Background Ginkgo biloba extract(GBE)is evidenced to be effective in the prevention and alleviation of metabolic disorders,including obesity,diabetes and fatty liver disease.However,the role of GBE in alleviating fatt...Background Ginkgo biloba extract(GBE)is evidenced to be effective in the prevention and alleviation of metabolic disorders,including obesity,diabetes and fatty liver disease.However,the role of GBE in alleviating fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome(FLHS)in laying hens and the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.Here,we investigated the effects of GBE on relieving FLHS with an emphasis on the modulatory role of GBE in chicken gut microbiota.Results The results showed that GBE treatment ameliorated biochemical blood indicators in high-fat diet(HFD)-induced FLHS laying hen model by decreasing the levels of TG,TC,ALT and ALP.The lipid accumulation and pathological score of liver were also relieved after GBE treatment.Moreover,GBE treatment enhanced the antioxidant activity of liver and serum by increasing GSH,SOD,T-AOC,GSH-PX and reducing MDA,and downregulated the expression of genes related to lipid synthesis(FAS,LXRα,GPAT1,PPARγand Ch REBP1)and inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α,IL-6,TLR4 and NF-κB)in the liver.Microbial profiling analysis revealed that GBE treatment reshaped the HFD-perturbed gut microbiota,particularly elevated the abundance of Megasphaera in the cecum.Meanwhile,targeted metabolomic analysis of SCFAs revealed that GBE treatment significantly promoted the production of total SCFAs,acetate and propionate,which were positively correlated with the GBE-enriched gut microbiota.Finally,we confirmed that the GBE-altered gut microbiota was sufficient to alleviate FLHS by fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT).Conclusions We provided evidence that GBE alleviated FLHS in HFD-induced laying hens through reshaping the composition of gut microbiota.Our findings shed light on mechanism underlying the anti-FLHS efficacy of GBE and lay foundations for future use of GBE as additive to prevent and control FLHS in laying hen industry.展开更多
Background Baicalin and probiotic cocktails are promising feed additives with broad application prospects.While probiotic cocktails are known to enhance intestinal health,the potential synergistic impact of combining ...Background Baicalin and probiotic cocktails are promising feed additives with broad application prospects.While probiotic cocktails are known to enhance intestinal health,the potential synergistic impact of combining baicalin with probiotic cocktails on the gut health of broiler chickens remains largely unexplored.Therefore,this study aims to investigate the influence of the combined administration of baicalin and probiotic cocktails on the composition of ileal and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens to elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the healthpromoting effects.Results A total of 3201-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were divided into 4 groups,each with 8 replicates of 10 chicks per replicate.Over a period of 42 d,the birds were fed a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 37.5 g/t baicalin(BC),1,000 g/t probiotic cocktails(PC),or a combination of both BC(37.5 g/t)and PC(1,000 g/t).The results demonstrated that BC+PC exhibited positive synergistic effects,enhancing intestinal morphology,immune function,and barrier function.This was evidenced by increased VH/CD ratio,sIgA levels,and upregulated expression of occludin and claudin-1(P<0.05).16S rRNA analysis indicated that PC potentiated the effects of BC,particularly in the ileum,where BC+PC significantly increased theα-diversity of the ileal microbiota,altered itsβ-diversity,and increased the relative abundance of Flavonifractor(P<0.05),a flavonoid-metabolizing bacterium.Furthermore,Flavonifractor positively correlated with chicken ileum crypt depth(P<0.05).While BC+PC had a limited effect on cecal microbiota structure,the PC group had a very similar microbial composition to BC+PC,suggesting that the effect of PC at the distal end of the gut overshadowed those of BC.Conclusions We demonstrated the synergistic enhancement of gut health regulation in broiler chickens by combining baicalin and probiotic cocktails.Probiotic cocktails enhanced the effects of baicalin and accelerated its metabolism in the ileum,thereby influencing the ileal microbiota structure.This study elucidates the interaction mechanism between probiotic cocktails and plant extract additives within the host microbiota.These findings provide compelling evidence for the future development of feed additive combinations.展开更多
The gut microbiota(GM)plays a crucial role in maintaining the overall health and well-being of the host.Recent studies have demonstrated that the GM may significantly influence bone metabolism and degenerative skeleta...The gut microbiota(GM)plays a crucial role in maintaining the overall health and well-being of the host.Recent studies have demonstrated that the GM may significantly influence bone metabolism and degenerative skeletal diseases,such as osteoporosis(OP).Interventions targeting GM modification,including probiotics or antibiotics,have been found to affect bone remodeling.This review provides a comprehensive summary of recent research on the role of GM in regulating bone remodeling and seeks to elucidate the regulatory mechanism from various perspectives,such as the interaction with the immune system,interplay with estrogen or parathyroid hormone(PTH),the impact of GM metabolites,and the effect of extracellular vesicles(EVs).Moreover,this review explores the potential of probiotics as a therapeutic approach for OP.The insights presented may contribute to the development of innovative GM-targeted therapies for OP.展开更多
Background In broiler chickens,necrotic enteritis(NE)infection can reduce production performance.Tannic acid has shown great potential as a treatment of NE in broilers.However,the appropriate dosage of tannic acid in ...Background In broiler chickens,necrotic enteritis(NE)infection can reduce production performance.Tannic acid has shown great potential as a treatment of NE in broilers.However,the appropriate dosage of tannic acid in NE of broilers and the improvement effect on intestinal health are not very clear.In this study,we aimed to investigate the effects of different doses of tannic acid on the production performance,immunity,and intestinal health of broilers by constructing an NE model with C.perfringens infection and determining the appropriate dosage of tannic acid with regard to NE.Results Challenged birds showed significant reduction in body weight,villus height,and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth(P<0.05)and increase in the feed consumption gain ratio,intestinal lesion score,and crypt depth(P<0.05).The infection significantly reduced the relative Bacteroidota and Ligilactobacillus abundance(P<0.05)and increased the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota and cecal content of C.perfringens(P<0.05).Challenged birds fed diets supplemented with tannic acid showed significantly increased mRNA expression of nutrient transport carriers and intestinal barrier genes and growth performance and reduced serum zonulin and endotoxin levels(P<0.05).Addi-tion of tannic acid to the diet inhibited the inflammatory response by reducing the number of coccidia oocysts in feces and the content of C.perfringens in the cecum.Specifically,tannic acid reduced the serum levels of C reactive protein,myeloperoxidase,and specific IgY and ileal mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A levels in the ileal mucosa compared with those in the NE-infected birds.NE-infected birds fed diets supplemented with tannic acid also showed significantly increased relative Anaerocolumna,Thermoanaerobacterium,and Thermosinus abundance(P<0.05);their microbial composition and functional predictions were similar to those of the NC group.Conclusions Tannic acid in the diet alleviated NE by enhancing the intestinal barrier and absorption function.The recommended dietary tannic acid additive level is 500–750 mg/kg.Our study findings would be useful in reducing related economic losses in the broiler industry.展开更多
Background:Preventing Salmonella infection and colonization in young birds is key to improving poultry gut health and reducing Salmonella contamination of poultry products and decreasing salmonellosis for human consum...Background:Preventing Salmonella infection and colonization in young birds is key to improving poultry gut health and reducing Salmonella contamination of poultry products and decreasing salmonellosis for human consumption(poultry meat and eggs).Probiotics can improve poultry health.The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of a probiotics,Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 11181(E.faecium NCIMB 11181)on the intestinal mucosal immune responses,microbiome and barrier function in the presence or absence of Salmonella Typhimurium(S.Typh-imurium,ST)infection.Methods:Two hundred and forty 1-day-old Salmonella-free male broiler chickens(Arbor Acres AA+)were randomly allocated to four groups with 6 replicate cages of 10 birds each.The four experimental groups were follows:(1)nega-tive control(NC),(2)S.Typhimurium,challenged positive control(PC),(3)the E.faecium NCIMB 11181-treated group(EF),(4)the E.faecium NCIMB 11181-treated and S.Typhimurium-challenged group(PEF).Results:Results indicated that,although continuous feeding E.faecium NCIMB 11181 did not obviously alleviate growth depression caused by S.Typhimurium challenge(P>0.05),E.faecium NCIMB 11181 addition significantly blocked Salmonella intestinal colonization and translocation(P<0.05).Moreover,supplemental E.faecium NCIMB 11181 to the infected chickens remarkably attenuated gut morphological structure damage and intestinal cell apoptosis induced by S.Typhimurium infection,as evidenced by increasing gut villous height and reducing intes-tinal TUNEL-positive cell numbers(P<0.05).Also,E.faecium NCIMB 11181 administration notably promoting the production of anti-Salmonella antibodies in intestinal mucosa and serum of the infected birds(P<0.05).Addition-ally,16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that E.faecium NCIMB 11181 supplementation ameliorated S.Typhimu-rium infection-induced gut microbial dysbiosis by enriching Lachnospiracease and Alistipes levels,and suppressing Barnesiella abundance.Predicted function analysis indicated that the functional genes of cecal microbiome involved in C5-branched dibasic acid metabolism;valine,leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis;glycerolipid metabolism and lysine biosynthesis were enriched in the infected chickens given E.faecium NCIMB 11181.While alanine,asparate and glutamate metabolism;MAPK signal pathway-yeast;ubiquine and other terpenoid-quinore biosynthesis,protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum;as well as glutathione metabolism were suppressed by E.faecium NCIMB 11181 addition.Conclusion:Collectively,our data suggested that dietary E.faecium NCIBM 11181 supplementation could ameliorate S.Typhimurium infection-induced gut injury in broiler chickens.Our findings also suggest that E.faecium NCIMB 11181 may serve as an effective non-antibiotic feed additive for improving gut health and controlling Salmonella infection in broiler chickens.展开更多
