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This study was conducted to investigate the effects of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) and betaine on growth performance, meat quality and metabolism of ducks. A total of 384-one-day-old Cherry Valley meat ducks (55.75 ± 0.55 g) were randomly assigned to four treatments with 6 replicates of 16 ducks. Ducks were fed a basal diet (control) or a test diet supplemented with 0.6 g GAA/kg, 2.0 g betaine/kg, or 0.6 g GAA/kg + 2.0 g betaine/kg. The results showed that compared with the control group, GAA and betaine improved feed conversation ratio from day 1 to 14 and 1 to 35 and body weight at 35 days of age (p

Simple Summary: Se yeast is a microbial fermentation product created by adding sodium selenite in the yeast cultivation process, which is a superior product of an organic Se source. It exhibits greater bioavailability than the product from inorganic Se sources, and the increased Se levels are maintained for a longer period after the supplementation has ceased. This study evaluated the effects of Se yeast on the growth performance, slaughter performance, antioxidant capacity, and Se deposition in broilers. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of Se yeast can lead to reduced abdominal fat percentages, improved antioxidation function, and increased Se deposition in broiler tissues, thereby enhancing the meat quality of broilers, which holds great significance for the precise production of Se-enriched functional chicken products. Selenium (Se) yeast, a bioavailable form of selenium, exhibits enhanced bioavailability due to its unique organic matrix and superior metabolic availability compared to the inorganic selenium sources. This study aims to evaluate the effects of Se yeast on the growth performance, slaughter performance, antioxidant capacity, and Se deposition in broiler chickens. A total of 264 1-day-old male AA broilers (38.7 ± 0.1 g) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, with six replicates of 11 chickens per replicate. The broilers were fed a basal diet or a diet supplemented with 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/kg Se yeast. The experiment lasted for 42 days. Although the results showed that Se yeast did not significantly improve the growth performance of broilers, it did significantly decrease the abdominal fat ratio. Additionally, supplementation of Se yeast significantly improved the antioxidant capacity of broilers. The quadratic regression models were used to simulate the relationship between Se content in the feed and Se deposition in broiler tissues. The regression equations were as follows: pectoral muscle, Y = 2.628X − 0.340X2 − 0.592 (R2 = 0.927); leg muscle, Y = 2.317X − 0.272X2 − 0.490 (R2 = 0.937); liver, Y = 3.357X − 0.453X2 − 0.493 (R2 = 0.961); kidney, Y = 4.084X − 0.649X2 + 0.792 (R2 = 0.932). Based on these findings, the Se deposition in broiler tissues can be predicted by the Se content of the additive, which is of great significance for the precise production of Se-enriched functional chicken products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cottonseed protein concentrate (CPC) is a novel plant protein source that has been developed using advanced cottonseed processing technology. It was extensively utilized as a replacement for fish meal in feed within the aquaculture industry. However, there was limited research on using CPC as a protein source to replace soybean meal in broiler diets. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of the chemical and amino acid composition of CPC, and assessed its protein and amino acid digestibility, metabolizable energy value, and net energy value in the broiler chickens. Additionally, the experiment examined the effects of replacing 25% and 50% of soybean meal in feed with CPC on the growth performance, blood parameters, antioxidant capacity, and immunoglobulin content of broiler chickens. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential use of CPC as a substitute for soybean meal in broiler feed formulation. Cottonseed protein concentrate (CPC) has the function of replacing soybean meal to maintain normal animal growth and development. This study involved 180 Arbor Acres (AA) broilers, which were randomly assigned to three different treatments. Each treatment had six replicates, with each replicate consisting of 10 chicks. The control group was fed a basal diet, while the CPC-1 and CPC-2 groups used CPC to replace 25% and 50% of the soybean meal in the basal diet, respectively. The study showed that replacing soybean meal with 25% CPC in broilers' diets can maintain normal growth, while substituting 50% of soybean meal with CPC negatively affects the growth and development of broiler chickens. Furthermore, the CPC-1 group showed a significant increase in serum total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase enzyme activity, and immunoglobulin content, along with a decrease in malondialdehyde content. Based on the research results mentioned above, it was speculated that CPC has the potential to replace around 25% of soybean meal in broiler feed without causing any negative impact on growth performance. This suggests that CPC could be a viable alternative to soybean meal in broiler diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to disclose the effects of a new compound organic acidifier mixing with L-malic acid and L-lactic acid on broiler production. A total of 1000 1-day-old Arbor acres broiler chicks were randomly divided into