Potential Effects of 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol on the Growth Performance, Blood Antioxidant Capacity, Intestinal Barrier Function and Microbiota in Broilers under Lipopolysaccharide Challenge

Phytase, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and cocci vaccination to broilers fed a calcium and phosphorus-reduced diet under Eimeria spp. challenge: effects on growth performance and intestinal health

A study evaluated the effects of phytase, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OHD), and cocci vaccination on broilers fed a diet reduced in calcium (Ca) and available phosphorus (avP) under Eimeria challenge. A total of 840 one-day-old male broilers were assigned to a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement based on cocci vaccination and dietary treatments. Half of the birds were vaccinated against coccidia on d 1, and all birds were orally challenged with Eimeria spp. (sporulated oocysts: 12,500 of E. maxima, 12,500 of E. tenella, and 62,500 of E. acervulina) on d 14. Dietary treatments included: 1) a nutrient adequate diet (PC); 2) a diet reduced by 0.2% in Ca and avP (NC); 3) NC plus 1,500 FTU/kg of phytase (NC+PHY); 4) NC plus 3,000 IU/kg of 25OHD (NC+25OHD); 5) NC with both PHY and 25OHD (NC+PHY+25OHD). SAS was used for data analysis, with significance set at P ≤ 0.05. Pre-infection growth performance was comparable across the treatments. However, vaccinated birds exhibited higher body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) from 0 to 6 d postinoculation (DPI; P < 0.05). The NC diet reduced BWG from 6 to 12 DPI and increased the feed conversion ratio (FCR) during 6 to 12 DPI and the overall period (0-26 d) compared to the PC birds. In contrast, the supplementation with phytase, 25OHD, or both, returned BWG and FCR to levels seen with the PC diet (P < 0.01). Vaccinated birds also had reduced gut permeability at 5 DPI, increased intestinal villus height, and lower expression levels of the tight junction proteins junctional adhesion molecule 2 (JAM2) and occludin (OCLN) at 6 DPI (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the cocci vaccine resulted in lower E. acervulina but higher E. tenella oocyst shedding at 6 DPI (P < 0.01). Interaction effects were observed for duodenal lesion scores and ileal crypt depth at 6 DPI (P < 0.05). In conclusion, coccidial vaccination improved growth performance, decreased intestinal permeability, enhanced intestinal morphology, and modulated tight junction protein gene expression under Eimeria infection. Reducing dietary Ca and avP levels adversely affected growth performance and FI during the recovery phase, but these negative effects could be mitigated by supplementing with phytase or 25OHD.

Dietary Supplementation with 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 on Reproductive Performance and Placental Oxidative Stress in Primiparous Sows during Mid-to-Late Gestation

The placenta plays a crucial role in nutrient transport and waste exchange between the dam and fetus, sustaining fetal growth. While the positive effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH-D3) on animal performance have been reported, its impact on placental function remains largely unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of supplementing 25-OH-D3 in the diet of primiparous sows on reproductive performance, antioxidant capacity, placental oxidative stress, nutrient transport, and inflammatory response during mid-to-late gestation. A total of 45 healthy Landrace × Yorkshire primiparous sows on day 60 of gestation were selected and randomly allocated to three treatment groups based on body weight and backfat thickness: the control group (corn-soybean meal basal diet), the VD3 group (basal diet + 2000 IU VD3), and the 25-OH-D3 group (basal diet + 50 μg/kg 25-OH-D3). The results demonstrated that supplementation with 25-OH-D3 in the diet enhanced sows' average litter weight and birth weight during mid-to-late gestation. Additionally, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in sows significantly decreased in the VD3 and 25-OH-D3 groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, lower gene expressions of placental HO-1, GPX2, IL-8, and IL-6 were found in the VD3 or 25-OH-D3 groups (p < 0.05 or p < 0.10), while higher gene expressions of GLUT1 and SNAT2 in the placenta of sows were observed in the VD3 and 25-OH-D3 groups, respectively (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that the supplementation of VD3 and 25-OH-D3 in the diet of sows can improve their plasma oxidative stress status, enhance placental antioxidant capacity and nutrient transport, and reduce placental inflammatory responses, with more pronounced improvements in sow performance observed in sows fed diets supplemented with 25-OH-D3.

Effects of Sea-Buckthorn Flavonoids on Growth Performance, Serum Inflammation, Intestinal Barrier and Microbiota in LPS-Challenged Broilers

