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The objective of this article is to address the challenges of physical sample retrieval from all locations along patients' gastrointestinal (GI) tracts for studying of interactions between GI microbial communities (microbiomes) and host immune systems. We propose a novel tetherless, blindly controlled, magnetically actuated capsule for noninvasive sampling of GI microbiomes and liquid digesta. The mesoscale capsule, a soft mobile robot platform, is made from two permanent magnets encapsulated in a soft elastomer and actuated remotely by an external magnet. The capsule is controlled blindly using an external magnet to orient and activate the capsule. Following oral administration, capsules transit the GI tract and are activated at specified locations. The capsule is recovered via routine stool passage and collected samples are processed for downstream analyses (e.g., 16S rRNA surveys, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and/or metabolomics). The localization of the capsule is estimated using the traveling time and the location of collected microbiomes will be confirmed by downstream analyses. A mathematical model of capsule activation is used to predict capsule activation and guide design optimization. We demonstrate the ability of the capsule to collect samples, as well as maintain sample integrity in vitro, ex vivo , and with twelve capsules in in vivo swine models. Eleven capsules successfully collected digesta (in the range of 18 to 61 mg). This sampling apparatus offers a technological advance for the robust sampling of GI tract contents.

1. A total of 864 d old (male) Ross × Ross 708 broiler chicks were allocated to 48 floor pens (12 pens/treatment and 18 birds/pen) to investigate dose-response of a blend of seaweeds (SB) on growth performance, breast yield, jejunal histomorphology, microbial metabolites and community and plasma biochemical profile. 2. A maize-soybean meal diet was formulated with 0, 5, 10 or 20 g/kg of SB. Diets were formulated for a three-phase feeding programme (starter: d 0-10, grower: d 11-24, and finisher: d 25-42) and met or exceeded Aviagen nutrient specifications. Diets were allocated to pens (n = 12) balanced for body weight (BW). Birds had free access to feed and water, BW and feed intake (FI) were monitored by phase. One bird per pen was randomly selected on d 42, bled for plasma, and samples for intestinal tissue and caecal digesta were taken. Microbial DNA was extracted and submitted for microbial community profile using the Illumina Miseq® platform. 3. In the starter phase, SB linearly (

