Effects of Supplementary Copper Chelates in the Form of Methionine, Chitosan and Yeast on the Performance of Broilers

Effects of Different Concentration of Copper on Performance, Immunity and Carcass Traits in Broiler Japanese Quails

In this study, the effects of dietary copper supplements on broiler Japanese quail growth performance, immune response, blood biochemistry, and carcass quality were examined. Two copper sources (copper sulphate-CuS, and copper methionine-CuM), each at five distinct dietary dosages of 5, 10, 15, 100, and 150 mg/kg, were used. A total of 280 (10 × 4 × 7) day-old quail chicks of uniform body weight were randomly distributed into 10 treatments with 4 replicates each and having 7 chicks in each replicate. In comparison to CuS-supplemented diets, CuM-supplemented diets (100 mg Cu/kg diet) considerably (P ≤ 0.01) increased body weight gain and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR). In the 150-mg CuM/kg diet, the cell-mediated immune response (foot web index to PHAP) was considerably (P ≤ 0.01) greater. The humoral immune response (HA titre to SRBC) was substantially (P ≤ 0.01) lower with CuS-supplemented meals than with CuM-supplemented diets. When compared to CuS source, the weight of the bursa and spleen from CuM source was considerably (P ≤ 0.01) higher. The 100- and 150-mg CuM/kg diets considerably (P ≤ 0.01) reduced serum cholesterol levels. Thus, it may be concluded that dietary supplementation of copper methionine as a source of Cu @ 100 mg Cu/kg diet to broiler Japanese quails was more effective in improving growth performance, immunological response, carcass quality features, and serum cholesterol reduction.

Potential of Aromatic Plant-Derived Essential Oils for the Control of Foodborne Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance in Animal Production: A Review

Antibiotic resistance has become a severe public threat to human health worldwide. Supplementing antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) at subtherapeutic levels has been a commonly applied method to improve the production performance of livestock and poultry, but the misuse of antibiotics in animal production plays a major role in the antibiotic resistance crisis and foodborne disease outbreaks. The addition of AGPs to improve production performance in livestock and poultry has been prohibited in some countries, including Europe, the United States and China. Moreover, cross-resistance could result in the development of multidrug resistant bacteria and limit therapeutic options for human and animal health. Therefore, finding alternatives to antibiotics to maintain the efficiency of livestock production and reduce the risk of foodborne disease outbreaks is beneficial to human health and the sustainable development of animal husbandry. Essential oils (EOs) and their individual compounds derived from aromatic plants are becoming increasingly popular as potential antibiotic alternatives for animal production based on their antibacterial properties. This paper reviews recent studies in the application of EOs in animal production for the control of foodborne pathogens, summarizes their molecular modes of action to increase the susceptibility of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and provides a promising role for the application of nanoencapsulated EOs in animal production to control bacteria and overcome antibiotic resistance.

Effects of High-Dose of Copper Amino Acid Complex on Laying Performance, Hematological and Biochemical Parameters, Organ Index, and Histopathology in Laying Hens

The objective of the study was to evaluate the maximum tolerance limit of amino acid copper complex (Cu-Lys-Glu) for laying hens by measuring their laying performance, hematological and serum biochemical parameters, organ index, and histopathology. A total of 450 18-week-old Beijing White layers were randomly allocated to 5 groups (90 birds per group) with 6 replicates of 15 birds each. After a 2-week acclimation on a basal diet (analyzed copper content 8.63 mg/kg), the birds were fed diets supplemented with 0 (control), 15, 75, 150, and 300 mg Cu/kg as Cu-Lys-Glu for 10 weeks. Results showed that, compared with the control group, dietary supplementation with 15, 75, and 150 mg Cu/kg as Cu-Lys-Glu did not affect (P > 0.05) laying performance, whereas hens receiving with 300 mg Cu/kg significantly decreased (P < 0.001) the laying rate as compared with the control. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed among the hens receiving 0, 15, 75, and 150 mg Cu/kg as Cu-Lys-Glu in hematological and serum biochemical parameters, organ indexes, and histopathological changes. However, hens receiving 300 mg Cu/kg significantly increased (P < 0.05) the concentrations of mean corpuscular volume (MCV), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TBILI), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), urea nitrogen (UN), and creatinine (CRE), as well as caused severe microscopic histopathological changes in the liver and kidney. In conclusion, 150 mg Cu/kg as Cu-Lys-Glu is identified as no-side-effect supplementation level in laying hens after daily administration for 70 days.