two treatments of 10 replicates each, with 50 birds per replicate. The feeding trial lasted for 42 days. The treatment group was offered 0.8% of the acidifier based on the control. The growth performance of the broiler chickens was improved by treatment. The broiler chickens in treatment had lower triglyceride but higher high-density lipoprotein content in serum. Superoxide dismutase activity, total antioxidant capacity and the concentrations of immunoglobulin A, complement 3 and lysozyme were increased in the serum of the broiler chickens, while the concentrations of interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-α in the mucosa of jejunum were decreased by treatment. The expressions of AMPK, CD36, FABP1, MTTP and PPARα were increased but expressions of APOB100 and PCSK9 were decreased by treatment. In conclusion, the acidifier was effective at promoting broiler production, which was probably through the improved immunity, antioxidant and hepatic lipid metabolism capacities. The acidifier may be accelerating lipid metabolism in broiler chicken liver through regulating the expression of the genes related to fat metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing interest has been focused on Chinese herbs as alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters, which are characterized by non-toxic side effects and drug resistance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Sihuang Zhili granule (abbreviated as Sihuang) on diarrhea, immunity, and antioxidation in poultry. Thirty male Leghorn chickens, aged 21 days, were randomly assigned to one of three groups with ten animals each. The control group (CON) received intraperitoneal saline injections, while the LPS-challenged group (LPS) and Sihuang intervention group (SH) received intraperitoneal injections of LPS (0.5 mg/kg of BW) and Sihuang (5 g/kg) at d 31, d 33, d 35, respectively. The control and LPS groups were fed a basal diet, while the SH group was fed a diet supplemented with Sihuang from d 21 to d 35. Analysis of the diarrhea index showed that the addition of Sihuang inhibited the increase in the diarrhea grade and the fecal water content caused by LPS, effectively alleviating poultry diarrhea symptoms. The results of the immune and antioxidant indexes showed that Sihuang significantly reduced the contents of the pro-inflammatory factors TNF- α and IL-1 β, as well as the oxidative stress markers ROS and MDA. Conversely, it increased the contents of the anti-inflammatory factors IL-4 and IL-10, along with the activities of antioxidant enzymes GSH-Px and CAT, thereby enhancing the immune and antioxidant abilities of chickens. Furthermore, Sihuang protected the chicken's ileum, liver, and immune organs from LPS invasion and maintained their normal development. In conclusion, this study confirmed the antidiarrheal effect of Sihuang in poultry farming and demonstrated its ability to improve poultry immunity and antioxidant capacity by modulating antioxidant enzyme activity and inflammatory cytokine levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exogenous proteases are promising to stimulate the application of low-protein diets for broilers. A total of 540 1-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly assigned to 9 groups with 6 replicates of 10 birds. A 3 × 3 factorial, completely randomized arrangement was used to evaluate the effects of dietary crude protein (CP) and protease levels on growth and slaughter performance, immunity capacity, and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of amino acids (AA). Dietary CP levels were 20.0%, 19.5%, or 19.0% during the starter phase, and 18.0%, 17.5%, or 17.0% during the finisher phase. Protease levels were 0, 250, or 500 mg/kg in diets throughout the trial. The trial lasted for 42 days. Weight gain and feed efficiency of broilers decreased as dietary CP lowered, but improved with protease supplementation. Dietary CP and protease levels had few effects and interactions on carcass characteristics, immune organ indexes, and immunoglobulin concentrations. The AID of most AA was improved by dietary CP decrease or protease supplementation. In conclusion, reducing dietary CP decreased the performance and immune capacity of broilers but increased the AID of AA. Almost independent of dietary CP level, dietary protease addition improved the performance of broilers, probably through the enhancement of AA digestibility, and had no effect on carcass traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing interest has been focused on lactic acid bacteria as alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters, which are characterized by the production of various functional metabolites, such as antimicrobial and antioxidants compounds. The present study was undertaken to evaluate a potential probiotic from the antioxidant perspective. LC-9-1, screened from the intestines of healthy animals, was revealed to be Pediococcus acidilactici on the basis of its morphological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics. The strain has excellent properties, including acid-production efficiency, antibacterial performance and antioxidant activity. The safety of the strain was also evaluated. Furthermore, the experiments in broiler chickens suggested that dietary LC-9-1 supplementation improved the growth performance and decreased the abdominal fat, and enhanced the antioxidant capability and intestinal innate immunity of broilers. Analysis of intestinal microbiota showed that a higher community diversity (Shannon index) was achieved. In addition to the significantly increased relative abundances of Pediococcus spp., beneficial genera such as Rothia spp. and Ruminococcus spp. were abundant, while opportunistic pathogens such as Escherichia-Shigella spp. were significantly reduced in LC-9-1-supplemented broilers. Collectively, such in-depth characterization and the available data will guide future efforts to develop next-generation probiotics, and LC-9-1 could be considered a potential strain for further utilization in direct-fed microbial or starter culture for fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) in fermented soybean meal (FSBM) are greater than those in soybean meal (SBM). FSBM was produced by fermenting SBM with a mixture of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The fermentation process decreased trypsin inhibitor and crude fiber levels by 67.80% and 7.56%, while it increased the total amino acid content by 2.56%. In the first experiment, a substitution method was used to determine the AME and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) of SBM and FSBM. A corn-SBM basal diet and two test diets consisting of 70% of the basal diet plus 30% SBM or FSBM were formulated. The results show that fermentation did not have an effect on the AME and AMEn concentrations of SBM (p > 0.05); the respective AME and AMEn values were 10.29 and 10.62 MJ/kg (DM basis) and 9.09 and 9.23 MJ/kg for SBM and FSBM. In the second experiment, a nitrogen-free diet was formulated to measure the endogenous AA flow, and the other two semi-purified diets containing SBM or FSBM as the sole source of AA were formulated. The results show that the AID and SID of isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine, cysteine, tyrosine, and aspartic acid were greater in FSBM than in SBM (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the fermentation of SBM by a mixture of B. amyloliquefaciens, L. acidophilus, and S. cerevisiae can improve its nutritional values and is a promising protein resource for broiler production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) on growth performance, blood parameters, iron status, nutrient digestibility, and antioxidant capacity in broilers. A total of 600 one-day-old Arbour Acres broilers were distributed into 5 groups with 6 replicates of 20 birds by a completely randomised design. The birds in the 5 groups were fed the basal diets with 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 mg/kg 5-ALA, respectively. Dietary supplementation with 60 mg/kg 5-ALA significantly reduced the feed to gain ratio during days 1–21 and days 22–42. Moreover, compared with the control group, dietary supplementation with 30 mg/kg 5-ALA elevated haemoglobin concentrations during days 1–21. Furthermore, dietary supplementation with 45 and 60 mg/kg 5-ALA increased the digestibility of crude protein and decreased serum uric acid levels. At 21 days of age, dietary supplementation with 45 and 60 mg/kg 5-ALA increased liver catalase activity and decreased liver malondialdehyde concentrations, and upregulated the liver mRNA expression of ferritin light chain and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related 2. In addition, the liver mRNA expression of haem oxygenase-1 and divalent metal transporter were upregulated in the 60 mg/kg 5-ALA supplementation group, while the liver mRNA expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 was decreased in the 5-ALA supplementation groups. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 60 mg/kg 5-ALA improved the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, iron status and antioxidant capacity of 21-d-old broilers. Addition of 60 mg/kg 5-ALA to broiler diets reduced the feed to gain ratio. Addition of 45 and 60 mg/kg 5-ALA to broiler diets improved crude protein digestibility and decreased serum uric acid levels. 5-ALA exhibited antioxidant properties by enhancing the Nrf2 and HO-1 expression [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Fermented feed is an effective way to replace antibiotics in poultry. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of different levels of fermented feeds on growth performance, nutrient utilization, antioxidant function, meat quality, and intestinal microorganisms of broilers. The current research results showed that adding 10% fermented feed significantly improved the growth performance in 1–21 days, and adding 5% fermented feed significantly improved the growth performance in 1–42 days. Adding 15% fermented feed significantly improved the metabolic rate of the birds in 19–21 days and significantly increased the monounsaturated fatty acid concentration in the chickens. Adding fermented feed significantly reduced the cholesterol content in the chickens. In a word, adding 10% fermented feed significantly reduced the feed conversion ratio in 1–21 days and adding 5% fermented feed significantly improved the average daily gain and the average daily feed intake in 1–42 days. In addition, consuming fermented feed improved the meat quality of broilers. We investigated the effects of fermenting the plant fraction of a solid complete feed (FPFF) on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, meat quality, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens. The plant-based fraction of the complete feed was fermented using Lactobacillus and Bacillus subtilis. A total of 240, 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allocated into four treatment groups, each comprised of six replicates. The