions on Ethanol Extract of Taiwanese Green Propolis Using Polysorbate and Its Immunomodulatory Effects in Broilers

Simple Summary

Taiwanese green propolis (TGP) ethanol extract has been shown to have a wide range of biological activities, such as antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, extraction using ethanol limits the use of TGP as an ingredient in animal feeds. In addition, the effect of TGP ethanol extract on immunomodulation in broilers is still unclear. In order to increase the utilization of TGP ethanol extract in poultry productivity, this study aimed to establish the optimal emulsification conditions for TGP ethanol extract using polysorbate and investigate its effectiveness in improving immune response in broilers.

Abstract

Beeswax and resin are the main components of propolis, both of which are hydrophobic. The use of emulsifiers helps to improve the extraction of active propolis compounds and makes them more widely used. In this study, we investigated the optimal parameters for the emulsification of Taiwanese green propolis (TGP) using different polysorbates (polysorbate-20, polysorbate-60, and polysorbate-80) and evaluated the effects on the immunomodulatory response in broilers. The results showed that 4 mg/mL of TGP in combination with 2% polysorbate-60 at 60 °C for 60 min significantly decreased the undissolved particle size of ethanol extract of TGP during the emulsification. The bioactive compounds of TGP, the propolins (C, D, F, G, and H), were also detected after emulsification. Supplementation of emulsified TGP (eTGP) in the drinking water of broilers before and after vaccination significantly enhanced the antibody titer response to infectious bronchitis virus at 28 days of age. In the lipopolysaccharide-challenged model, supplementation of eTGP in the drinking water of broilers decreased pro-inflammatory gene expression and increased anti-inflammatory gene expression. These results together suggested that the polysorbate-60 could effectively emulsify the ethanol extract of TGP. Moreover, eTGP could be used as a vaccine adjuvant and an immunomodulator to improve the immune response of broilers.

Antioxidant Status, Blood Constituents and Immune Response of Broiler Chickens Fed Two Types of Diets with or without Different Concentrations of Active Yeast

Simple Summary

Rations for broilers can be safely supplemented with probiotics such as active Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) yeast to stimulate oxidative reactions and immune response against stress and infectious agents. The current study suggested that SC yeast enhanced antioxidant capacity, growth rate, immune organ weights, immune response and the survival rate of broilers after Avian Influenza virus challenge at 38 days of age.

Abstract

Probiotics, such as active yeasts, are widely used to enhance poultry production and reduce feeding costs. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and immune responses of broilers to different concentrations of active Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) when supplemented to two types of diets. A total of 216 1-day-old Arbor Acres unsexed chicks were used in a factorial design, involving two feeds (regular- versus low-density diet) and three concentrations of SC (0%, 0.02% and 0.04%). The results revealed that the low-density diet reduced the body weight and production index of broilers. The addition of SC improved the production index more than the control diet. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and eosinophils were significantly higher in response to the regular-density diet than the low-density diet; however, phagocytic activity (PA), lymphocyte and lysozyme activity (LYS) were lower. Saccharomyces cerevisiae reduced ALT, AST, malondialdehyde (MAD) and TAC more than the standard set, but improved packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hgb), red blood cells (RBCs), lymphocytes, monocytes, heterophils, phagocytic index (PI) and the immune response to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and avian influenza (AI). In conclusion, supplementation of a regular- or low-density diet with SC at a concentration of 0.02% or 0.04% improved the antioxidant parameters, immune status and production index of broilers against stress and infectious agents.

COVID-19 pandemic: impacts on bees, beekeeping, and potential role of bee products as antiviral agents and immune enhancers

COVID-19 pandemic has passed to the front all the contradictions of the beekeeping sector: the valuable role of bee products as immune enhancers and antiviral agents and the impact that unsustainability of human activities has on bees' health and survival. The COVID-19 emergency led several countries to adopt severe restriction measures to contrast the infection. The lowering of industrial and commercial activities, transports, and the general lockdown had immediate consequences on the air quality, significantly improving environmental conditions. This had a positive impact on honeybees' life's quality. On the other hand, the bee and beehive transportation limitations threaten to hit food production by affecting the pollinator service, and this is particularly true in large, food-exporting countries like the USA and China where due to the few numbers of local bees, beekeepers import them by other countries and convey by truck hives for thousands of kilometers to pollinate crops. Furthermore, honeybee products, focusing on their natural pharmacological properties, can play an essential role as a potential natural contrast to the virus by enhancing the immunity defenses of both humans and animals, and their demand by consumers is expected to increase. Several researchers in the last months focused their attention on bee products to evaluate their effect in the cure of COVID-19 patients to ameliorate the symptoms or to contrast the coronavirus directly. This review reports these preliminary results.