Impact of dietary chitosan oligosaccharide and its effects on coccidia challenge in broiler chickens

1. Two experiments were conducted, the first to determine the optimum inclusion of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) in broiler diets to support growth performance, digestive functions, intestinal morphology, and immune organs. The second experiment evaluated the immune-protective properties of COS on broiler chickens during coccidia challenge (CC).2. Experiment 1 investigated the effect of graded dietary concentration of COS in the diets of broiler chickens using eight cage replicates for each of the six diets. A corn-soybean meal-based diet was used as the basal diet and supplemented with 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5 g of COS/kg feed to form the six treatments.3. The diet supplemented with 1.0 g COS/kg of feed provided the optimal inclusion level for broiler chickens regarding body weight (BW) gain, jejunal villus height, villus height to crypt depth ratio, and ileal energy digestibility at d 22 of age.4. Experiment 2 investigated the immune-protective properties of COS in broiler chickens during CC. A total of 224 male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to eight replicate cages in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with two COS concentrations (0 or 1 g of COS/kg of diet), with or without CC.5. On d 18 of age, birds in the CC group received twice the recommended coccidia vaccine dose of 30 doses/kg BW.6. Coccidia challenge reduced (P < 0.05) and dietary COS increased (P < 0.05) BW gain, and feed intake. Dietary COS mitigated (P < 0.05) the CC-induced effects on gain:feed. Dietary COS supplementation attenuated the CC-induced effects (P < 0.05) on the expression of occludin genes.7. In conclusion, dietary COS improved performance, and the immune-related beneficial impact of COS supplementation was associated with reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes.

Chitosan nano-encapsulation improves the effects of mint, thyme, and cinnamon essential oils in broiler chickens

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of chitosan nano-encapsulating mint (MEO), thyme (TEO) and cinnamon (CEO) essential oils (EOs) used in the diet on performance, immune responses and intestinal bacteria population in broiler chickens. A total of 600 mixed-sex, 1-d-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were used in a 2 × 4 factorial experiment as completely randomised design with 8 experimental groups (diets) with 5 replicates of 15 chicks each (totally 40 pens). The eight experimental diets consisted of no EO and free distiller water (control); no EO and chitosan nano-encapsulated (CNE) distiller water; and other six treatments with free or CNE form of MEO, TEO and CEO (added at 0.025%, 0.04% and 0.055% respectively to starter, grower and finisher diets). Both EOs and the CNE form had significant (P < 0.05) benefits on improving body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio in periods of 29-42 and 1-42 days. The highest effect was (P < 0.05) obtained in birds receiving TEO, which was intensified by nano-encapsulation. Breast percentage was improved by nano-encapsulation (P < 0.05). The EOs (especially TEO and CEO) and CNE form improved (P < 0.05) serum IgY and IgM concentrations (at 35 and 42 days) and intestinal Lactobacillus spp. and E. coli populations (at 42 days) in broilers. Nano-encapsulated EOs, especially TEO and CEO had (P < 0.05) the largest effect on increasing IgY₄₂ concentrations and the microbial populations. The tested EOs, especially TEO, improved more of the evaluated traits in broiler chickens. Also, Chitosan nano-encapsulation because of its ideal properties can be an effective, suitable and inexpensive method for protecting bioactive compounds and improving effects of the herbal EOs especially thyme in broiler chickens.

Combined effects of chitosan and microencapsulated Enterococcus faecalis CG1.0007 probiotic supplementation on performance and diarrhea incidences in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88+ challenged piglets

