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A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Poultry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 60659

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Gunther Antonissen

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Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Interests: gut health; fusarium mycotoxins; interaction with bacterial enteric diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Evy Goossens

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Guest Editor

Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
Interests: gut health; host-pathogen interactions; microbiome; bioinformatics; molecular biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Intestinal health is of vital importance to the performance and wellbeing of poultry. A healthy gut is based on the physiological homeostasis of different processes including nutrient digestion and absorption, host metabolism and energy generation, stable gut microbiome, mucus layer development, mucosal immune responses, and intestinal barrier function. The gastrointestinal tract is responsible for regulating this physiological homeostasis that provides the animal the ability to withstand endogenous and exogenous stressors, such as high feed intake, certain feed ingredients, specific pathogens, and toxins. Understanding the impact of different types of stressors on gut health is essential to develop new dietary and managerial strategies, new types of drugs, and innovative vaccine strategies, that will ultimately lead to enhanced feed utilization and improved growth performance of poultry.

This Special Issue aims to gather innovative research on the pathogenesis of infectious and non-infectious intestinal disease, gut health diagnostics, intestinal immunity, and studies investigating the mode of action of novel feed ingredients and feed additives to control gut health.

Prof. Dr. Gunther Antonissen
Dr. Evy Goossens
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Barrier
Dysbiosis
Enteritis
Feed
Feed additive
Gut health
Homeostasis
Immunity
Intestine
Mode of action

Published Papers (14 papers)

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12 pages, 2866 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing of Gut Microbiota in Chickens Infected with Different Virulent Newcastle Disease Virus Strains

by Lina Tong, Wen Wang, Shanhui Ren, Jianling Wang, Jie Wang, Yang Qu, Fathalrhman Eisa Addoma Adam, Zengkui Li and Xiaolong Gao

Animals 2022, 12(19), 2558; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani12192558 - 24 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1688

Abstract

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) which is pathogenic to chickens is characterized by dyspnea, diarrhea, nervous disorder and hemorrhages. However, the influence of different virulent NDV strain infection on the host gut microbiota composition is still poorly understood. In this study, twenty 21-day-old specific pathogen free (SFP) chickens were inoculated with either the velogenic Herts33 NDV strain, lentogenic La Sota NDV strain or sterile phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Subsequently, the fecal samples of each group were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing. The results showed that the gut microbiota were mainly dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria in both healthy and NDV infected chickens. NDV infection altered the structure and composition of gut microbiota. As compared to the PBS group, phylum Firmicutes were remarkably reduced, whereas Proteobacteria was significantly increased in the velogenic NDV infected group; the gut community structure had no significant differences between the lentogenic NDV infected group and the PBS group at phylum level. At genus level, Escherichia-Shigella was significantly increased in both the velogenic and lentogenic NDV infected groups, but the lactobacillus was only remarkably decreased in the velogenic NDV infected group. Collectively, different virulent strain NDV infection resulted in a different alteration of the gut microbiota in chickens, including a loss of probiotic bacteria and an expansion of some pathogenic bacteria. These results indicated that NDV strains with different virulence have different impacts on chicken gut microbiota and may provide new insights into the intestinal pathogenesis of NDV. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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18 pages, 1656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dietary Protected Butyrate Supplementation of Broilers Modulates Intestinal Tight Junction Proteins and Stimulates Endogenous Production of Short Chain Fatty Acids in the Caecum

by Gábor Mátis, Máté Mackei, Bart Boomsma, Hedvig Fébel, Katarzyna Nadolna, Łukasz Szymański, Joan E. Edwards, Zsuzsanna Neogrády and Krzysztof Kozłowski

Animals 2022, 12(15), 1940; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani12151940 - 30 Jul 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1628