Dietary Mannanoligosaccharide Supplementation Improves Growth Performance, Intestinal Integrity, Serum Immunity, and Antioxidant Capacity of Partridge Shank Chickens

Herein, we assessed the impact of dietary addition of konjac mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) on the growth, intestinal morphology, serum immune status, and oxidative status in Partridge Shank chickens. For the experiment, one-day-old chicks (n=192) were randomized into six replicates (n=8/replicate) and fed four different diets: a basal diet containing 0 (Control group), 0.5, 1, or 1.5 g MOS per kg of diet (g/kg) for 50 d. Relative to the control, the group fed 0.5 g/kg MOS decreased feed consumption from 22^nd to 50^th d and 1^st to 50^th d (P<0.05). By adding MOS, the height of the intestinal villus and the villus height to crypt depth ratio were increased (P<0.05); 1.5 g/kg MOS was the best dosage for these parameters. Jejunal and ileal goblet cell density increased following MOS supplementation at 21 d (P<0.01) and 50 d in the jejunum (P<0.05), respectively. Moreover, adding MOS to the diet increased the contents of IgA and IgM at 21 d (P<0.05) and total antioxidant capacity (P<0.05) at 50 d in the serum but decreased malondialdehyde content (P<0.01) at 21 d in the group fed 0.5 and 1.5 g/kg MOS. The findings suggested that MOS supplementation could affect feed consumption, intestinal health, serous immunity, and antioxidant capacity of Partridge Shank chickens.

Effects of mannan oligosaccharides on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation and hematological parameters in sheep

Background

Mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) are a promising feed additive in animal husbandry due to mainly improving animal health status. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of MOS on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and twelve hematological parameters in sheep.

Methods

Ninety-six healthy Hu rams with similar body weights were chosen and divided into four treatment groups (twenty-four rams in each group), in which four different doses of MOS were tested: 0%, 0.8%, 1.6% and 2.4% of the basal diet (on an as-fed basis).

Results

The results showed that supplementation dietary MOS did not affect feed intake, body weight, average daily weight gain, or ruminal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration; the ratio of individual fatty acids to total SCFAs, the C2/C3 ratio, and the hematological parameters in the sheep were also unaltered (P > 0.05). Conversely, supplementation dietary MOS increased the dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and ash apparent digestibility (P < 0.05), and decreased the ruminal ammonia concentration in the sheep (P < 0.05), especially at a dose of 1.6%.

Conclusions

This indicates that supplementation dietary MOS improved nutrient utilization by the sheep and nitrogen metabolism in the rumen; however, the effects are too slight to interfere with the basal metabolism in the sheep.

Dietary source of polyunsaturated fatty acids influences cell cytotoxicity in broiler chickens

The current study aims to investigate the effects of dietary source of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on immune response in broiler chickens, represented by cytotoxic cell activity. A total of 255 one-day-old male Cobb 500 broiler chickens were fed on fish oil (FO)-, flaxseed oil-enriched diets at 50 and 19 g/kg, respectively, in addition to the soybean-based control diet. At slaughter, samples of blood and spleen were harvested from 20 birds/treatment (n = 20). The immune tissues' fatty acid profile was analyzed by gas chromatography, and the cytotoxic cell activity was investigated. The results showed that supplementing broiler chickens with diets rich in n-3 PUFA had a substantial effect on the broiler immune tissues' fatty acid profile. Cytotoxic cell activity was significantly higher in splenocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from broilers fed flaxseed oil than those provided FO and the soybean control diet. These results suggest that flaxseed oil may be used to enrich chickens with n-3 PUFA and improve the immune status of chicken flocks to resist diseases.

Effect of different levels of bioplex manganese along with probiotics and multi-enzymes on performance and immune system indices of broilers

To investigate the effect of different levels of bioplex manganese along with probiotics and multi‐enzymes on the performance and immune system of broilers, 640 one‐day‐old male chicks of the Ross 308 strain were reared and the data analysed in a 4 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment with four levels of bioplex manganese (0, 60, 72 and 84 mg per kg of diet), two levels of Parsilact probiotic (0 and 200 mg per kg of diet) and two levels of Combo multi‐enzyme (0 and 1,000 mg per kg of diet) in a completely randomized design with 16 experimental treatments, 4 replicates and 10 chickens per replicate during a period of 42 days. The results showed that the performance of the broiler chickens in the diets containing 72 and 84 mg bioplex manganese along with probiotics and multi‐enzymes had the greatest difference compared to the control (p < .05). Compared to the control with 0 mg/kg manganese; the bursa of Fabricius weight was greater in chickens fed diets containing additional manganese (p < .05). The concentration of antibodies produced against Newcastle disease virus, as well as the concentrations of IgG, IgM and total immunoglobulins produced against SRBC, were highest in the group fed a diet containing 84 mg manganese along with probiotics and multi‐enzymes (p < .05). The results show combining additional manganese with probiotics and multi‐enzymes in chicken diets leads to better performance as well as a stronger immune system of chickens.

The results show combining additional manganese with probiotics and multi‐enzymes in chicken diets leads to better performance as well as a stronger immune system of chickens.

Effects of dietary hatchery by-products on growth performance, relative organ weight, plasma measurements, immune organ index, meat quality, and tibia characteristics of broiler chickens

Objective

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of dietary hatchery by-products (HBPs) as a replacement of fish meal (FM) on growth performance, relative organ weight, plasma measurements, immune organ index, meat quality, and tibia characteristics of broiler chickens.

Methods

A total of 720 broiler chickens (3 d of age) were randomly allotted to 1 of 9 treatments with 8 replicates. Each replicate consisted of 5 male and 5 female birds. The basal diet was formulated to contain 5.0% commercial FM, whereas eight treatment diets were prepared by replacing 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of FM in the basal diet with infertile eggs (IFE) or a mixture of various HBPs (MIX); therefore, the inclusion levels of IFE or MIX in the experimental diets were 1.25%, 2.50%, 3.75%, or 5.00%. The diets and water were provided on an ad libitum basis for 32 d.

