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Objective Yellow Korean native chicken (KNC-Y) is one of the five pure Korean indigenous chicken breeds that were restored through a government project in 1992. KNC-Y is recognized for its superior egg production performance compared to other KNC lines. In this study, we performed runs of homozygosity (ROH) analysis to discover selection signatures associated with egg production traits in the KNC-Y population. Methods A total of 675 DNA samples from KNC-Y were genotyped to generate single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data using custom 60K Affymetrix SNP chips. ROH analysis was performed using PLINK software, with predefined parameters set for the analysis. The threshold of ROH island was defined as the top 1% frequency of SNPs withing the ROH among the population. Results In the KNC-Y population, a total of 29,958 runs of homozygosity (ROH) fragments were identified. The average total length of ROH was 120.84 Mb, with each ROH fragment having an average length of 2.71 Mb. The calculated ROH-based inbreeding coefficient (FROH) was 0.13. Furthermore, we revealed the presence of ROH islands on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 11. Within the identified regions, a total of 111 genes were annotated, and among them were genes related to economic traits, including PRMT3, ANO5, HDAC4, LSS, PLA2G4A, and PTGS2. Most of the overlapping quantitative trait locus regions with ROH islands were found to be associated with production traits. Conclusion This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of ROH in the KNC-Y population. Notably, among the findings, the PTGS2 gene is believed to play a crucial role in influencing the laying performance of KNC-Y.

The impact of dietary non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) on performance and carcass traits of broilers fed wheat-bran substituted into corn-soybean meal-based diets supplemented with xylanase was investigated. A total of 280 (7-day-old) Ross 308 broilers were randomly allotted to one of five dietary treatments with 8 replicates, 7 chicks per pen. Treatments were; i) CON: Control diet, ii) CON-X (CON + 3,000 U/kg xylanase), iii) L-X: low NSP (2% wheat bran in CON + 3,000 U/kg xylanase), iv) M-X: medium NSP (4% wheat bran in CON + 3,000 U/kg xylanase), v) H-X: higher NSP (8% wheat bran in CON+ 3,000 U/kg xylanase). Birds fed the H-X diet increased (p < 0.05) daily gains, and average daily feed intake and had marginally improved body weights (p = 0.074) on day 35. Relatively, the H-X diet tended to increase the average daily gains (p = 0.053; p = 0.073) of birds during the grower phase (d 24–35) and the entire experimental period (d 8–35), respectively. Moreover, there were no significant differences among treatments in the feed conversion ratio of birds throughout the entire experiment period. Birds fed diets CON-X, L-X, and M-X had improved (p < 0.05) the ileal digestibility of energy on d 24 and 35 compared to those fed the H-X diet. Furthermore, birds fed diet CON-X improved (p < 0.05) N digestibility on d 24. Improved carcass moisture content and lowered crude fat of leg meat (p < 0.05) were noted in birds fed the diet M-X and H-X on d 35, respectively. The intestinal viscosity was reduced (p < 0.05) in xylanase-supplemented treatments CON-X, L-X, M-X, and H-X diets when compared to CON. Our results suggest that supplementing 3,000 U/kg xylanase in a higher NSP (8% wheat bran substituted level) diet could improve the intestinal viscosity and growth performance of broilers.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Bacillus-based probiotics supplemented at two different levels to modulate the productive performance, egg quality, tibia traits, and specific cecal bacteria counts of Hy-Line Brown layers from 25 to 37 weeks of age. Methods A total of 216 twenty-five-week-old hens were randomly distributed into 3 experimental diets with 12 replicates of 6 birds per cage. Diets included basal diet supplemented with 0 (CON), 3×108 (PRO1), or 3×109 (PRO2) colony-forming unit (CFU) of the test probiotic containing Bacillus subtilis PB6, Bacillus subtilis FXA, and Bacillus licheniformis G3 per kilogram of feed. Results Improved egg weights and mass at 29 weeks; and feed intake at 31 weeks (p

Duck meat is recognized as a healthier poultry product that contains higher amounts of unsaturated and essential fatty acids, iron, and excellent amounts of protein. It has been found to possess the ability to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and subsequently, blood pressure in the human body; and improve the immunity system. The current study investigated the appropriate bedding depths of rice hulls as a preferred bedding material by evaluating the growth performance and carcass traits of White Pekin ducks raised for 42 days. A total of 288 one-day-old White Pekin ducklings were randomly allotted to floor cages with one of four bedding depths at 4 cm, 8 cm, 12 cm, and 16 cm. Ducklings were fed standard duck starter (days 1–21) and finisher (days 22–42) diets. The birds were stocked at a rate of 6 birds/m2 with 6 replicates per treatment. Growth performance evaluation for the body weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake were measured to calculate the weekly feed conversion ratio. Breast, leg, and carcass yield were assessed as carcass traits. The muscle color and proximate composition were also analyzed for meat quality. Footpad dermatitis was also evaluated on day 42. Ducks reared on 16 cm bedding depth over the 42 days recorded higher (p < 0.05) body weight, average daily, average daily feed intake, and improved feed conversion ratios compared to other groups. The crude fat in breast meat also lowered (p < 0.05) in ducks reared at 16 cm (1.02%) when compared to ducks raised at 4 cm bedding depth (2.11%). Our results showed improved redness (p < 0.05) when the depth of bedding materials was elevated. Except for the breast meat fat, the dissimilar bedding depths did not affect (p < 0.05) the breast and leg meat composition, footpad dermatitis, and mortality for the current study. In conclusion, this study indicated that the bedding depths would directly or indirectly affect the growth performance and meat color of White Pekin ducks; and the bedding depth of rice hulls at 16 cm improved the growth performance of White Pekin ducks for 42 days.

Abstract Background The poultry industry encounters a number of factors that affect growth performance and productivity; nutrition is essential for sustaining physiological status and protecting against stressors such as heat, density, and disease. The addition of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to the diet can help restore productivity and support the body’s defense mechanisms against stress. Methionine (Met) is indispensable for poultry’s energy metabolism, physiology, performance, and feed utilization capacity. Through this study, we aimed to examine the physiological effects of methionine supplementation on poultry as well as alterations of intestinal microbiome. Methods We utilized the DL- and L- form of methionine on Caenorhabditis elegans and the FIMM (Fermentor for intestine microbiota model) in-vitro digesting system. A genomic-analysis of the transcriptome confirmed that methionine supplementation can modulate growth-related physiological metabolic pathways and immune responses in the host poultry. The C. elegans model was used to assess the general health benefits of a methionine supplement for the host. Results Regardless of the type or concentration of methionine, supplementation with methionine significantly increased the lifespan of C. elegans. Feed grade L-Methionine 95%, exhibited the highest lifespan performance in C. elegans. Methionine supplementation increased the expression of tight junction genes in the primary intestinal cells of both broiler and laying hens, which is directly related to immunity. Feed grade L-Methionine 95% performed similarly or even better than DL-Methionine or L-Methionine treatments with upper doses in terms of enhancing intestinal integrity. In vitro microbial cultures of healthy broilers and laying hens fed methionine revealed changes in intestinal microflora, including increased Clostridium, Bacteroides, and Oscillospira compositions. When laying hens were given feed grade L-Methionine 95% and 100%, pathogenic Campylobacter at the genus level was decreased, while commensal bacteria were increased. Conclusions Supplementation of feed grade L-Methionine, particularly L-Methionine 95%, was more beneficial to the host poultry than supplementing other source of methionine for maintaining intestinal integrity and healthy microbiome.