Abstract

Short chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate has various beneficial effects on the gut microbiota as well as on the overall health status and metabolism of the host organism. The modulatory role of butyrate on gut barrier integrity reflected by tight junction protein expression has been already described in mammalian species. However, there is limited information available regarding chickens. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to monitor the effects of protected butyrate on claudin barrier protein and monocarboxylate transporter 1 abundance in different gastrointestinal segments of chickens as well as the growth performance of broiler chickens. The effect of protected butyrate on the caecal microbiota was monitored by quantifying the concentrations of total eubacteria and key enzymes of butyrate production. Furthermore, intestinal SCFA concentrations were also measured. Based on the data obtained, protected butyrate increased the overall performance as well as the barrier integrity of various gut segments. Protected butyrate also positively affected the SCFA concentration and composition. These findings provide valuable insight into the complex effects of protected butyrate on broiler gut health, highlighting the beneficial effects in improving intestinal barrier integrity and performance parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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17 pages, 1176 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microbiota Composition of Mucosa and Interactions between the Microbes of the Different Gut Segments Could Be a Factor to Modulate the Growth Rate of Broiler Chickens

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

Animals 2022, 12(10), 1296; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani12101296 - 18 May 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2297

Abstract

The study reported here aimed to determine whether correlations can be found between the intestinal segment-related microbiota composition and the different growing intensities of broiler chickens. The bacterial community structures of three intestinal segments (jejunum chymus—JC, jejunum mucosa—JM, caecum chymus—CC) from broiler chickens with low body weight (LBW) and high body weight (HBW) were investigated. Similar to the previous results in most cases, significant differences were found in the bacteriota diversity and composition between the different sampling places. However, fewer body weight (BW)-related differences were detected. In the JM of the HBW birds, the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio (B/F) was also higher. At the genus level significant differences were observed between the BW groups in the relative abundance of Enterococcus, mainly in the JC; Bacteroides and Ruminococcaceae UCG-010, mainly in the JM; and Ruminococcaceae UCG-013, Negativibacillus, and Alistipes in the CC. These genera and others (e.g., Parabacteroides and Fournierella in the JM; Butyricoccus, Ruminiclostridium-9, and Bilophila in the CC) showed a close correlation with BW. The co-occurrence interaction results in the JC revealed a correlation between the genera of Actinobacteria (mainly with Corynebacterium) and Firmicutes Bacilli classes with different patterns in the two BW groups. In the JM of LBW birds, two co-occurring communities were found that were not identifiable in HBW chickens and their members belonged to the families of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae. In the frame of the co-occurrence evaluation between the jejunal content and mucosa, the two genera (Trichococcus and Oligella) in the JC were found to have a significant positive correlation with other genera of the JM only in LBW chickens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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23 pages, 2738 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Dietary Sodium Butyrate and Salinomycin on Performance and Intestinal Microbiota in a Broiler Gut Leakage Model

by Mohammad Naghizadeh, Laura Klaver, Anna A. Schönherz, Sundas Rani, Tina Sørensen Dalgaard and Ricarda Margarete Engberg

Animals 2022, 12(1), 111; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani12010111 - 04 Jan 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2597

Abstract

Unfavorable alterations of the commensal gut microbiota and dysbacteriosis is a major health problem in the poultry industry. Understanding how dietary intervention alters the microbial ecology of broiler chickens is important for prevention strategies. A trial was conducted with 672 Ross 308 day-old male broilers fed a basic diet (no additives, control) or the basic diet supplemented with 500 mg/kg encapsulated butyrate or 68 mg/kg salinomycin. Enteric challenge was induced by inclusion of 50 g/kg rye in a grower diet and oral gavage of a 10 times overdose of a vaccine against coccidiosis. Compared to control and butyrate-supplemented birds, salinomycin supplementation alleviated growth depression. Compared to butyrate and non-supplemented control, salinomycin increased potentially beneficial Ruminococcaceae and reduced potentially pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae and counts of Lactobacillus salivarius and Clostridium perfringens. Further, salinomycin supplementation was accompanied by a pH decrease and succinic acid increase in ceca, while coated butyrate (0.5 g/kg) showed no or limited effects. Salinomycin alleviated growth depression and maintained intestinal homeostasis in the challenged broilers, while butyrate in the tested concentration showed limited effects. Thus, further investigations are required to identify optimal dietary inclusion rates for butyrate used as alternative to ionophore coccidiostats in broiler production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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21 pages, 3005 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bacillus Subtilis 29784 as a Feed Additive for Broilers Shifts the Intestinal Microbial Composition and Supports the Production of Hypoxanthine and Nicotinic Acid

by Pearl Choi, Lamya Rhayat, Eric Pinloche, Estelle Devillard, Ellen De Paepe, Lynn Vanhaecke, Freddy Haesebrouck, Richard Ducatelle, Filip Van Immerseel and Evy Goossens