Background:In China,cage systems with a high space utilization have gradually replaced ground litter systems,but the disease incidence of chickens in cages is higher.Broilers in the ground litter pens may be stimulate...Background:In China,cage systems with a high space utilization have gradually replaced ground litter systems,but the disease incidence of chickens in cages is higher.Broilers in the ground litter pens may be stimulated by more environmental microbes during the growth process and show strong immune function and status,but knowledge of which microbes and their metabolites play an immunomodulatory role is still limited.This study aimed to explore the differences and correlations in the immune function,gut microbiota and metabolites and the importance of gut microbiota of broilers raised in cages and ground litter pens.Methods:The experiment involved a 2×2 factorial arrangement,with rearing systems(cages or ground litter pens)and antibiotic treatment(with or without broad-spectrum antibiotics in drinking water)as factors.Results:The results showed that,compared with the cage group,the ground litter broilers had stronger nonspecific immune function(Macrophages%and NO in blood),humoral immune function(IgG in blood,LPS stimulation index in ileum)and cellular immune function(T%,Tc%,ConA stimulation index and cytokines in blood).Antibiotic(ABX)treat-ment significantly reduced nonspecific immune function(Macrophages%and NO in blood,iNOS and Mucin2 mRNA expression in ileum),humoral immune function(IgG in blood and sIgA in ileum)and cellular immune function(T%and cytokines in blood,Th and Tc ratio,TLRs and cytokines mRNA expression in ileum).Furthermore,the ground litter broil-ers had higherαdiversity of microbiota in ileum.The relative abundance of Staphylococcus,Jeotgalicoccus,Jeotgalibaca and Pediococcus in the ileum of ground litter broilers were higher.ABX treatment significantly reduced theαdiversity of ileal microbiota,with less Chloroplast and Mitochondria.In addition,the levels of acetic acid,isobutyric acid,kynurenic acid and allolithocholic acid in the ileum of ground litter broilers were higher.Spearman correlation analysis showed that Jeotgalibaca,Pediococcus,acetic acid,kynurenic acid and allolithocholic acid were related to the immune function.Conclusions:There were more potential pathogens,litter breeding bacteria,short-chain fatty acids,kynurenine,allolithocholic acid and tryptophan metabolites in the ileum of broilers in ground litter pens,which may be the reason for its stronger immune function and status.展开更多
Background Corn arabinoxylan(AX)is a complicated and multibranched antinutritional factor,thereby proving the use of endo-xylanase(EX)to be marginally valid.This study focused on specific types of AX-degrading enzymes...Background Corn arabinoxylan(AX)is a complicated and multibranched antinutritional factor,thereby proving the use of endo-xylanase(EX)to be marginally valid.This study focused on specific types of AX-degrading enzymes(ADEs)to exert the synergy of debranching enzymes and track the prebiotic potential of enzymatic hydrolysates.This study investigated the effects of ADEs on the growth performance,intestinal histomorphology,absorption functions,changes in polysaccharide components,fermentation,and gut microbiota of broiler chickens.Five hundred seventysix five-day-old Arbor Acres male broiler chickens were randomly allocated into eight treatments with six replicates each.Corn basal diets supplemented with or without enzymes were fed for a 21-day period,specifically including EX,its compatible use with arabinofuranosidase(EXA)or ferulic acid esterase(EXF),and compound groups with the above three enzymes(XAF).Results Specific ADEs stimulated the jejunal villus height and goblet cell number and evidently decreased the crypt depth(P<0.05),while the ratio of ileal villus height to crypt depth was significantly increased in EXF(P<0.05).Maltase activities of ileal mucosa in XAF groups were extremely enhanced(P<0.01),and EX boosted the activity of Na+-K+ATPase in the small intestine(P<0.01).The insoluble AX concentrations comparatively lessened,thereby notably raising the sundry xylooligosaccharide(XOS)yield in the ileal chyme(P<0.05),which was dominant in xylobiose and xylotriose.Improvements in the abundance and diversity of ileal microbial communities within the EXA,EXF,and XAF treatments were observed(P<0.05).Positive correlations between microbiota and XOS were revealed,with xylobiose and xylotriose being critical for ten beneficial bacteria(P<0.05).EXF increased the BWG and FCR of broiler chickens in this phase(P<0.05),which was attributed to the thriving networks modified by Lactobacillus.The intracecal contents of acetic acid,butyric acid,and propionic acid were greatly enhanced in most ADE groups,such as EXF(P<0.05).Conclusions Debranching enzymes appreciably targeted corn AX to release prebiotic XOS in the posterior ileum and facilitated intracaecal fermentation.It was beneficial for improving gut development,digestion and absorption and modulating the microflora to promote the early performance of broiler chickens.展开更多
Background Alginate oligosaccharide(AOS)holds great potential as a novel feed supplement in farm animals.However,the effects of AOS on chicken health and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.This study a...Background Alginate oligosaccharide(AOS)holds great potential as a novel feed supplement in farm animals.However,the effects of AOS on chicken health and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.This study aimed to optimize the enzymatic preparation of AOS by using bacterial alginate lyases expressed in yeast,investigate the effects of the prepared AOS on the growth performance and gut health of broiler chickens,and reveal the underlying mechanisms.Results Five alginate lyases from bacteria were cloned into Pichia pastoris GS115 and the alginate lyase PDE9 was expressed at relatively high yield,activity and stability in P.pastoris.Animal trials were carried out using 3201-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers(four groups;8 replicates/group×10 chicks/replicate)receiving either a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 100,200 and 400 mg/kg PDE9-prepared AOS for 42 d.The results showed that dietary supplementation of 200 mg/kg AOS displayed the highest activity in promoting the birds’ADG and ADFI(P<0.05).AOS ameliorated the intestinal morphology,absorption function and barrier function,as indicated by the enhanced(P<0.05)intestinal villus height,maltase activity,and the expression of PEPT,SGLT1,ZNT1,and occludin.AOS also increased serum insulin-like growth factor-1,ghrelin(P<0.05),and growth hormone(P<0.1).Moreover,the concentrations of acetate,isobutyrate,isovalerate,valerate,and total SCFAs in cecum of birds fed AOS were significantly higher than the control birds(P<0.05).Metagenomic analysis indicated that AOS modulated the chicken gut microbiota structure,function,and microbial interactions and promoted the growth of SCFAs-producing bacteria,for example,Dorea sp.002160985;SCFAs,especially acetate,were found positively correlated with the chicken growth performance and growth-related hormone signals(P<0.05).We further verified that AOS can be utilized by Dorea sp.to grow and to produce acetate in vitro.Conclusions We demonstrated that the enzymatically produced AOS effectively promoted broiler chicken growth performance by modulating the chicken gut microbiota structure and function.For the first time,we established the connections among AOS,chicken gut microbiota/SCFAs,growth hormone signals and chicken growth performance.展开更多
Background Reducing Salmonella infection in broiler chickens by using effective and safe alternatives to antibiotics is vital to provide safer poultry meat and minimize the emergence of drug-resistant Salmonella and t...Background Reducing Salmonella infection in broiler chickens by using effective and safe alternatives to antibiotics is vital to provide safer poultry meat and minimize the emergence of drug-resistant Salmonella and the spread of salmonellosis to humans.This study was to first evaluate the protective efficacy of feeding coated essential oils and organic acids mixture(EOA)on broiler chickens infected with Salmonella Enteritidis(S.Enteritidis,SE),and then its action mechanism was further explored.Methods A total of 4801-day-old Arbor Acres male chickens were randomly assigned into five treatments with six replicates,including non-challenged control fed with basal diet(A),SE-challenged control(B),and SE-infected birds fed a basal diet with 300 mg/kg of EOA(BL),500 mg/kg of EOA(BM)and 800 mg/kg of EOA(BH),respectively.All birds on challenged groups were infected with Salmonella Enteritidis on d 13.Results Feeding EOA showed a reversed ability on negative effects caused by SE infection,as evidenced by decreasing the feed conversion rate(FCR)and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth(VH/CD)(P<0.05),obviously decreasing intestinal and internal organs Salmonella load along with increasing cecal butyric acid-producing bacteria abundance(P<0.05).Moreover,supplemental different levels of EOA notably up-regulated claudin-1(CLDN-1),occludin(OCLN),zonula occludens-1(ZO-1),mucin-2(MUC-2),fatty acid binding protein-2(FABP-2),nuclear factor kappa-light-chainenhancer of activated B cells(NF-κB),myeloid differential protein-88(MyD88)and interleukin-6(IL-6)mRNA levels in the ileum of the infected chickens after challenge,whereas down-regulated toll-like receptor-4(TLR-4)mRNA levels(P<0.05).Linear discriminant analysis combined effect size measurements analysis(LEfSe)showed that the relative abundance of g_Butyricicoccus,g_Anaerotruncus and g_unclassified_f_Bacillaceae significantly was enriched in infected birds given EOA.Also,phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states(PICRUSt)analysis showed that alpha-linolenic acid metabolism,fatty acid metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids were significantly enriched in the EOA group.Conclusion Our data suggest that the essential oils and organic acids mixture can be used as an effective strategy to ameliorate and alleviate Salmonella Enteritidis infection in broilers.展开更多
Background: Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens infection leads to serious economic losses in the global poultry production. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of essential o...Background: Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens infection leads to serious economic losses in the global poultry production. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of essential oils(EO, which contained 25 % thymol and 25 % carvacrol as active components) supplementation on growth performance, gut lesions, intestinal morphology, and immune responses of the broiler chickens infected with C. perfringens. A total of448 1-day-old male broiler chicks were allocated into eight treatment groups following a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement with four dietary EO dosages(0, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg) and two infection status(with or without C. perfringens challenge from d 14 to 20).Results: The challenge did not impair the growth performance of birds, but induced gut lesions and increased crypt depth in the ileum(P ≤ 0.05). It also down-regulated the claudin-1 and occludin m RNA expression(P ≤ 0.05),up-regulated the m RNA expression of interleukin-1β(P ≤ 0.05), tended to increase the toll-like receptor(TLR)2 m RNA expression(P < 0.10) in the ileum, and enhanced the mucosal secretory Ig A production(P ≤ 0.05). In the challenged birds, dietary EO supplementation linearly alleviated the gut lesions and improved the ratio of vil us height to crypt depth(P ≤ 0.05), and the supplementation of 120 and 240 mg/kg EO increased the serum antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus(P ≤ 0.05). Regardless of challenge, the EO supplementation showed a tendency to linearly elevate the feed conversion efficiency between 14 and 28 d of age as well as the occludin m RNA expression(P < 0.10), and linearly inhibited the m RNA expression of TLR2 and tumor necrotic factor-α in the ileum(P ≤ 0.05).Conclusions: The dietary supplementation of EO could alleviate the intestinal injury by improving intestinal integrity and modulating immune responses in the C. perfringens-challenged broiler chickens.展开更多
Background: The poultry industry is in need of effective antibiotic alternatives to control outbreaks of necrotic enteritis(NE) due to Clostridium perfringens.Methods: This study was conducted to investigate the effec...Background: The poultry industry is in need of effective antibiotic alternatives to control outbreaks of necrotic enteritis(NE) due to Clostridium perfringens.Methods: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding Bacil us coagulans on the growth performance and gut health of broiler chickens with C. perfringens-induced NE. Two hundred and forty 1-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two dietary B. coagulans levels(0 or 4 × 109 CFU/kg of diet) and two disease chal enge statuses(control or NE chal enged).Results: NE-induced reduction in body weight gain was relieved by the addition of B. coagulans into broiler diets compared with the NE-infected birds. NE infection damaged intestinal morphological structure, promoted intestinal C.perfringens growth and liver invasion, and enhanced anti-C. perfringens specific sI gA concentrations in the gut and specific IgG levels in serum compared with the uninfected birds. NE infection significantly(P < 0.05) decreased mucin-2(at 14 d post-infection(DPI), tol-like receptor 2(TLR2, at 7 and 14 DPI), TLR4(at 7 and 14 DPI), tumor necrosis factor super family15(TNFSF15, at 7 and 14 DPI), lysozyme(LYZ, at 14 DPI) and fowlicidin-2(at 7 and 14 DPI) mR NA levels, whereas it dramatical y(P = 0.001) increased IFN-γ mR NA levels at 7 DPI. However, chal enged birds fed diets supplemented with B.coagulans showed a significant(P < 0.01) decrease in gut lesion scores, decreased C. perfringens numbers in the cecum and liver, and an increase in fowlicidin-2 mR NA levels in compared with the uninfected birds. In addition, compared with the non-supplemented group, dietary inclusion of B. coagulans improved intestinal barrier structure, further increased specific sI gA levels and alkaline phosphatase(IAP) activity in the jejunum, enhanced the expression of jejunum lysozyme mR NA, and inhibited the growth, colonization, and invasion of C. perfringens; in contrast, it reduced serum-specific IgG concentrations and jejunum IFN-γ mR NA levels.Conclusion: These results indicated that dietary B. coagulans supplementation appeared to be effective in preventing the occurrence and reducing the severity of C. perfringens-induced NE in broiler chickens.展开更多