Objective Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) maintains intestinal homeostasis by detoxifying bacterial endotoxins and regulating gut microbiota, and lipid absorption. Antibiotics administered to animals can cause gut dysbiosis and barrier disruption affecting animal health. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate the role of IAP in the intestinal environment in dysbiosis. Methods Young male mice aged 9 weeks were administered a high dose of antibiotics to induce dysbiosis. They were then sacrificed after 4 weeks to collect the serum and intestinal organs. The IAP activity in the ileum and the level of cytokines in the serum samples were measured. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of RNA from the intestinal samples was performed using primers for tight junction proteins (TJPs) and proinflammatory cytokines. The relative intensity of IAP and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in intestinal samples was evaluated by western blotting. Results The IAP activity was significantly lower in the ileum samples of the dysbiosis-induced group compared to the control. The interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were significantly higher in the ileum samples of the dysbiosis-induced group. The RNA expression levels of TJP2, claudin-3, and claudin-11 showed significantly lower values in the intestinal samples from the dysbiosis-induced mice. Results from western blotting revealed that the intensity of IAP expression was significantly lower in the ileum samples of the dysbiosis-induced group, while the intensity of TLR4 expression was significantly higher compared to that of the control group without dysbiosis. Conclusion The IAP activity and relative mRNA expression of the TJPs decreased, while the levels of proinflammatory cytokines increased, which can affect intestinal integrity and the function of the intestinal epithelial cells. This suggests that IAP is involved in mediating the intestinal environment in dysbiosis induced by antibiotics and is an enzyme that can potentially be used to maintain the intestinal environment in animal health care.

The effect of different commercially available bedding materials on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of ducks for 42 days was investigated. 336 one-day-old White-Pekin ducklings (60.48 ± 0.16 g) were randomly allocated into 24-floor pens with one of the three beddings namely i) coco peat, ii) rice husks, or iii) sawdust. 14 ducklings per pen and 8 replicate pens per bedding material were used. Birds were fed a starter diet from days 1–21 and a grower diet from days 22–42. Weekly growth performance evaluation was conducted for the average body weight, weight gains, daily feed intake, and feed conversion efficiency. One bird per pen was sacrificed on day 42 for the evaluation of carcass characteristics including the carcass, breast, and leg muscle percentages. Breast and leg muscle samples were then collected and analyzed for their proximate and pH values. Higher body weights (p < 0.05) were noticed with rice husks on day 42 only. Improved daily gains (p < 0.05) were also noticed for birds raised with rice husks over the entire period (days 1–42). Concerning feed intake, higher values (p < 0.05) were similarly noted with rice husks for the grower phase (days 22–42), and the entire experimental period (days 1–42). Marginally improved feed intake values were also noted with the use of rice husks as the bedding materials on day 42 (p = 0.092). Improved feed efficiency (p < 0.05) was noticed with rice husks on day 35, the grower period, and the entire 42-day period. However, no significant differences were noticed for most of the carcass characteristics that were evaluated. Nevertheless, higher (p < 0.05) pH values for the breast muscle were noticed with the use of coco peat and sawdust as the bedding. Conclusively, the bedding type could have a significant impact on the growth performance of ducks without adverse effects on carcass characteristics. The use of rice husks as bedding might be advantageous and is therefore recommended.

ABSTRACT: The digestibility of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in feedstuffs including corn, soybean meal (SBM), and corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was investigated in White Pekin ducks. The test ingredients were the sole source of AA and CP. A nitrogen-free diet was also formulated for determining endogenous losses of AA and nitrogen. Birds were fed a standard starter diet for the first 15 d posthatch. On d 16, 96 ducklings (860 ± 50 g BW) were selected and allocated into 1 of 4 dietary treatments containing the test ingredients with 6 replicates per treatment in a randomized complete block design. All the crumbled assay diets were offered ad-libitum for 5 d and contained chromic oxide as an indigestible marker at 0.05%. On d 21, ducks were euthanized to collect the ileal digesta for digestibility analysis. Basal endogenous losses were abundant in glutamine, aspartic acid, leucine, proline, and serine, consecutively. For apparent ileal digestibility (AID), lysine and methionine were the highest (P < 0.05) in SBM, followed by corn and DDGS. For threonine, the highest values (P < 0.05) were similarly noted for SBM, followed by DDGS and corn; the values were 80.44, 69.88, and 64.89%, consecutively. Considering standardized ileal digestibility (SID), higher values (P < 0.05) for SBM were similarly noted for all the amino acids including lysine, methionine, and threonine; the values were 89.40, 93.58, and 86.50%, respectively. Conclusively, improved AA and CP digestibility was noted with SBM. Dietary protein source affected the extent of digestibility at the distal ileum; and the utilization of digestible amino acid coefficients during ducks’ feed formulation is emphasized.

Objective To investigate the physiological effects of exogenous emulsifiers in broiler chickens that were fed tallow-incorporated reduced-energy diets over 35 days. Methods A total of 256 Ross 308 one-day-old broilers (42.28±0.16 g) were randomly allocated in a 2×2 factorial arrangement to 32 pens with eight chicks per cage. Birds were fed one of four dietary treatments as follows: i) positive control (PCN; energy sufficient diet); ii) negative control (NCN; energy-deficient diet, −100 ME kcal/kg); iii) PCL (PCN plus 0.05% emulsifier); and iv) NCL (NCN plus 0.05% emulsifier). Growth performance was evaluated weekly whereas assessments for the carcass traits, digestibility, some blood metabolites, ileal morphology, and meat quality were measured on d 21 and d 35. Results Birds fed the NCL diet had higher (p

Objective The present study examined the effects of exogenous emulsifiers and multi-enzyme supplementation into a low energy density diet on growth performance, visceral organ parameters, blood metabolites, ileal morphology, and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens from hatch to 21 days. Methods One hundred and sixty-eight one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated in a completely randomized design to 24 pens and each pen was assigned to one of four dietary treatments to give six replications with seven chickens in a cage. Dietary treatments were: i) positive control with standard energy level (PC); ii) negative control with 100 kcal/kg lower energy of the standard level (NC); iii) NC diet supplemented 0.05% calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate as an emulsifier (NC+E); and iv) NC diet supplemented with both 0.05% calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate and 0.05% multi-enzyme (NC+E+M). Corn and soybean meal-based control diets containing vegetable oil were formulated to meet the Ross 308 nutrition specification. Chickens were fed ad-libitum with the treatment diets and sampling was conducted on day 21. Results Our results revealed that emulsifier and multi-enzyme supplementation into NC diets improved (p0.05) visceral organ weight, blood metabolites, and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens fed NC diets. Conclusion Supplementation of emulsifier and multi-enzyme in the NC diet would support improving growth performance in young broiler chickens with improved feed efficiency and increased nutrient digestibility thereby curtailing the negative impact of energy reduction in the diets.

This experiment was conducted to determine the maximum dietary energy levels on growth performance and carcass characteristics of White Pekin duck. the Six dietary treatments were formulated based on their apparent metabolizable energy (AME) concentrations from 2,700 to 3,200 kcal/kg with a 100 kcal/kg gap to evaluate the accurate dietary AME requirement to address current knowledge and further issues for fulfilling the genetic potential of meat-type white Pekin ducklings. A total of 432 one-day-old male White Pekin ducklings were randomly allocated into one of six dietary treatments with six replicates (12 birds per pen). The diets were formulated as corn-soybean meal-based diets to meet or exceed the Nutrient Requirement of Poultry specification for meat-type ducks. Growth performance indices (i.e. average daily gain [ADG], average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio) were measured weekly. Medium body weight (BW) ducklings from each pen were sacrificed to analyze the carcass traits and abdominal fat content on day 21. Obtained data were analyzed to estimate significant effect using the one-way ANOVA of IBM SPSS Statistics (Version, 25). If the p-value of the results were significant, differences in means among treatments were separated by Tukey’s post hoc test. Significant differences were then analyzed with a linear and quadratic broken model to estimate the accurate concentration of AME. Ducklings fed higher dietary AME diets increased (p < 0.05) BW, ADG. Ducklings fed higher AME than 2,900 kcal/kg diets increased abdominal fat accumulation and leg meat portion. The estimated requirement by linear plateau method showed from 3,000.00 kcal/kg to 3,173.03 kcal/kg whereas the requirement by quadratic plateau method indicated from 3,100.00 kcal/kg to 3,306.26 kcal/kg. Collectively, estimated dietary requirements exhibit diverse results based on the measured traits and analysis methods. All the estimated requirements in this experiment present higher than previous research, the maximum requirement for the next diet formulation should be selected by the purpose of the diet.