Animals 2021, 11(5), 1335; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani11051335 - 08 May 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3384

Abstract

The probiotic Bacillus subtilis strain 29784 (Bs29784) has been shown to improve performance in broilers. In this study, we used a metabolomic and 16S rRNA gene sequencing approach to evaluate effects of Bs29874 in the broiler intestine. Nicotinic acid and hypoxanthine were key metabolites that were produced by the strain in vitro and were also found in vivo to be increased in small intestinal content of broilers fed Bs29784 as dietary additive. Both metabolites have well-described anti-inflammatory effects in the intestine. Furthermore, Bs29784 supplementation to the feed significantly altered the ileal microbiome of 13-day-old broilers, thereby increasing the abundance of genus Bacillus, while decreasing genera and OTUs belonging to the Lactobacillaceae and Enterobacteriacae families. Moreover, Bs29784 did not change the cecal microbial community structure, but specifically enriched members of the family Clostridiales VadinBB60, as well as the butyrate-producing families Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae. The abundance of various OTUs and genera belonging to these families was significantly associated with nicotinic acid levels in the cecum, suggesting a possible cross-feeding between B. subtilis strain 29784 and these beneficial microbes. Taken together, the data indicate that Bs29784 exerts its described probiotic effects through a combined action of its metabolites on both the host and its microbiome. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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12 pages, 243 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Turnip (Brassica rapa) Extract on the Growth Performance and Health of Broilers

by Reza Eghbaldost-Jadid, Mehran Nosrati, Behrouz Rasouli, Alireza Seidavi and Clive J. C. Phillips

Animals 2021, 11(3), 867; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani11030867 - 18 Mar 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2625

Abstract

There are concerns about inclusion of antibiotics in the feed of broiler chickens, because of the development of antibiotic resistance, leading to a search for alternative feed additives. Turnip extract is known to have antibacterial properties but has not been tested in the diet of broiler chickens. We allocated 200 broiler chicks to receive one of four levels of turnip extract in their water, 0, 150, 300 or 450 ppm, or a standard antibiotic, Virginiamycin, over a 42-day growing period. Although initially there were detrimental effects of providing 450 ppm, overall the 150 ppm level of supplementation increased weight gain, compared with birds given Virginiamycin, and decreased gizzard weight. Birds given 150 ppm or Virginiamycin had increased low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and reduced very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs) in their blood serum and reduced antibody responses to sheep red blood cells, compared to birds in the 450 ppm treatment. Birds given turnip extract at 450 ppm had fewer Gram-negative lactose and coliform bacteria than those provided with no turnip extract, and those provided with 150–300 ppm had the same as those provided with Virginiamycin. Turnip extract could potentially replace antibiotics included in the feed of broiler chickens for growth promotion and the control of bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal tract. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

15 pages, 1789 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Diet and Phytogenic Inclusion on the Antioxidant Capacity of the Broiler Chicken Gut

by Eirini Griela, Vasileios Paraskeuas and Konstantinos C. Mountzouris

Animals 2021, 11(3), 739; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani11030739 - 08 Mar 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2333