Growth performance and physiological responses of nursery piglets when fed enzymatically treated yeast (HY40) and pharmacological ZnO alone or in combination were investigated. A total of 144 pigs (21 d old, BW 7.32 ± 0.55 kg) were placed in 36 pens (4 pigs/pen). Pigs were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments (n = 9): 1) control corn-wheat-soybean meal diet (control), 2) control + HY40 (HY40), 3) control + (ZnO) and 4) control + HY40 + ZnO (HY40+ZnO). Inclusion of HY40 and ZnO was 0.5% and 3,000 ppm in phase I (days 0 to 14), respectively, and halved in phase II (days 15 to 42). All diets contained 0.2% TiO2 for determination of apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of components. Body weight and feed disappearance were recorded weekly. One pig per pen was killed for organ weights, blood, and tissue samples on day 14. Except for phase II, when HY40 + ZnO pigs had greater average daily feed intake (P = 0.004) than all other treatments, there were no (P0.05) interactions between HY40 and ZnO on growth performance. Pigs fed HY40 or ZnO containing diets were heavier (P0.05) than pigs fed without by the end of the study. On day 14, pigs fed additives exhibited higher (P ≤ 0.009) ATTD of dry matter (DM) and gross energy (GE) than control pigs. On day 28, pigs fed control, HY40, and HY40 + ZnO had greater (P ≤ 0.022) ATTD of DM, crude protein, and GE than piglets fed ZnO only. Pigs fed HY40 + ZnO had lower ileal digesta Escherichia coli concentration (P0.05) than HY40 and control pigs. Ileal digesta of pigs fed ZnO diets had higher lactobacillus to E. coli ratio (1.44 vs. 1.20; P = 0.001), exhibited higher concentrations of acetic (P = 0.01) and butyric acid (P = 0.01) but lower lactic (P = 0.02) and total short chain fatty acids (P = 0.033) than pigs fed non-ZnO diets. Greater (P0.05) mRNA expression of nutrient transporters, tight junction proteins, and fecal excretion of zinc (Zn) was observed in ZnO pigs relative to non-ZnO pigs. Pigs fed HY40 diets had greater (P = 0.002) villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH:CD) than non-HY40 pigs. The concentration of plasma IgA was higher (P = 0.04) in HY40 + ZnO pigs relative to other pigs, whereas HY40 pigs showed higher (P0.001) jejunal IgA than non-HY40 pigs. Although the mode of action of HY40 and ZnO differed, the present study indicated that HY40 improved growth performance and jejunal function and immunity, making HY40 an effective alternative to pharmacological ZnO in nursery pigs feeding programs.Abrupt weaning of pig results in nutritional, environmental, and psychological stresses leading to reduced feed intake, little or no weight gain and in some instances diarrhea, morbidity, and mortality. The post-weaning growth performance lag is often managed by use of antimicrobial growth promoters (AGP), pharmacological levels of trace elements such as zinc oxide (ZnO), specialty feed ingredients, and additives. However, many jurisdictions have already banned, and others are considering banning/restricting use of AGP to abate burgeoning levels of antimicrobial resistance in pathogens of animal and human. The European Union confirmed banning pharmacological ZnO effective June 2022 because of environmental pollution. In this context, identifying alternative nutritional strategies for managing newly weaned pigs is of global concern. Yeast derivatives have been proposed to be beneficial in transitioning piglets. However, there is little available information on comparative efficacy of yeast derivatives and pharmacological ZnO. The current study demonstrated that enzymatically treated yeast (HY40) had positive effects on growth, intestinal histomorphology, nutrient digestibility, and immune indices in nursery pigs. Through differing modes of action, overall growth performance of HY40 piglets was comparable to that of pharmacological ZnO piglets.

Black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) is characterized with good nutritional and functional attributes. However, there is limited data on inclusion of BSFLM in broiler chicken rations from placement through to market weight. Therefore, we examined growth and organ responses of partial to complete replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with BSFLM in a practical feeding program. A total of 1,152 d-old male Ross × Ross 708 chicks were allocated to 48 pens and assigned one of six diets (n = 8). The diets were: a basal corn-SBM diet (0%BSFLM), 4 diets in which SBM in 0%BSFLM was replaced with BSFLM at 12.5, 25, 50, and 100% and a final diet (0 + AGP) in which 0%BSFLM was treated with coccidiostat (70 mg Narasin/kg) and antibiotic (55 mg Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate/kg). For energy fortification, soy oil was used for 0%BSFLM diets and black soldier fly oil in the other diets. Body weight, feed intake (FI), BW gain (BWG), and mortality-corrected feed conversion ratio (FCR) were reported. Organ weights were recorded on d 24 and 49. On d 10, birds fed diets 12.5, 25, and 0 + AGP had higher BWG than birds fed diets 0, 50, and 100 (P0.01), and birds fed diet 100 had lower BWG than birds fed diets 0 or 50 (P0.01). Birds fed diets 50 and 100 had lower BWG than birds fed all other diets on d 24 and 49 (P0.05). Overall (d 0-49), BSFLM linearly (P0.01) decreased BW, BWG, and FI and increased FCR and mortality. The overall BWG of 50 and 100% BSFLM birds was 92 and 81% of birds fed 0%BSFLM, repectively and coresponding overall FI was 96 and 90%. An increase in gizzard, small intestine, pancreas, and liver relative weights were observed with increasing BSFLM inclusion (P0.01). The data indicated that lower levels of BSFLM could provide some growth-promoting effects commensurate to antibiotics in the starter phase. However, replacing SBM with greater amounts (≥50) of BSFLM reduced growth and increased organ size.