Objective The study was conducted to investigate the impact of boron supplementation on nutrient digestibility, inflammatory responses, blood metabolites and diarrhea index, and their relevance to growth performance in weaned pigs housed in good and poor sanitary environments for 14 days after weaning. Methods A total of 108 male pigs (Duroc×[Yorkshire×Landrace]) weaned at 21 days of age were used in a randomized complete block design with 2×3 factorial arrangement. Pigs were assigned to three boron treatments (0, 5, and 10 mg/kg) under two environments (good and poor sanitary) to give six replicates per treatment (3 pigs per replicate). On 0, 7, and 14 days, one pig per replicate was euthanized to collect, ileum tissue samples, and rectal fecal samples. Results Boron supplementation quadratically influenced (p

The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of calcium-enriched fatty acid supplementation on the growth performance, blood metabolites, intestinal morphology, carcass traits, and nutrient digestibility of broilers subjected to chronic heat stress. A total of 210 one-day-old broiler chicks (40.12 ± 0.25 g) were randomly allocated to one of five dietary treatments, to obtain six replicates per treatment. Broilers were subjected to chronic heat stress from day 21 to day 35, post-hatching, at 34°C for 9 h per day. The body weight (BW) and feed intake of the experimental broilers were recorded weekly, and the average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated accordingly. Rectal temperature was measured to compare the basal body temperatures between individuals, and blood samples were collected on days 21 and 35 to evaluate basal body temperature, serum total cholesterol, and the triglyceride content of the broilers. On days 21 and 35, one broiler from each cage (n=6) was euthanized to measure carcass trait parameters, nutrient digestibility in digesta, and intestinal morphology. On days 14, 28, and 35, the broilers fed 2.0% calcium-enriched fatty acids had higher BW (p < 0.05) than those fed the other diets. However, no differences (p > 0.05) were found in the average daily feed intake (ADFI) between dietary treatments over the 35 experimental days. On the other hand, on day 21, post-hatching, the broilers fed the 2.0% calcium-enriched fatty acid diet had improved (p < 0.05) dietary feed efficiencies compared to the other treatments. On day 28, the broilers fed the 5.0% of calcium-enriched fatty acid diet also had higher (p < 0.05) dietary feed efficiencies than those fed with the other dietary treatments. No effects (p > 0.05) on carcass weight, nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, or blood parameters were found between broilers fed with dietary treatments. This study demonstrated that the inclusion of an additive, containing 2.0% calcium-enriched fatty acid, to broiler diet could ameliorate the negative growth performance of broilers; and no interaction (p > 0.05) was observed between the calcium-enriched fatty acid and nutrient digestibility, digestive anatomy, blood metabolism, and carcass traits of broilers subjected to chronic heat stress conditions for 35 days post-hatching.

Abstract Background Microorganisms can prioritize the uptake of different sugars depending on their metabolic needs and preferences. When both D-glucose and D-xylose are present in growth media, E. coli cells typically consume D-glucose first and then D-xylose. Similarly, when E. coli BL21(DE3) is provided with both D-glucose and D-xylose under anaerobic conditions, glucose is consumed first, whereas D-xylose is consumed very slowly. Results When BL21(DE3) was adaptively evolved via subculture, the consumption rate of D-xylose increased gradually. Strains JH001 and JH019, whose D-xylose consumption rate was faster, were isolated after subculture. Genome analysis of the JH001 and JH019 strains revealed that C91A (Q31K) and C740T (A247V) missense mutations in the xylR gene (which encodes the XylR transcriptional activator), respectively, controlled the expression of the xyl operon. RT-qPCR analyses demonstrated that the XylR mutation caused a 10.9-fold and 3.5-fold increase in the expression of the xylA (xylose isomerase) and xylF (xylose transporter) genes, respectively, in the adaptively evolved JH001 and JH019 strains. A C91A adaptive mutation was introduced into a new BL21(DE3) background via single-base genome editing, resulting in immediate and efficient D-xylose consumption. Conclusions Anaerobically-adapted BL21(DE3) cells were obtained through short-term adaptive evolution and xylR mutations responsible for faster D-xylose consumption were identified, which may aid in the improvement of microbial fermentation technology.

The effect of Multi-Carbohydrase (MC) supplementation on growth performance, visceral organ weights, blood metabolites, jejunum morphology, nutrient digestibility, and carcass parameters of broiler chickens fed nutrient-deficient corn soybean-meal based diets containing high levels of non-starch polysaccharides from wheat and wheat by-products was investigated. A total of 378 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to one of seven dietary treatments to give six replicates per treatment (nine birds per pen). Dietary treatments were as follows: (1) positive control (PC; commercial standard diet); (2) negative control 1 (NC-1; PC-120 kcal/kg metabolizable energy); (3) NC-2 (PC-3% standardized ileal digestibility [SID] amino acids). The remaining four dietary treatments were formulated with the addition of MC (MC; Superzyme-CS™) into two negative controls along with two supplementation levels of MC (i.e., 0.025% and 0.05%, respectively). Improved body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05) were observed in broiler chickens fed a reduced energy diet supplemented with MC compared to birds fed NC-1 diet from days 1-35. Additionally, birds fed a reduced energy diet with 0.05% MC showed comparable (p > 0.05) growth performance with birds fed PC for 35-day post-hatch. Furthermore, the addition of MC into reduced amino acid diets improved (p < 0.05) growth performance. Broiler chickens fed MC supplemented nutrient-deficient diets showed a greater (p < 0.05) villus height to crypt depth ratio than birds fed diets without MC on days 21 and 35. Similarly, improved (p < 0.05) nutrient digestibility was observed in birds fed reduced energy diets supplemented with MC compared to birds fed NC-1 on days 21 and 35. Our results suggest that MC supplementation into reduced energy or reduced amino acid diets containing wheat and wheat by-products has the potential to improve growth performance and nutrient digestibility while maintaining healthier gut morphology in broiler chickens from 1 to 35 days of age.

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a combination 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (THB) and oregano extracts (i.e., Carvacrol and Thymol) at intake/dietary different levels on growth performance, intestinal health indicators, immune responses and fecal oocyst shedding in broiler chickens under Eimeria challenged condition. A total of 336 one-day-old broilers were randomly assigned to one of six dietary treatments with seven replications per treatment. Dietary treatments were: i) Non-challenged bird without any dietary treatment (NCNT), ii) Challenged bird without any dietary treatment (CNT), iii) Challenged birds fed a THB diet (0.1 g/kg, THB), iv) Challenged birds fed a combination of THB and oregano extracts diet (0.1 g/kg, COM 100), and a gradual increase of combination of THB and oregano extracts likely v) 0.15 g/kg (COM 150), and 0.2 g/kg (COM 200). On day 14, all groups except for NCNT have orally challenged with a 10-fold dose of Livacox® T anticoccidial vaccine to trigger coccidiosis. The results indicated that Eimeria-challenged broilers fed COM 100 and COM 200 diets increased (p < 0.05) body weight than CNT diet on day 35. Furthermore, birds fed COM 100 and COM 200 diets increased (p < 0.05) average daily gain compared to those fed CNT diets for the entire experimental period. There is no significant (p > 0.05) in average daily feed intake, feed efficiency between NCNT and birds fed with combined THB and oregano extracts for the entire experimental period. A combination of THB and oregano extract regardless of concentration levels or THB alone reduced (p < 0.05) lesion score in ileum compared to the CNT diet for 7 days post-infection (dpi). Birds fed COM 100 diet had lower (p < 0.05) intestinal lesion scores in jejunum and caeca on 7 dpi compared to those were in the CNT diet. No (p > 0.05) difference was observed in the oocysts per gram of feces count, intestinal morphology, carcass traits and blood cytokine concentration among the infected treatments. Collectively, we conclude that birds fed with a combination of THB and oregano extracts regardless of the ratios that were used demonstrated better recovery of health after the coccidial challenge than using only THB alone.