The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) and a microencapsulated Enterococcus faecalis CG1.0007 probiotic (PRO) on growth performance and diarrhea incidences in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88⁺ challenged piglets in a 14-d study. Thirty piglets, 7.19 ± 0.52 kg initial BW weaned at 21 ± 1 d, were allotted to 5 treatment groups (n = 6) consisting of a corn-soybean meal diet with no additive (negative control, NC), NC + 0.25% chlortetracycline (positive control, PC), NC + 400 mg/kg COS (COS), NC + 100 mg/kg PRO (PRO) and NC + a combination of COS and PRO (CPRO). Pigs were individually housed in cages, acclimated to treatments for a 7-d period and had ad libitum access to feed and water throughout the study. On d 8, pigs were weighed, blood samples were collected, and then orally challenged with 6 mL (1 × 10¹¹ cfu/mL) of freshly grown ETEC inoculum. During post-challenge period, blood was sampled at 24 and 48 h to determine plasma urea nitrogen (PUN), and diarrhea incidences and fecal consistency scores were recorded from d 9 to 12. On d 14, all pigs were weighed and then euthanized to obtain intestinal tissue samples for histomorphometric measurements. Growth performance responses were similar among treatments during the pre- and post-challenge periods. There were no significant differences in PUN content, incidences of diarrhea, and fecal consistency scores among treatments. The intestinal histomorphology results did not differ significantly among treatments except for PC with increased (P = 0.0001) villus:crypt ratio compared with the NC. Under the conditions of the present study, it can be concluded that supplementation of piglet diets with 400 mg/kg COS, 100 mg/kg microencapsulated PRO or their combination did not significantly improve piglet growth performance both during the pre- and post-ETEC K88⁺ oral inoculation. Also, there were no significant reduction of incidences and severity of diarrhea after challenge compared with the control group.

Effects of Dietary Copper-Methionine on Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 in the Lungs of Cold-Stressed Broilers as an Animal Model for Pulmonary Hypertension

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of different levels of copper (as supplemental copper-methionine) on ascites incidence and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) changes in the lungs of cold-stressed broilers. For this purpose, 480 1-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to six treatments. Treatments consisted of two ambient temperatures (thermoneutral and cold stress) each combined with 0, 100, and 200 mg supplemental copper/kg as copper-methionine in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design with four replicates. Ascites was diagnosed based on abdominal and pericardial fluid accumulation at 45 days of age. Fourty-eight broilers were killed at 38 and 45 days of age, and their lungs were collected for biological analysis. Results showed that MMP-2 increased in the lungs of ascitic broilers and that copper-methionine supplementation significantly reduced MMP-2 in cold-stressed broiler chickens. Treatments did not affect tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) at 38 and 45 days of age, and no difference was observed between 100 and 200 mg/kg copper-methionine treatments. In conclusion, copper-methionine at higher than conventional levels of supplementation decreased ascites incidence in low temperature through reduced MMP-2 concentration. Further research is warranted to investigate the effect of copper on MMP-2 concentrations in other tissues with high oxygen demand.

The effects of copper-glycine complexes on chemical composition and sensory attributes of raw, cooked and grilled chicken meat

To determine the influence of glycine-Cu chelates (Gly-Cu) on chemical composition and sensory characteristic of chickens meat, two hundred of Ross 308 broilers were fed diets containing 16 mg kg(-1) of copper sulfate (S-Cu; control group) or 16, 8 and 4 mg/kg of Cu-glycine chelate (Gly-Cu). The chemical composition was determined in crude and prepared (cooked and grilled) breast and thigh samples. No significant influence of Gly-Cu on the content of the protein, fat and ash in the breast meat was found. Substituting S-Cu with Gly-Cu at different doses in feed did not significantly modify the fatty acids profile of the meat. The breast meat from chickens administered with Gly-Cu contained significantly less cholesterol than that in S-Cu. No different effect of the experimental agent was observed regarding the content of Cu, Zn and Ca in the breast meat, while in chickens from all the groups administered Gly-Cu there was more significantly Fe (P < 0.01) in comparison with the S-Cu group. The thigh meat revealed significantly (P < 0.01) higher levels of Zn and Ca in comparison with the 16 mg S-Cu group. No significant effect of the diet on the sensory characteristics of the meat was observed.

Novos conceitos em nutrição de aves

A grande evolução da avicultura brasileira e o consequente aumento da produção de resíduos, bem como as exigências impostas pela União Europeia, quanto ao controle da excreção de poluentes, resultam na busca de novos conceitos relativos à nutrição animal. Dentre esses conceitos, destaca-se o uso da proteína ideal, da injeção de nutrientes in ovo, da alimentação dos animais em fases e a suplementação de aditivos como prebióticos, probióticos, enzimas, extratos herbais e minerais orgânicos nas dietas das aves. Várias pesquisas têm sido feitas a fim de comprovar a eficiência dessas práticas de nutrição e muitas delas concluem que a aplicação de estratégias nutricionais tem um significativo potencial de redução da excreção de nutrientes pelos frangos de corte, além de terem ainda, a vantagem de reduzir os custos de produção.