Growth performance, carcass traits and gut health of broiler chickens fed diets incorporated with single cell protein

Dietary supplementation with Clostridium autoethanogenum protein improves growth performance and promotes muscle protein synthesis by activating the mTOR signaling pathway of the broiler

The experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of different ratios of Clostridium autoethanogenum protein (CAP) used in the diets on the growth performance, muscle quality, serum indexes, and mTOR pathway of white feather broilers. Four hundred and eighty 1-day-old Arbor Acres (AA) broilers, comprising equal numbers of males and females, were randomly assigned to one of four treatments, and each treatment consisted of 12 replicates of 10 birds. Four diets were formulated based on isoenergetic and isonitrogenous principles. The control group (CAP 0) did not receive any CAP, while the experimental groups received 2% (CAP 2), 3% (CAP 3), and 4% (CAP 4) of CAP for six weeks. Compared with the CAP0, (1) The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was lower (p < 0.05), and the leg muscle yield was higher (p < 0.05) in the CAP3 and CAP4; (2) The serum levels of TP, ALB, T-AOC, and SOD were improved in the CAP3 (p < 0.05); (3) The expression of Lipin-1 gene was down-regulated and AMPKɑ2, Akt, and 4E-BP1 genes were up-regulated in the experiment group (p < 0.05); (4) The inclusion of 3% CAP in the diet increased the levels of 4E-BP1, S6K1, Akt, and AMPKɑ2 phosphorylation by modulating the mTOR signaling pathway (p < 0.05). In conclusion, broiler diets containing 3% CAP can activate the mTOR signaling pathway to promote muscle synthesis and improve growth performance.

Clostridium autoethanogenum protein inclusion in the diet for broiler: Enhancement of growth performance, lipid metabolism, and gut microbiota

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of the new single-cell protein Clostridium autoethanogenum protein (CAP) on growth performance, plasma biochemical indexes, liver histology, lipid metabolism, and gut microbiota in Cobb broilers. According to the randomized block experimental design, 960 Cobb broilers (1d old) were divided into six treatments with eight replicates of 20 birds each. Six isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated with different contents of CAP (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5%) to replace soybean meal (SBM). The results showed that the addition of CAP did not influence liver health when it exceeded 2%. The protein metabolism markers and feed conversion rate increased (P < 0.05), significantly improving the growth performance. When the content of CAP was greater than 4%, it could promote lipolysis without affecting lipogenesis, decreasing the abdominal fat rate. There was no significant difference in MDA between these groups (P = 0.948). The increase of SOD and GSH-Px indicated the enhancement of antioxidant response. Alpha diversity did not significantly differ between groups (P > 0.05). Inclusion of 4% or less CAP led to the increase in beneficial microbiota, the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid (P < 0.05), and the concentration of primary bile acids such as cholic acid and goose deoxycholic acid (P < 0.05). While the concentration of secondary bile acids such as taurocholic acid and taurine goose deoxycholic acid was decreased (P < 0.05). These results illustrated that the CAP had a high potential for application in poultry nutrition. In terms of improving growth performance and antioxidant capacity and reducing fat deposition rate, 4% CAP content is recommended.