Objective This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of insoluble cellulose supplementation to diets on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, the incidence of diarrhea, nutrients digestibility, and inflammatory responses in altering environmental conditions of animals housing. Methods A total of 108 male pigs (Duroc×[Yorkshire×Landrace]) were randomly allocated to one of three dietary treatments (cellulose 0%, 1%, 2%) and two environmental conditions (good sanitary condition vs. poor sanitary condition) to give 6 replicate pens per treatment with three pigs per each pen at 14 days post-weaning. Results Pigs were in good sanitary condition had higher average daily gain (p

The current study was aimed to examine the effect of partial or complete replacement of fishmeal (FM) with fermented soybean meal (FSBM) on growth performance, fecal composition, and meat quality in broiler chickens. A total number of 240 one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted into four dietary treatments with six replications and ten birds per one pen. Dietary treatments were followed as; 1) Diet incorporated with 4% FM without FSBM (Control), 2) Diet incorporated with 3% FM and 2% FSBM (FSBM2), 3) Diet incorporated with 2% FM and 3% FSBM (FSBM3) and 4) Diet incorporated with 4% FSBM without FM (FSBM4). Body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly for 35 days of the experimental period. Moreover, fecal samples were collected to evaluate moisture, ash, nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus content on day 21 post-hatch. On day 35, two birds were sacrificed from each pen to measure meat quality parameters and visceral organ weights. Results revealed that, no dietary treatment effect (p > 0.05) was observed either in both body weight or average daily gain of broilers within the entire experimental period while broilers fed FSBM2 increased (p < 0.05) average daily feed intake by 10.07% whereas FSBM4 improved (p < 0.05) feed efficiency ratio by 8.45% compared to birds fed other dietary treatments on day 7 post-hatch. Besides, birds fed FSBM3 obtained the improved (p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio over the birds fed control diet by 7.51% from hatch to day 35 post-hatch (1.60 vs. 1.73). Nevertheless, no difference (p > 0.05) was detected on visceral organ weight, proximate composition and physicochemical characteristics of meat while broilers offered FSBM4 obtained the lowest (p < 0.05) calcium and phosphorous in faces (2.27% and 1.21% respectively) over those offered control feed and other FSBM treatments. In conclusion, FSBM would be a better replacement for ousting FM partially or completely in broiler diet as it did not impair the growth performance and meat quality while reducing the calcium and phosphorous excretion in broilers for 35 days post-hatch.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of a multi-protease on production indicators of broiler chickens fed a crude protein and amino acid deficient-diets for 35 days immediately after hatch. A total of 448 one-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were allocated in a completely randomized design into one of eight dietary treatments (positive control [PC], negative control [NC: minus 0.5% from PC, and minus 2% of lysine, methionine, threonine and methionine plus cysteine], extreme negative control [ENC: minus 1% from PC, minus 4% of lysine, methionine, threonine and methionine plus cysteine], and plus multi-protease 150 or 300 g per ton [e. g., PC-150]; PC, PC-150, NC, NC-150, NC-300, ENC, ENC-150, ENC-300) to give eight replicates with seven birds in a battery cage. Body weight, average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality were measured every week. Carcass traits, proximate analysis of breast meat, and ileum digestibility were analyzed on day 21 and 35. Feeding a multi-protease (i.e., more than 150 g/ton) for 35 days immediately after hatching improved feed efficiency and ileum digestibility (i.e., dry matter, crude protein, and energy) compared to their counterparts (i.e., diets without multi-protease: PC, NC, and ENC). In conclusion, our results indicated that broiler chickens fed nutrients deficient-diet (i.e., crude protein and amino acids) supplemented a multi-protease had an ability to compensate and (or) improve their growth performance commensurate with increased ileal digestibility for 35 days immediately after hatch.

In poultry diets, a requirement of crude protein is one of the most important factors in poultry productivity. Besides, the Pekin duck requirement of crude protein is still not clear. This experiment was conducted to determine the crude protein requirement of Pekin duck on diet formulation by investigation of growth performance, carcass trait, and analysis of blood parameter for a hatch to 21-day (d) of age. A total of 432 male White Pekin ducks were randomly allocated to six levels of crude protein (i.e., 15%, 17%, 19%, 21%, 23%, and 25%) to give six replicate pens per treatment with 12 ducklings per each pen. Body weight and feed intake were measured weekly by calculating feed conversion ratio and protein intake. Two ducklings each pen was euthanized via cervical dislocation for analysis of carcass trait and plasma blood on 21-d of age. Data were applied on both prediction linear-plateau and quadratic-plateau models by estimation of the crude protein requirements. Data were applied on both prediction linear-plateau and quadratic-plateau models by estimation of the crude protein requirements. The level of crude protein requirements of Pekin ducks for 21 days after the hatch was estimated to be 20.63% and 23.25% diet for maximum daily gain, and minimum feed conversion ratio, respectively.

The production performance of broiler breeder hens in response to different levels of total lysine during the early laying period was investigated. A total of 126 Ross 308 parent stock hens were offered one of seven dietary treatments formulating elevated contents of total lysine ranging from 0.55% to 0.79% (0.04 scale; 133 g of feed) from 23 to 29 weeks of age. Each treatment had six replicates with three birds per pen. Body weight was recorded triweekly and eggs were collected and weighted at 9:00 am daily. One hen from each pen was euthanized to collect blood samples and visceral organs were harvested and weighed. Egg production, egg weight and egg mass were lower (p < 0.05) in hens offered a diet containing 0.55% total lysine compared to those fed the diet containing higher total lysine. Hens offered a diet containing 0.71%, 0.75%, and 0.79% total lysine had greater (p = 0.008) egg production rate compared to those offered a diet containing lysine less than 0.71%. The number of total eggs produced tended to be greater (p = 0.083) in hens offered a diet containing 0.71 and 0.75% total lysine compared to the other treatments. The number of settable egg production was higher (p < 0.001) in hens offered a diet contacting 0.79% total lysine compared to those fed the diet containing lower levels of total lysine. The relative weights of oviduct and ovary were lower (p < 0.05) in hens offered a diet containing 0.59% total lysine compared to the other treatments. No difference found in body weight, the number of total eggs, double-yolk eggs and abnormal shell eggs among the treatments. The urea nitrogen, estradiol-17 beta and progesterone in plasma were not affected by treatments. Based on linear- and quadratic-plateau models, total lysine requirements for egg production, settable egg production and egg mass at the early laying period were to be 0.73%, 0.77%, and 0.71%, respectively. Modern broiler breeder hens likely require higher total lysine than NRC recommendation in a diet for enhancing productivity during the early-laying period.

Objective To evaluate calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate (CSL) performance as an exogenous emulsifier together with lipase for broiler diets. Methods In total, 252 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated in a completely randomized design to give 6 replications per treatment with 7 birds in each cage. There were six dietary treatments representing a 2×3 factorial arrangement consisted of two energy levels (standard energy [positive control, PC] and −100 kcal/kg of the requirement level [negative control, NC]) and three dietary treatments (without additives [CON], CON+CSL [CSL], and CON+CSL+lipase [CSL-Lipase]). Corn and soybean meal-based experimental diets containing vegetable oil were formulated. Growth performance, blood parameters, visceral organ weights, ileal morphology, nutrient digestibility, and cytokine gene expression were measured. Results Birds fed a diet including CSL increased (p0.05) the weight gain, feed efficiency, ileal morphology, and cytokine concentrations during the experiment period, regardless of dietary energy levels. Conclusion Our results indicated that CSL has a role in improving nutrient digestibility in young birds when supplemented to a corn-soybean meal based broiler diet.