groups were fed a corn–soybean meal-based diet (basic diet) or the same diet supplemented with 5%, 10%, or 15% FPFF for 6 weeks. As results, adding 10% fermented feed significantly improved the growth performance in 1–21 days, and adding 5% fermented feed significantly improved the growth performance in 1–42 days. Adding 15% fermented feed significantly improved the metabolic rate of the birds in 19–21 days and significantly increased the monounsaturated fatty acid concentration in the chickens. Adding fermented feed significantly reduced the cholesterol content in the chickens. In conclusion, adding 10% fermented feed significantly reduced the feed conversion ratio in 1–21 days and adding 5% fermented feed significantly improved the average daily gain and the average daily feed intake in 1–42 days. In addition, consuming fermented feed improved the meat quality of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacillus subtilis has been widely used in animal husbandry as a potential alternative to antibiotics due to its excellent bacteriostasis and antioxidant activity. This study aims to investigate the effects of Bacillus subtilis on the protection of ducks from Escherichia coli infection and its mechanism. The four experimental groups include the negative control group, positive control group, antibiotic group and Bacillus subtilis group. Ducks in positive, antibiotic and Bacillus subtilis groups are orally administered with Escherichia coli and equivalent saline solution for the negative group. The results show that supplements with Bacillus subtilis enhances the performance and health status of the infected ducks. Moreover, Bacillus subtilis alleviates the increase in globulin, LPS and MDA, and the decrease in albumin, T-AOC and T-SOD in the serum caused by Escherichia coli infection. Bacillus subtilis also attenuates injury in the intestine and partially reverses the increase in ROS production and the depletion of ATP in the jejunum. These effects are accompanied with the change of related genes of the ribosome (13.54%) and oxidative phosphorylation (6.68%). Collectively, Bacillus subtilis alleviates the damage caused by Escherichia coli infection in ducks by activating ribosome and oxidative phosphorylation signaling to regulate antioxidant and energy metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the metabolic differences in the livers of modern broilers and local chicken breeds is important for understanding their biological characteristics, and many proteomic changes in their livers are not well characterized. We therefore analyzed the hepatic protein profiles of a commercial breed, Arbor Acres (AA) broilers, and a local dual purpose breed, Big Bone chickens, using two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with liquid chromatography-chip/electrospray ionization-quadruple time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A total of 145 proteins were identified as having differential abundance in the two breeds at three growth stages. Among them, 49, 63 and 54 belonged to 2, 4, and 6 weeks of age, respectively. The higher abundance proteins in AA broilers were related to the energy production pathways suggesting enhanced energy metabolism and lipid biosynthesis. In contrast, the higher abundance proteins in Big Bone chickens showed enhanced lipid degradation, resulting in a reduction in the abdominal fat percentage. Along with the decrease in fat deposition, flavor substance synthesis in the meat of the Big Bone chickens may be improved by enhanced abundance of proteins involved in glycine metabolism. In addition, the identified proteins in nucleotide metabolism, antioxidants, cell structure, protein folding and transporters may be critically important for immune defense, gene transcription and other biological processes in the two breeds. These results indicate that selection pressure may have shaped the two lines differently resulting in different hepatic metabolic capacities and extensive metabolic differences in the liver. The results from this study may help provide the theoretical basis for chicken breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia (NH3) emissions from animal manure are a significant environmental and public concern. Despite the numerous studies regarding NH3 emissions from manure, few of them have considered microbial nitrification approaches, especially fungal nitrification. In this study, a filamentous fungus was isolated from chicken manure and was used for nitrification. The species was Paecilomyces variotii by morphological characteristics and 18S rDNA gene sequencing. It played the biggest role in the removal of ammonium at pH 4.0–7.0, C/N ratio of 10–40, temperature of 25–37°C, shaking speed of 150 rpm, and with glucose as the available carbon source. Further analysis revealed that all ammonium was removed when the initial ammonium concentration was less than 100 mg/L; 40% ammonium was removed when the initial ammonium concentration was 1100 mg/L. The results showed that the concentration of ammonia from chicken manure with strain Paecilomyces variotii was significantly lower than that in the control group. We concluded that Paecilomyces variotii has good potential for future applications in in situ ammonium removal as well as ammonia emissions control from poultry manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the transportation on broilers through the use of a vibration and motion simulation machine. Short-term transport stress induced significant physiological changes in broiler