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Effects of Alternative Feeds and Dietary Additives on Poultry Growth, Immune Function and Gut Health

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A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2023) | Viewed by 13811

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Prof. Dr. Károly Dublecz

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Guest Editor

Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Physiology, Institute of Physiology and Nutrition, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Godollo, Hungary
Interests: broiler nutrition; protein and energy evaluation of poultry feeds; soluble fiber; feed additives; gut health; ammonia emission

Prof. Dr. Lidija Peric

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: poultry nutrition; feed additives; feedstuffs; gut morphology; housing systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past year, the prices of feedstuffs have increased tremendously. Poultry feed cost comprises about 70% of their production cost, and fluctuations in raw material prices affect costs significantly, resulting in loss of profitability to producers. All over the world, cheaper, locally available alternative feeds derived from industrial byproducts could improve the present situation. Alternative feeds include not only cheap byproducts, but also cereal grains or legume seeds with high abiotic stress resistance. These feedstuffs usually contain more fibre, antinutritive compounds and more variation in their nutrient content, resulting in lower digestibility and worse feed conversion. Although these alternative sources are being used at small, safe ratios, we do not really know their maximal inclusion rates and their effects on gut health and the gut-associated immune system. Alternative feeds can modify not only digestibility and production traits, but also the microbiota of the small intestine and caeca. Therefore, holistic knowledge is needed to evaluate byproduct-based poultry diets and to give support for the industry with alternative solutions.

Adding next-generation exogenous enzymes, protease and carbohydrase, to poultry diets is cost-effective and efficient way to increase the digestibility of amino acids, fats, starch and nonstarch polysaccharides. The evaluation of soluble and insoluble fibre fractions of diets and understanding their complex effects is also important. Furthermore, pro- and prebiotics could help in stabilising gut health. The impacts of feed-manufacturing technologies (grinding procedure, particle size, heat treatment, etc.) advised for certain byproducts are also an interesting, albeit understudied, research area.

In this Special Issue, new research on the abovementioned research fields is welcome. Economic evaluations could also be taken into account. Moreover, studies evaluating potential gaps in production traits and methods to overcome such shortcomings are also of interest, as well as comprehensive review articles.

We invite you to submit papers, with the aim of helping feed manufacturing companies and poultry farmers to overcome the difficult challenges posed by rising feed costs.

Prof. Dr. Károly Dublecz
Prof. Dr. Lidija Peric
Guest Editors

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Keywords

alternative feedstuffs
additives
poultry
digestibility
immune system
gut health
exogenous enzymes
feed manufacture technology

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 3566 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Effects of Cyclic Heat Stress, Dietary Induced Oxidative Stress and Different Levels of Antioxidant on Gut Fermentation Activity and Mucosal Morphology in Broiler Chickens

by Vida Rezar, Manca Pečjak Pal, Jakob Leskovec, Alenka Levart, Janez Salobir, Andrej Lavrenčič, Milka Vrecl and Tatjana Pirman

Agriculture 2024, 14(1), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14010064 - 28 Dec 2023

Viewed by 957

Abstract

The gastrointestinal tract of broilers is susceptible to oxidative stress induced by heat stress (HS) and diet, which can be mitigated by the supply of exogenous vitamins and antioxidants. The aim of this study was to compare the extent of the effects of cyclic HS, and high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (HP) on gut health. It also aimed to investigate whether additional supplementation with vitamins E, C and selenium (HA) is required to support gut health under these conditions. In the present study, 192 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly divided into eight experimental groups. Exposure to HS and HP significantly (p < 0.001) decreased villus height and villus-to-crypt ratio in the duodenum, while no differences were observed in the jejunum and ileum. In addition, oxidative stress in the liver, indicated by increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, was increased in the HP groups (p < 0.0001), while the HA groups had a positive effect on lowering MDA levels. The results confirm that cyclic HS and HP induce oxidative stress that damages the structure of intestinal morphology and that supplementation with HA could be a potential approach to mitigate the negative effects of these stressors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Alternative Feeds and Dietary Additives on Poultry Growth, Immune Function and Gut Health)