Objective An experiment was conducted to investigate the response of laying hens fed corn distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) that are naturally contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON). Methods One hundred and sixty 52-week-old Lohmann Brown Lite hens were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments with 8 replicates per treatment. The dietary treatments were formulated to provide a range of corn DDGS contaminated with DON from 0% to 20% (i.e., 5% scale of increment). All laying hens were subjected to the same management practices in a controlled environment. Body weight, feed intake and egg production were measured biweekly for the entire 8-week experiment. The egg quality was measured biweekly for 8 weeks. On weeks 4 and 8, visceral organ weights, blood metabolites, intestinal morphology, and blood cytokine concentrations were measured. Results The inclusion of corn DDGS contaminated with DON in the diet did not alter (p> 0.05) the body weight, feed intake, hen-day egg production, egg mass and feed efficiency of the laying hens. No difference was found (p>0.05) in the egg quality of hens that were fed the dietary treatments. Furthermore, hens that were fed a diet containing corn DDGS contaminated with DON showed no change (p>0.05) in the visceral organ weights, the blood metabolites, and the cytokine concentrations. The crypt depth increased (p

The present study investigated the effects of supplementing a low protein (LP) diet supplemented with key essential amino acids (AA) to broilers on growth performance, intestinal tract function, blood metabolites, and nitrogen excretion when the animals were maintained under various sanitary conditions for 35 D after hatching. Three hundred eighty-four one-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to groups that received one of 6 dietary treatments in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement (i.e., 2 environmental conditions and 3 dietary treatments) to give 8 replicates per treatment. Broilers were challenged with 2 environmental conditions (sanitary vs. poor sanitary). The dietary treatments were (1) high protein (HP) diet, (2) LP diet, and (3) LP diet with synthetic key essential AA (LPA): the LP diet was supplemented with synthetic AA up to the required levels for broilers. On day 14, birds consumed the LP diet impaired growth performance compared with those fed the HP diet, while the average daily weight gain-to-feed conversion ratio of birds fed the LPA diet improved to the level of birds fed the HP diet under poor sanitary conditions (P < 0.05). Broilers raised under poor sanitary conditions and fed the LP diet displayed higher (P < 0.05) zonula occludens (ZO-1) expression on day 14 than broilers fed either the HP or LPA diet. Under sanitary conditions, birds fed HP and LPA diets showed higher villus height and crypt depth compared with those of broilers fed the LP diet on day 35. Moreover, broilers raised in the poor sanitary environment had higher (P < 0.05) serum endotoxins than those raised in the sanitary environment. Broilers fed the LPA diet showed reduced (P < 0.05) nitrogen excretion on days 14 and 35 compared with those fed the LP and HP diets independent of the environment. In conclusion, the LPA diet did not impair growth performance under poor sanitary conditions for 14 D after hatch while resulting in lower nitrogen excretion in any environment conditions throughout the experiment.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of supplementation with two methionine isoforms, L-methionine (L-Met) or D-methionine (D-Met), on transcriptome expression in broiler chickens under acute heat stress. A total of 240 one-day-old chicks were randomly assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: thermo-neutral vs. acute heat-stress and L-Met vs. D-Met supplementation. On day 14, the heat-stressed group was exposed to 32°C for 5 h, while the others remained at 25°C. Six chicks were randomly selected per treatment and total RNA was isolated from whole blood, ileum, and liver tissues. Two RNA samples from each tissue of each treatment group were randomly selected and pooled in equal amounts. A total of 1.87 billion raw reads obtained from 36 samples (four treatments × three tissues × three composited replicates) were mapped to the reference genome build (Gallus_gallus-5.0) and used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using DESeq2. Functional enrichment of DEGs was tested using DAVID. Comparing the two isoforms of supplemented methionine, two, three, and ten genes were differentially expressed (> 1 or < -1 log2 fold change) in whole blood, ileum, and liver, respectively. A total of 38, 71, and 16 genes were differentially expressed in response to the interaction between heat stress and Met isoforms in the blood, ileum, and liver, respectively. Three-tissue-specific DEGs were functionally enriched for regulation of cholesterol homeostasis and metabolism, glucose metabolism, and vascular patterning. Chicks fed with L-Met had lower immune (e.g., IL4I1 and SERPINI1) and intestinal angiogenic responses (e.g., FLT1 and FGD5), and stable glucose and lipid metabolism (e.g., PCK1 and LDLR) under heat stress conditions. In conclusion, unlike D-Met, L-Met supplementation seems to help maintain physiological homeostasis and enhances cellular defense systems against external stresses like high environmental temperature.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary emulsifiers and lipase supplementation on growth performance, blood metabolites, intestinal organ weight, gut morphology, nutrient digestibility, carcass measurements, and meat quality in broiler chickens. A total of 384, 1-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to one of eight dietary treatments arranged in a completely randomized design with 6 replications per treatment and 8 birds per cage. Diets were corn-soybean meal-based and formulated to meet the nutritional requirements for Ross 308 specifications. Beef tallow used as the fat source in all diets. Dietary treatments were as follows, (1) positive control (PC; energy sufficient diet); (2) negative control (NC; energy deficient,−100 ME, kcal/kg); (3) NC+POL (0.1%, Polysorbate-20); (4) NC+CET (0.1%, Ceteth-20); (5) NC+POL+TLL (0.1%, Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase); (6) NC+POL+CRL (0.1%, Candida rugosa lipases); (7) NC+CET+CRL and (8) NC+LL (0.05%, Lysolecithin). Growth performances were measured weekly. One bird per pen was selected and sacrificed to collect blood, ileal digesta, jejunum sample, viscera organ weight, and meat samples on day 21 and 35. Results revealed that birds fed NC+POL+CRL diet had higher (P < 0.05) body weight, weight gain, and the improved (P < 0.05) feed efficiency compared to birds fed other low energy diets, and the effect was more prominent at the grower phase from day 21 to 35. Similarly, higher (P < 0.05) villi height and lower (P < 0.05) crypt depth commensurate with higher (P < 0.05) V:C ratio were observed with the broiler chickens fed NC+POL+CRL diet compared to broiler chickens fed NC diet on day 21 and 35. Moreover, broiler chickens fed NC+POL+CRL diet showed improved fat and energy digestibility compared NC diet counterpart on day 35. This study, therefore indicated that Polysorbate-20 together with Candida rugosa lipases had promising ability to improve growth performance of broiler chickens fed with low energy diet and curtail the growth depression without affecting blood metabolites, carcass, and visceral organs weights.

This study investigated whether the inclusion of a stimbiotic (STB) can improve performance, influence intestinal microbiota and fermentation activity, and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines in piglets fed a low zinc oxide diet without antimicrobial growth promotors compared to fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) and mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) when housed either in good sanitary (GS) or poor sanitary (PS) environments. One hundred forty-four male pigs (28-day-old) were sorted by initial body weight (BW) and allocated to one of six experimental treatments: 1) GS environment without any additive (GS-CTR); 2) GS environment with 0.01% stimbiotic (GS-STB); 3) PS environment (without cleaning and disinfection of a previously populated room) without any additive (PS-CTR); 4) PS environment with 0.01% STB (PS-STB); 5) PS environment with 0.1% MOS (PS-MOS); and 6) PS environment with 0.2% FOS (PS-FOS). Each treatment had six replicates, with four animals each. Three feeding phases, based on corn, wheat, and soybean meal were available ad libitum for the 42-days of the study. Housing piglets under PS conditions negatively influenced performance, increased plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), affected the fecal microbial populations and increased concentrations of branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA) compared to GS. Stimbiotic improved 42-d-BW under PS conditions (P < 0.05) whereas MOS or FOS had no effect. On d35, plasma TNF-α was reduced with STB in PS (P < 0.05). The ratio between VFA:BCFA increased (P < 0.05) with STB, MOS or FOS in PS, and under GS condition, STB also increased the ratio. Stimbiotic increased the proportion of Clostridiales Family XIII Incertae Sedis and Clostridiaceae, while MOS and FOS increased Selenomonadaceae, Catabacteriaceae and Fibrobacteraceae. These results indicate that STB shifted the intestinal microbiome to favor fiber fermentation which likely contributed to reduced inflammatory response and improved performance, particularly in piglets reared in PS conditions.