chickens. Simulation of the vibration and motion associated transport for 2 h altered hormonal secretion and blood biochemical characteristics. However, after 4 h, the birds appear to regain homeostatic equilibrium. Despite this, the stress activated antioxidant defenses, acidified muscles and increased peroxidation, as well as decreasing the meat quality of broilers. This study supports and extends previous work that identified transportation as a major risk in relation to bird welfare and meat quality. Many factors contribute to the stress of transporting broilers from the farm to the processing plant. Using a motion simulation machine, a total of 144 male broilers were employed to determine the effect of motion, vibration, and feed withdrawal during transportation on serum biochemical parameters, postmortem muscle metabolism, and meat quality of broilers. The results indicated that transportation did not affect the activity of lactate dehydrogenase, γ-glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and glucose in the serum, glutathione peroxidase in the breast and thigh muscle, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the breast, and heat stress protein 70 mRNA expression level in the liver (p > 0.05). Serum triiodothyronine, thyroxine, and insulin concentration declined with 2 h transportation (p < 0.05) and recovered with 4 h transportation (p < 0.05). NOS concentration in the thigh increased with 2 h transportation (p < 0.05) and recovered with 4 h transportation (p < 0.05). Two-hour and 4 h transportation increased the activity of superoxide dismutase in both muscles. Malondialdehyde, lactic acid, and drip loss24 h in both thigh and breast muscles increased, and glycogen in both muscles decreased with increasing transportation times (p < 0.05). Two-hour transportation did not influence pH45 min and pH24 h in the breast and thigh muscle, but these indexes decreased with 4 h transportation. This experiment supports and extends previous work that identified transportation as a major risk in relation to bird welfare and meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bone health is an important factor in broiler production. Among the key nutrients affecting bone health, phosphorus (P) plays a great role. Enterococcus faecium has been widely used as feed additive to promote growth performance of broilers. There were reports suggesting that E. faecium improved skeletal health of rats. However, the effect of E. faecium on the bones of broilers remains unclear. The present study is to investigate the effect of E. faecium on P absorption and utilization in broilers and the associated changes in the gut microbiota. Dietary inclusion with E. faecium did not improve broiler performance in this study but improved P absorption and bone mineralization. In E. faecium-treated broilers, the expression of intestinal type IIb sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter (NaP-IIb) mRNA was upregulated and the concentration of serum alkaline phosphatase was increased. Dietary supplementation with E. faecium changed the gut microbiota populations of broilers and increased the relative abundance of SCFA (short-chain fatty acid)-producing bacteria. The changed populations of microbiota improved intestinal P absorption and bone forming metabolic activities. In conclusion, dietary inclusion with E. faecium facilitates increased utilisation of P in broilers. Modern broiler chickens have ongoing bone health problems. Phosphorus (P) plays an important role in bone development and increased understanding of P metabolism should improve the skeletal health of broilers. Enterococcus faecium has been widely used as a probiotic in broiler production and is shown to improve skeletal health of rats, but its effect on the bones of broilers remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of E. faecium on P absorption and utilization in broilers and the associated changes in the gut microbiota using 16S rDNA sequencing. Dietary supplementation with E. faecium improved P absorption through upregulation of the expression of intestinal NaP-IIb mRNA and increased the concentration of serum alkaline phosphatase. These actions increased P retention and bone mineralization in E. faecium-treated broilers. The positive effects of E. faecium on P metabolism were associated with changes in the populations of the intestinal microbiota. There was increased relative abundance of the following genera, Alistipes, Eubacterium, Rikenella and Ruminococcaceae and a decrease in the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and Escherichia-Shigella. Dietary supplementation with E. faecium changed gut microbiota populations of broilers, increased the relative abundance of SCFA (short-chain fatty acid)-producing bacteria, improved intestinal P absorption and bone forming metabolic activities, and decreased P excretion. E. faecium facilitates increased utilisation of P in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is necessary for cellular protein synthesis regulation. Leucine was reported to stimulate muscle protein synthesis in mammalian embryos and neonates, but in higher animals (chickens) the effect of dietary leucine on mTOR signaling is unknown. Thus, we investigated the effects of dietary leucine and age on mRNA expression and phosphorylation of mTOR as well as its downstream targets, ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K1) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) in chick pectoral muscles. One hundred eighty newly hatched