Abstract

The reduction in energy and protein dietary levels, whilst preserving the gut health of broilers, is warranted in modern poultry production. Phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) are purported to enhance performance and antioxidant capacity in broilers. However, few studies have assessed PFA effects on a molecular level related to antioxidant response. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of administering two dietary types differing in energy and protein levels (L: 95% and H: 100% of hybrid optimal recommendations) supplemented with or without PFA (−, +) on gene expressions relevant for antioxidant response along the broiler gut. Interactions of diet type with PFA (i.e., treatments L−, L+, H−, H+) were determined for critical antioxidant and cyto-protective genes (i.e., nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (Nrf2) pathway) and for the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the proximal gut. In particular, the overall antioxidant response along the broiler gut was increased upon reduced dietary energy and protein intake (diet type L) and consistently up-regulated by PFA addition. The study results provide a new mechanistic insight of diet and PFA functions with respect to the overall broiler gut antioxidant capacity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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15 pages, 1482 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Wheat Bran and Clostridium butyricum Supplementation on Cecal Microbiota, Short-Chain Fatty Acid Concentration, pH and Histomorphometry in Broiler Chickens

by Andor Molnár, Nikoletta Such, Valéria Farkas, László Pál, László Menyhárt, László Wágner, Ferenc Husvéth and Károly Dublecz

Animals 2020, 10(12), 2230; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani10122230 - 27 Nov 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2576

Abstract

Feed additives that can improve intestinal health and maintain a diverse and resilient intestinal microbiota of poultry are of great importance. Thus, the current study investigated the effects of a single strain butyric acid-producing Clostridium (C. butyricum) with (symbiotic) or without wheat bran supplementation on cecal microbiota composition and gut health characteristics of broiler chickens. In total, 384 male Ross 308 day-old chickens were divided into four dietary treatment groups and fed ad libitum until day 37 of life. Cecal samples were taken for Illumina sequencing and pH and short-chain fatty acid analyses, as well as for histological analysis at the end of the experimental period. Neither of the supplemented diets improved chicken growth performance. Caecum was dominated by the members of Bacteroidetes phyla followed by Firmicutes in each dietary group. At the genus level, Bacteroides, Oscillospira, Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus and Streptococcus genera exceeded 1% relative abundance. Dietary treatment influenced the relative abundance of the Akkermansia genus, which had a lower relative abundance in the C. butyricum group than in the other groups and in the symbiotic group compared to the wheat bran supplemented group. Dietary treatment also altered cecal crypt depth and had a trend to modify the cecal fermentation profile. Additive effects of wheat bran and C. butyricum supplementation were not detected. Our results suggest that Akkermansia muciniphila colonization in chicken can be influenced by diet composition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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16 pages, 3260 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reduction of Salmonella Typhimurium Cecal Colonisation and Improvement of Intestinal Health in Broilers Supplemented with Fermented Defatted ‘Alperujo’, an Olive Oil By-Product

by Agustín Rebollada-Merino, María Ugarte-Ruiz, Marta Hernández, Pedro Miguela-Villoldo, David Abad, David Rodríguez-Lázaro, Lucía de Juan, Lucas Domínguez and Antonio Rodríguez-Bertos

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1931; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani10101931 - 21 Oct 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2843

Abstract

Salmonella spp. contaminates egg and poultry meat leading to foodborne infections in humans. The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains has limited the use of antimicrobials. We aimed to determine the effects of the food supplement, fermented defatted ‘alperujo’ (FDA), a modified olive oil by-product, on Salmonella Typhimurium colonisation in broilers. One hundred and twenty 1-day-old broilers were divided into four experimental groups—two control groups and two treated groups, and challenged with S. Typhimurium at day 7 or 21. On days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 of life, duodenum and cecum tissue samples were collected for histopathological and histomorphometric studies. Additionally, cecum content was collected for Salmonella spp. detection by culture and qPCR, and for metagenomic analysis. Our results showed a significant reduction of Salmonella spp. in the cecum of 42-day-old broilers, suggesting that fermented defatted ‘alperujo’ limits Salmonella Typhimurium colonization in that cecum and may contribute to diminishing the risk of carcass contamination at the time of slaughter. The improvement of the mucosal integrity, observed histologically and morphometrically, may contribute to enhancing intestinal health and to limiting Salmonella spp. colonisation in the host, mitigating production losses. These results could provide evidence that FDA would contribute to prophylactic and therapeutic measures to reduce salmonellosis prevalence in poultry farms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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21 pages, 3436 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Coarse or Extruded Oat Hulls on Growth Performance, Blood Biochemical Parameters, Ceca Microbiota and Short Chain Fatty Acids in Broiler Chickens

by Deborah Adewole

Animals 2020, 10(8), 1429; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani10081429 - 15 Aug 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3100