The experiment investigated the effects of sea-buckthorn flavonoids (SF) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged broilers. A total of 288 one-day-old male broilers were randomly assigned to 4 groups, with 6 replicates of 12 broilers each. The experiment lasted for 20 days. The diet included two levels of SF (0 or 1000 mg/kg) and broilers intraperitoneally injected with 500 μg/kg LPS on 16, 18, and 20 days, or an equal amount of saline. LPS challenge decreased final body weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake, increased feed-to-gain ratio, and elevated serum IL-1β, IL-2, TNF-α, D-LA, and endotoxin levels. Moreover, it resulted in a reduction in the IL-10 level. LPS impaired the intestinal morphology of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, down-regulated the mRNA relative expression of Occludin, ZO-1, and MUC-2 in the jejunum mucosa, up-regulated the mRNA relative expression of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB, and IL-1β, and increased the relative abundance of Erysipelatoclostridium in broilers (p < 0.05). However, SF supplementation mitigated the decrease in growth performance, reduced serum IL-1β, IL-2, and D-LA levels, increased IL-10 levels, alleviated intestinal morphological damage, up-regulated mRNA expression of Occludin and ZO-1, down-regulated the mRNA expression of TLR4, NF-κB, and IL-lβ in jejunum mucosal (p < 0.05), and SF supplementation presented a tendency to decrease the relative abundance of proteobacteria (0.05 < p < 0.1). Collectively, incorporating SF can enhance the growth performance, alleviate serum inflammation, and improve the intestinal health of broilers, effectively mitigating the damage triggered by LPS-challenges.

Rosemary leaf powder improves egg quality, antioxidant status, gut barrier function, and cecal microbiota and metabolites of late-phase laying hens

This study sought to determine the effects of rosemary leaf powder (RP) on laying performance, egg quality, serum indices, gut barrier function, and cecal microbiota and metabolites of late-phase laying hens. A total of 84 "Jing Tint 6" laying hens at 65-week old were randomly divided into 2 groups and fed either a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with 0.3% RP. Our study revealed that RP improved the Haugh unit and decreased yolk n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio of laying hens, increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), jejunal activities of SOD and catalase (CAT), and jejunal zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) expression, as well as decreased serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level and jejunal TNF-α mRNA expression. Rosemary leaf powder markedly enhanced (P < 0.05) cecal abundances of Rikenellaceae, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, and Turicibacter, tended to promote (P = 0.076) butyrate concentration, and reduced (P < 0.05) cecal abundances of Erysipelatoclostridiaceae, Sutterellaceae, Fusobacteriaceae, Campylobacteraceae, Sutterella, Campylobacter, and Fusobacterium, which were closely linked with Haugh unit, yolk n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, serum SOD and TNF-α. In addition, RP altered the metabolic functions of cecal microbiota and enhanced the abundances of butyrate-synthesizing enzymes, including lysine 2,3-aminomutase, β-lysine 5,6-aminomutase, and 3-oxoacid CoA-transferase. Together, 0.3% RP has the potential to enhance egg quality by partially modulating serum antioxidant status, jejunal barrier function, and cecal microbiota structure and metabolites, indicating that RP could be considered a promising feed additive to promote the production performance of late-phase laying hens.

Effects of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol on performance, gut health, and bone quality of broilers fed with reduced calcium and phosphorus diet during Eimeria challenge

This study evaluated the effects of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD) on performance, gut health, and bone quality of broilers fed with reduced calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) diet during Eimeria spp. challenge. A total of 576 fourteen-day-old Cobb 500 male chicks were randomly distributed in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with 6 replicates of 12 birds each. The main factors were 25-OHD level (0 or 3,000 IU/kg of feed), mineral level (0.84% of Ca/0.42% of P, the levels recommended for the grower phase (NOR) or 0.64% of Ca/0.22% of P (RED), and mid-high mixed Eimeria challenge or nonchallenge. 25-OHD improved phosphorus retention (P = 0.019), bone ash weight (P = 0.04), cortical bone trabecular connectivity (P = 0.043) during coccidiosis. For birds fed with reduced mineral levels, 25-OHD supplementation increased bone ash weight (P = 0.04). However, 25-OHD did not improve bone ash weight when birds were challenged and fed with reduced mineral levels. The dietary 3,000 IU of 25-OHD supplementation did not improve performance or gut morphology but support bone health during coccidiosis. Future investigations are needed for better understand 25-OHD role on bone microarchitecture and oxidative metabolism during coccidiosis.

Dietary resveratrol supplementation on growth performance, immune function and intestinal barrier function in broilers challenged with lipopolysaccharide

This study discusses the effects of resveratrol (RES) on the productive performance, immune function and intestinal barrier function of broiler chickens challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Two hundred and forty 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into 4 groups of 6 replicates each, with 10 broilers per replicate. This experiment used a 2 × 2 factorial design with dietary factors (basal diets or basal diets supplemented with 400 mg/kg RES were administered from d 1 to 21) and stress factors (intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 mg/kg BW of saline or LPS at 16, 18 and 20 d of age). The results showed that LPS challenge had a significant adverse effect on average daily gain (ADG) in broilers at 16 to 21 d of age (P < 0.05), whereas the addition of RES to the diet inhibited the LPS-induced decrease in ADG (P < 0.05). RES also alleviated LPS-induced immune function damage in broilers, which was manifested by the decrease of spleen index (P < 0.05) and the recovery of serum immunoglobulin M and ileal secretory immunoglobulin A content (P < 0.05). The LPS challenge also disrupts intestinal barrier function and inflammation, and RES mitigates these adverse effects in different ways. RES attenuated LPS-induced reduction of villus height in the jejunum and ileum of broilers (P < 0.05). LPS also caused an abnormal increase in plasma D-lactic acid levels in broilers (P < 0.05), which was effectively mitigated by RES (P < 0.05). LPS challenge resulted in a significant decrease in mRNA expression of occludin in the intestinal mucosa (P < 0.05), which was mitigated by the addition of RES (P < 0.05). RES significantly decreased the mRNA expression of toll-like receptor 4, nuclear factor kappa-B and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the ileum tissue stimulated by LPS (P < 0.05). Taken together, this study shows that RES exerts its beneficial effect on broilers challenged with LPS by alleviating immune function damage, relieving intestinal inflammation and barrier damage, and thus improving growth performance.