male chicks were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary leucine treatment groups (1.43, 1.73, and 2.03% leucine) for 14 d, respectively. Each treatment group consisted of 6 cages with 10 chicks each. On d 3, 7, and 14, plasma insulin and leucine were measured and target gene expression and phosphorylation was assessed. Dietary leucine influenced plasma leucine but not insulin, and plasma leucine and insulin declined with chick age. The mTOR, S6K1, and 4E-BP1 mRNA expression and phosphorylation within chick pectoral muscles were upregulated with increased dietary leucine but downregulated with increased chick age. Thus, high dietary leucine activates target of rapamycin signaling pathways in skeletal muscle of neonatal chicks to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, and this pathway is attenuated with aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The object of this study was to investigate the effect of replacing soybean meal with Clostridium autoethanogenum protein (CAP) in broiler diets on growth performance, blood indicators, antioxidant capacity, and immune function., Methods: A total of 180 Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into three treatments, each treatment with six replicates and 10 broilers per replicate for a 42-day feeding trial. The control group (CON) was fed corn-soybean meal based diet. The CAP-1 and CAP-2 groups were considered to use CAP to replace 25% or 50% of soybean meal in the diet, respectively. The average daily gain and average daily feed intake of broilers at 1 to 21 d, 22 to 42 d, and 1 to 42 d were measured, and the feed conversion ratio was calculated. At the 42nd day of age, two broilers with similar weights and fasted for 12 h were selected in each replicate for blood collection from the brachial wing vein. The blood routine indicators, serum biochemical indicators, serum antioxidant capacity, and immunoglobulin content of broiler chickens were measured., Results: Replacement of soybean meal with 25% (CAP-1) and 50% (CAP-2) CAP significantly increased the average daily gain of 22 to 42 d and 1 to 42 d and decreased the average daily feed intake and feed conversion rate (p<0.05). The CAP-1 group, and CAP-2 group significantly increased hemoglobulin in the blood of broilers, while the CAP-2 group increased hematocrit content (p<0.05). Compared with the control group, the contents of superoxide dismutase and immunoglobulin A in serum of the CAP-2 group were significantly increased, while the contents of malondialdehyde in CAP group were significantly decreased (p<0.05)., Conclusion: Replacing soybean meal with CAP led to significant improvements in the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immunoglobulin content of broilers.

Selenium (Se) yeast, a bioavailable form of selenium, exhibits enhanced bioavailability due to its unique organic matrix and superior metabolic availability compared to the inorganic selenium sources. This study aims to evaluate the effects of Se yeast on the growth performance, slaughter performance, antioxidant capacity, and Se deposition in broiler chickens. A total of 264 1-day-old male AA broilers (38.7 ± 0.1 g) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, with six replicates of 11 chickens per replicate. The broilers were fed a basal diet or a diet supplemented with 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/kg Se yeast. The experiment lasted for 42 days. Although the results showed that Se yeast did not significantly improve the growth performance of broilers, it did significantly decrease the abdominal fat ratio. Additionally, supplementation of Se yeast significantly improved the antioxidant capacity of broilers. The quadratic regression models were used to simulate the relationship between Se content in the feed and Se deposition in broiler tissues. The regression equations were as follows: pectoral muscle, Y = 2.628X - 0.340X 2 - 0.592 (R 2 = 0.927); leg muscle, Y = 2.317X - 0.272X 2 - 0.490 (R 2 = 0.937); liver, Y = 3.357X - 0.453X 2 - 0.493 (R 2 = 0.961); kidney, Y = 4.084X - 0.649X 2 + 0.792 (R 2 = 0.932). Based on these findings, the Se deposition in broiler tissues can be predicted by the Se content of the additive, which is of great significance for the precise production of Se-enriched functional chicken products.

Cottonseed protein concentrate (CPC) has the function of replacing soybean meal to maintain normal animal growth and development. This study involved 180 Arbor Acres (AA) broilers, which were randomly assigned to three different treatments. Each treatment had six replicates, with each replicate consisting of 10 chicks. The control group was fed a basal diet, while the CPC-1 and CPC-2 groups used CPC to replace 25% and 50% of the soybean meal in the basal diet, respectively. The study showed that replacing soybean meal with 25% CPC in broilers' diets can maintain normal growth, while substituting 50% of soybean meal with CPC negatively affects the growth and development of broiler chickens. Furthermore, the CPC-1 group showed a significant increase in serum total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase enzyme activity, and immunoglobulin content, along with a decrease in malondialdehyde content. Based on the research results mentioned above, it was speculated that CPC has the potential to replace around 25% of soybean meal in broiler feed without causing any negative impact on growth performance. This suggests that CPC could be a viable alternative to soybean meal in broiler diet.