Background: Clostridium perfringens is the main etiological agent of necrotic enteritis. Lactobacil i show beneficial effects on intestinal health in infectious disease, but the protective functions of lactobacil i in...Background: Clostridium perfringens is the main etiological agent of necrotic enteritis. Lactobacil i show beneficial effects on intestinal health in infectious disease, but the protective functions of lactobacil i in C. perfringens-infected chickens are scarcely described. This study examined the effects of Lactobacil us acidophilus(L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens chal enged with Clostridium perfringens(C. perfringens) over a 28-day period. Using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, a total of 308 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were included to investigate the effects of Lactobacil us acidophilus(L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens chal enged with Clostridium perfringens(C. perfringens) during a 28-day trial.Results: During infection(d 14–21), C. perfringens challenge decreased the average daily gain(P < 0.05), and increased feed conversion ratio and the mortality rate(P < 0.05). However, dietary supplementation with L. acidophilus increased the body weight of C. perfringens-infected broilers on d 21(P < 0.05), and tended to decrease the mortality(P = 0.061).C. perfringens challenge decreased the villus height(P < 0.05), the ratio of villus height to crypt depth(P < 0.05) and OCLN(occludin) m RNA expression(P < 0.05), and increased the pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in the spleen and jejunum, the intestinal populations of C. perfringens and Escherichia(P < 0.05), and the serum content of endotoxin(P < 0.05), regardless of L. acidophilus supplementation. In contrast, dietary L. acidophilus reducedthe intestinal lesion score of challenged broilers(P < 0.05), the m RNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ileal populations of Escherichia and serum endotoxin content(P < 0.05), but increased the intestinal Lactobacillus populations(P < 0.05),irrespective of C. perfringens challenge.Conclusion: Dietary addition of L. acidophilus could improve the intestinal health and reduce the mortality of broilers suffering from necrotic enteritis.展开更多
Background:In the post-antibiotic era,essential oils(EO) are promising alternatives to growth-promoting antibiotics.The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activities of an EO product and its...Background:In the post-antibiotic era,essential oils(EO) are promising alternatives to growth-promoting antibiotics.The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activities of an EO product and its components thymol and carvacrol in vitro,and the efficacy of EO to control Clostridium perfringens challenge in broiler chickens.Results:The in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration assay showed strong antibacterial activity of the EO product,thymol,and carvacrol against pathogenic Escherichia coli,C.perfringens,and Salmonella strains,and weak activity towards beneficial Lactobacillus strains.Besides,an additive effect was observed between thymol and carvacrol.The in vivo study was carried out with 448 male broiler chicks following a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement to test the effects of EO supplementation(0,60,120,or 240 mg/kg EO in wheat-based diet),pathogen challenge(with or without oral gavage of C perfringens from day 14 to day 20) and their interactions.Each treatment consisted of eight replicate pens(seven birds/pen).The challenge led to macroscopic gut lesions,and resulted in a significant increase in ileal populations of C.perfringens and Escherichia subgroup(P< 0.05) on day 21.Dietary EO supplementation did not influence C perfringens numbers,but linearly alleviated intestinal lesions on day 21 and 28(P=0.010 and 0.036,respectively),and decreased Escherichia populations in ileum with increased EO dosages(P=0.027 and 0.071 for day 21 and 28,respectively).For caecum,EO quadratically influenced Lactobacillus populations on day 21(p=0.002),and linearly decreased the numbers of total bacteria and Escherichia on day 28(P=0.026 and 0.060,respectively).Mean thymol and carvacrol concentrations in the small intestine were 0.21 and 0.20 μg/g in intestinal digesta(wet weight),respectively,for birds fed 60 mg/kg EO,and 0.80 and 0.71 μg/g,respectively,for birds fed 240 mg/kg EO.Conclusions:These results indicated that dietary EO supplementation could affect intestinal microbiota and alleviate intestinal lesions in broilers,which may contribute in controlling C.perfringens infection in broiler chickens.展开更多
Background: There is growing interest in carbohydrate and protein nutrition to enhance the efficiency of animal production.Reduced-crude protein diets depress environmental pollution and feeding cost,but the challenge...Background: There is growing interest in carbohydrate and protein nutrition to enhance the efficiency of animal production.Reduced-crude protein diets depress environmental pollution and feeding cost,but the challenge to their adoption is maintaining digestive function and growth performance of birds.The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of different dietary starch sources and protein levels on intestinal functionality and mucosal amino acid catabolism.Methods: Six dietary treatments,based on maize and soybean meal,were offered to 360 AA+male chicks from 6 to 35 d post-hatch as a 3 × 2 factorial array.Either waxy rice or amylose was added to a conventional maize-soy diet to provide three sources of starch with different digestion rates and relatively high and low dietary protein levels.Growth performance,parameters of intestinal functionality and concentrations of free amino acid in the portal circulation were determined.Results: In the grower phase,starch source influenced(P < 0.02) weight gain as diets containing amylose supported significantly higher weight gains than waxy rice.Significant increase of ileal ATP concentrations and Na^+/K^+-ATPase activity were found in amylose treatment.Also,amylose decreased BrdU positive cell numbers and down-regulated m RNA expression for CASP-3.GOT activity in the ileum was higher(P < 0.01) in birds offered low protein diets and there was a trend(P = 0.057) for waxy rice as a starch source to increase ileal GOT activities.There was a significant influence on the concentration of seventeen amino acids in the portal circulation with tryptophan the one exception.Waxy rice as a starch source generated 13.6% and 22.4% numerically higher concentrations of non-essential amino acids than maize and amylose,respectively.Conclusions: Amino acid catabolism in the gut mucosa is subject to nutritional regulation.Given that amino acids can be spared from catabolism in the gut mucosa by supplementation of amylose,it follows their post-enteral availability would be improved and intestinal energy would be derived more efficiently from glucose.展开更多
Background:The poultry industry is in need of effective antibiotic alternatives to control outbreaks of necrotic enteritis(NE)due to Clostridium perfringens.In the present study,we investigated the effects of dietary ...Background:The poultry industry is in need of effective antibiotic alternatives to control outbreaks of necrotic enteritis(NE)due to Clostridium perfringens.In the present study,we investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with a blend of encapsulated essential oils and organic acids(BLJ)on growth performance and gut health using a coinfection model of NE in broiler chickens.Methods:Two hundred and eighty-eight one-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly assigned using a 2×2 factorial design into two groups fed either 0 or 500 mg/kg dietary BLJ and co-challenged(or not challenged for the control)with Eimeria spp./C.perfringens.Results:Infected birds fed the BLJ-supplemented diet exhibited an improved feed conversion ratio throughout the trial(P<0.01),a higher villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio,and reduced intestinal C.perfringens counts,liver C.perfringens carriage,gut lesion scores and serum fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran(FITC-D)concentrations at 7 d postinfection compared with those of birds without BLJ supplementation(P<0.05).NE-infected birds fed BLJ exhibited significantly upregulated claudin-1 and IGF-2 mRNA levels(P<0.05),increased A20 mRNA expression and significantly downregulated TRAF-6,TNFSF15 and TOLLIP mRNA levels in the jejunum at 7 d post-infection compared with those in birds without BLJ supplementation(P<0.05).Compared with the uninfected and untreated birds,the uninfected birds fed BLJ displayed increased relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Coprococcus but reduced Rikenellaceae levels.Compared with the unsupplemented NE-challenged birds,infected birds fed BLJ showed an increased relative abundance of Unclassified_Lachnospiraceae and a significantly decreased relative abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae.Conclusion:BLJ supplementation improved growth performance and gut health in NE-infected broiler chickens by strengthening the intestinal barrier function,positively modulating the gut microbiota community and differentially regulating intestinal immune responses.Our results also suggested that adding BLJ effectively controlled NE infections after experimental Eimeria and Clostridium perfringens coinfection.展开更多
Background:Highly automated cage-rearing systems are becoming increasingly popular in China.However,a high stocking density can cause oxidative stress and decrease broiler performance.The tryptophan(TRP) derivative5-h...Background:Highly automated cage-rearing systems are becoming increasingly popular in China.However,a high stocking density can cause oxidative stress and decrease broiler performance.The tryptophan(TRP) derivative5-hydroxytryptophan(5-HT) has been shown to preserve membrane fluidity in birds suffering from oxidative stress.Therefore,this experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary TRP supplementation on performance,breast meat quality and oxidative stress in broilers reared in cages with a high or low stocking density.Methods:Female Arbor Acres broilers(25-d-old,n=144) were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatments.The birds were fed a diet based on corn,soybean meal,cottonseed meal and corn gluten meal containing either 0.18 or 0.27%TRP and were housed with stocking densities of 11 or 15.4 birds/m2 in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment.Broiler performance was evaluated from d 25 to 42.Eight birds from each treatment were slaughtered on d 42 and plasma and breast muscle samples were collected to measure biochemical indices.Results:A higher stocking density tended to be associated with reduced weight gain(P<0.10),and significantly increased plasma glutamic-pyruvic transaminase(GPT) activity(P<0.001).Increased dietary TRP significantly reduced the activities of lactic dehydrogenase and GPT while increasing total cholesterol in the plasma(P<0.01),reducing drip loss of breast muscle(P<0.10) and improving feed efficiency(P<0.10).Conclusions:An increase in dietary TRP,1.5-fold higher than the standard supplementation level,can alleviate oxidative stress as well as improve welfare and feed efficiency in broilers reared in cages with a high stocking density.展开更多