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with coarse or extruded oat hulls on growth performance, blood biochemistry, cecal microbiota, and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in broiler chickens. Chickens were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments consisting of a corn-wheat-soybean meal-based diet (Basal), Basal + Bacitracin methylenedisalicylate (BMD), Basal +3% coarse OH (COH), and basal +3% extruded OH (EOH). Feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded weekly. On day 36, eight chickens/treatment were euthanized, blood samples were collected, and organ weights were determined. Cecal digesta samples were collected for the determination of SCFA concentration and microbial DNA sequence. Data were subjected to ANOVA using the mixed procedure of SAS. Alpha diversity was estimated with the Shannon index, and the significance of diversity differences was tested with ANOVA. Birds fed COH and EOH had reduced (p < 0.05) BWG, but there was no effect of treatment on FCR. There was a significant increase (p = 0.0050) in relative gizzard empty weight among birds that were fed COH, compared to the other treatments. Dietary treatments had no effect on blood biochemical parameters and SCFA concentration. Cecal microbial composition of chickens was mostly comprised of Firmicutes and Tenericutes. Seven OTUs that were differentially abundant among treatments were identified. In conclusion, supplementation of broiler chickens’ diets with 3% COH or EOH did not affect the FCR, blood biochemical parameters and SCFA concentration, but modified few cecal microbiota at the species level. Dietary supplementation with COH but not EOH significantly increased the relative gizzard weight. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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15 pages, 2883 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of the Impacts of Antibiotic Exposure on the Diversity of the Gut Microbiota in Chicks

by Abdelmotaleb A. Elokil, Khaled F.M. Abouelezz, Hafiz I. Ahmad, Yuanhu Pan and Shijun Li

Animals 2020, 10(5), 896; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani10050896 - 21 May 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3973

Abstract

The dynamic microbiota in chickens can be affected by exposure to antibiotics, which may alter the composition and substrate availability of functional pathways. Here, 120 Jing Hong chicks at 30 days of age were randomly divided into four treatments totaling seven experimental groups: control chicks not exposed to antibiotics; and chicks exposed to enrofloxacin, diclazuril, and their mixture at 1:1 for 14 days and then not exposed for a withdrawal period of 15 days. Fecal samples were collected from the 7 groups at 8 time-points (exposure to 4 antibiotics and 4 withdrawal periods) to perform in-depth 16S rRNA sequencing of the gut microbiota. Taxon-independent analysis showed that the groups had significantly distinct microbial compositions (p < 0.01). Based on the microbial composition, as compared with the control group, the abundances of the phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Thermi, and Verrucomicrobia, as well as the families Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, S24-7, and Corynebacterium, were decreased in the antibiotic-exposed chicks (p < 0.01). Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) analyses revealed significant differences in microbiota metabolite pathways due to the genera of the antibiotic-responsive microbes (p < 0.01), especially the pathways relating to cell growth and death, immune system diseases, carbohydrate metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism. Oral treatment with enrofloxacin, diclazuril, and their mixture modified the gut microbiota composition and the microbial metabolic profiles in chickens, with persistent effects (during the withdrawal period) that prevented the return to the original community and led to the formation of a new community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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Review

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24 pages, 8689 KiB

Open AccessReview

Overview of the Use of Probiotics in Poultry Production

by Katarzyna Krysiak, Damian Konkol and Mariusz Korczyński

Animals 2021, 11(6), 1620; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani11061620 - 31 May 2021