Older breeder chicks (OBC) are heavier and robust at hatch than younger breeder chicks (YBC). However, the implications of broiler breeder age on chick intestinal function and the role of functional feedstuffs are unexplored. We evaluated the effects of broiler breeder age and the impact of feeding YBC enzymatically treated yeast on growth, nutrient utilization, and indices of intestinal function. Fertile Ross 708 eggs: 2,250 (56.5 ± 3.4g) from 30-wk-old (YBC) and 550 (64.2 ± 4.2 g) from 47-wk-old (OBC) were hatched and placed in 48 pens (44 chicks/pen) containing equal males and females for growth and intestinal function evaluation and 36 cages (5 chicks/cage) for metabolizable energy (AME). Five corn and soybean meal-based diets were formulated to contain 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, and 0.40% HY40 for a 3-phase feeding program (starter: days 0-10, grower: days 11-24, and finisher; days 25-42). Grower phase diets also contained a 0.3% TiO

Growth performance and gastrointestinal (GIT) responses to a single-strain of Bacillus subtilis (SSB) were investigated using 960 Hybrid Converter Toms. A total of 4 iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous corn−soybean meal-based diets were allocated to 12 replicate cages/pens and fed (ad libitum) in a four-phase feeding program (starter; days 0 to 28, grower-1; days 29 to 56, grower-2; days 57 to 84, and finisher; days 85 to 126). The diets had either 0 (control), 1E+08 (low), 2E+08 (mid) or 1E+09 (high) cfu B. subtilis/kg. Feed intake (FI) and BW were recorded by phase. Excreta samples were collected towards the end of starter and grower-1 phases for apparent retention (AR) of components by marker method and litter moisture, respectively. Selected birds were necropsied on days 28 and 56 for GIT weight and samples for jejunal histomorphology and ceca digesta short chain fatty acids (SCFA). Supplemental SSB had linear and non-linear (P

There is limited information on the effects of enteric pathogen on bone quality in rapidly growing broiler chicks. We examined tibia and femur attributes (length, diameter, relative weight of ash content [AC] to the BW, ash concentration [AP]) and serum bone-turnover markers including receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) for resorption, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) for mineralization, and selected serum metabolites in 14-day-old broilers challenged with Eimeria. A total of 160 (80 males and 80 females) 1-day-old Ross × Ross 708 chicks were used. Based on BW, birds were placed within sex in cages (5 birds per cage) and fed chick starter diets to day 9 of age. On day 9, half of the cages were orally gavaged with 1 mL of Eimeria culture (100,000 oocysts of E. acervulina and 25,000 oocysts of E. maxima) and the other half (unchallenged control) received 1 mL 0.9% saline in distilled water. On day 14, 2 birds were randomly selected and necropsied for intestinal lesion score, blood, tibia, and femur samples. Data were analyzed in a 2 (challenged vs. unchallenged) × 2 (males vs. females) factorial arrangement. There was no interaction (P > 0.05) between Eimeria and sex on any measurement. Whereas there were no intestinal lesions in unchallenged birds, Eimeria resulted in lesion score (0 to 4) of 3.35, 2.59 and 0.11 in duodenum, jejunum and ileum, respectively. Eimeria challenge decreased (P < 0.05) tibia AC and AP by 10 and 8.2%, respectively but had no (P > 0.10) effect on femur attributes. Generally, males showed (P < 0.05) longer and wider bones with more AC compared with the female. Circulating serum RANKL concentration increased (P = 0.017) in response to Eimeria challenge and was negatively correlated with tibia AC (–0.731; P = 0.021). Our findings showed that Eimeria damage to the intestinal physiology had adverse effects on long bone attributes linked to increased resorption.