Results

Increasing inclusion levels of IFE as a replacement of FM in diets had no effects on growth performance, plasma measurements, immune organ index, and tibia characteristics of broiler chickens. Increasing inclusion levels of IFE in diets increased (linear, p<0.05) meat lightness (L*) but decreased (linear, p<0.05) meat redness (a*). The breast meat pH at 1-h postmortem was increased (linear, p<0.05) by increasing inclusion levels of IFE in diets. Likewise, increasing inclusion levels of MIX in diets had no effects on growth performance, relative organ weight, plasma measurements, immune organ index, and tibia characteristics. However, increasing inclusion levels of MIX in diets increased (linear, p<0.05) 1-h postmortem pH but decreased (linear, p<0.05) 24-h postmortem pH of breast meat. Increasing inclusion levels of MIX in diets decreased (linear, p<0.05) thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of breast meat.

Conclusion

Both IFE and MIX are suitable alternatives to FM as protein ingredients in broiler diets.

Prebiotic mannooligosaccharides: Synthesis, characterization and bioactive properties

Functional oligosaccharides are non-digestible food ingredients that confer numerous health benefits. Among these, mannooligosaccharides (MOS) are emerging prebiotics that have characteristic potential bio-active properties. Microbial mannanases can be used to break down mannan rich agro-residues to yield MOS. Various applications of MOS as health promoting functional food ingredient may open up newer opportunities in food and feed industry. Enzymatic hydrolysis is the widely preferred method over chemical hydrolysis for MOS production. Presently, commercial MOS is being derived from yeast cell wall mannan and is widely used as prebiotic in feed supplements for poultry and aquaculture. Apart from stimulating the growth of probiotic microflora, MOS impart anticancer and immunomodulatory effects by inducing different gene markers in colon cells. This review summarizes recent developments and future prospects of enzymatic synthesis of MOS from various mannans, their structural characteristics and their potential health benefits.

Modulatory Effect of Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Immunity, Represented by Phagocytic Activity

Lately, dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have shown substantial importance in human and animal nutrition, especially those of the n-3 group. Development and optimal functioning of the immune system are directed affected by diet. These dietary fatty acids have an important impact on the health and immune competence of various species including human beings. They are essential for the modulation of immune responses in health and disease. Fatty acid composition of immune cells can be modulated by the action of dietary fats and the outcomes in the composition can produce functional effects on reactivity and functioning of immune cells in a short period. There are several mechanisms involved in impacting dietary fatty acids on immune function; however, lipid mediator synthesis from PUFAs is of great importance in terms of inflammation. The objectives of this article are reviewing studies on the impact of PUFA in the diet on phagocytosis of chickens, murine, rats, ruminants, and humans. It also sheds light on the possible mechanism by which this immunomodulation occurs.

Challenges to the Poultry Industry: Current Perspectives and Strategic Future After the COVID-19 Outbreak

Poultry immunity, health, and production are several factors that challenge the future growth of the poultry industry. Consumer confidence, product quality and safety, types of products, and the emergence and re-emergence of diseases will continue to be major challenges to the current situation and the strategic future of the industry. Foodborne and zoonotic diseases are strictly linked with poultry. Eradication, elimination, and/or control of foodborne and zoonotic pathogens present a major challenge to the poultry industry. In addition, the public health hazards from consuming foods with high antibiotic residues will remain a critical issue. The theory of poultry production described in this review will not be limited to considering disease control. Rather, it will also incorporate the interconnection of the animals' health, welfare, and immunity. It is essential to know that chickens are not susceptible to intranasal infection by the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic will affect poultry consumption, transport, and the economics of poultry farming. It will also take into consideration economic, ethical, social dimensions, and the sustenance of the accomplishment of high environmental security. Stockholders, veterinarians, farmers, and all the partners of the chain of poultry production need to be more involved in the current situation and the strategic future of the industry to fulfill human demands and ensure sustainable agriculture. Thus, the present review explores these important tasks.

Dietary Mannan-oligosaccharides potentiate the beneficial effects of Bifidobacterium bifidum in broiler chicken

This study investigated the effects of dietary Bifidobacterium bifidum (BFD) and mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS), as a synbiotic, on the production performance, gut microbiology, serum biochemistry, antioxidant profile and health indices of broiler chicken. Six dietary treatments were T1 (negative control), T2 (positive control-20 mg antibiotic BMD kg^-1 diet; BMD: bacitracin methylene disalicylate), T3 (0·1% MOS + 10⁶  CFU BFD per g feed), T4 (0·1% MOS + 10⁷  CFU BFD per g feed), T5 (0·2% MOS + 10⁶  CFU BFD per g feed) and T6 (0·2% MOS + 10⁷  CFU BFD per g feed). Significantly (P < 0·01) better growth performance and efficiency was observed in birds supplemented with 0·2% MOS along with 10⁶  CFU BFD per g of feed compared to BMD and control birds. Supplementation with 0·2% MOS along with either 10⁶ or 10⁷  CFU BFD per g feed reduced (P < 0·01) the gut coliform, Escherichia coli, total plate count, and Clostridium perfringens count and increased the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium count. Significantly (P < 0·01) higher serum and liver antioxidant enzyme pool, serum HDL cholesterol and lower serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, cardiac risk ratio, atherogenic coefficient and atherogenic index of plasma were observed in birds supplemented with 0·2% MOS along with 10⁶  CFU BFD per g of feed compared to control or BMD supplemented birds. Better production performance, gut microbial composition, serum biochemistry, antioxidant profile and health indices were depicted by broiler chicken supplemented with 0·2% MOS and 10⁶  CFU BFD per g of feed.