We investigated the effects of fermenting the plant fraction of a solid complete feed (FPFF) on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, meat quality, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens. The plant-based fraction of the complete feed was fermented using Lactobacillus and Bacillus subtilis . A total of 240, 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allocated into four treatment groups, each comprised of six replicates. The groups were fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet (basic diet) or the same diet supplemented with 5%, 10%, or 15% FPFF for 6 weeks. As results, adding 10% fermented feed significantly improved the growth performance in 1-21 days, and adding 5% fermented feed significantly improved the growth performance in 1-42 days. Adding 15% fermented feed significantly improved the metabolic rate of the birds in 19-21 days and significantly increased the monounsaturated fatty acid concentration in the chickens. Adding fermented feed significantly reduced the cholesterol content in the chickens. In conclusion, adding 10% fermented feed significantly reduced the feed conversion ratio in 1-21 days and adding 5% fermented feed significantly improved the average daily gain and the average daily feed intake in 1-42 days. In addition, consuming fermented feed improved the meat quality of broilers.

Colibacillosis is one of the major health threats in the poultry industry worldwide. Understanding the pathogenic mechanisms involved in Escherichia coli -induced inflammatory response may lead to the development of new therapies to combat the disease. To address this, a total of 96 1-day-old male lean Pekin ducklings were employed and randomly allocated to two treatments, each with six replicates of eight ducks. Ducks in the experiment group (EG) and the control group (CG) were separately orally administered with 0.2 ml of pathogenic E. coli O88 (3 × 10 9  CFU/ml) or equivalent volumes of 0.9% sterile saline solution on day 7, two times with an 8-h interval. Serum and intestinal samples were collected on days 9, 14, and 28. Results showed that ducks challenged with E. coli had lower average daily gain and higher feed intake/weight gain during days 9-14 and overall ( P  < 0.05). Histopathological examination showed that E. coli decreased the villus height and the ratio of villus height/crypt depth in the jejunum ( P  < 0.05) on days 9 and 14. The intestinal barrier was disrupted, presenting in E. coli ducks having higher serum DAO and D-LA on days 9 and 14 ( P  < 0.05) and greater content of serum LPS on day 9 ( P  < 0.05). Escherichia coli infection also triggered a systemic inflammatory response including the decrease of the serum IgA, IgM, and jejunal sIgA on day 14 ( P  < 0.05). In addition to these, 1,062 differentially expressed genes were detected in the jejunum tissues of ducks by RNA-seq, consisting of 491 upregulated and 571 downregulated genes. Based on the KEGG database, oxidative phosphorylation and the ribosome pathway were the most enriched. These findings reveal the candidate pathways and genes that may be involved in E. coli infection, allow a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of inflammation progression and may facilitate the genetic improvement of ducks, and provide further insights to tackle the drug sensitivity and animal welfare issues., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Li, Li, Liu, Cai, Liu, Deng and Chang.)