The study evaluated effects of early feeding of enzymatically treated yeast on growth performance and selected physiological responses in broiler chickens. A total of 480-day-old (male) Ross × Ross 708 broiler chicks were placed in 24 floor pens (20 birds per pen) and allocated to 2 diets (control vs. yeast) in a completely randomized block design (n = 12). Diets were formulated for a 5-phase feeding program: Pre-starter; d 0 to 6 Starter; d 7 to 15, Grower: d 16 to 28, Finisher 1; d 28 to 42 and Finisher 2; d 43 to 56. The yeast was applied in pre-starter and starter diets at 0.6 and 0.2%, respectively. Birds received a common diet from d 16 to 56. Feed intake (FI) and body weight (BW) were recorded by phase for calculation of BW gain (BWG) and FCR. On d 10, all birds received an oral dose of 25,000 E. acervullina and 5,000 E. maxima sporulated oocysts in 1 mL of sterile saline. On d 15 post-hatch, one bird per pen was sacrificed for organ weights (gizzard, small intestine, ceca, liver, spleen, liver, and bursa), jejunal tissues for histomorphology and ceca digesta for microbial activity. On d 56, one bird per pen was sacrificed for organs and breast weight. In pre-starter phase, yeast fed birds showed improved (P0.05) BWG and FCR than control fed birds. Combining pre-starter and starter phases, the FCR of yeast fed birds showed improved FCR (1.115 vs. 1.135; P0.05) than control. The overall BWG (d 0-56) was 3.920 and 3.962 kg/ bird and corresponding values for FCR were, 1.808 and 1.755, for the control and yeast, respectively. Diets had no (P0.05) effects on physiological responses evaluated on necropsied birds except that yeast birds had (P0.05) lighter bursa than control birds on d 15. The current data indicated that yeast could support growth in early life of broiler chickens, but these effects were not sustained after the transitioning birds to common grower and finisher diets.

Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of β-mannanase on growth performance, carcass characteristics, excreta microflora, blood constituents, and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens. Methods A total of 680 one-d-old Ross 308 (as hatched) broiler chickens were used in a 35-d growth assay. Chicks were sorted into pens with 17 birds/pen and 10 pens/treatment. Treatment diets were contained either 44% or 48% crude protein (CP) soybean meal (SBM) with or without β-mannanase. Results Using SBM containing 48% CP led to an improvement (p

Growth performance, organ weight, ceca digesta short chain fatty acids (SCFA), jejunal histomorphometry, tibia ash, apparent retention (AR) of components and caloric efficiency were investigated in broiler chicken strains differing in growth rate fed diets with multienzyme supplement (MES). The strains differed in estimated time to reach 2.1 kg BW: 37, 43, 47, and 50 d and were designated C, F, J, and N, respectively. A corn-soybean meal diet was formulated for 2-phase program (starter and grower) and fed without or with MES containing phytase, protease and fiberdegrading enzymes. A total of 640-day-old chicks (42.3 + 0.01 g/bird) were housed in cages (5 cockerels and 5 pullets/cage) and allocated to give 8 replicates/ strain and diet combination. Equal amount of feed was fed based on observed ad-libitum intake of C strain in the starter (d 0−14) and grower (d 15−28). Body weight was monitored, grab excreta samples taken and at completion of allocated feed one bird per cage necropsied for samples. With exception of P, apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (AMEn) and ceca digesta acetic acid, there was no (P > 0.05) interaction between strain and MES on examined responses. Strains differed (P < 0.01) on growth, FCR, gizzard weight, tibia ash, breast weight, ceca digesta concentration of lactic, propionic, and isobutyric acid and caloric efficiency. The final body weight (BW) was 1,344, 1,134, 959, and 916 g/bird for C, F, J, and N, respectively. Corresponding caloric efficiency was 4,930, 5,807, 6,680 and 7,199 kcal/kg BW gain, respectively. Birds fed MES had higher BW gain (P < 0.05) in grower phase, larger gizzard, higher AR of CP, crude fat, neutral detergent fiber, and Ca than non-MES birds. In conclusion, growth rate influenced organ attributes, nutrient, and caloric utilization. Enzyme supplementation improved growth in grower phase and nutrient utilization independent of strain, suggesting that effects of feed enzymes are not influenced by inherent growth rate. Global Animal Partnership, Canada First Research Excellence Fund, Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance and DSM nutritional products