Background:Soya saponin(SS),an active compound in soybean meals,has been widely studied in the medical field.However,it was considered as an anti-nutritional factor in poultry diets.The objective of this experiment wa...Background:Soya saponin(SS),an active compound in soybean meals,has been widely studied in the medical field.However,it was considered as an anti-nutritional factor in poultry diets.The objective of this experiment was to measure the effects of dietary SS using three dietary treatments on egg-laying performance and immune function of laying hens.Birds were fed a low soybean meal basal diet(CON),a low-SS diet(50 SS)containing 50mg/kg SS,or a high-SS diet(500 SS)containing 500 mg/kg SS for 10 weeks.At the end of the 5th and 10th week of the trial,samples were collected for analysis.Results:Results showed that with 50 mg/kg SS supplementation,the egg production rate,feed conversion ratio(FCR),and eggshell quality tended to be improved.Serum follicle stimulating hormone(FSH)and Interleukin-4(IL-4)levels were also elevated as well as the peripheral blood LPS stimulation index,the proportion of B lymphocytes,and antibody titer of bovine serum albumin(BSA).We also found that mRNA levels of follicle stimulating hormone receptor(FSHR)in ovarian,nuclear transcription factor kappa B(NF-κB),Transforming growth factor(TGF-β)and interferonγ(IFN-γ)in spleen were up-regulated at the end of the trial.Additionally,dietary 50 mg/kg SS improved the ileal flora via up-regulating the relative abundance of Lactobacillus,Romboutsia and Lactobacillus delbrueckii.Although the immune related indicators were improved with 500 mg/kg SS supplemented,it seemed to have a negative influence on the laying-performance.Specifically,serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),and the ratio of IFN-γto IL-4 were increased in the 500 SS group at the end of the trial.The m RNA levels of gonadotropin releasing hormone 1(GnRH1)in Hypothalamus,the estrogen related receptor(ERR)in ovaries were downregulated as well as the egg production rate during the trial with 500 mg/kg SS supplemented.Conclusions:The egg production performance was improved by dietary supplemented with 50 mg/kg SS via increasing ovarian FSHR transcription level and serum estrogen level.A beneficial shift in intestinal microflora was recorded,and the immune function of laying hens was also improved with 50 mg/kg SS supplementation.Surprisingly,the long-term supplementation of 500 mg/kg SS exerted a negative impact on the laying performance and physiological functions of the liver of laying hens.展开更多
Background: Improving the feed efficiency would increase profitability for producers while also reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production. This study was conducted to investigate the relationships a...Background: Improving the feed efficiency would increase profitability for producers while also reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production. This study was conducted to investigate the relationships among feed efficiency traits and metabolizable efficiency traits in 180 male broilers. Significant loci and genes affecting the metabolizable efficiency traits were explored with an imputation-based genome-wide association study. The traits measured or calculated comprised three growth traits, five feed efficiency related traits, and nine metabolizable efficiency traits.Results: The residual feed intake(RFI) showed moderate to high and positive phenotypic correlations with eight other traits measured, including average daily feed intake(ADFI), dry excreta weight(DEW), gross energy excretion(GEE), crude protein excretion(CPE), metabolizable dry matter(MDM), nitrogen corrected apparent metabolizable energy(AMEn), abdominal fat weight(Ab F), and percentage of abdominal fat(Ab P). Greater correlations were observed between growth traits and the feed conversion ratio(FCR) than RFI. In addition, the RFI, FCR, ADFI, DEW,GEE, CPE, MDM, AMEn, Ab F, and Ab P were lower in low-RFI birds than high-RFI birds(P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), whereas the coefficients of MDM and MCP of low-RFI birds were greater than those of high-RFI birds(P < 0.01). Five narrow QTLs for metabolizable efficiency traits were detected, including one 82.46-kb region for DEW and GEE on Gallus gallus chromosome(GGA) 26, one 120.13-kb region for MDM and AMEn on GGA1, one 691.25-kb region for the coefficients of MDM and AMEn on GGA5, one region for the coefficients of MDM and MCP on GGA2(103.45–103.53 Mb), and one 690.50-kb region for the coefficient of MCP on GGA14. Linkage disequilibrium(LD) analysis indicated that the five regions contained high LD blocks, as well as the genes chromosome 26 C6 orf106 homolog(C26 H6 orf106), LOC396098, SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains 2(SHANK2), ETS homologous factor(EHF), and histamine receptor H3-like(HRH3 L), which are known to be involved in the regulation of neurodevelopment, cell proliferation and differentiation, and food intake.Conclusions: Selection for low RFI significantly decreased chicken feed intake, excreta output, and abdominal fat deposition, and increased nutrient digestibility without changing the weight gain. Five novel QTL regions involved in the control of metabolizable efficiency in chickens were identified. These results, combined through nutritional and genetic approaches, should facilitate novel insights into improving feed efficiency in poultry and other species.展开更多
Background: Laying hens over 75 weeks of age commonly show great declines in immunity and production performance.It is unclear whether these declines can be relieved by supplementing with ascorbic acid(AA) in feed.Two...Background: Laying hens over 75 weeks of age commonly show great declines in immunity and production performance.It is unclear whether these declines can be relieved by supplementing with ascorbic acid(AA) in feed.Two trials were conducted to investigate the synthesis and metabolism of AA in layers of different ages and the effects of dietary supplemental AA on the performance and the immune and antioxidant statuses of 78 weeks old hens.Methods: In Exp.1,equal numbers(24 hens) of 35 weeks old(Young) and 75 weeks old(Old) layers were fed the same diet without AA supplementation for 4 weeks.In Exp.2,360 healthy 78 weeks old laying hens were randomly assigned to 4 treatments(basal diet supplemented with 0,0.25,0.5,or 1 g AA/kg diet) in an 8-week feeding trial.Results: The old hens tended to have decreased L-gulonolactone oxidase(GLO) synthase activity in the kidney and liver than that of the young hens(P = 0.07 and P = 0.05,respectively).Compared with the young hens,the old hens had lower hepatic antioxidant capacity allowing for the lower thioredoxin(TXN),thioredoxin reductase(TXNR) and cytochrome b5 reductase(CYB5 R) gene expression(P < 0.05),whereas increased sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter(SVCT) 1 expression levels in the ileum and kidney and enhanced splenic and hepatic AA concentrations(P < 0.05).Dietary supplementation with AA significantly decreased GLO enzyme activity but increased splenic AA concentration and anti-bovine serum albumin IgG levels(P < 0.05) and tended to increase CD4+T lymphocyte numbers(P = 0.06) in serum.Supplementation of 0.25 g AA/kg diet significantly increased hepatic total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC,P < 0.05) relative to the control group.Conclusions: Laying hens could synthesize AA in both the kidney and the liver,though the GLO enzyme activities were 100 times greater in kidneys than in livers.The old laying hens had greater absorption and reabsorption capacity and higher AA retention in some tissues that did the young hens.Dietary supplementation of AA can improve the health of old layers by enhancing immunity and antioxidant capacity.展开更多
Background:Necrotic enteritis is a widespread disease in poultry caused by Clostridium perfringens.We previously reported that dietary arginine supplementation protected the intestinal mucosa of broiler chickens with ...Background:Necrotic enteritis is a widespread disease in poultry caused by Clostridium perfringens.We previously reported that dietary arginine supplementation protected the intestinal mucosa of broiler chickens with necrotic enteritis,but the related protective mechanisms remain unclear.The in vivo trial was designed as a 2×2 factorial arrangement to evaluated the effects of arginine supplementation on inflammatory responses,arginine transporters,arginine catabolism and JAK-STAT signalling pathway in broiler chickens challenged with C.perfringens or without C.perfringens.Furthermore,we validated the in vivo results using intestinal epithelial cells of chicken embryos.Results:C.perfringens infection markedly increased gut gross pathological and histopathological lesion scores,promoted liver C.perfringens invasion,reduced serum arginine levels,and elevated jejunal mucosal lysozyme activities(P<0.05),but these effects were significantly reversed by arginine supplementation in vivo(P<0.05).The challenge significantly increased serum procalcitonin levels,jejunal mucosal iNOS activities and jejunal IL-6,TGF-β3,cationic amino acid transporter(CAT)-1,and CAT-3 mRNA expression(P<0.05),whereas arginine supplementation significantly reduced jejunal IFN-γ,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-10,TGF-β3,and CAT-3 mRNA expression(P<0.05).Arginine supplementation significantly attenuated the C.perfringens challenge-induced increases in jejunal i NOS,arginase 2,arginine decarboxylase,arginine:glycine amidinotransferase,JAK1,JAK3,STAT1,and STAT6 mRNA expression(P<0.05).The in vitro experiment showed that C.perfringens challenge markedly increased cellular cytotoxicity and the mRNA expression of IL-1β,IL-8,IL-10,CAT-1 and CAT-3(P<0.05),which were significantly reversed by 50μmol/L and/or400μmol/L arginine pre-treatment(P<0.05).Conclusions:Arginine prevented C.perfringens challenge-induced circulated arginine deficiency,normalized intestinal arginine transport and catabolism,down-regulated JAK-STAT signalling pathway and attenuated the inflammatory response,which exerted protective effects on the intestine of broiler chickens.展开更多
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFA1304201)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(6222032)+2 种基金the Starting Grants Program for Young Talents at China Agricultural Universitythe 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural UniversityChinese Universities Scientific Fund。
文摘Background Ginkgo biloba extract(GBE)is evidenced to be effective in the prevention and alleviation of metabolic disorders,including obesity,diabetes and fatty liver disease.However,the role of GBE in alleviating fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome(FLHS)in laying hens and the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.Here,we investigated the effects of GBE on relieving FLHS with an emphasis on the modulatory role of GBE in chicken gut microbiota.Results The results showed that GBE treatment ameliorated biochemical blood indicators in high-fat diet(HFD)-induced FLHS laying hen model by decreasing the levels of TG,TC,ALT and ALP.The lipid accumulation and pathological score of liver were also relieved after GBE treatment.Moreover,GBE treatment enhanced the antioxidant activity of liver and serum by increasing GSH,SOD,T-AOC,GSH-PX and reducing MDA,and downregulated the expression of genes related to lipid synthesis(FAS,LXRα,GPAT1,PPARγand Ch REBP1)and inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α,IL-6,TLR4 and NF-κB)in the liver.Microbial profiling analysis revealed that GBE treatment reshaped the HFD-perturbed gut microbiota,particularly elevated the abundance of Megasphaera in the cecum.Meanwhile,targeted metabolomic analysis of SCFAs revealed that GBE treatment significantly promoted the production of total SCFAs,acetate and propionate,which were positively correlated with the GBE-enriched gut microbiota.Finally,we confirmed that the GBE-altered gut microbiota was sufficient to alleviate FLHS by fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT).Conclusions We provided evidence that GBE alleviated FLHS in HFD-induced laying hens through reshaping the composition of gut microbiota.Our findings shed light on mechanism underlying the anti-FLHS efficacy of GBE and lay foundations for future use of GBE as additive to prevent and control FLHS in laying hen industry.