Protective effects of dietary mannan oligosaccharide on heat stress-induced hepatic damage in broilers

Heat stress is a major concern in broiler's production, which can damage liver of broilers. This study investigated the protective effects of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) on heat stress-induced hepatic injury in broilers. A total of 144 day-old male chicks were allocated into three treatment groups. Broilers raised under normal ambient temperature were fed a basal diet (control group), and broilers under heat stress (32-33 °C for 8 h daily) were given the basal diet supplemented without MOS (heat stress group) or with 1 g/kg MOS (MOS group) for 42 days. Compared with the control group, heat stress reduced liver weight, whereas increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities in the serum. It also reduced glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the serum and liver, GSH content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the liver, but increased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in the serum and liver. Dietary MOS decreased serum ALT activity in heat-stressed broilers. MOS inclusion also decreased serum MDA content, but elevated hepatic GSH-Px and SOD activities, with MDA content and GSH-Px activity still being different from the control group, and SOD activity being similar to the control group. Heat stress increased concentrations of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the serum and liver, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the liver, and mRNA abundances of HSP70, TLR4, MyD88, TNF-α, and IL-1β in the liver of broilers. Serum TNF-α content and mRNA abundances of hepatic TLR4 and TNF-α in MOS group were lower than the heat stress group, whereas these indexes were still higher than the control group. Our results indicated that dietary MOS ameliorated hepatic damage in heat-stressed broilers through alleviation of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Calcium and Cholecalciferol Levels in Late-Phase Laying Hens: Effects on Productive Traits, Egg Quality, Blood Biochemistry, and Immune Responses

Productive traits and immunity in laying hens decrease sharply during the late phase of laying due to aging, which negatively affects the metabolism and hormonal status of the animals. The influence of Ca levels (3.5, 4.0, and 4.5%) and/or cholecalciferol [Vitamin D₃ (VD₃)] supplementation (800-, 1,000-, and 1,200-IU/kg diet or as total of 3,800, 4,000, and 4,200 IC VD₃) on performance, egg quality, blood biochemistry, and immunity of brown egg layers was investigated. Three hundred and sixty H&N Brown egg layers (60 weeks old) were allocated at random into nine nutritional treatments of five replications (cages) of eight hens each. The control diet in this experiment contained a 3.5% Ca level with 800 IU VD₃. The addition of VD₃ at 1,000 and 1,200 IU to 3.5 and 4% Ca diets significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the rate of laying, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the control diet on 3.5% and 800 U of VD₃. Besides this, the addition of VD₃ at 800 and 1,200 IU to 3.5% Ca level diets enhanced the Haugh unit score. Similar results were observed in eggshell quality measurements and tibia ash. Increasing the Ca concentration from 3.5 to 4 and 4.5% and increasing VD₃ levels from 800 to 1,000 or 1,200 IU significantly and similarly increased serum total protein and globulin. In addition, VD₃ at 1,000 IU increased serum albumin, compared to 800 IU. Increasing Ca level increased IgA, and 4 and 4.5% Ca levels similarly increased IgG and α-2 globulin compared to the 3.5% Ca diet. VD₃ addition at 1,200 IU to the 4% Ca diet significantly increased γ-globulin compared to 1,000 IU, but decreased β-globulin. Increasing the Ca level to 4% significantly reduced serum triglycerides, and the very low-density lipoprotein and the triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein ratio were both decreased with 4 and 4.5% Ca level diets. Increasing the Ca level caused a stepwise increase in catalase, which was markedly increased with VD₃ supplementation at 1,200 IU. Plasma estrogen was increased considerably with VD₃ supplementation at 3.5% Ca, but parathyroid hormone levels were not affected. In conclusion, increasing Ca levels in the diet of laying hens to 4% during the late production phase could be a useful tool to improve laying performance, eggshell quality, Haugh unit score, and physiological and immunological status. Besides, VD₃ at a 1,000 IU/kg diet to 3.5% Ca improved performance of hens fed 3.5% Ca, showing that the potential impact of VD₃ depends on Ca concentrations.

The Effects of Different Oil Sources on Performance, Digestive Enzymes, Carcass Traits, Biochemical, Immunological, Antioxidant, and Morphometric Responses of Broiler Chicks

This research evaluate the influence of different oil sources, namely fish oil (FO), coconut oil (CocO), canola oil (CanO), or a mixture of the three oils (MTO)—included at 1.5% in broiler diets—compared to a no oil-supplemented diet. Hence, 250 unsexed, 1-day-old Cobb chicks were weighed and randomly allocated into five dietary treatment groups of 50 chicks each and five replicates per group. Oil-supplemented diets significantly increased the growth, improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR), and decreased the abdominal fat percentage compared to the control diet. Amylase was significantly elevated due to feeding the FO- or CocO-supplemented-diet compared to the control diet, whereas lipase increased due to offering CocO- and CanO-enriched diet; chymotrypsin increased due to different oil sources. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) increased markedly due to offering an oil-supplemented diet, but low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), the LDL-C:HDL-C ratio, and malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased. Blood plasma immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM significantly increased due to feeding CocO, CanO, or MTO compared to the control group, whereas FO increased IgG only. FO- and CanO-containing diets resulted in the highest increase in α2-globulin and γ-globulin. The antibody titer to avian influenza (HIAI) and Newcastle disease (HIND) were significantly elevated due to CocO supplementation compared to the control group. The bursa follicle length and width and thymus cortex depth were increased considerably due to the FO-supplemented diet compared to the control, but the follicle length:width ratio decreased. The villus height:depth ratio was significantly elevated due to both the CanO and MTO diets. The antioxidant status improved considerably due to the addition of CocO and CanO. Both CanO and MTO similarly increased plasma T3, T4, and the T3:T4 ratio. In conclusion, oil supplementations at 1.5% enhanced growth performance and immune status, improved the blood lipid profile and antioxidants status, and the effect of the oil sources depends on the criteria of response.