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10 pages, 280 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Humic Substances on the Meat Quality in the Fattening of Farm Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)

by Branislav Gálik, Cyril Hrnčár, Martin Gašparovič, Michal Rolinec, Ondrej Hanušovský, Miroslav Juráček, Milan Šimko, Luboš Zábranský and Anton Kovacik

Agriculture 2023, 13(2), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13020295 - 26 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1221

Abstract

Background: The effects of humic substances (HSs) on the carcass characteristics and meat quality traits of breast and thigh muscles were studied. Methods: In total, 200 pheasants were allocated to 4 treatments, each containing 50 birds. The control birds were fed a diet without additives (0% HS); the other treatment birds were fed diets containing HSs at 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0% from 1 to 90 days of age. At the end of the experiment, several carcass characteristics were measured and breast and thigh muscle samples were taken to determine the composition of several nutrients by standard laboratory methods and procedures. Results: The carcass weights of both males and females increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the 0.50 HS and 0.75 HS groups after supplementation with HSs. The same effect of humic substances in the 0.50 and 0.75 HS groups was found in the weight of breast and thighs (p < 0.05). Significantly (p < 0.05), the highest carcass yield in males and females was found in the 0.50 HS group. Conclusions: Feeding with a diet containing HSs can have a beneficial influence on the carcass parameters, decrease the crude fat content in the meat and change the profile of bioactive fatty acids in the breast and thigh muscles of broiler pheasants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Alternative Feeds and Dietary Additives on Poultry Growth, Immune Function and Gut Health)

18 pages, 1720 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Barley- and Oat-Based Diets on Some Gut Parameters and Microbiota Composition of the Small Intestine and Ceca of Broiler Chicken

by Mohamed Ali Rawash, Valéria Farkas, Nikoletta Such, Ákos Mezőlaki, László Menyhárt, László Pál, Gábor Csitári and Károly Dublecz

Agriculture 2023, 13(1), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13010169 - 9 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1646

Abstract

Barley and oats can be alternatives of corn and wheat in poultry nutrition and used at higher inclusion rates. Both cereals contain hulls, a structural fiber source, that can be beneficial for the gizzard function of birds. They also contain high amounts of β-glucans, of which about 60–70% is water soluble. Soluble β-glucans increase gut viscosity, impair digestion, and modify gut microbiota. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effects of feeding oats and barley at high inclusion rates and with exogenous glucanase on some relevant gut parameters and the microbiota composition of jejunum content (JC), jejunum mucosa (JM), and cecal content (CC). A total of 360 male, Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated randomly into three treatment groups of 5 replicate pens with 24 chickens. Beside a corn and soybean meal-based control diet (C), a barley (B)- and oat (O)-based treatment was used. In all feeding phases, barley was fed at 40, while oats at 20% inclusion rate. At day 40, 10 birds per treatment were slaughtered and gut viscosity, the cecal short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration, and the microbiota composition of the different gut parts determined. In spite of the glucanase enzyme addition, the barley-based diet significantly increased the viscosity of the ileal content and this was also the diversity of the bacteriota in the small intestine. On the other hand, this treatment decreased the microbial diversity in the ceca and resulted in lower SCFA contents. Barley increased the abundance of the phyla Bacteroidetes and decreased that of Firmicutes and some of them genera in the JC and CC. Oats had only a slight effect on the measured parameters. The results highlight the importance of also taking into account the soluble fiber fractions of the feedstuffs in diet formulation and to adapt the exogenous enzyme supplementation of to the actual soluble fiber contents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Alternative Feeds and Dietary Additives on Poultry Growth, Immune Function and Gut Health)

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12 pages, 292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Chestnut Tannins and Vitamin E Supplementation to Linseed Oil-Enriched Diets on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Intestinal Morphology of Broiler Chickens

by Lidija Perić, Dragan Žikić, Mirjana Đukić Stojčić, Vladimir Tomović, Jakob Leskovec, Alenka Levart, Janez Salobir, Zdenko Kanački and Vida Rezar

