Effects of Scopoletin Supplementation and Stocking Density on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Activity, and Meat Quality of Korean Native Broiler Chickens

Anti-Bordetella bronchiseptica effects of targeted bacteriophages via microbiome and metabolic mediated mechanisms

Bordetella bronchiseptica poses a significant challenge in the context of respiratory infections, particularly in weanling pigs. In this study, we investigated the impact of a novel targeted bacteriophage in controlling B. bronchiseptica challenge (BBC) in an experimental design involving five distinct treatment groups: NC (no challenge), PC (BBC challenge), BF (108 pfu bacteriophage/kg diet + BBC), BN (2 × 107 pfu/day bacteriophage by nasal spray + BBC), and AT (antibiotic + BBC). The experiment was conducted for 2 weeks. The highest turbinate score was observed in the PC. The BF treatment showed higher plasma IL (interleukine)-1β and IL-6 compared with the BN and AT treatments. Plasma concentrations of IL-1β were increased in the BF pigs compared with the BN, AT, and NC. Among the BBC groups, the PC treatment exhibited a higher abundance of Staphylococcus. aureus and B. bronchiseptica in the lung. A lower S. aureus, Streptococcus. suis, and B. bronchiseptica colonization was detected in the AT compared with the BF and BN treatments. The BF showed lower plasma zonulin compared with the BN and AT. A higher plasma concentration of superoxide dismutase was observed in the BF and AT compared with PC and BN. The BN influenced the glycine, serine-threonine metabolism; glycerolipid metabolism; glyoxylate-dicarboxylate metabolism; and arachidonic acid metabolism compared with the NC. In conclusion, nasal-sprayed bacteriophage effectively controlled B. bronchiseptica infection, however, their efficiency was lower than the antibiotic.

The effects of mulberry (Morus alba Linn.) leaf supplementation on growth performance, blood parameter, and antioxidant status of broiler chickens under high stocking density

Background and Aim

A stocking density system in boilers is well known for increasing productivity. However, this system increases stress and affects the growth performance of broilers. Mulberry is a valuable plant with therapeutic applications in traditional medicine; moreover, it reduces free radicals and improves growth performance in broilers. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of mulberry on the blood biochemistry parameters and the antioxidant status of broilers exposed to various raising systems.

Materials and Methods

Two hundred and seventy-six 3-week-old male broilers were randomly assigned to nine categories composed of three growing systems: Semi-intensive, low stocking density, and high stocking density. Each group was fed with a control diet mixed with and without 10% mulberry leaf extract; the positive control group was provided with vitamin C. During the study, phytochemical screening of mulberry leaf extract, growth performances, hematological parameters, and antioxidant profiles were measured over the 4 weeks of the treatment.

Results

In the high stocking density group, lipid peroxidation gradually increased while antioxidant activities decreased; however, the level of lipid peroxidation was reduced, whereas catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly increased. The growth performance and blood biochemistry were improved after being fed with 10% mulberry leaf extract.

Conclusion

This finding indicates that mulberry leaf extract reduced oxidative stress, activated antioxidant enzyme activities, and enhanced broilers' growth performance when raised under stress conditions.

Quantifying heat stress; the roles on metabolic status and intestinal integrity in poultry, a review

Heat stress adversely affects intestinal barrier integrity ranging from minor enterocyte injury to fatal inflammatory heat shocks. The current review discusses the physiological mechanisms of the adaptive response of poultry and the nutritional interventions to improve intestinal integrity during heat stress. There are several possible metabolic mechanisms of protection including stress adaptation signaling pathways, blood flow, intestinal barrier permeability, epithelial cell proliferation, antioxidant status, microbiota composition, expression of heat shock proteins, inflammatory responses, and energy metabolism. The current review discusses the methods of intestinal permeability determination in order to estimate the extent of damage in the farm. There is a lack of knowledge about the nutritional strategies and the interaction between nutrients to reduce intestinal barrier damage and elucidate mechanisms in heat stress.

Correlation between the Concentration of Secondary Metabolites and Soil Microorganisms in Sophora Koreensis Nakai from Different Habitat

Sophora koreensis is an endemic species of Gangwon-do, Korea, that has a variety of applications for foods and for folk remedies. Here this research analyzed and compared compounds present in leaves, stems, and roots of S. koreensis collected from three different habitats in Chuncheon, Inje and Yanggu in South Korea. This research also analyzed soil microorganisms present in the three habitats to determine the correlation between the compound and microorganisms. N-methylcytisine was the most common compound in all three habitats, but the amounts varied with Chuncheon having the highest amount (509 mg/L), followed by Yanggu and Inje(102 mg/L and 39 mg/L, respectively). The composition of microorganisms also varied by habitat. Yanggu, Inje, and Chuncheon had 1013, 973, and 814 taxa, respectively. According to the phylogenetic relations, the composition of the soil microorganisms in Chuncheon was significantly different from the other two. It contained more PAC000121_g (Solibacteres), major taxa in all three habitats (14% in Chuncheon). In contrast less Opitutus minor taxa was found than Yannggu and Inje. The correlation between the soil microorganism N-methylcytisine was analyzed. Among these microorganisms, Paraburkholderia had a positive correlation with N-methylcytisine. Meanwhile, Rhizomicrobium, CP011215_f (Paceibacter), KB906767_g (Solibacteres) and Opitutus negatively correlated with N-methylcytisine. The results suggested that soil microorganisms in the habitats influenced the variations of the N-methylcytisine.

Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork)

Meat composition and quality are not independent of the effects of animal production systems [...]

Supplementation of nano-zinc in lower doses as an alternative to pharmacological doses of ZnO in weanling pigs

A set of studies was performed to determine the influence of dietary ZnO concentration and source during two phases (days 0 to 14 and days 15 to 28). Experiment 1: 168 weaned piglets were allocated to four treatment groups in six replicates. The treatments included a basal diet without ZnO supplementation (control), 2,500 mg ZnO/kg (In2500), 500 mg nano-ZnO/kg (N500), and 150 mg nano-ZnO/kg (N150). Experiment 2: 168 weaned piglets were divided into three treatment groups with eight replicates. The treatments included control, In2500, N300, and 150 mg nano-ZnO/kg (N150). An in vitro trial showed that the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium was inhibited when exposed to 300 and 500 ppm of ZnO after 24 h of incubation. In experiment 1, the average daily gain (ADG) by the pigs was improved in the N500 and IN2500 treatment groups. Colonization of coliforms and Clostridium spp. significantly decreased in the pigs fed the N500 and IN2500 diets in phase 1. The total plasma antioxidant capacity was greater in the IN2500 and N500 treatment groups than in the control. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was greater in pigs fed the IN2500 (phase 1) or the IN2500 and N500 (phase 2) diets than in the control and N150 treatment group. In experiment 2, pigs in the N300 treatment group showed a higher ADG and lower fecal score colonization of coliforms and Clostridium spp. compared with those in the N150 treatment group. In conclusion, nano-ZnO at a dose of 300 ppm showed the same growth as the pharmacological dose of Zn. This provides an option to the pharmacological dose.