Emerging market differentiation for broiler meat from strains exhibiting a range of growth rates is necessitating comparative research on various physiological and production aspects of these strains. The objective of the present study was to compare select gastrointestinal, tibial, and plasma attributes in a sample of 48-day-old (50 male and 50 female) broilers obtained from fast-and slow-growing flocks maintained under similar feed and management regimens. Eight birds were randomly selected from a fast (B; representative of modern commercial strains) and each of the 4 slow-growing strains (SG; D, H, M, and E). The strains differed by estimated time to reach 2.2 kg bodyweight corresponding to 36, 50, 42, 44, and 50 D for B, D, H, M, and E, respectively. Blood samples were collected to determine plasma metabolites, and birds were subsequently euthanized, weighed, and necropsied for gizzard and small intestine weight, jejunal tissue for histomorphology, ceca digesta samples for concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and left tibia for ash content. Gizzard was heavier (P 0.05) strain differences on SCFA, jejunal villus height and crypt depth, plasma proteins, and electrolytes. Strains D, H, and M exhibited higher (P = 0.01) tibia ash concentration than B; E was intermediate and not different (P > 0.05) from any strain. Specifically, the tibia ash for B, D, H, SG 3, and E were 1.24, 1.44, 1.43, 1.49, and 1.39 g/kg BW, respectively. The B birds showed higher (P

Growth performance and physiological responses of feeding modified soy protein concentrate (MSPC, 72% CP) in the starter phase were investigated. A total of 1,216 d old male Ross x Ross 708 broiler chicks were placed in 32 floor pens based on BW, fed one of 4 (n = 8) corn-soybean meal-based diets formulated with 0, 7.7, 10.0 or 12.5% MSPC for 10 d and transitioned to common diets to d 42. Feed intake, BW, and mortality were measured. Samples of birds were bled on d 10 for plasma uric acid (PUA) and subsequently necropsied for organs weight and samples of pancreatic tissues for enzyme activity, jejunal tissues for enzyme activity and histomorphology and ceca digesta for microbial activity. Litter moisture was determined on d 36 and 42 and sample of birds were necropsied on d 42 for breast yield and ceca digesta sample for microbial activity. Feeding MSPC linearly (P < 0.001) increased starter growth performance. Overall (d 0–42), MSPC linearly (P = 0.05)improved FCR; The FCR was 1.566, 1.535, 1.488 and 1.527 for 0.0, 7.7, 10.0, and 12.5% MSPC, respectively. Feeding MSPC linearly (P ≤ 0.04) increased breast yield and decreased small intestine length, gizzard digesta pH, and PUA. Breast yield was 230, 238, 246, and 252 g/kg BW for 0.0, 7.7, 10.0, and 12.5% MSPC, respectively. Pancreatic and jejunal chymotrypsin and trypsin activities and histomorphology were not (P > 0.10) influenced by the diets. On d 10, MSPC linearly (P < 0.05) reduced ceca digesta abundance of Ruminococcaceae, E. Coli, and Clostridium but increased abundance of Bifidobacterium and the ratio of Lactobacilli and E. Coli. Birds fed MSPC showed linear (P = 0.01) increase in abundance of Bifidobacterium on d 42. Feeding MSPC linearly increased ceca digesta acetic (P = 0.01) and reduced propionic (P = 0.048), and iso butyric (P = 0.003) in 10 d old broiler chicken. In conclusion, up to 12.5% MSPC inclusion in the starter phase increased growth performance through to d 42 linked to enhanced gut health through reduction of enteric pathogens.