Bee Pollen Supplementation to Aged Horses Influences Several Blood Parameters

In humans and animals, aging leads to a decrease in immune function and an increased susceptibility to infection. Decreased immunity and an increase in the incidence of infectious diseases are particularly notable during the autumn. Bee pollen supplementation improves immunity and antioxidant enzyme activity, as well as general performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of bee pollen supplementation during the autumn on blood parameters in aged horses. The study was performed on 16 warmblood horses aged 15-26 years. Half of this group received 60 g of bee pollen (soaked in water) daily for 30 days during the autumn season. Blood samples were taken from all horses before and after the supplementation period. Numerous hematological and plasma biochemical parameters including indicators of oxidative stress were determined. The data collected after the supplementation were compared with data collected before the experiment using one-way analysis of variance and paired Student's t-test. In the control group, there was a decline in the total number of red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit and an increase in some lipid parameters, urea, total plasma proteins, and sulfhydryl groups. Supplementation with bee pollen prevented the variation of these parameters, except for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. We believe that bee pollen supplementation for aged horses during autumn has beneficial effects because it inhibited some of the adverse changes observed in the control horses during this season.

Impact of Multienzymes Dose Supplemented Continuously Or Intermittently in Drinking Water on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Blood Constituents of Broiler Chickens

The aim of this work was to study the continuous or intermittent impact of a multienzyme supplement on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood metabolites of broilers, and to evaluate production index of dietary supplementation. A total of 315 unsexed day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly distributed to seven treatments groups, keeping initial body weights similar, in 35-floor pens (replicates) of nine chicks per replicate (pen) and five experimental units per treatment. All experimental groups were fed the same basal diet and administered seven multienzyme treatments: the 1st group (control) did not receive any enzyme supplementation; the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th groups were administered multienzymes at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mL/L drinking water, respectively. Each enzyme supplemented-group was divided into two subgroups, with additives being applied either continuously (24 h/day) or intermittently (12 h/day) from 1 to 35 days old. Regardless of administration method, multienzyme supplements at 1.0 mL/L water along with a corn-soybean meal diet increased the body weight gain (BWG) by 7.8% compared to 0.5 mL/L water during days 1-21 of age. In addition, 1.5 mL/L water significantly improved BWG by 5.1% of broilers compared to 0.5 mL/L water during days 1-35 of age. Enzyme supplementation at 1.5 mL/L water significantly enhanced feed conversion ratio (FCR) by 4.3% during days 1-21 of age, and FCR by 5.2% and European production index (EPI) by 10.4% during days 1-35 of age compared to the group on 0.5 mL/L water. For the whole period, there were improvements of beneficial consideration in BWG (4.0%), FCR (4.0%), and European production index (8.2%) due to continuous multienzyme supplementation at 0.5 mL/L water compared to the same dose added intermittently. A similar trend was observed due to intermittent multienzymes at 1 mL/L drinking water that resulted in increased BWG by (6.4%) and improved FCR by (6.7%) and EPI by (12.7%). Intermittent administration significantly increased feed intake of broilers during 22-35 days of age compared to continuous supplementation. Multienzymes at different doses did not significantly affect the digestibility of nutrients, blood serum biochemical constituent, inner body organs, and markers of functions of liver and renal organs. In conclusion, the highest BWG and the best FCR and EPI for the whole period were from broilers given continuous 1 and 1.5 mL/L drinking water or intermittent multienzyme supplementation at 1.5 mL/L drinking water. Furthermore, intermittent supplementation of enzymes at 1 mL/L drinking water and continuous supplementation at 0.5 mL/L drinking water can be investigated in further experiments as a tool to improve broiler growth performance and economic traits and to decrease the cost of enzyme application.

Effect of Different Levels of Multienzymes on Immune Response, Blood Hematology and Biochemistry, Antioxidants Status and Organs Histology of Broiler Chicks Fed Standard and Low-Density Diets

This study was executed to investigate the effect of supplementing three multienzyme levels (0, 0. 1, and 0.2%) with two types of diet [standard diet (SD) vs. low-density diet (LDD)] on immune response, blood hematology and biochemistry, antioxidant status, and organ histology of broilers during 1–38 days of age. A total of 216 unsexed 1-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly distributed, on a factorial design (2 × 3), to six treatments each with six replicates. There were six chicks per replicate. Results showed that LDD significantly decreased body weight gain (BWG) of broilers, but did not affect the European Production Efficiency Index (EPEI). Addition of multienzymes at both levels (0.1 and 0.2%) significantly increased BWG and improved EPEI, compared to the control diet. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspirate aminotransferase (AST), malondialdehyde (MDA), lymphocyte, lymphocyte transformation test (LTT), and phagocyte activity (PA) were significantly higher for LDD than the SD, but eosinophil was lower. Supplementation of multienzymes significantly decreased ALT, AST, and MDA, compared to the control group, but increased packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hgb), lymphocytes, and monocytes. Immune organs, such as spleen, thymus, and the bursa of Fabricius were significantly increased with multienzyme supplementation. It could be concluded that multienzyme supplementation at either 0.1 or 0.2% to SD or LDD improved EPEI and immune status of broiler chicks.