Agriculture 2022, 12(11), 1772; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12111772 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1836

Abstract

The objective of this study was to establish the effects of chestnut tannin extract or vitamin E added to linseed oil-enriched diets on growth performance, meat quality, and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 240 day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were included in trial. 5% of cold-pressed linseed oil was included in finisher diets (21–40 days), and three feeding treatments with four replicates were formed: finisher without additives; finisher + 200 IU vitamin E/kg; finisher + 500 mg/kg of chestnut wood tannin extract. No significant influence of treatments was established on body weight or feed conversion ratio. A negative effect on feed intake (p < 0.05) was found in the vitamin E group. The addition of vitamin E increased the dressing percentage (p < 0.05) and increased the breast meat yield (p < 0.01) compared to the control group. No significant effects were found on the water holding capacity or pH of breast meat. The highest level of AST (p < 0.01) and ALT (p < 0.05) was recorded in vitamin E group. The addition of chestnut tannin extract in feed increased villus height, villus height: crypt depth ratio, and villus area compared to the other two groups (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that vitamin E supplementation improves carcass percentage and breast meat yield, while chestnut tannins improve the intestinal morphology of broiler chickens when added to oil-enriched diets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Alternative Feeds and Dietary Additives on Poultry Growth, Immune Function and Gut Health)

19 pages, 349 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Dietary Mixture Enriched in Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Probiotic on Performance, Biochemical Response, Breast Meat Fatty Acids, and Lipid Indices in Broiler Chickens

by Anca Gheorghe, Mihaela Habeanu, Georgeta Ciurescu, Nicoleta Aurelia Lefter, Mariana Ropota, Ioan Custura and Minodora Tudorache

Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1120; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081120 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1880

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of a dietary mixture based on extruded linseed and pea (ELP; 20:80 w/w) and probiotics (L. acidophilus) on the performance, biochemical responses, breast muscle fatty acids (FA) profile, and lipid indices in broiler chickens. A total of 480 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were assigned into four groups in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two levels of ELP (0% and 30%) at the expense of soybean meal, corn, and vegetable oil and two levels of probiotic (0 and 20 g ton⁻¹ feed). There were no effects of ELP diet or probiotic supplementation on performance and carcass traits. Feeding the ELP diet increased plasma total protein, urea nitrogen (PUN), and creatinine (Cre) levels with no changes in the PUN/Cre ratio. A probiotic addition lowered the total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and the TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios. The ELP diet improved the breast muscle FA profile by lowering total saturated FA (SFA) and increasing total polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), omega-3 (n-3), unsaturated FA (UFA), PUFA/SFA, and UFA/SFA ratios. Probiotics increased total PUFA, omega-6 (n-6) and decreased the n-6/n-3 ratio, total UFA, and UFA/SFA ratio. Dietary treatment interaction exhibited a synergistic effect for total PUFA and an antagonistic effect for n-3 PUFA and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in breast muscle. Probiotics reduced some lipid indices (PUFA/SFA ratio, desirable FA and nutritive value index) only when ELP0 was fed. In conclusion, based on these results, using ELP30 alone in broiler diets is recommended to improve meat’s nutritional value for consumers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Alternative Feeds and Dietary Additives on Poultry Growth, Immune Function and Gut Health)

11 pages, 286 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Marine Algae (Spirulina platensis) and Toxin Binder Powders in the Diets of Broiler Chickens Exposed to Aflatoxin-B1: Growth Performance, Humoral Immune Response and Cecal Microbiota

by Mostafa Feshanghchi, Payam Baghban-Kanani, Bahman Kashefi-Motlagh, Fariba Adib, Saba Azimi-Youvalari, Babak Hosseintabar-Ghasemabad, Marina Slozhenkina, Ivan Gorlov, Márcio G. Zangeronimo, Ayman A. Swelum, Alireza Seidavi, Rifat U. Khan, Marco Ragni, Vito Laudadio and Vincenzo Tufarelli

Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 805; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060805 - 2 Jun 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2912