基金funded by National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFD1300403,2021YFD1300404)China Agriculture Research System program(CARS-40,CARS-41-G11)Beijing Natural Science Foundation(6222036).
文摘Background Baicalin and probiotic cocktails are promising feed additives with broad application prospects.While probiotic cocktails are known to enhance intestinal health,the potential synergistic impact of combining baicalin with probiotic cocktails on the gut health of broiler chickens remains largely unexplored.Therefore,this study aims to investigate the influence of the combined administration of baicalin and probiotic cocktails on the composition of ileal and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens to elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the healthpromoting effects.Results A total of 3201-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were divided into 4 groups,each with 8 replicates of 10 chicks per replicate.Over a period of 42 d,the birds were fed a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 37.5 g/t baicalin(BC),1,000 g/t probiotic cocktails(PC),or a combination of both BC(37.5 g/t)and PC(1,000 g/t).The results demonstrated that BC+PC exhibited positive synergistic effects,enhancing intestinal morphology,immune function,and barrier function.This was evidenced by increased VH/CD ratio,sIgA levels,and upregulated expression of occludin and claudin-1(P<0.05).16S rRNA analysis indicated that PC potentiated the effects of BC,particularly in the ileum,where BC+PC significantly increased theα-diversity of the ileal microbiota,altered itsβ-diversity,and increased the relative abundance of Flavonifractor(P<0.05),a flavonoid-metabolizing bacterium.Furthermore,Flavonifractor positively correlated with chicken ileum crypt depth(P<0.05).While BC+PC had a limited effect on cecal microbiota structure,the PC group had a very similar microbial composition to BC+PC,suggesting that the effect of PC at the distal end of the gut overshadowed those of BC.Conclusions We demonstrated the synergistic enhancement of gut health regulation in broiler chickens by combining baicalin and probiotic cocktails.Probiotic cocktails enhanced the effects of baicalin and accelerated its metabolism in the ileum,thereby influencing the ileal microbiota structure.This study elucidates the interaction mechanism between probiotic cocktails and plant extract additives within the host microbiota.These findings provide compelling evidence for the future development of feed additive combinations.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFD1300400)the 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University。
文摘The gut microbiota(GM)plays a crucial role in maintaining the overall health and well-being of the host.Recent studies have demonstrated that the GM may significantly influence bone metabolism and degenerative skeletal diseases,such as osteoporosis(OP).Interventions targeting GM modification,including probiotics or antibiotics,have been found to affect bone remodeling.This review provides a comprehensive summary of recent research on the role of GM in regulating bone remodeling and seeks to elucidate the regulatory mechanism from various perspectives,such as the interaction with the immune system,interplay with estrogen or parathyroid hormone(PTH),the impact of GM metabolites,and the effect of extracellular vesicles(EVs).Moreover,this review explores the potential of probiotics as a therapeutic approach for OP.The insights presented may contribute to the development of innovative GM-targeted therapies for OP.
基金the China Agriculture Research System program(CARS-41-G11).
文摘Background In broiler chickens,necrotic enteritis(NE)infection can reduce production performance.Tannic acid has shown great potential as a treatment of NE in broilers.However,the appropriate dosage of tannic acid in NE of broilers and the improvement effect on intestinal health are not very clear.In this study,we aimed to investigate the effects of different doses of tannic acid on the production performance,immunity,and intestinal health of broilers by constructing an NE model with C.perfringens infection and determining the appropriate dosage of tannic acid with regard to NE.Results Challenged birds showed significant reduction in body weight,villus height,and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth(P<0.05)and increase in the feed consumption gain ratio,intestinal lesion score,and crypt depth(P<0.05).The infection significantly reduced the relative Bacteroidota and Ligilactobacillus abundance(P<0.05)and increased the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota and cecal content of C.perfringens(P<0.05).Challenged birds fed diets supplemented with tannic acid showed significantly increased mRNA expression of nutrient transport carriers and intestinal barrier genes and growth performance and reduced serum zonulin and endotoxin levels(P<0.05).Addi-tion of tannic acid to the diet inhibited the inflammatory response by reducing the number of coccidia oocysts in feces and the content of C.perfringens in the cecum.Specifically,tannic acid reduced the serum levels of C reactive protein,myeloperoxidase,and specific IgY and ileal mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A levels in the ileal mucosa compared with those in the NE-infected birds.NE-infected birds fed diets supplemented with tannic acid also showed significantly increased relative Anaerocolumna,Thermoanaerobacterium,and Thermosinus abundance(P<0.05);their microbial composition and functional predictions were similar to those of the NC group.Conclusions Tannic acid in the diet alleviated NE by enhancing the intestinal barrier and absorption function.The recommended dietary tannic acid additive level is 500–750 mg/kg.Our study findings would be useful in reducing related economic losses in the broiler industry.
基金supported by the grant from Talent Plan of Zaozhuang City(2022),Shandong,China.The company had no role in conducting the research,generating the data,interpreting the results,or writing the manuscript。
文摘Background:Preventing Salmonella infection and colonization in young birds is key to improving poultry gut health and reducing Salmonella contamination of poultry products and decreasing salmonellosis for human consumption(poultry meat and eggs).Probiotics can improve poultry health.The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of a probiotics,Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 11181(E.faecium NCIMB 11181)on the intestinal mucosal immune responses,microbiome and barrier function in the presence or absence of Salmonella Typhimurium(S.Typh-imurium,ST)infection.Methods:Two hundred and forty 1-day-old Salmonella-free male broiler chickens(Arbor Acres AA+)were randomly allocated to four groups with 6 replicate cages of 10 birds each.The four experimental groups were follows:(1)nega-tive control(NC),(2)S.Typhimurium,challenged positive control(PC),(3)the E.faecium NCIMB 11181-treated group(EF),(4)the E.faecium NCIMB 11181-treated and S.Typhimurium-challenged group(PEF).Results:Results indicated that,although continuous feeding E.faecium NCIMB 11181 did not obviously alleviate growth depression caused by S.Typhimurium challenge(P>0.05),E.faecium NCIMB 11181 addition significantly blocked Salmonella intestinal colonization and translocation(P<0.05).Moreover,supplemental E.faecium NCIMB 11181 to the infected chickens remarkably attenuated gut morphological structure damage and intestinal cell apoptosis induced by S.Typhimurium infection,as evidenced by increasing gut villous height and reducing intes-tinal TUNEL-positive cell numbers(P<0.05).Also,E.faecium NCIMB 11181 administration notably promoting the production of anti-Salmonella antibodies in intestinal mucosa and serum of the infected birds(P<0.05).Addition-ally,16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that E.faecium NCIMB 11181 supplementation ameliorated S.Typhimu-rium infection-induced gut microbial dysbiosis by enriching Lachnospiracease and Alistipes levels,and suppressing Barnesiella abundance.Predicted function analysis indicated that the functional genes of cecal microbiome involved in C5-branched dibasic acid metabolism;valine,leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis;glycerolipid metabolism and lysine biosynthesis were enriched in the infected chickens given E.faecium NCIMB 11181.While alanine,asparate and glutamate metabolism;MAPK signal pathway-yeast;ubiquine and other terpenoid-quinore biosynthesis,protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum;as well as glutathione metabolism were suppressed by E.faecium NCIMB 11181 addition.Conclusion:Collectively,our data suggested that dietary E.faecium NCIBM 11181 supplementation could ameliorate S.Typhimurium infection-induced gut injury in broiler chickens.Our findings also suggest that E.faecium NCIMB 11181 may serve as an effective non-antibiotic feed additive for improving gut health and controlling Salmonella infection in broiler chickens.
基金supported by the China Agriculture Research System program(CARS-41-G11)the Shandong Provincial Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talent(SDBX2021013)the Starting Research Fund from the Shandong Agricultural University(76616).