Honey Bee Pollen in Meagre (Argyrosomus regius) Juvenile Diets: Effects on Growth, Diet Digestibility, Intestinal Traits, and Biochemical Markers Related to Health and Stress

This research aimed to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of honey bee pollen (HBP) in meagre (Argyrosoumus regius) juveniles' diets on growth performance, diet digestibility, intestinal morphology, and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, stress-related molecular markers and biochemical blood profile of fish were evaluated, together with mineral trace and toxic element concentration in pollen and diets. Specimens of meagre (360) of 3.34 ± 0.14 g initial body weight, were randomly allocated to twelve 500 L circular tanks (30 fish per tank). Four diets were formulated: a control diet and three experimental diets with 1%, 2.5%, and 4% of HBP inclusion. All the growth parameters and crude protein and ether extract digestibility coefficients were negatively linearly affected by increased HBP inclusion (p < 0.0001). Histology of medium intestine showed slight signs of alterations in group HPB1 and HPB2.5 compared to control. Fish from HBP4 group showed severe alterations at the intestinal mucosa level. Immunohistochemical detection of TNF-α in the medium intestine showed the presence of TNF-α+ cells in the lamina propria, which resulted in accordance with the increased level of the TNF-α protein detected by immunoblotting in the liver. This stress situation was confirmed by the increased hepatic level of HSP70 (p < 0.05) in fish fed the HBP4 diet and by the linear decrease of total serum protein levels in HBP-containing diets (p < 0.0001). These negative effects can be related to the ultrastructure of the bee pollen grain walls, which make the bioactive substances unavailable and can irritate the intestine of a carnivorous fish such as meagre.

Comparison of different dietary sources of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on immune response in broiler chickens

The study aims to research the effects of varied dietary sources of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on the immune response in broiler chickens with stress on natural killer (NK) cell activity. Diets supplemented with one of the four sources of n-3 PUFA: linseed oil-, echium oil-, fish oil (FO) or algal biomass-enriched diets at levels of 18, 18, 50 and 15 g/kg fresh weight, were provided for one-d-old male Ross 308 broilers, totaling 340 in number, until they were slaughtered. The analyses included total lipid profile using gas chromatography (GC) for plasma, spleen, thymus, and blood. Additionally, NK cell activity and cell proliferation were investigated for thymocytes and splenocytes. The results indicated that the source of n-3 PUFA had a strong influence on fatty acid composition across all tissues. NK activity was highest in splenocytes and PBMCs from broilers fed linseed oil, followed by those fed algal biomass or echium oil, and lowest for those from broilers fed FO. The proliferative response of lymphocytes from algal biomass-fed chickens tended to be the highest, followed by those fed linseed oil in most cases. Lymphocytes from chickens fed fish oil showed the lowest proliferative response. These results could mean that a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich algal product might enrich chicken meat with n-3 PUFA without significant damaging effects on chicken immunity.

Dietary mannan oligosaccharide ameliorates cyclic heat stress-induced damages on intestinal oxidative status and barrier integrity of broilers

This study investigated protective effects of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) inclusion on growth performance, intestinal oxidative status, and barrier integrity of cyclic heat-stressed broilers. A total of 240 one-day-old chicks were allocated into 3 treatments of 10 replicates each. Control broilers reared at a thermoneutral temperature were fed a basal diet, whereas broilers in heat stress and MOS groups raised at a cyclic high temperature (32 to 33°C for 8 h/d) were given the basal diet supplemented with 0 or 250 mg/kg MOS, respectively. Compared with control group, heat stress decreased (P < 0.05) average daily gain and feed conversion ratio during grower, finisher, and entire periods, average daily feed intake during finisher and entire periods, and ileal superoxide dismutase activity at 42 D, whereas increased (P < 0.05) rectal temperature at 21 and 42 D and jejunal malondialdehyde content at 42 D. Dietary MOS increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio during finisher and entire periods, but decreased (P < 0.05) jejunal malondialdehyde concentration of heat-stressed broilers at 42 D. Heat stress decreased (P < 0.05) jejunal villus height (VH) and claudin-3 gene expression at 21 D, and VH and VH: crypt depth (CD) ratio in jejunum and ileum as well as mRNA abundances of jejunal mucin 2 and occludin, and ileal mucin 2, zonula occludens-1, and occludin, and claudin-3 at 42 D, whereas increased (P < 0.05) serum D-lactate acid content at 21 and 42 D, and serum diamine oxidase activity and jejunal CD at 42 D. The MOS supplementation increased (P < 0.05) jejunal VH at 21 D, VH and VH: CD of jejunum and ileum at 42 D, mRNA abundances of jejunal occludin and ileal mucin 2, zonula occludens-1, and occludin at 42 D, whereas reduced (P < 0.05) ileal CD at 42 D. These results suggested that MOS improved growth performance, and oxidative status and barrier integrity in the intestine of broilers under cyclic heat stress.

