Efficacy of mono- and multistrain synbiotics supplementation in modifying performance, caecal fermentation, intestinal health, meat and bone quality, and some blood biochemical indices in broilers.

The superiority of synbiotics in terms of their biological effects depends primarily on a suitable combination of both components, pro-biotic and pre-biotic. The present study was conducted to compare the efficacy of mono- and multistrain synbiotics on overall performance, caecal fermentation, intestinal health, meat and bone quality along with some blood biochemical indices in broilers. A total of 231, 1-day-old male Ross 308, broiler chicks were randomly assigned to three experimental groups using 11 replicates each and seven chicks/replicate. The dietary treatments included control group with no synbiotic supplementation, monostrain (Maflor) and multistrain (Maflor plus) synbiotic groups with 1 g/kg of added synbiotics each. Synbiotics feeding significantly improved animal performance with a clear impact on meat quality in terms of low-fat, optimum ultimate pH24, higher water holding capacity, and lower drip and cooking losses. Of the two synbiotics, multistrain seemed to have responded better in modifying small intestinal epithelia and fermentation metabolites, although both synbiotics were comparable in reducing the pathogen load. Load-bearing capacity of both leg bones (femur and tibia) was also enhanced with synbiotics supplementation, which was also reflected in their mineral profile. The blood serum biochemical analysis showed a reduction in circulating cholesterol and triglycerides levels and an increment in IgA and IgG concentrations. In conclusion, the remarkable efficacy of tested synbiotics in providing higher growth, better meat quality in tandem with the optimum gut environment, lower pathogen load, healthy epithelia, immunomodulation, hypocholesterolemic, and hypotriglyceridemic effects affirms their great potential to be used as feed additives in broiler diets. Contrary to our expectations, the effectiveness of a mono-strain in comparison to multistrain synbiotic in improving almost all the features investigated was also notable. Further evaluation under challenging conditions should be explicitly conducted to achieve more comprehensive results.

Sepiolite as an effective supplement for low-protein diets with the constant energy-protein ratio in broilers.

The present study aimed to examine the influence of sepiolite on growth performance, meat quality, intestinal health, some blood parameters, and digestibility of nutrients in broilers fed low-protein diets with the constant energy-protein ratio. A total of 252, daily male broiler chicks were allocated to four treatment groups further divided into 9 replicates each containing 7 chicks. Low-protein diets having a constant energy-protein ratio were formulated by lowering protein and energy levels of the control group diet by 5%. Sepiolite was used at the level of 1% in the diets. After 42 days of trial, total feed consumption, total body weight gain, total feed conversion ratio, and carcass yield were not influenced by reducing protein, sepiolite supplementation, and interaction between low-protein-low-energy diet and sepiolite. Reducing protein in the diets led to reducing the digestibility of nutrients, increasing ileal viscosity, decreasing villus height, villus surface area in duodenum and jejunum, and increasing abdominal fat and ether extract, cooking losses, total oxidant status, and oxidative status index in breast meat. Sepiolite supplementation to low-protein diets increased crude protein digestibility, reduced viscosity, increased villus height/crypt depth values and reduced cooking losses, and increased water holding capacity in breast meat. Blood serum biochemical parameters and minerals were not affected by sepiolite supplementation to low-protein diets. Therefore, it is concluded that sepiolite can be added as a beneficial supplement in broiler diets as well as in low-protein diets with a constant energy-protein ratio.