文摘Background:In China,cage systems with a high space utilization have gradually replaced ground litter systems,but the disease incidence of chickens in cages is higher.Broilers in the ground litter pens may be stimulated by more environmental microbes during the growth process and show strong immune function and status,but knowledge of which microbes and their metabolites play an immunomodulatory role is still limited.This study aimed to explore the differences and correlations in the immune function,gut microbiota and metabolites and the importance of gut microbiota of broilers raised in cages and ground litter pens.Methods:The experiment involved a 2×2 factorial arrangement,with rearing systems(cages or ground litter pens)and antibiotic treatment(with or without broad-spectrum antibiotics in drinking water)as factors.Results:The results showed that,compared with the cage group,the ground litter broilers had stronger nonspecific immune function(Macrophages%and NO in blood),humoral immune function(IgG in blood,LPS stimulation index in ileum)and cellular immune function(T%,Tc%,ConA stimulation index and cytokines in blood).Antibiotic(ABX)treat-ment significantly reduced nonspecific immune function(Macrophages%and NO in blood,iNOS and Mucin2 mRNA expression in ileum),humoral immune function(IgG in blood and sIgA in ileum)and cellular immune function(T%and cytokines in blood,Th and Tc ratio,TLRs and cytokines mRNA expression in ileum).Furthermore,the ground litter broil-ers had higherαdiversity of microbiota in ileum.The relative abundance of Staphylococcus,Jeotgalicoccus,Jeotgalibaca and Pediococcus in the ileum of ground litter broilers were higher.ABX treatment significantly reduced theαdiversity of ileal microbiota,with less Chloroplast and Mitochondria.In addition,the levels of acetic acid,isobutyric acid,kynurenic acid and allolithocholic acid in the ileum of ground litter broilers were higher.Spearman correlation analysis showed that Jeotgalibaca,Pediococcus,acetic acid,kynurenic acid and allolithocholic acid were related to the immune function.Conclusions:There were more potential pathogens,litter breeding bacteria,short-chain fatty acids,kynurenine,allolithocholic acid and tryptophan metabolites in the ileum of broilers in ground litter pens,which may be the reason for its stronger immune function and status.
基金financially supported by the System for Poultry Production Technology,Beijing Agriculture Innovation Consortium(Project Number:BAIC04-2020)。
文摘Background Corn arabinoxylan(AX)is a complicated and multibranched antinutritional factor,thereby proving the use of endo-xylanase(EX)to be marginally valid.This study focused on specific types of AX-degrading enzymes(ADEs)to exert the synergy of debranching enzymes and track the prebiotic potential of enzymatic hydrolysates.This study investigated the effects of ADEs on the growth performance,intestinal histomorphology,absorption functions,changes in polysaccharide components,fermentation,and gut microbiota of broiler chickens.Five hundred seventysix five-day-old Arbor Acres male broiler chickens were randomly allocated into eight treatments with six replicates each.Corn basal diets supplemented with or without enzymes were fed for a 21-day period,specifically including EX,its compatible use with arabinofuranosidase(EXA)or ferulic acid esterase(EXF),and compound groups with the above three enzymes(XAF).Results Specific ADEs stimulated the jejunal villus height and goblet cell number and evidently decreased the crypt depth(P<0.05),while the ratio of ileal villus height to crypt depth was significantly increased in EXF(P<0.05).Maltase activities of ileal mucosa in XAF groups were extremely enhanced(P<0.01),and EX boosted the activity of Na+-K+ATPase in the small intestine(P<0.01).The insoluble AX concentrations comparatively lessened,thereby notably raising the sundry xylooligosaccharide(XOS)yield in the ileal chyme(P<0.05),which was dominant in xylobiose and xylotriose.Improvements in the abundance and diversity of ileal microbial communities within the EXA,EXF,and XAF treatments were observed(P<0.05).Positive correlations between microbiota and XOS were revealed,with xylobiose and xylotriose being critical for ten beneficial bacteria(P<0.05).EXF increased the BWG and FCR of broiler chickens in this phase(P<0.05),which was attributed to the thriving networks modified by Lactobacillus.The intracecal contents of acetic acid,butyric acid,and propionic acid were greatly enhanced in most ADE groups,such as EXF(P<0.05).Conclusions Debranching enzymes appreciably targeted corn AX to release prebiotic XOS in the posterior ileum and facilitated intracaecal fermentation.It was beneficial for improving gut development,digestion and absorption and modulating the microflora to promote the early performance of broiler chickens.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFD1800400)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(6222032)the Starting Grants Program for Young Talents at China Agricultural University,the 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University and Chinese Universities Scientific Fund.
文摘Background Alginate oligosaccharide(AOS)holds great potential as a novel feed supplement in farm animals.However,the effects of AOS on chicken health and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.This study aimed to optimize the enzymatic preparation of AOS by using bacterial alginate lyases expressed in yeast,investigate the effects of the prepared AOS on the growth performance and gut health of broiler chickens,and reveal the underlying mechanisms.Results Five alginate lyases from bacteria were cloned into Pichia pastoris GS115 and the alginate lyase PDE9 was expressed at relatively high yield,activity and stability in P.pastoris.Animal trials were carried out using 3201-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers(four groups;8 replicates/group×10 chicks/replicate)receiving either a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 100,200 and 400 mg/kg PDE9-prepared AOS for 42 d.The results showed that dietary supplementation of 200 mg/kg AOS displayed the highest activity in promoting the birds’ADG and ADFI(P<0.05).AOS ameliorated the intestinal morphology,absorption function and barrier function,as indicated by the enhanced(P<0.05)intestinal villus height,maltase activity,and the expression of PEPT,SGLT1,ZNT1,and occludin.AOS also increased serum insulin-like growth factor-1,ghrelin(P<0.05),and growth hormone(P<0.1).Moreover,the concentrations of acetate,isobutyrate,isovalerate,valerate,and total SCFAs in cecum of birds fed AOS were significantly higher than the control birds(P<0.05).Metagenomic analysis indicated that AOS modulated the chicken gut microbiota structure,function,and microbial interactions and promoted the growth of SCFAs-producing bacteria,for example,Dorea sp.002160985;SCFAs,especially acetate,were found positively correlated with the chicken growth performance and growth-related hormone signals(P<0.05).We further verified that AOS can be utilized by Dorea sp.to grow and to produce acetate in vitro.Conclusions We demonstrated that the enzymatically produced AOS effectively promoted broiler chicken growth performance by modulating the chicken gut microbiota structure and function.For the first time,we established the connections among AOS,chicken gut microbiota/SCFAs,growth hormone signals and chicken growth performance.
基金funded by Menon Animal Nutrition Technology Co.,Ltd.,Shanghai,China
文摘Background Reducing Salmonella infection in broiler chickens by using effective and safe alternatives to antibiotics is vital to provide safer poultry meat and minimize the emergence of drug-resistant Salmonella and the spread of salmonellosis to humans.This study was to first evaluate the protective efficacy of feeding coated essential oils and organic acids mixture(EOA)on broiler chickens infected with Salmonella Enteritidis(S.Enteritidis,SE),and then its action mechanism was further explored.Methods A total of 4801-day-old Arbor Acres male chickens were randomly assigned into five treatments with six replicates,including non-challenged control fed with basal diet(A),SE-challenged control(B),and SE-infected birds fed a basal diet with 300 mg/kg of EOA(BL),500 mg/kg of EOA(BM)and 800 mg/kg of EOA(BH),respectively.All birds on challenged groups were infected with Salmonella Enteritidis on d 13.Results Feeding EOA showed a reversed ability on negative effects caused by SE infection,as evidenced by decreasing the feed conversion rate(FCR)and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth(VH/CD)(P<0.05),obviously decreasing intestinal and internal organs Salmonella load along with increasing cecal butyric acid-producing bacteria abundance(P<0.05).Moreover,supplemental different levels of EOA notably up-regulated claudin-1(CLDN-1),occludin(OCLN),zonula occludens-1(ZO-1),mucin-2(MUC-2),fatty acid binding protein-2(FABP-2),nuclear factor kappa-light-chainenhancer of activated B cells(NF-κB),myeloid differential protein-88(MyD88)and interleukin-6(IL-6)mRNA levels in the ileum of the infected chickens after challenge,whereas down-regulated toll-like receptor-4(TLR-4)mRNA levels(P<0.05).Linear discriminant analysis combined effect size measurements analysis(LEfSe)showed that the relative abundance of g_Butyricicoccus,g_Anaerotruncus and g_unclassified_f_Bacillaceae significantly was enriched in infected birds given EOA.Also,phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states(PICRUSt)analysis showed that alpha-linolenic acid metabolism,fatty acid metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids were significantly enriched in the EOA group.Conclusion Our data suggest that the essential oils and organic acids mixture can be used as an effective strategy to ameliorate and alleviate Salmonella Enteritidis infection in broilers.
基金supported by Novus International Company (Missouri, USA)the earmarked fund for China Agricultural Research Systems (CARS-42)
文摘Background: Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens infection leads to serious economic losses in the global poultry production. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of essential oils(EO, which contained 25 % thymol and 25 % carvacrol as active components) supplementation on growth performance, gut lesions, intestinal morphology, and immune responses of the broiler chickens infected with C. perfringens. A total of448 1-day-old male broiler chicks were allocated into eight treatment groups following a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement with four dietary EO dosages(0, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg) and two infection status(with or without C. perfringens challenge from d 14 to 20).Results: The challenge did not impair the growth performance of birds, but induced gut lesions and increased crypt depth in the ileum(P ≤ 0.05). It also down-regulated the claudin-1 and occludin m RNA expression(P ≤ 0.05),up-regulated the m RNA expression of interleukin-1β(P ≤ 0.05), tended to increase the toll-like receptor(TLR)2 m RNA expression(P < 0.10) in the ileum, and enhanced the mucosal secretory Ig A production(P ≤ 0.05). In the challenged birds, dietary EO supplementation linearly alleviated the gut lesions and improved the ratio of vil us height to crypt depth(P ≤ 0.05), and the supplementation of 120 and 240 mg/kg EO increased the serum antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus(P ≤ 0.05). Regardless of challenge, the EO supplementation showed a tendency to linearly elevate the feed conversion efficiency between 14 and 28 d of age as well as the occludin m RNA expression(P < 0.10), and linearly inhibited the m RNA expression of TLR2 and tumor necrotic factor-α in the ileum(P ≤ 0.05).Conclusions: The dietary supplementation of EO could alleviate the intestinal injury by improving intestinal integrity and modulating immune responses in the C. perfringens-challenged broiler chickens.