Effects of Mannanoligosaccharide Supplementation on the Growth Performance, Immunity, and Oxidative Status of Partridge Shank Chickens

Mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) can be used in poultry production to modulate immunity and improve growth performance. So, we hypothesized that our enzymatic MOS could achieve the same effects in broilers. To investigate this, a total of 192 one-day-old Partridge Shank chickens were allocated to four dietary treatments consisting of six replicates with eight chicks per replicate, and they were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 g MOS per kg of diet(g/kg) for42 days. Treatments did not affect the growth performance of chickens. Dietary MOS linearly increased the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius and jejunal immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) content, whereas it linearly decreased cecal Salmonella colonies at 21 days (p < 0.05). The concentration of jejunal secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and IgG at 42 days as well as ileal sIgA, IgG, and IgM at 21 and 42 days were quadratically enhanced by MOS supplementation (p < 0.05). Also, chickens fed MOS exhibited linear and quadratic reduction in jejunal malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this enzymatic MOS can improve the immune function and intestinal oxidative status of Partridge Shank chickens.

Intestinal Morphology in Broiler Chickens Supplemented with Propolis and Bee Pollen

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of dietary supplementation with propolis and bee pollen on the intestinal morphology and absorptive surface areas of chickens. Two hundred day-old Ross 308 chickens (100 male and 100 female) were equally allocated into five groups. Throughout the whole study, the control group of chickens was fed with a basal diet, while the experimental groups of chickens were fed with the same diet supplemented with propolis and bee pollen: P1 = 0.25 g of propolis/kg + 20 g of bee pollen/kg; P2 = 0.5 g of propolis/kg; P3 = 1.0 g of propolis/kg; P4 = 20 g of bee pollen/kg. The duodenal villi of chickens from all experimental groups were significantly higher and wider (p < 0.001), while their duodenal villi crypts were significantly deeper (p < 0.001) in comparison with these parameters in chickens from the control group. The villus height to crypt depth ratio, as well as the absorptive surface areas of broiler chickens, were significantly increased (p < 0.001) in experimental groups of chickens in comparison with the control group. These findings suggest that dietary supplementation with propolis and bee pollen has a beneficial effect on broilers chickens' intestinal morphophysiology.

Bee pollen and propolis as dietary supplements for rabbit: Effect on reproductive performance of does and on immunological response of does and their offspring

To evaluate the effect of bee pollen (BP) and/or propolis (Pro) supplementation on rabbit does, 64 nulliparous NZW rabbits does were distributed among eight groups (eight animals/group). One unsupplemented group was the control; the other seven groups were supplemented, respectively, with zinc bacitracin (ZnB) at 100 mg, BP at 150 and 300 mg, Pro at 150 and 300 mg, BP+Pro at 150 and 300 mg of each three times/week, day after day continuously along eight parities. The BP300, Pro300 and BP+Pro150 groups had higher body weight of litter at birth and number of kids born alive. The BP supplementation at 150 mg increased plasma total protein and albumin than the control group. The BP or Pro at 150 mg decreased plasma T₃ than the other groups except for BP+Pro150. The ZnB group had significantly greater T₃ /T₄ ratio compared to BP, Pro and BP+Pro at 150 mg. The BP+Pro150 group had less ALT than the control; BP300 and Pro 300 mg resulted in lower plasma AST than the groups Pro150 with or without BP and the control group. The plasma alkaline phosphatase of BP at 150 or 300 mg and BP+Pro150 was significantly greater than that of the Pro150 group. The BP+Pro300 group had higher WBCs than the other groups. In contrast, the lymphocytes were greater in the Pro and BP+Pro300 groups than in BP, Pro and BP+Pro at 150 mg. The groups supplemented with BP and BP+Pro at 150 and 300 mg had significantly greater SRBCs of doe rabbits and their offspring compared to the control and the ZnB group. The BP at 300 mg increased the serum albumin and α₁ -globulin than the control group. The Pro300 group had greater serum α₂ -globulin and β-globulin than the control group. The total globulin was significantly greater for the 300 mg propolis-supplemented groups than the control.

Effects of adding mannan oligosaccharides on digestibility and metabolism of nutrients, ruminal fermentation parameters, immunity, and antioxidant capacity of sheep

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of adding mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) on the following parameters in sheep: digestibility and retention rate of nutrients, ruminal fermentation, immunity, and antioxidant capacity. Twelve healthy crossbred wethers (Suffolk ♂ × Small tail Han-yang ♀) with external ruminal fistula and similar body weights (28.04 ± 2.07 kg) were fed individually four treatments, three repeats of each treatment. The wethers diets were supplemental MOS at 0%, 1.2%, 1.6%, and 2.0%·kg-1 of basal diet (as fed basis). The experiment lasted 17 d, including 10 d of acclimation and 7 d of formal experimentation. The results showed that MOS did not influence the apparent digestibility and retention rate of nutrients, ruminal fermentation, and immunity or concentration of serum nitric oxide and activity of serum nitric oxide synthase (P ≥ 0.07). However, the apparent digestibility of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber at MOS supplementation rates of 1.6% and 2.0% both tended to be greater than the control group (P ≤ 0.103). There was also moderate evidence that MOS might increase the nitrogen retention rate (P = 0.082). MOS increased the antioxidant ability of sheep (P ≤ 0.018), especially at a dose of 1.6%: an increase in activity of total superoxide dismutase (P = 0.007), glutathione peroxidase (P = 0.018) and total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.001), and a decrease in concentration of malondialdehyde (P < 0.001) were found. The results indicated that in sheep MOS improved fiber digestion, N retention and some antioxidant abilities, but these effects may be too small to improve health and performance.