We studied the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, barrier function, and immune response of broilers challenged with Escherichia coli O157 (E. Coli). A total of 360 1-day-old Cobb male broilers were tested in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement with 3 dietary L. acidophilus levels (0, 5 × 10 8 CFU/kg, and 10 × 10 8 CFU/kg of diet) and 2 disease challenge treatments (control or E. coli challenged). Results showed that E. coli challenge decreased the ADG, ADFI, and BW of broilers from 15 to 21 d (P < 0.05), increased the jejunum intestinal wall thickness, and significantly increased the mortality rate. E. coli challenge significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the serum IgA and IgM contents and peripheral blood CD3+ T cell counts (P < 0.05), increased the serum CRP, DAO, and LPS levels at 21 d; upregulated the mRNA expression of iNOS, IL-8, IL-1β in the jejunum and iNOS in the spleen, and downregulated the occludin and ZO-1 mRNA expression in the ileum at 21 d compared with uninfected birds (P < 0.05). Dietary L. acidophilus supplementation consistently showed higher BW, ADG, ADFI, and jejunum and ileum V:C ratio at 14 d and 21 d in the presence and absence of E. coli challenge (P < 0.05). L. acidophilus supplementation reduced the mortality rate caused by E. coli challenge (P < 0.05), decreased the serum CRP, DAO, and LPS levels at 14 d and 21 d; upregulated the mRNA expression of occludin and ZO-1 in the jejunum and ileum, and downregulated the mRNA expression of iNOS, IL-8, and IL-1β in the jejunum in E. coli challenged birds at 21 d (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with L. acidophilus can improve the growth performance, intestinal health, and survival of broilers challenged with E. coli., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Many factors contribute to the stress of transporting broilers from the farm to the processing plant. Using a motion simulation machine, a total of 144 male broilers were employed to determine the effect of motion, vibration, and feed withdrawal during transportation on serum biochemical parameters, postmortem muscle metabolism, and meat quality of broilers. The results indicated that transportation did not affect the activity of lactate dehydrogenase, γ-glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and glucose in the serum, glutathione peroxidase in the breast and thigh muscle, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the breast, and heat stress protein 70 mRNA expression level in the liver ( p > 0.05). Serum triiodothyronine, thyroxine, and insulin concentration declined with 2 h transportation ( p < 0.05) and recovered with 4 h transportation ( p < 0.05). NOS concentration in the thigh increased with 2 h transportation ( p < 0.05) and recovered with 4 h transportation ( p < 0.05). Two-hour and 4 h transportation increased the activity of superoxide dismutase in both muscles. Malondialdehyde, lactic acid, and drip loss 24 h in both thigh and breast muscles increased, and glycogen in both muscles decreased with increasing transportation times ( p < 0.05). Two-hour transportation did not influence pH 45 min and pH 24 h in the breast and thigh muscle, but these indexes decreased with 4 h transportation. This experiment supports and extends previous work that identified transportation as a major risk in relation to bird welfare and meat quality.

Modern broiler chickens have ongoing bone health problems. Phosphorus (P) plays an important role in bone development and increased understanding of P metabolism should improve the skeletal health of broilers. Enterococcus faecium has been widely used as a probiotic in broiler production and is shown to improve skeletal health of rats, but its effect on the bones of broilers remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of E. faecium on P absorption and utilization in broilers and the associated changes in the gut microbiota using 16S rDNA sequencing. Dietary supplementation with E. faecium improved P absorption through upregulation of the expression of intestinal NaP-IIb mRNA and increased the concentration of serum alkaline phosphatase. These actions increased P retention and bone mineralization in E. faecium -treated broilers. The positive effects of E. faecium on P metabolism were associated with changes in the populations of the intestinal microbiota. There was increased relative abundance of the following genera, Alistipes , Eubacterium , Rikenella and Ruminococcaceae and a decrease in the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and Escherichia-Shigella . Dietary supplementation with E. faecium changed gut microbiota populations of broilers, increased the relative abundance of SCFA (short-chain fatty acid)-producing bacteria, improved intestinal P absorption and bone forming metabolic activities, and decreased P excretion. E. faecium facilitates increased utilisation of P in broilers.

Background: The liver plays important roles in nutrient metabolism, detoxification and immunity. Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) is a probiotic that has been shown to have positive effects on broiler production. However, its molecular effects on liver metabolism have not been characterized. This study aims to further identify the biological roles of E. faecium by characterizing the hepatic proteomic changes of broilers (Gallus gallus) fed E. faecium using two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE) and mass spectrometry (MS)., Results: Thirty-three proteins (50 protein spots) involved in nutrient metabolism, immunity and the antioxidant system were shown to be differentially expressed in the liver of broilers fed E. faecium than from birds not fed the probiotic. The biological processes of sulphur amino acids, vitamin and cellular hormone metabolism, sulphur compound biosynthesis and protein tetramerization were enhanced in the liver of broilers fed E. faecium. However, proteins involved in calcium ion flux, cell redox homeostasis and platelet activation related to hepatic immune responses were down-regulated in broilers fed E. faecium. These results indicate that the supplementation of poultry feed with E. faecium may alter the partitioning of nutrients and promote optimal nutrient utilization., Conclusions: This study assists in unraveling the molecular effects of the dietary probiotic, E. faecium, in the liver of broiler chickens. It shows that the probiotic improves the metabolism of nutrients and decreases inflammatory responses. Our findings extend previous knowledge of the mechanism of dietary probiotic action and provide new findings for research and future probiotic development.