scholarly journals Effects of Probiotics as Antibiotics Substitutes on Growth Performance, Serum Biochemical Parameters, Intestinal Morphology, and Barrier Function of Broilers

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tengfei He ◽  
Shenfei Long ◽  
Shad Mahfuz ◽  
Di Wu ◽  
Xi Wang ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the combination of probiotics replacing antibiotics on growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, intestinal morphology, and expression of tight junction proteins in intestinal mucosa of broilers. A total of 168 Arbor Acres broilers (45.04 ± 0.92 g) were randomly divided into three treatments, with seven replicates per treatment, and eight broilers per replicate. The experiment included phases 1 (d 0 to 21) and 2 (d 21 to 42). The dietary treatments contained a corn soybean meal-based diet (control group; CON); an antibiotic group (basal diet + 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline; CTC), and a probiotics group (basal diet + probiotics (500 mg/kg in phase 1 and 300 mg/kg in phase 2; Bacillus subtilis 5 × 109 CFU/g, Bacillus licheniformis 2.5 × 1010 CFU/g and Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1 × 109 CFU/g; PB). The results showed broilers fed PB had improved (p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) in phase 1 and increased (p < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) in phase 2, as well as improved (p < 0.05) ADG and FCR overall (d 0 to 42). The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter, organic matter, gross energy, and crude protein was increased (p < 0.05) in broilers fed PB, while the ATTD of dry matter and organic matter was enhanced in broilers fed CTC compared with CON. Broilers fed PB showed increased (p < 0.05) serum total antioxidant capacity concentrations and tended to have higher (p = 0.06) level of serum immunoglobulin M in phase 1 compared with CON. These broilers also had increased (p < 0.05) level of serum immunoglobulin A in phase 2 in comparison with CON and CTC. Moreover, broilers fed CTC and PB showed increased (p = 0.05) villus height to crypt depth ratio in duodenum, as well as higher (p < 0.05) mRNA expression of zonula occludens-1 in jejunum compared with CON. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with PB as chlortetracycline substitute could improve the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum antioxidant capacity, jejunal mucosal barrier function, and intestinal morphology of broilers.

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1033-1041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Yao ◽  
Lili Wang ◽  
Wenju Zhang ◽  
Mengjian Liu ◽  
Junli Niu

AbstractBackgroundThis study was conducted to investigate the effects of Bacillus megaterium on growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, antioxidant capacity, and immune function in suckling calves.MethodsIn total, 20 1-day-old Holstein calves with similar body weight (BW) and good health condition were randomly assigned into two groups with ten replicates per group and one calf per replicate. The control group (CON group) was fed a basal diet, whereas the B. megaterium group (BM group) was fed the basal diet supplemented with 500 mg/day/head of B. megaterium (1010 CFU/g) for 28 days.ResultsThe results revealed that the BM group showed an increase in final BW, daily weight gain, and feed-to-gain ratio (p < 0.05) and a decrease in diarrhea rate. Moreover, the concentrations of serum cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein decreased (p < 0.05) in the BM group compared with the CON group at 28 days. The level of serum glutathione was higher (p < 0.05) in the BM group than that of the CON group at 14 days, whereas the level of serum malondialdehyde decreased (p < 0.01) in the BM group compared with the CON group at 28 days. In addition, compared with the CON group (p < 0.05), the concentrations of serum IgA, IgM, IgG, and IL-4 were higher, whereas the concentration of serum TNF-α decreased in the BM group at 28 days.ConclusionB. megaterium had beneficial effects on the improvement of growth performance, immune function, and intestinal oxidative status of suckling calves.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 196-197
Author(s):  
Woo Jung Seok ◽  
Je min Ahn ◽  
Jing Hu ◽  
Dexin Dang ◽  
Yanjiao Li ◽  
...  