Rosemary extract improves egg quality by altering gut barrier function, intestinal microbiota and oviductal gene expressions in late-phase laying hens

BACKGROUND

Rosemary extract (RE) has been reported to exert antioxidant property. However, the application of RE in late-phase laying hens on egg quality, intestinal barrier and microbiota, and oviductal function has not been systematically studied. This study was investigated to detect the potential effects of RE on performance, egg quality, serum parameters, intestinal heath, cecal microbiota and metabolism, and oviductal gene expressions in late-phase laying hens. A total of 210 65-week-old "Jing Tint 6" laying hens were randomly allocated into five treatments with six replicates and seven birds per replicate and fed basal diet (CON) or basal diet supplemented with chlortetracycline at 50 mg/kg (CTC) or RE at 50 mg/kg (RE50), 100 mg/kg (RE100), and 200 mg/kg (RE200).

RESULTS

Our results showed that RE200 improved (P < 0.05) Haugh unit and n-6/n-3 of egg yolk, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) compared with CON. No significant differences were observed for Haugh unit and n-6/n-3 of egg yolk among CTC, RE50, RE100 and RE200 groups. Compared with CTC and RE50 groups, RE200 increased serum SOD activity on d 28 and 56. Compared with CON, RE supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) total cholesterol (TC) level. CTC, RE100 and RE200 decreased (P < 0.05) serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) content compared with CON. CTC and RE200 increased jejunal mRNA expression of ZO-1 and Occludin compared with CON. The biomarkers of cecal microbiota and metabolite induced by RE 200, including Firmicutes, Eisenbergiella, Paraprevotella, Papillibacter, and butyrate, were closely associated with Haugh unit, n-6/n-3, SOD, IL-6, and TC. PICRUSt2 analysis indicated that RE altered carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism of cecal microbiota and increased butyrate synthesizing enzymes, including 3-oxoacid CoA-transferase and butyrate-acetoacetate CoA-transferase. Moreover, transcriptomic analysis revealed that RE200 improved gene expressions and functional pathways related to immunity and albumen formation in the oviductal magnum.

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary supplementation with 200 mg/kg RE could increase egg quality of late-phase laying hens via modulating intestinal barrier, cecal microbiota and metabolism, and oviductal function. Overall, RE could be used as a promising feed additive to improve egg quality of laying hens at late stage of production.

Dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol modulates gut microbiota and improves the growth, meat quality, and antioxidant status of growing-finishing pigs

Introduction

25-Hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD₃) is the active metabolite of regular vitamin D₃ in vivo, which has a stronger biological activity and is more easily absorbed by the intestine than regular vitamin D₃. Our study aimed to detect the potential influences of 25OHD₃ on pork quality, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota of growing-finishing pigs receiving low-phosphorus (P) diet.

Methods and results

Forty pigs [initial body weight (BW): 49.42 ± 4.01 kg] were allocated into two groups including low-P diet (CON group) and low-P diet supplemented with 50 μg/kg 25OHD₃ (25OHD₃ group). The whole experiment lasted for 88 days, including phase 1 (day 1-28), phase 2 (day 29-60), and phase 3 (day 61-88). The results showed that 25OHD₃ supplementation tended to decrease feed conversion ratio in phase 3 and overall phase in comparison with the CON group. 25OHD₃ increased (p < 0.05) serum contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and decreased (p < 0.05) serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase level. 25OHD₃ increased (p < 0.05) mucosal GSH-Px activity in the duodenum and ileum, and tended to increase redness value and the activities of total antioxidant capacity and SOD in longissimus dorsi. 25OHD₃ significantly upregulated the mRNA level of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, and tended to change the mRNA levels of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 and kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 in longissimus dorsi. Moreover, 25OHD₃ supplementation decreased (p < 0.05) n-6/n-3 and iodine value in longissimus dorsi. For bone quality, 25OHD₃ supplementation increased (p < 0.05) calcium content, bone mineral content, and breaking strength in the metacarpal bones. Moreover, the colonic abundance of Lactobacillus was significantly higher in pigs fed with 25OHD₃, and exhibited a positive association with serum antioxidant status, pork quality, and bone characteristics.

Conclusion

Overall, the inclusion of 25OHD₃ in low P diet partly improved production performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, bone properties, and gut microbiota composition of growing-finishing pigs.