Native duck populations have lower productivity, and have not been developed as much as commercials duck breeds. However, native ducks have more importance in terms of genetic diversity and potentially valuable economic traits. For this reason, population discriminable genetic markers are needed for conservation and development of native ducks. In this study, 24 highly polymorphic microsatellite (MS) markers were investigated using commercial ducks and native East and South Asian ducks. The average polymorphic information content (PIC) value for all MS markers was 0.584, indicating high discrimination power. All populations were discriminated using 14 highly polymorphic MS markers by genetic distance and phylogenetic analysis. The results indicated that there were close genetic relationships among populations. In the structure analysis, East Asian ducks shared more haplotypes with commercial ducks than South Asian ducks, and they had more independent haplotypes than others did. These results will provide useful information for genetic diversity studies in ducks and for the development of duck traceability systems in the market.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to examine the effect of alpha-lipoic acid with vitamin C and E on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and meat quality in broiler chickens under tropical conditions. A total of 288 one-day-old male ROSS 308 chicks (40±0.1 g) were used in a completely randomized design and allotted to one of six dietary treatments to form sixe replicates per treatment (eight birds per cage). The six dietary treatments were: a corn-soybean meal-based diet (NC; no antimicrobial compounds added) with 8 ppm alpha-lipoic acid (ALA); 150 ppm vitamin C and 75 ppm vitamin E (E-75); E-75 plus ALA (E-75-ALA); 150 ppm vitamin C and 50 ppm vitamin E (E-50) plus ALA (E-50-ALA); and 150 ppm vitamin C and 25 ppm vitamin E (E-25) plus ALA (E-25-ALA). All dietary treatments were continuously provided in liquid form, dissolved in water. Birds were housed in a battery cage (n = 36), and were offered dietary treatments on an ad libitum basis. The ambient temperature was maintained at 32±1 ºC for the first three weeks and reduced gradually to 28 ºC by the end of the experiment (day 35) to induce moderate tropical condition. One bird per pen (n = 6), and another bird per pen (n = 6) were euthanized via cervical dislocation to obtain terminal ileum to measure villus height and crypt depth at day 21, and to harvest breast meat and drumsticks to evaluate meat quality traits at day 35, respectively. Dietary treatment E-75-ALA improved body weight and average daily gain compared with birds fed other dietary treatments from day 1 to day 35. Birds fed dietary treatment E-75-ALA and E-50-ALA had higher villus height than those fed the other dietary treatments at day 21. Dietary treatments E-75-ALA and E-50-ALA reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in drumsticks compared with other dietary treatments, but only treatment E-75-ALA decreased TBARS in breast meat at day 35. Liquid form of antioxidant compounds such as E-75-ALA can improve growth performance, histology of terminal ileum, and meat quality traits in broiler chickens under moderate tropical condition for 35 days.

Background: plant extracts of Forsythia suspensa, which contain pinoresinol, have been proposed as an alternative to antibiotics due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and microflora modulating effects. Objective: to evaluate the effects of dietary F. suspensa on feed utilization, rumen fermentation, blood parameters and immune response of Korean native goats (Capra hircus). Methods: a total of nine Korean native goats were assigned to one of three dietary treatments: 1) a basal diet without F. suspensa, 2) a basal diet added with 0.25% F. suspensa, or 3) a basal diet added with 0.50% F. suspensa. A change-over design was used in three consecutive periods to give 9 replicates per treatment. Each period lasted 18 days, including 15 days of adaptation to feed and environmental conditions and three days of total collection of feces and urine. Rumen fluid and blood samples were also collected. Nutrient digestibility, nitrogen retention, ruminal content, and blood metabolites—including immunoglobulins—were measured. Results: F. suspensa supplementation had no effect on nutrient digestibility, whole body nitrogen retention rate, ruminal pH, acetate, propionate, isobutyrate, butyrate, isovalerate, or valerate content (p>0.05). However, F. suspensa supplementation decreased total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration compared with the control diet, regardless of F. suspensa concentrations (p0.05), although goats receiving both 0.25% and 0.50% F. suspensa diets had greater plasma IgG than those fed the control diet (p