基金The National Special Fund for Agro-Scientific Research in the Public Interest(20140304–07)the National Broiler Industry Technology Project(No.31072049)supported this study
文摘Background: The poultry industry is in need of effective antibiotic alternatives to control outbreaks of necrotic enteritis(NE) due to Clostridium perfringens.Methods: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding Bacil us coagulans on the growth performance and gut health of broiler chickens with C. perfringens-induced NE. Two hundred and forty 1-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two dietary B. coagulans levels(0 or 4 × 109 CFU/kg of diet) and two disease chal enge statuses(control or NE chal enged).Results: NE-induced reduction in body weight gain was relieved by the addition of B. coagulans into broiler diets compared with the NE-infected birds. NE infection damaged intestinal morphological structure, promoted intestinal C.perfringens growth and liver invasion, and enhanced anti-C. perfringens specific sI gA concentrations in the gut and specific IgG levels in serum compared with the uninfected birds. NE infection significantly(P < 0.05) decreased mucin-2(at 14 d post-infection(DPI), tol-like receptor 2(TLR2, at 7 and 14 DPI), TLR4(at 7 and 14 DPI), tumor necrosis factor super family15(TNFSF15, at 7 and 14 DPI), lysozyme(LYZ, at 14 DPI) and fowlicidin-2(at 7 and 14 DPI) mR NA levels, whereas it dramatical y(P = 0.001) increased IFN-γ mR NA levels at 7 DPI. However, chal enged birds fed diets supplemented with B.coagulans showed a significant(P < 0.01) decrease in gut lesion scores, decreased C. perfringens numbers in the cecum and liver, and an increase in fowlicidin-2 mR NA levels in compared with the uninfected birds. In addition, compared with the non-supplemented group, dietary inclusion of B. coagulans improved intestinal barrier structure, further increased specific sI gA levels and alkaline phosphatase(IAP) activity in the jejunum, enhanced the expression of jejunum lysozyme mR NA, and inhibited the growth, colonization, and invasion of C. perfringens; in contrast, it reduced serum-specific IgG concentrations and jejunum IFN-γ mR NA levels.Conclusion: These results indicated that dietary B. coagulans supplementation appeared to be effective in preventing the occurrence and reducing the severity of C. perfringens-induced NE in broiler chickens.
基金supported by Natural Science Foundation of China(No.3140130343)
文摘Background: Clostridium perfringens is the main etiological agent of necrotic enteritis. Lactobacil i show beneficial effects on intestinal health in infectious disease, but the protective functions of lactobacil i in C. perfringens-infected chickens are scarcely described. This study examined the effects of Lactobacil us acidophilus(L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens chal enged with Clostridium perfringens(C. perfringens) over a 28-day period. Using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, a total of 308 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were included to investigate the effects of Lactobacil us acidophilus(L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens chal enged with Clostridium perfringens(C. perfringens) during a 28-day trial.Results: During infection(d 14–21), C. perfringens challenge decreased the average daily gain(P < 0.05), and increased feed conversion ratio and the mortality rate(P < 0.05). However, dietary supplementation with L. acidophilus increased the body weight of C. perfringens-infected broilers on d 21(P < 0.05), and tended to decrease the mortality(P = 0.061).C. perfringens challenge decreased the villus height(P < 0.05), the ratio of villus height to crypt depth(P < 0.05) and OCLN(occludin) m RNA expression(P < 0.05), and increased the pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in the spleen and jejunum, the intestinal populations of C. perfringens and Escherichia(P < 0.05), and the serum content of endotoxin(P < 0.05), regardless of L. acidophilus supplementation. In contrast, dietary L. acidophilus reducedthe intestinal lesion score of challenged broilers(P < 0.05), the m RNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ileal populations of Escherichia and serum endotoxin content(P < 0.05), but increased the intestinal Lactobacillus populations(P < 0.05),irrespective of C. perfringens challenge.Conclusion: Dietary addition of L. acidophilus could improve the intestinal health and reduce the mortality of broilers suffering from necrotic enteritis.
基金supported by Novus International Company(Missouri,USA)the earmarked fund for China Agricultural Research Systems(CARS-42)
文摘Background:In the post-antibiotic era,essential oils(EO) are promising alternatives to growth-promoting antibiotics.The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activities of an EO product and its components thymol and carvacrol in vitro,and the efficacy of EO to control Clostridium perfringens challenge in broiler chickens.Results:The in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration assay showed strong antibacterial activity of the EO product,thymol,and carvacrol against pathogenic Escherichia coli,C.perfringens,and Salmonella strains,and weak activity towards beneficial Lactobacillus strains.Besides,an additive effect was observed between thymol and carvacrol.The in vivo study was carried out with 448 male broiler chicks following a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement to test the effects of EO supplementation(0,60,120,or 240 mg/kg EO in wheat-based diet),pathogen challenge(with or without oral gavage of C perfringens from day 14 to day 20) and their interactions.Each treatment consisted of eight replicate pens(seven birds/pen).The challenge led to macroscopic gut lesions,and resulted in a significant increase in ileal populations of C.perfringens and Escherichia subgroup(P< 0.05) on day 21.Dietary EO supplementation did not influence C perfringens numbers,but linearly alleviated intestinal lesions on day 21 and 28(P=0.010 and 0.036,respectively),and decreased Escherichia populations in ileum with increased EO dosages(P=0.027 and 0.071 for day 21 and 28,respectively).For caecum,EO quadratically influenced Lactobacillus populations on day 21(p=0.002),and linearly decreased the numbers of total bacteria and Escherichia on day 28(P=0.026 and 0.060,respectively).Mean thymol and carvacrol concentrations in the small intestine were 0.21 and 0.20 μg/g in intestinal digesta(wet weight),respectively,for birds fed 60 mg/kg EO,and 0.80 and 0.71 μg/g,respectively,for birds fed 240 mg/kg EO.Conclusions:These results indicated that dietary EO supplementation could affect intestinal microbiota and alleviate intestinal lesions in broilers,which may contribute in controlling C.perfringens infection in broiler chickens.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31772620)China Agricultural Research System Poultry-related Science and Technology Innovation Team of Peking(BAIC 04-2018)
文摘Background: There is growing interest in carbohydrate and protein nutrition to enhance the efficiency of animal production.Reduced-crude protein diets depress environmental pollution and feeding cost,but the challenge to their adoption is maintaining digestive function and growth performance of birds.The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of different dietary starch sources and protein levels on intestinal functionality and mucosal amino acid catabolism.Methods: Six dietary treatments,based on maize and soybean meal,were offered to 360 AA+male chicks from 6 to 35 d post-hatch as a 3 × 2 factorial array.Either waxy rice or amylose was added to a conventional maize-soy diet to provide three sources of starch with different digestion rates and relatively high and low dietary protein levels.Growth performance,parameters of intestinal functionality and concentrations of free amino acid in the portal circulation were determined.Results: In the grower phase,starch source influenced(P < 0.02) weight gain as diets containing amylose supported significantly higher weight gains than waxy rice.Significant increase of ileal ATP concentrations and Na^+/K^+-ATPase activity were found in amylose treatment.Also,amylose decreased BrdU positive cell numbers and down-regulated m RNA expression for CASP-3.GOT activity in the ileum was higher(P < 0.01) in birds offered low protein diets and there was a trend(P = 0.057) for waxy rice as a starch source to increase ileal GOT activities.There was a significant influence on the concentration of seventeen amino acids in the portal circulation with tryptophan the one exception.Waxy rice as a starch source generated 13.6% and 22.4% numerically higher concentrations of non-essential amino acids than maize and amylose,respectively.Conclusions: Amino acid catabolism in the gut mucosa is subject to nutritional regulation.Given that amino acids can be spared from catabolism in the gut mucosa by supplementation of amylose,it follows their post-enteral availability would be improved and intestinal energy would be derived more efficiently from glucose.
基金This research was funded by the National Key Research and Development Plan(No.2107YFD0500506)the National Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest(20140304–07).
文摘Background:The poultry industry is in need of effective antibiotic alternatives to control outbreaks of necrotic enteritis(NE)due to Clostridium perfringens.In the present study,we investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with a blend of encapsulated essential oils and organic acids(BLJ)on growth performance and gut health using a coinfection model of NE in broiler chickens.Methods:Two hundred and eighty-eight one-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly assigned using a 2×2 factorial design into two groups fed either 0 or 500 mg/kg dietary BLJ and co-challenged(or not challenged for the control)with Eimeria spp./C.perfringens.Results:Infected birds fed the BLJ-supplemented diet exhibited an improved feed conversion ratio throughout the trial(P<0.01),a higher villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio,and reduced intestinal C.perfringens counts,liver C.perfringens carriage,gut lesion scores and serum fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran(FITC-D)concentrations at 7 d postinfection compared with those of birds without BLJ supplementation(P<0.05).NE-infected birds fed BLJ exhibited significantly upregulated claudin-1 and IGF-2 mRNA levels(P<0.05),increased A20 mRNA expression and significantly downregulated TRAF-6,TNFSF15 and TOLLIP mRNA levels in the jejunum at 7 d post-infection compared with those in birds without BLJ supplementation(P<0.05).Compared with the uninfected and untreated birds,the uninfected birds fed BLJ displayed increased relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Coprococcus but reduced Rikenellaceae levels.Compared with the unsupplemented NE-challenged birds,infected birds fed BLJ showed an increased relative abundance of Unclassified_Lachnospiraceae and a significantly decreased relative abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae.Conclusion:BLJ supplementation improved growth performance and gut health in NE-infected broiler chickens by strengthening the intestinal barrier function,positively modulating the gut microbiota community and differentially regulating intestinal immune responses.Our results also suggested that adding BLJ effectively controlled NE infections after experimental Eimeria and Clostridium perfringens coinfection.