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of coated omega-3 fatty acid (n-3 CFA) by corn cob power silica on performance of weaning pigs. A total of 200 weaned pigs [(Landrace x Yorkshire) x Duroc, average initial body weight at 6.97 ± 1.22 kg] were randomly assigned to four experimental treatments in a 6-week experiment in 3 phases as follows: CON, basal diet; 2) 0.3CFA, CON + phase 1(0.3% n-3CFA), phase 2(0.2% n-3CFA), phase 3(0.1% n-3CFA); 3) 0.6CFA, CON + phase 1(0.6% n-3CFA), phase 2(0.4% n-3CFA), phase 3(0.2% n-3CFA); 4) 0.9CFA, CON + phase 1(0.9% n-3CFA), phase 2(0.6% n-3CFA), phase 3 (0.3% n-3CFA). Each treatment had 10 replicates with 5 pigs (three gilts and two barrows) per replicate. The data were analyzed using the GLM procedure of SAS as a randomized complete block design. Pen served as the experimental unit. Linear, quadratic and cubic polynomial contrasts were used to examine effect of dietary treatment with coated n-3FA in the basal diet. Variability in the data was expressed as the standard error of means and P&lt; 0.05 was considered to statistically significant. Increasing the level of n-3CFA in the diet linearly increased ADG and G/F of pigs (Table 1). Increasing the level of n-3CFA showed a linear increment in the digestibility of DM (83.59, 84.38, 85.13, 85.89 %) whereas nitrogen digestibility (81.79, 82.38, 82.96, 83.64 %) showed a trend (linear effect, p=0.0594) at the end of experiment. The fecal lactobacillus count was increased (7.22, 7.27, 7.33, 7.35 log10cfu/g) with the increase in the supplemental level of n-3CFA (linear effect; p&lt; 0.05). However, there were no differences in the concentration of serum haptoglobin, or fecal E. coli, Clostridium and Salmonella counts despite the increase in n-3CFA levels in the diet. Supplementation of the diet with coated n-3 fatty acids positively affected growth performance and digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen, and enhanced the count of lactobacillus in weaning pigs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-105
Author(s):  
O. A. Adebiyi ◽  
T. A. Adefila ◽  
A.T. Adeshola

High cost of conventional feedstuffs has resulted to the need to exploit the diverse feed resources for improved sustainability in swine production. Hydroponic sprouts which undergo nutritional modification during the sprouting process are a good source of nutrients that could improve the performance of pigs. Hence, nutrient digestibility, performance, haematological and serum biochemical parameters of weaned pigs fed hydroponic maize fodder (HMF) and conventional basal based diets were studied. Thirty-six (36) crossbred weaned pigs were randomly allotted to three treatments with four replicates each in a completely randomized design. Treatment 1 (T1) had 50% hydroponically grown maize sprouts + 50% concentrate, Treatment 2 (T2) had 100% hydroponically grown maize sprouts and Treatment 3 (T3) had 100% basal diet (cassava peel +palm kernel cake +brewery dried grain). The experiment lasted 6 weeks. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in the apparent digestibility of nutrients, performance and blood profile of pigs across dietary treatments. T1 had higher (P<0.05) apparent crude protein digestibility (65.76%) while the lowest (55.27%) was observed in T2 with a similar trend observed for apparent crude fibre digestibility. Apparent ether extract digestibility was higher (P<0.05) in T2 (68.43%) and lowest in T3 (65.47%) while ash digestibility was (P<0.05) highest in T3 (46.08%). Significantly higher values were obtained in T3 for final weight (13.83kg), feed intake (12.79kg) and weight gain (3.83kg) while least values were observed in T2. However, T1 had the highest value for FCR (3.68kg) while comparable values were obtained for feed cost/weight gain in pigs fed T1 and T3. T1 had higher (p<0.05) RBC (5.73×10 µl), WBC (1.80×10 µl), lymphocytes (69%) and eosinophils (3.67%) values while lowest values were obtained in T2 for PCV (34.67%), RBC (5.08×10 µl) and lymphocytes (56.33%). Significant differences (P<0.05) were also observed for cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, VLDL, total protein, globulin and albumin while glucose and HDL showed no differences (P>0.05). All values obtained for haematology and serum biochemical parameters were within the normal physiological range of the animals.In conclusion, hydroponics maize fodder when combined with concentrate feed had a positive impact on nutrient digestibility and performance of pigs. Also, haematological and serum biochemical indices of pigs were not negatively affected.


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