Cited by 59 | Viewed by 11676

Abstract

In recent years, probiotics have become more popular in the world of dietary supplements and feed additives within the poultry industry, acting as antibiotic substitutes. Above all, probiotics are universal feed additives that can be used in conjunction with other additives to promote improved performance and health. Their positive effects can be observed directly in the gastrointestinal tract and indirectly in immunomodulation of the poultry immune system. Nutritional effects seen in flocks given probiotics include increased laying and egg quality, increased daily increments, and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR). There has also been an improvement in the quality of meat. This suggests producers can improve production results through the use of probiotics. In addition to these production effects, bird immunity is improved by allowing the organism to better protect itself against pathogens and stress. The lack of accuracy in the formulation of non-European preparations needs to be further developed due to unknown interactions between probiotic bacteria strains as well as their metabolites. The versatility of probiotics and the fact that the bacteria used in their production are an integral part of animal digestive tracts make them a safe feed additives. Despite restrictions from the European Union, probiotics have potential to improve production and health within the poultry industry and beyond. The following article will review the use of probiotics in poultry production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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18 pages, 332 KiB

Open AccessReview

Probiotics (Direct-Fed Microbials) in Poultry Nutrition and Their Effects on Nutrient Utilization, Growth and Laying Performance, and Gut Health: A Systematic Review

by Rajesh Jha, Razib Das, Sophia Oak and Pravin Mishra

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1863; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani10101863 - 13 Oct 2020

Cited by 145 | Viewed by 14822

Abstract

Probiotics are live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits to the host. The use of probiotics in poultry has increased steadily over the years due to higher demand for antibiotic-free poultry. The objective of this systematic review is to present and evaluate the effects of probiotics on the nutrient utilization, growth and laying performance, gut histomorphology, immunity, and gut microbiota of poultry. An electronic search was conducted using relevant keywords to include papers pertinent to the topic. Seventeen commonly used probiotic species were critically assessed for their roles in the performance and gut health of poultry under existing commercial production conditions. The results showed that probiotic supplementation could have the following effects: (1) modification of the intestinal microbiota, (2) stimulation of the immune system, (3) reduction in inflammatory reactions, (4) prevention of pathogen colonization, (5) enhancement of growth performance, (6) alteration of the ileal digestibility and total tract apparent digestibility coefficient, and (7) decrease in ammonia and urea excretion. Thus, probiotics can serve as a potential alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production. However, factors such as the intestinal health condition of birds, the probiotic inclusion level; and the incubation conditions, feedstuff, and water quality offered to birds may affect the outcome. This systematic review provides a summary of the use of probiotics in poultry production, as well as the potential role of probiotics in the nutrient utilization, growth and laying performance, and gut health of poultry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

Other

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11 pages, 416 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Role of JAK-STAT Pathway in Broiler Chicks Fed with Chestnut Tannins

by Annah Lee, Gabriela Cardoso Dal Pont, Michele Battaglia, Ryan J. Arsenault and Michael H. Kogut

Animals 2021, 11(2), 337; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani11020337 - 29 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2093

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify the phosphorylation events associated with host immunity with the inclusion of chestnut tannins (ChT) in the diet. A total of 200 male day-of-hatch Cobb 500 chicks were randomly assigned to two treatment groups, totaling 50 chicks per pen per experiment (this study was repeated two times). The treatments were as follows: (1) control feed—normal starter feed (n = 50), and (2) 1% ChT inclusion feed (n = 50). The ceca were collected on each necropsy day for analysis via (1) a peptide array to provide tissue immunometabolism information from the host, and (2) quantitative PCR for mRNA expression. Of the top three immune pathways, the data identified the T-cell receptor signaling pathway, the chemokine signaling pathway, and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. The results showed significantly altered phosphorylation of JAK and STAT peptides within the JAK-STAT pathway. These results support the mRNA expression data with the upregulated IL-6 response, due to the significant phosphorylation of IL6ST, JAK, and STAT peptides. In regard to immune modulation, ChT appear to influence host immunity via an IL-6 mediated response which could be beneficial in host defenses against pathogens at the early stages of broiler growth and development. Therefore, it is suggested that the role of the JAK-STAT pathway is altered by including ChT in the diet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Health in Poultry)

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