基金supported by the System for Poultry Production Technology,Beijing Innovation Research Team of Modern Agriculture(CARSPSTP)the National Key Technology R&D Program of China during the 12~(th) five-year plan(2012BAD39B04)
文摘Background:Highly automated cage-rearing systems are becoming increasingly popular in China.However,a high stocking density can cause oxidative stress and decrease broiler performance.The tryptophan(TRP) derivative5-hydroxytryptophan(5-HT) has been shown to preserve membrane fluidity in birds suffering from oxidative stress.Therefore,this experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary TRP supplementation on performance,breast meat quality and oxidative stress in broilers reared in cages with a high or low stocking density.Methods:Female Arbor Acres broilers(25-d-old,n=144) were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatments.The birds were fed a diet based on corn,soybean meal,cottonseed meal and corn gluten meal containing either 0.18 or 0.27%TRP and were housed with stocking densities of 11 or 15.4 birds/m2 in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment.Broiler performance was evaluated from d 25 to 42.Eight birds from each treatment were slaughtered on d 42 and plasma and breast muscle samples were collected to measure biochemical indices.Results:A higher stocking density tended to be associated with reduced weight gain(P<0.10),and significantly increased plasma glutamic-pyruvic transaminase(GPT) activity(P<0.001).Increased dietary TRP significantly reduced the activities of lactic dehydrogenase and GPT while increasing total cholesterol in the plasma(P<0.01),reducing drip loss of breast muscle(P<0.10) and improving feed efficiency(P<0.10).Conclusions:An increase in dietary TRP,1.5-fold higher than the standard supplementation level,can alleviate oxidative stress as well as improve welfare and feed efficiency in broilers reared in cages with a high stocking density.
基金funded by the China Agriculture Research System program(CARS-41-G11)。
文摘Background:Soya saponin(SS),an active compound in soybean meals,has been widely studied in the medical field.However,it was considered as an anti-nutritional factor in poultry diets.The objective of this experiment was to measure the effects of dietary SS using three dietary treatments on egg-laying performance and immune function of laying hens.Birds were fed a low soybean meal basal diet(CON),a low-SS diet(50 SS)containing 50mg/kg SS,or a high-SS diet(500 SS)containing 500 mg/kg SS for 10 weeks.At the end of the 5th and 10th week of the trial,samples were collected for analysis.Results:Results showed that with 50 mg/kg SS supplementation,the egg production rate,feed conversion ratio(FCR),and eggshell quality tended to be improved.Serum follicle stimulating hormone(FSH)and Interleukin-4(IL-4)levels were also elevated as well as the peripheral blood LPS stimulation index,the proportion of B lymphocytes,and antibody titer of bovine serum albumin(BSA).We also found that mRNA levels of follicle stimulating hormone receptor(FSHR)in ovarian,nuclear transcription factor kappa B(NF-κB),Transforming growth factor(TGF-β)and interferonγ(IFN-γ)in spleen were up-regulated at the end of the trial.Additionally,dietary 50 mg/kg SS improved the ileal flora via up-regulating the relative abundance of Lactobacillus,Romboutsia and Lactobacillus delbrueckii.Although the immune related indicators were improved with 500 mg/kg SS supplemented,it seemed to have a negative influence on the laying-performance.Specifically,serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),and the ratio of IFN-γto IL-4 were increased in the 500 SS group at the end of the trial.The m RNA levels of gonadotropin releasing hormone 1(GnRH1)in Hypothalamus,the estrogen related receptor(ERR)in ovaries were downregulated as well as the egg production rate during the trial with 500 mg/kg SS supplemented.Conclusions:The egg production performance was improved by dietary supplemented with 50 mg/kg SS via increasing ovarian FSHR transcription level and serum estrogen level.A beneficial shift in intestinal microflora was recorded,and the immune function of laying hens was also improved with 50 mg/kg SS supplementation.Surprisingly,the long-term supplementation of 500 mg/kg SS exerted a negative impact on the laying performance and physiological functions of the liver of laying hens.
基金supported by grants from the National Nonprofit Institute Research Grant (Y2020PT02)the earmarked fund for the modern agroindustry technology research system (CARS-41)+1 种基金Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program (ASTIP-IAS04ASTIP-IAS-TS-15)。
文摘Background: Improving the feed efficiency would increase profitability for producers while also reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production. This study was conducted to investigate the relationships among feed efficiency traits and metabolizable efficiency traits in 180 male broilers. Significant loci and genes affecting the metabolizable efficiency traits were explored with an imputation-based genome-wide association study. The traits measured or calculated comprised three growth traits, five feed efficiency related traits, and nine metabolizable efficiency traits.Results: The residual feed intake(RFI) showed moderate to high and positive phenotypic correlations with eight other traits measured, including average daily feed intake(ADFI), dry excreta weight(DEW), gross energy excretion(GEE), crude protein excretion(CPE), metabolizable dry matter(MDM), nitrogen corrected apparent metabolizable energy(AMEn), abdominal fat weight(Ab F), and percentage of abdominal fat(Ab P). Greater correlations were observed between growth traits and the feed conversion ratio(FCR) than RFI. In addition, the RFI, FCR, ADFI, DEW,GEE, CPE, MDM, AMEn, Ab F, and Ab P were lower in low-RFI birds than high-RFI birds(P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), whereas the coefficients of MDM and MCP of low-RFI birds were greater than those of high-RFI birds(P < 0.01). Five narrow QTLs for metabolizable efficiency traits were detected, including one 82.46-kb region for DEW and GEE on Gallus gallus chromosome(GGA) 26, one 120.13-kb region for MDM and AMEn on GGA1, one 691.25-kb region for the coefficients of MDM and AMEn on GGA5, one region for the coefficients of MDM and MCP on GGA2(103.45–103.53 Mb), and one 690.50-kb region for the coefficient of MCP on GGA14. Linkage disequilibrium(LD) analysis indicated that the five regions contained high LD blocks, as well as the genes chromosome 26 C6 orf106 homolog(C26 H6 orf106), LOC396098, SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains 2(SHANK2), ETS homologous factor(EHF), and histamine receptor H3-like(HRH3 L), which are known to be involved in the regulation of neurodevelopment, cell proliferation and differentiation, and food intake.Conclusions: Selection for low RFI significantly decreased chicken feed intake, excreta output, and abdominal fat deposition, and increased nutrient digestibility without changing the weight gain. Five novel QTL regions involved in the control of metabolizable efficiency in chickens were identified. These results, combined through nutritional and genetic approaches, should facilitate novel insights into improving feed efficiency in poultry and other species.
基金The State Key Development Program(2016YFD0501202)supported this study
文摘Background: Laying hens over 75 weeks of age commonly show great declines in immunity and production performance.It is unclear whether these declines can be relieved by supplementing with ascorbic acid(AA) in feed.Two trials were conducted to investigate the synthesis and metabolism of AA in layers of different ages and the effects of dietary supplemental AA on the performance and the immune and antioxidant statuses of 78 weeks old hens.Methods: In Exp.1,equal numbers(24 hens) of 35 weeks old(Young) and 75 weeks old(Old) layers were fed the same diet without AA supplementation for 4 weeks.In Exp.2,360 healthy 78 weeks old laying hens were randomly assigned to 4 treatments(basal diet supplemented with 0,0.25,0.5,or 1 g AA/kg diet) in an 8-week feeding trial.Results: The old hens tended to have decreased L-gulonolactone oxidase(GLO) synthase activity in the kidney and liver than that of the young hens(P = 0.07 and P = 0.05,respectively).Compared with the young hens,the old hens had lower hepatic antioxidant capacity allowing for the lower thioredoxin(TXN),thioredoxin reductase(TXNR) and cytochrome b5 reductase(CYB5 R) gene expression(P < 0.05),whereas increased sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter(SVCT) 1 expression levels in the ileum and kidney and enhanced splenic and hepatic AA concentrations(P < 0.05).Dietary supplementation with AA significantly decreased GLO enzyme activity but increased splenic AA concentration and anti-bovine serum albumin IgG levels(P < 0.05) and tended to increase CD4+T lymphocyte numbers(P = 0.06) in serum.Supplementation of 0.25 g AA/kg diet significantly increased hepatic total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC,P < 0.05) relative to the control group.Conclusions: Laying hens could synthesize AA in both the kidney and the liver,though the GLO enzyme activities were 100 times greater in kidneys than in livers.The old laying hens had greater absorption and reabsorption capacity and higher AA retention in some tissues that did the young hens.Dietary supplementation of AA can improve the health of old layers by enhancing immunity and antioxidant capacity.
基金funded by the Modern China Agricultural Research System Program(CARS-41-G11).
文摘Background:Necrotic enteritis is a widespread disease in poultry caused by Clostridium perfringens.We previously reported that dietary arginine supplementation protected the intestinal mucosa of broiler chickens with necrotic enteritis,but the related protective mechanisms remain unclear.The in vivo trial was designed as a 2×2 factorial arrangement to evaluated the effects of arginine supplementation on inflammatory responses,arginine transporters,arginine catabolism and JAK-STAT signalling pathway in broiler chickens challenged with C.perfringens or without C.perfringens.Furthermore,we validated the in vivo results using intestinal epithelial cells of chicken embryos.Results:C.perfringens infection markedly increased gut gross pathological and histopathological lesion scores,promoted liver C.perfringens invasion,reduced serum arginine levels,and elevated jejunal mucosal lysozyme activities(P<0.05),but these effects were significantly reversed by arginine supplementation in vivo(P<0.05).The challenge significantly increased serum procalcitonin levels,jejunal mucosal iNOS activities and jejunal IL-6,TGF-β3,cationic amino acid transporter(CAT)-1,and CAT-3 mRNA expression(P<0.05),whereas arginine supplementation significantly reduced jejunal IFN-γ,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-10,TGF-β3,and CAT-3 mRNA expression(P<0.05).Arginine supplementation significantly attenuated the C.perfringens challenge-induced increases in jejunal i NOS,arginase 2,arginine decarboxylase,arginine:glycine amidinotransferase,JAK1,JAK3,STAT1,and STAT6 mRNA expression(P<0.05).The in vitro experiment showed that C.perfringens challenge markedly increased cellular cytotoxicity and the mRNA expression of IL-1β,IL-8,IL-10,CAT-1 and CAT-3(P<0.05),which were significantly reversed by 50μmol/L and/or400μmol/L arginine pre-treatment(P<0.05).Conclusions:Arginine prevented C.perfringens challenge-induced circulated arginine deficiency,normalized intestinal arginine transport and catabolism,down-regulated JAK-STAT signalling pathway and attenuated the inflammatory response,which exerted protective effects on the intestine of broiler chickens.