Abstract

This research was performed to investigate the effects of milk thistle (MT), toxin binder (TB) and marine algae (Spirulina platensis; SP) on the performance, blood indices, humoral immunity and cecal microbiota of broiler chickens exposed to aflatoxin-B₁ (AFB1). A total of 300 one-day-old male chicks were equally divided into five treatments, with six replicates with 10 birds per treatment. Dietary treatments included: (T₁) a control diet (without any feed additive or AFB1); (T₂) control diet + 0.6 mg AFB₁/kg; (T₃) T₂ + 10 g/kg MT; (T₄) T₂ + 1 g/kg TB; and (T₅) T₂ + 10 g/kg SP. BWG and FI were found to be considerably reduced in broilers given AFB1-contaminated diets (p < 0.05). The FCR was negatively influenced in birds fed AFB1-contaminated diets (p < 0.05). MT, TB, and SP powders also reduced the deleterious effects of AFB1 on the growth of chickens (p < 0.05). In comparison with the control birds and the other treatments, broilers given AFB1-contaminated diets had a higher relative weight of abdominal fat (p < 0.05). The feeding of AFB1 resulted in a substantial rise in AST and ALT activity (p < 0.05). MT, TB, and SP powders significantly decreased blood AST and ALT activity in broilers (p < 0.05). The AFB1 and MT groups had the lowest skin thickness (p < 0.05) twenty-four hours after injection. The phytohemagglutinin injection results showed that the TB and SP were more efficient than the other additives in removing toxins from the feed sources (p < 0.05). The antibody titer against sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) was lower in the AFB1 group compared to the control group at 28 days of age (p < 0.05). When comparing AFB1-fed chicks to the control treatment, there was a significant (p < 0.05) concentration of cecal Coliform bacteria. When MT, TB, and SP powders were added to AFB1-contaminated diet, cecal Coliforms were decreased (p < 0.05). When fed AFB1-contaminated diets, it can be concluded that MT, TB, and SP are suitable for supporting growth performance, immunological function, and the serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Alternative Feeds and Dietary Additives on Poultry Growth, Immune Function and Gut Health)

12 pages, 3355 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphological Modulation of Broiler Organs in Response to an Organic Acid–Phytogen Composite in Healthy Broilers

by Muhammad Zeeshan, Hafsa Zaneb, Saima Masood, Saima Ashraf, Imad Khan, Hafiz Faseeh Ur Rehman, Salahud Din and Khizar Hayat

Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 791; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060791 - 30 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1757

Abstract

In this study, we investigated broiler growth traits, intestinal health and immune aggregates in response to supplementation of Origanum vulgare and Cinnamomum verum, citric acid and malic acid in drinking water at varying levels and durations on broiler. We randomly allocated 140 day-old broilers into four (4) groups, with each group having seven replicates (n = 5). A basal diet and water were provided to all the groups ad libitum in accordance with standard farming practices. Keeping group I as the control, group II was supplemented with 1 mL/3.3 L of water for 1–4 days, 1 mL/4 L from 15–18 days and 1 mL/4 L water from 26–29 days. Group III and IV were supplemented with 1 mL/4 L of water and 1 mL/6 L of water for 35 days, respectively. After the completion of the trial (day 35), two broilers per replicate (14 birds per group) were slaughtered to sample the visceral organs. The results demonstrated that the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and body weight gain improved (p ≤ 0.05) during the fourth and fifth week of the trial in group III in comparison to the control group. Although the small intestine villus height and villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio improved (p ≤ 0.05) in group III, the muscularis externa thickness of the ileum was highest (p ≤ 0.05) in the control group. Similarly, the lymphatic follicular and nodular area of the immune organs improved (p ≤ 0.05) in group III. In all segments of the small intestine (duodenal, jejunal and ileal), the number of acidic and total goblet cells was highest (p ≤ 0.05) in group II. In conclusion, dietary Origanum vulgare, Cinnamomum verum, citric acid and malic acid at the dose of 1 mL/4 L of drinking water (group III) was the most effective in improving the growth performance, gut development and associated immune components in broilers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Alternative Feeds and Dietary Additives on Poultry Growth, Immune Function and Gut Health)

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