Effect of Acetic Acid and Sodium Bicarbonate Supplemented to Drinking Water on Water Quality, Growth Performance, Organ Weights, Cecal Traits and Hematological Parameters of Young Broilers

Effect of a probiotic mixture with lactic acid activity on productive and allometric indicators in broiler chickens

Background and Aim

The feeding and sanitary conditions significantly influence the productivity of farm animals. This study aimed to assess the impact of a lactic acid-producing microbial additive on broiler chicken productivity.

Materials and Methods

A 42-day experimental period utilized 120 1-day-old Cobb 500 chicks with an average weight of 46 g. In groups of 30 each, the chicks were randomly assigned to four experimental designs. The following treatments were assessed: T1 without intervention (control), T2 with bacitracin at a concentration of 0.5 g/L, T3 with a 5% probiotic mixture (PM), and T4 with a 7.5% PM. The birds were fed the commercial balanced feed without anticoccidials daily, while vaccines were administered according to the recommended biosecurity plan by the commercial house. Drinking water was treated with PM containing lactobacilli, yeasts, and short-chain organic acids.

Result

In T4, a 7.5% PM resulted in a final weight of 2361.2 g (p < 0.05), a total weight gain of 1412.8 g (p < 0.05), and improved feed efficiency with a feed conversion of 2.00 (p < 0.05), during which feed intake was lower than in the other groups.

Conclusion

Microbial additives with lactic acid activity are a cost-effective and feasible solution for broiler chicken productivity.

Investigation of the Effect of Three Commercial Water Acidifiers on the Performance, Gut Health, and Campylobacter jejuni Colonization in Experimentally Challenged Broiler Chicks

This study investigated the effect of three commercial water acidifiers on the performance, gut health, and C. jejuni colonization in experimentally challenged broiler chicks. A total of 192 one-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308^®) were randomly allocated into 6 treatment groups with 4 replicates according to the following experimental design: group A, birds were not challenged and received tap water; group B, birds were challenged and received tap water; groups C, D, E, and F, birds were challenged and received tap water treated with 0.1% v/v SPECTRON^®, with 0.1-0.2% v/v ProPhorce™ SA Exclusive, with 0.1-0.2% v/v Premium acid, and with 0.1-0.2% v/v Salgard^® Liquid, respectively. The continuous water acidification evoked undesirable effects on broilers' performance and to an increased number of birds with ulcers and erosions in the oral cavity and the upper esophageal area. ProPhorce™ SA Exclusive and Premium acid significantly reduced the C. jejuni counts in the crop, whereas Salgard^® Liquid significantly reduced the C. jejuni counts in the ceca of birds. At slaughter age, only Premium acid significantly reduced C. jejuni counts in the ceca of birds. All the tested products ameliorated the changes induced by C. jejuni infection in the pH in the ceca of birds. It can be concluded that besides the effectiveness of the tested products in controlling C. jejuni in broilers, their continuous application evoked undesirable effects on broilers' performance, leading to the need to modify the dosage scheme in future investigations.

Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects of tannic acid supplementation in broilers infected with Salmonella Typhimurium

Infection by Salmonella Typhimurium, a food-borne pathogen, can reduce the poultry production efficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of tannic acid (TA) supplementation on growth performance, Salmonella colonization, gut barrier integrity, serum endotoxin levels, antioxidant capacity, gut health, and immune function in broilers infected with the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium nalidixic acid resistant strain (STNR). A total of 546 one-day-old broilers were arbitrarily allocated into 6 treatments including 1) Sham-challenged control (SCC; birds fed a basal diet and administrated peptone water); 2) Challenged control (CC; birds fed a basal diet and inoculated with 108 STNR); 3) Tannic acid 0.25 (TA0.25; CC + 0.25 g/kg TA); 4) TA0.5 (CC + 0.5 g/kg TA); 5) TA1 (CC + 1 g/kg TA); and 6) TA2 (CC + 2 g/kg TA). On D 7, supplemental TA linearly reduced STNR colonization in the ceca (P < 0.01), and TA1 and TA2 group had significantly lower reduced STNR colonization in the ceca (P < 0.01). On D 7 to 21, average daily gain tended to be linearly increased by supplemental TA (P = 0.097). The serum endotoxin levels were quadratically decreased by supplemental TA on D 21 (P < 0.05). Supplemental TA quadratically increased ileal villus height (VH; P < 0.05), and the TA0.25 group had higher ileal VH compared to the CC group (P < 0.05). Supplemental TA linearly increased percentage of peripheral blood CD8+ T cells on D 18 (P < 0.01). The TA0.5 group had significantly lower lymphocyte numbers compared to the CC groups (P < 0.05). The abundance of monocytes linearly increased with TA supplementation (P < 0.01). Therefore, broilers fed TA had reduced STNR colonization, increased growth performance, decreased serum endotoxin levels, enhanced gut health in the broilers, and stimulated the immune system in broilers infected with STNR. Supplementation of TA (1-2 g/kg) enhanced growth performance and gut health via antimicrobial and immunostimulatory effects in broilers infected with STNR.

Effects of DL and L-Methionine on Growth Rate, Feather Growth, and Hematological Parameters of Tetra-SL Layers from 1-28 Days of Age

The study was carried out to determine whether sources or levels of methionine (Met) affect the health status of Tetra-SL (TSL) chicks by examining growth performance, feather growth, and hematological parameters. A total of ninety-six (96) day-old (44.2 ± 0.18 g lw) TSL chicks were randomly allotted to six treatment groups (three levels for each DL and L-Met source) with four replicates of four chicks each. Chicks were fed ad libitum diets supplemented with 90, 100, and 110% of methionine requirements for four weeks after hatch. The parameters examined are bodyweight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), feather length (FL), and hematological parameters, including: red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration in the blood, hematocrit (Ht; %), number of white blood cells (WBC), platelet count, mean corpuscular volume of red blood cells (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), lymphocyte (LYM), mid-range (MID), and granulocyte (GRAN). There was no significant effect of Met sources and levels on BW, ADG, and FL of TSL chicks for the first four weeks of rearing. The RBC, Hb, Ht, WBC, LYM, MID, and GRAN values of TSL chicks were statistically influenced by dietary Met sources and Met levels (p < 0.05). Among the treatment groups, the number of white blood cells (WBC) on 90% DL−Met was the lowest. WBC, RBC, Hb, and Ht were higher from chicks that received 100% DL-Met than all other levels, regardless of the Met sources. The MCV, MCH, and MCHC values were not affected by either Met source or levels or their interactions. Met source and level interactively affected the Ht, WBC, LYM %, and GRAN values of TSL chicks (p < 0.05). The platelet number was affected by Met source only (p < 0.05) with chicks receiving L-Met source having more than twofold higher platelet values than DL-Met source. In conclusion, varying Met levels by ±10% of the requirement does not adversely affect the growth performance, feather growth, and hematological parameters of TSL chicks reared for up to four weeks of age. DL-Met increased the body weight and improved the white blood cells, red blood cells, and hematocrit at 28 days after hatch. DL-Met showed similar biological efficacy as L-Met for body weight and feather growth but not for the hematological parameters.