Effect of Green and Brown Propolis Extracts on the Expression Levels of microRNAs, mRNAs and Proteins, Related to Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

A large body of evidence highlights that propolis exerts many biological functions that can be ascribed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components, including different polyphenol classes. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms are yet unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms at the basis of propolis anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The effects of two brown and green propolis extracts-chemically characterized by RP-HPLC-PDA-ESI-MSn-on the expression levels of miRNAs associated with inflammatory responses (miR-19a-3p and miR-203a-3p) and oxidative stress (miR-27a-3p and miR-17-3p), were determined in human keratinocyte HaCat cell lines, treated with non-cytotoxic concentrations. The results showed that brown propolis, whose major polyphenolic components are flavonoids, induced changes in the expression levels of all miRNAs, and was more active than green propolis (whose main polyphenolic components are hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives) which caused changes only in the expression levels of miR-19a-3p and miR-27a-3p. In addition, only brown propolis was able to modify (1) the expression levels of mRNAs, the target of the reported miRNAs, which code for Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Nuclear Factor, Erythroid 2 Like 2 (NFE2L2) and Glutathione Peroxidase 2 (GPX2), and (2) the protein levels of TNF-α and NFE2L2. In conclusion, brown and green propolis, which showed different metabolite profiles, exert their biological functions through different mechanisms of action.

Effect of ethanolic extract of propolis as an alternative to antibiotics as a growth promoter on broiler performance, serum biochemistry, and immune responses

AIM

An in vivo experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of ethanolic extract of propolis, on growth performance, carcass traits, serum biochemistry, and humoral immune responses of chickens, as compared with the antibiotic flavophospholipol.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

312 1-day-old as-hatched broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to 6 treatments with 4 replicate pens per treatment. The 6 dietary treatments fed for 42 days consisted of a corn-soybean meal basal diet (control); control plus 4.5 mg/kg flavophospholipol, and control plus 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg ethanol extracts of propolis, respectively.

RESULTS

Neither propolis nor antibiotic affected the performance criteria; however, dietary treatments tended to enhance to enhance body weight and daily feed intake of broiler chickens compared with control group (p>0.05). None of the dietary treatments significantly altered feed: Gain though; broilers fed diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg propolis had better feed: gain values compared with other groups in starter, and grower phases as well as the whole experimental period (p>0.05). Carcass yield and internal organ relative weights were not affected by treatments on day 42, except for abdominal fat pad weight that decreased in broilers supplemented with antibiotic. None of the treatments significantly affected humoral immune function. Dietary treatments failed to induce any significant effect on serum biochemistry (p>0.05); though broilers receiving 100 mg/kg propolis had greater high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and lower triglyceride concentrations compared with other groups.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the results indicated that addition of ethanolic extract of propolis to routine dietary components of broilers, such as corn and soybean, seems not to have a positive influence on performance criteria.

Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Extracts Obtained by Supercritical Extraction and Ethanolic Extraction of Brown, Green and Red Propolis Derived from Different Geographic Regions in Brazil

The variations in the chemical composition, and consequently, on the biological activity of the propolis, are associated with its type and geographic origin. Considering this fact, this study evaluated propolis extracts obtained by supercritical extraction (SCO₂) and ethanolic extraction (EtOH), in eight samples of different types of propolis (red, green and brown), collected from different regions in Brazil. The content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, in vitro antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS), Artepillin C, p-coumaric acid and antimicrobial activity against two bacteria were determined for all extracts. For the EtOH extracts, the anti-proliferative activity regarding the cell lines of B16F10, were also evaluated. Amongst the samples evaluated, the red propolis from the Brazilian Northeast (states of Sergipe and Alagoas) showed the higher biological potential, as well as the larger content of antioxidant compounds. The best results were shown for the extracts obtained through the conventional extraction method (EtOH). However, the highest concentrations of Artepillin C and p-coumaric acid were identified in the extracts from SCO₂, indicating a higher selectivity for the extraction of these compounds. It was verified that the composition and biological activity of the Brazilian propolis vary significantly, depending on the type of sample and geographical area of collection.

Determination of Parameters for the Supercritical Extraction of Antioxidant Compounds from Green Propolis Using Carbon Dioxide and Ethanol as Co-Solvent

The aim of this study was to determine the best processing conditions to extract Brazilian green propolis using a supercritical extraction technology. For this purpose, the influence of different parameters was evaluated such as S/F (solvent mass in relation to solute mass), percentage of co-solvent (1 and 2% ethanol), temperature (40 and 50°C) and pressure (250, 350 and 400 bar) using supercritical carbon dioxide. The Global Yield Isotherms (GYIs) were obtained through the evaluation of the yield, and the chemical composition of the extracts was also obtained in relation to the total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidant activity and 3,5-diprenyl-4-hydroxicinnamic acid (Artepillin C) and acid 4-hydroxycinnamic (p-coumaric acid). The best results were identified at 50°C, 350 bar, 1% ethanol (co-solvent) and S/F of 110. These conditions, a content of 8.93±0.01 and 0.40±0.05 g/100 g of Artepillin C and p-coumaric acid, respectively, were identified indicating the efficiency of the extraction process. Despite of low yield of the process, the extracts obtained had high contents of relevant compounds, proving the viability of the process to obtain green propolis extracts with important biological applications due to the extracts composition.