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Bacillus-based probiotics supplemented at two different levels to modulate the productive performance, egg quality, tibia traits, and specific cecal bacteria counts of Hy-Line Brown layers from 25 to 37 weeks of age. Methods: A total of 216 twenty-five-week-old hens were randomly distributed into 3 experimental diets with 12 replicates of 6 birds per cage. Diets included basal diet supplemented with 0 (CON), 3x108 (PRO1), or 3x109 (PRO2) colony-forming unit (CFU) of the test probiotic containing Bacillus subtilis PB6, Bacillus subtilis FXA, and Bacillus licheniformis G3 per kilogram of feed. Results: Improved egg weights and mass at 29 weeks; and feed intake at 31 weeks (p<0.10) were noticed with the probiotic-supplemented PRO1 and PRO2 diets. Considering egg quality, the shell thickness, Haugh units, and yolk color were improved; but yolk cholesterol was lowered (p<0.05) with PRO1 and PRO2 diets at 29 weeks. At both 33 and 37 weeks, the egg-breaking strength, shell color and thickness, albumen height, Haugh units, and yolk color were improved; but yolk cholesterol was similarly lowered (p<0.05) with the PRO1 and PRO2 diets. Improved tibia Ca, ash, weights, and density; and raised cecal counts of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli (p<0.05) were noticed with PRO1 and PRO2 diets. Improved tibia P but reduced Clostridia counts (p<0.10) were also observed with the PRO1 and PRO2 diets. Conclusion: Probiotic supplementation of Bacillus subtilis PB6, Bacillus subtilis FXA, and Bacillus licheniformis G3 at 3x108 CFU/kg of feed is adequate to significantly improve egg quality, lower yolk cholesterol, enhance several tibia traits, and raise the populations of beneficial cecal bacteria. Modest improvements in several productive parameters and tibia P but reduced Clostridia were also observed; and could warrant further investigation of probiotic effects beyond the current test period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of the current study was to investigate the impact of various concentrations of xylanase in energy-deficient corn-based diets on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, and digesta viscosity in broilers from 7 to 35 days of age. Methods: A total of 280 seven-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly allocated to one of the five dietary treatments following a completely randomized design with 8 replicates and 7 birds per cage. The treatments were: i) positive control (PC, without xylanase); ii) NC1 (80 kcal/kg ME reduced from PC); iii) NC2 (100 kcal/kg ME reduced from PC); iv) NCX1 (NC1 + 2,000 U/kg xylanase); and v) NCX2 (NC2 + 3,000 U/kg xylanase). Body weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were determined weekly to evaluate growth performance. One bird per pen was sacrificed for ileal digesta collection to determine the viscosity and digestibility of energy, dry matter, crude protein on days 24 and 35, however breast and leg meat samples were obtained for proximate analysis (moisture, crude protein, fat, and ash) on day 35. Results: Birds fed diets supplemented with xylanase regardless of the amount had higher (p<0.05) body weights, daily gains, and improved feed efficiency compared to NC diets all throughout the experimental period. Feed intake was not affected (p>0.05) by the addition of xylanase. Moreover, lowered (p<0.05) viscosity of the ileal digesta were observed upon xylanase inclusion in the diets compared to the birds fed NC diets on day 24. Ileal nutrient digestibility and meat proximate composition were not affected (p>0.05) by xylanase. Conclusion: The present study indicated that the xylanase at 2,000 U/kg and 3,000 U/kg levels compensates for the 80 kcal/kg and 100 kcal/kg dietary energy levels, respectively, without having adverse effects on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, and digesta viscosity of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) maintains intestinal homeostasis by detoxifying bacterial endotoxins and regulating gut microbiota, and lipid absorption. Antibiotics administered to animals can cause gut dysbiosis and barrier disruption affecting animal health. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate the role of IAP in the intestinal environment in dysbiosis. Methods: Young male mice aged 9 weeks were administered a high dose of antibiotics to induce dysbiosis. They were then sacrificed after 4 weeks to collect the serum and intestinal organs. The IAP activity in the ileum and the level of cytokines in the serum samples were measured. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of RNA from the intestinal samples was performed using primers for tight junction proteins (TJPs) and proinflammatory cytokines. The relative intensity of IAP and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in intestinal samples was evaluated by western blotting. Results: The IAP activity was significantly lower in the ileum samples of the dysbiosisinduced group compared to the control. The interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were significantly higher in the ileum samples of the dysbiosis-induced group. The RNA expression levels of TJP2, claudin-3, and claudin-11 showed significantly lower values in the intestinal samples from the dysbiosis-induced mice. Results from western blotting revealed that the intensity of IAP expression was significantly lower in the ileum samples of the dysbiosis-induced group, while the intensity of TLR4 expression was significantly higher compared to that of the control group without dysbiosis. Conclusion: The IAP activity and relative mRNA expression of the TJPs decreased, while the levels of proinflammatory cytokines increased, which can affect intestinal integrity and the function of the intestinal epithelial cells. This suggests that IAP is involved in mediating the intestinal environment in dysbiosis induced by antibiotics and is an enzyme that can potentially be used to maintain the intestinal environment in animal health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the physiological effects of exogenous emulsifiers in broiler chickens that were fed tallow-incorporated reduced-energy diets over 35 days. Methods: A total of 256 Ross 308 one-day-old broilers (42.28±0.16 g) were randomly allocated in a 2×2 factorial arrangement to 32 pens with eight chicks per cage. Birds were fed one of four dietary treatments as follows: i) positive control (PCN; energy sufficient diet); ii) negative control (NCN; energy-deficient diet, -100 ME kcal/kg); iii) PCL (PCN plus 0.05% emulsifier); and iv) NCL (NCN plus 0.05% emulsifier). Growth performance was evaluated weekly whereas assessments for the carcass traits, digestibility, some blood metabolites, ileal morphology, and meat quality were measured on d 21 and d 35. Results: Birds fed the NCL diet had higher (p<0.05) body weights, daily gains, daily feed intake, and improved feed efficiency over the entire 35-day period. Improvements (p<0.05) for the ileal digestibility of crude fat, energy, and dry matter commensurate with longer (p<0.05) villus heights were also observed with emulsifiers in the NCL and PCL diets. For the carcass measurements, only the liver weights were increased (p<0.05) with emulsifiers in the supplemented groups. For blood metabolites, higher (p<0.05) lipase levels were noticed with emulsifiers in the NCL and PCL diets. In addition, marginal reductions (p = 0.076; p = 0.095, respectively) were also noted with emulsifiers for the total cholesterol and triglyceride contents on d 35. Regarding meat quality, breast muscle yellowness was increased (p<0.05) with emulsifier use in supplemented groups. Conclusion: Our results suggest that emulsifier supplementation at 0.05% in diets could potentially improve the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of broilers over 35 days. This could compensate for the lower growth performance that could be recorded with fat-incorporated lower-energy diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study examined the effects of exogenous emulsifiers and multienzyme supplementation into a low energy density diet on growth performance, visceral organ parameters, blood metabolites, ileal morphology, and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens from hatch to 21 days. Methods: One hundred and sixty-eight one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated in a completely randomized design to 24 pens and each pen was assigned to one of four dietary treatments to give six replications with seven chickens in a cage. Dietary treatments were: i) positive control with standard energy level (PC); ii) negative control with 100 kcal/kg lower energy of the standard level (NC); iii) NC diet supplemented 0.05% calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate as an emulsifier (NC+E); and iv) NC diet supplemented with both 0.05% calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate and 0.05% multi-enzyme (NC+E+M). Corn and soybean meal-based control diets containing vegetable oil were formulated to meet the Ross 308 nutrition specification. Chickens were fed ad-libitum with the treatment diets and sampling was conducted on day 21. Results: Our results revealed that emulsifier and multi-enzyme supplementation into NC diets improved (p<0.05) feed efficiency of the broiler chickens compared to the broiler chickens fed NC diets from hatch to 21 days. Supplementation of emulsifier and multienzyme into NC diet improved (p<0.05) nutrient digestibility of the broiler chickens. However, emulsifier and multi-enzymesupplementation into diet did not influence (p>0.05) visceral organ weight, blood metabolites, and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens fed NC diets. Conclusion: Supplementation of emulsifier and multi-enzyme in the NC diet would support improving growth performance in young broiler chickens with improved feed efficiency and increased nutrient digestibility thereby curtailing the negative impact of energy reduction in the diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to compare the combinatorial effect of 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (THB) and oregano extracts (OE) with THB alone on the growth performance and elimination of deleterious effects in coccidiosis-infected broilers. A total of 210 one-day-old broilers were randomly assigned to one of five dietary treatments, with six replicates each, for 35 days. Dietary treatments were: 1) non-challenged, non-treated (NC); 2) challenged, non-treated (PC); 3) PC+ Salinomycin (0.05 g/kg; AB); 4) PC+THB (0.1 g/kg; THB); and 5) PC+THB+OE (0.1 g/kg; COM). On day 14, all groups except for NC were challenged with a 10-fold dose of Livacox® T anticoccidial vaccine to induce mild coccidiosis. All treatments significantly improved (P<0.05) body weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake, compared to PC, on days 21, 28, and 35. However, all treatments significantly reduced (P<0.05) the feed conversion ratio of PC by more than 14.60% on day 35, 11.76% during growing period, and 10.36% through the entire period. Broilers receiving anticoccidial treatments had 54.23% and 51.86% lower lesion scores (P<0.05) at 4 and 7 days post-infection, respectively, compared to PC. Additionally, the villus height of COM was significantly longer (P <0.05) than that of THB. Although the molecular action of COM remains unclear, OE addition to THB reduced the shedding of oocysts better than THB alone (P<0.05, 9-11 days post-infection). Most importantly, COM effectively minimized the mortality of challenged birds from as high as 11.90% (PC) to 0%, a level similar to NC and AB, while THB maintained a mortality of 2.38%. In conclusion, the anticoccidial effect of THB can be enhanced by the addition of OE for better animal performance and the elimination of deleterious effects from coccidiosis-infected broilers for 35 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is a need to explore the use of non-conventional, locally available and cheap energy-rich ingredients to substitute corn in broiler diets as it is used mainly for human consumption in developing countries. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of partial substitution of corn with breadfruit flour (BFF) in broiler diets on growth performances and meat quality in broiler chickens. Research Method: One hundred and eighty day-old straight-run "Cobb 500" broiler chicks (45.92 ± 0.43 g) were randomly allocated into one of three dietary treatments (Corn based basal diet with no BFF [Control], Corn-substituted basal diet with 5% BFF [BFF5], and Corn-substituted basal diet with 10% BFF [BFF10]) with six replications and 10 birds per replicate. Growth parameters including body weights, average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and organ weights and meat quality parameters were determined. Findings: The broilers fed BFF10 significantly (P < 0.05) improved the body weight, average daily weight gain, and feed efficiency of broilers for the complete experimental period (d 1-35). Further, the same diet improved (P < 0.05) the average daily feed intake of broilers for the starter period (d 1-7) compared to the control diet. Furthermore, broilers fed BFF10 had a heavier (P < 0.05) heart, liver and empty intestine than those fed BFF5. Moreover, breast meat of broilers fed BFF10 had a significant (P < 0.05) lower crude fat content and CIE a* value than that of broilers fed other diets. Originality/value: Breadfruit flour would be a suitable non-conventional energy feed source to partly substitute corn in broiler diets up to 10% with improved growth performance and meat quality in broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate (CSL) performance as an exogenous emulsifier together with lipase for broiler diets. Methods: In total, 252 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated in a completely randomized design to give 6 replications per treatment with 7 birds in each cage. There were six dietary treatments representing a 2×3 factorial arrangement consisted of two energy levels (standard energy [positive control, PC] and -100 kcal/kg of the requirement level [negative control, NC]) and three dietary treatments (without additives [CON], CON+CSL [CSL], and CON+CSL+lipase [CSL-Lipase]). Corn and soybean meal-based experimental diets containing vegetable oil were formulated. Growth performance, blood parameters, visceral organ weights, ileal morphology, nutrient digestibility, and cytokine gene expression were measured. Results: Birds fed a diet including CSL increased (p<0.05) lipase level in blood compared to birds fed a diet including CSL-Lipase on day 21. Similarly, higher (p<0.05) liver weight was observed in birds fed a diet including either CSL or CSL-Lipase on day 21. Birds fed NC diet with CSL improved (p<0.05) nutrient digestibility compared to the NC diet on day 21. However, birds fed a diet supplemented with CSL or CSL-Lipase did not affect (p>0.05) the weight gain, feed efficiency, ileal morphology, and cytokine concentrations during the experiment period, regardless of dietary energy levels. Conclusion: Our results indicated that CSL has a role in improving nutrient digestibility in young birds when supplemented to a corn-soybean meal based broiler diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: An experiment was conducted to investigate the response of laying hens fed corn distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) that are naturally contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON). Methods: One hundred and sixty 52-week-old Lohmann Brown Lite hens were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments with 8 replicates per treatment. The dietary treatments were formulated to provide a range of corn DDGS contaminated with DON from 0% to 20% (i.e., 5% scale of increment). All laying hens were subjected to the same management practices in a controlled environment. Body weight, feed intake and egg production were measured biweekly for the entire 8-week experiment. The egg quality was measured biweekly for 8 weeks. On weeks 4 and 8, visceral organ weights, blood metabolites, intestinal morphology, and blood cytokine concentrations were measured. Results: The inclusion of corn DDGS contaminated with DON in the diet did not alter (p> 0.05) the body weight, feed intake, hen-day egg production, egg mass and feed efficiency of the laying hens. No difference was found (p>0.05) in the egg quality of hens that were fed the dietary treatments. Furthermore, hens that were fed a diet containing corn DDGS contaminated with DON showed no change (p>0.05) in the visceral organ weights, the blood metabolites, and the cytokine concentrations. The crypt depth increased (p<0.05) as the amount of corn DDGS contaminated with DON increased. Proportionately, the villus height to crypt depth ratio of the laying hens decreased (p<0.05) with the increasing level of corn DDGS contaminated with DON in the diet. Conclusion: The inclusion of corn DDGS contaminated with DON up to 20% in layer diets did not cause changes in egg production performance and egg quality, which indicates that DON is less toxic at the concentration of 1.00 mg DON/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to determine the effect of phytase extracted from Aspergillus niger (Natuphos® E) on growth performance, bone mineralization, phosphorous excretion, and meat quality parameters in broilers fed available phosphorous (aP)-deficient diet. In total, 810 one-day-old Indian River broilers were randomly allotted into one of three dietary treatments, with six replicates per treatment. The three dietary treatments were 1) control group (CON: basal diet with sufficient aP), 2) low phytase (LPY: available phosphorus-deficient diet supplemented with 0.01% phytase), and 3) high phytase (HPY: available phosphorus-deficient diet supplemented with 0.02% phytase). Average daily gain and, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were measured for 35 days. Excreta were collected from each pen on day 35. One broiler from each cage was euthanized to collect visceral organs and tibia samples. Broiler chickens fed LPY and HPY showed improved (P<0.05) growth performance compared to broilers fed CON on day 35. The tibia length of HPY-fed broilers was more than those of broilers fed other diets on day 35 (P<0.05). However, tibia calcium and phosphorous contents in LPY-fed broilers was higher (P<0.05) than in CON and HPYfed broilers. Tibia length and calcium and phosphorous content showed a positive correlation (P<0.05) with the weight gain of broilers on day 35. Phosphorous level in the excreta of LPY- and HPY-fed broilers was lesser than those of CON broilers on day 35 (P<0.05). Furthermore, HPY-fed broilers showed lower (P<0.05) phosphorous content in the excreta than LPY-fed broilers. LPY- and HPY-fed broilers showed higher (P<0.05) liver weight than the CON broilers. In conclusion, broilers fed aP-deficient diet supplemented with phytase from Aspergillus excreted less phosphorus, which enhanced growth performance and tibia development from time of hatching to day 35 posthatching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated bioaccumulation and toxicity derived from heavy metals in laying hens. The 160 52-week old laying hens were divided into 5 treatments with 8 replicates of 4 birds per pen. The treatments consisted of the control diet (without heavy metals), control diet with half the available dosage (AD, 5 ppm lead and 0.2 ppm mercury), AD (10 ppm lead and 0.4 ppm mercury), 2-fold AD (20 ppm lead and 0.8 ppm mercury), and 3-fold AD (30 ppm lead and 1.2 ppm mercury), and were provided to the laying hens for 8 weeks. Food and water were provided on an ad libitum basis at all times. Body weight and food intake were recorded once every two weeks, and eggs were collected and recorded daily. Two birds from each pen were euthanized to collect blood and organ samples on week 4 and 8. The 3-fold AD diet reduced food intake compared to that of the control and AD diets (P<0.05). Hens fed the half AD diet had darker yolk compared to those fed the control and AD diet on week 4 (P<0.05). Hens fed the 2- and 3-fold AD diets had increased relative liver weight, blood glutamic pyruvic transaminase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels (P<0.05), while F1 follicle weights decreased on week 4 and 8. No difference was found in egg production rate, egg quality, ovarian follicle, blood metabolites including protein, globulin, albumin, and urea nitrogen throughout the study (P>0.05). Heavy metal concentrations in the liver, eggs, and feathers were not detected at both week 4 and 8. Our results indicate that in-feed heavy metals for layer diets up to 30 ppm of lead and 1.2 ppm of mercury brought on hepatic dysfunction increasing blood metabolites that are associated with liver inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the effect of methionine isomers (D- and L-methionine) on growth performance, blood metabolite levels, nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, and foot pad dermatitis in broilers challenged with acute heat stress. In total, 240 broilers were randomly allocated in a 2x2 factorial arrangement consisting of two dietary treatments (D- vs. L-methionine) and two thermal environmental conditions (thermo-neutral vs. acute heat stress). Methionine isomers were added to the diet as an ingredient according to the diet formulation. The broilers were exposed to acute heat stress at 33°for 5 h on day 14. The average daily gain and feed conversion ratio of birds fed L-methionine were higher than those fed D-methionine (P<0.05) from the time of hatching till 21 days. Induced acute heat stress impaired (P<0.05) the daily gain and feed intake of the broilers on day 21. Furthermore, the blood urea nitrogen levels of birds subjected to acute heat stress on days 14 and 21 were higher (P<0.05) than those of their counterparts. Longer villi (P<0.05) were observed in broilers fed L-methionine-supplemented diet than in those fed D-methionine-supplemented diet on day 14, irrespective of thermal environmental conditions. Heat stress reduced (P<0.01) nutrient digestibility of the broilers on days 14 and 21. Higher incidence and severity of foot pad dermatitis were observed (P<0.05) in broilers fed diet containing D-methionine than in those fed L-methionine-supplemented diet. In conclusion, L-methionine-supplemented diet improved growth performance, overcame growth depression, and reduced the incidence of foot pad dermatitis when broilers were exposed to acute heat stress in the starter period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]