The Effects of Sodium Butyrate, Coated Sodium Butyrate, and Butyric Acid Glycerides on Nutrient Digestibility, Gastrointestinal Function, and Fecal Microbiota in Turkeys.

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of sodium butyrate (SB), coated sodium butyrate (CSB), and butyric acid glycerides (BAG) in turkey nutrition based on an analysis of nutrient digestibility, gastrointestinal function, and fecal bacterial populations. A total of 400 1-day-old female BIG 6 turkeys were divided into 4 groups, with 5 replicates per group and 20 birds per replicate, to determine the effects exerted by various forms of butyric acid (SB, CSB, and BAG). The addition of CSB and BAG to turkey diets improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR, p < 0.05), increased the values of the European Efficiency Index (EEI, p < 0.01) and duodenal villus height (p < 0.05), and decreased the fecal populations of Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens (p < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with BAG increased protein digestibility (p < 0.05). The analyzed forms of butyrate added to turkey diets increased the butyric acid concentration in the cecal digesta (p < 0.01). The results of this study indicate that protected forms of butyric acid can be valuable feed additives in turkey nutrition.

The Effects of Different Forms of Butyric Acid on the Performance of Turkeys, Carcass Quality, Incidence of Footpad Dermatitis and Economic Efficiency.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of butyric acid glycerides (BAG), sodium butyrate (SB) and coated sodium butyrate (CSB) in turkey nutrition based on the growth performance of birds, carcass yield, meat quality, the dry matter (DM) content of faeces, the incidence of footpad dermatitis (FPD), and economic efficiency. A 105-day experiment was conducted on 400 BIG 6 female turkeys (4 treatments, 5 replications, 20 birds per replication). The addition of CSB and BAG to turkey diets improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR, p ≤ 0.05) and increased the values of the European Efficiency Index (EEI, p ≤ 0.01). The analysed forms of BA in turkey diets increased the concentration of DM in faeces (p ≤ 0.01) and decreased FPD incidence (p ≤ 0.01), which may suggest that all forms of butyrate improved litter quality and inhibit the risk for diarrhoea. The results of this study indicate that all forms of butyric acid can be valuable feed additives in turkey nutrition.

The effect of synbiotics and probiotics on the growth performance, gastrointestinal function and health status of turkeys.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth performance, gastrointestinal function and health status of turkeys fed diets supplemented with synbiotic preparations, as compared with commercial probiotic feed additives. The experiment lasted for 15 weeks. The research material comprised 600 female BIG 6 turkeys (6 treatments, 5 replicates, 20 birds per replicate). The turkeys from the control group (I) received a diet without additives. Groups II and III received a basal diet with the addition of probiotic BioPlus 2B or Cylactin at 0.4 g/kg diet, respectively. In groups IV, V and VI turkeys were fed diets with synbiotic preparations S1 (L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. pentosus, S. cerevisiae + inulin), S2 (L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. pentosus, S. cerevisiae, L. rhamnosus + inulin) and S3 (L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. pentosus, S. cerevisiae, L. rhamnosus, L. paracasei + inulin) at 0.5 g/kg diet, respectively. The following parameters were monitored: growth performance, carcass quality, the chemical composition of meat, the structure (length, weight, villus height, crypt depth) and functional parameters (pH, viscosity) of selected segments of the gastrointestinal tract, and the health status of birds (lysozyme, gamma-globulins, ceruloplasmin and total protein). Dietary supplementation with probiotics and synbiotics contributed to an increase in the final body weights of turkeys, a decrease in the feed conversion ratio and an increase in values of the European Production Efficiency Factor (p ≤ 0.05). Synbiotics improved the immune status of birds by increasing serum gamma-globulin levels and decreasing ceruloplasmin activity at 8th week of age (p ≤ 0.05). Synbiotics and probiotics also contributed to a decrease in crop and caecal pH (p ≤ 0.05). The analysed additives had no effect on carcass dressing percentage, carcass quality characteristics or the chemical composition of breast muscles. The tested synbiotics as well as commercial probiotics can be valuable feed additives, improving the growth performance and immune status of turkeys.

The effect of herbal feed additive on the growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of broiler chickens fed low-energy diets.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of herbal feed additive on growth performance, carcass characteristics, the chemical composition of breast muscles and selected meat quality parameters in broiler chickens. The experiment was performed on 1080 Ross 308 chickens, which were randomly divided into six groups with six replicates per group. In experimental groups, dietary energy concentration was reduced by 0.10 or 0.25 MJ kg - 1 , and the diets were or were not supplemented with the Superliv herbal formula at 500 g t - 1 of diet. A statistical analysis revealed that Superliv had a beneficial influence on the final body weights (BWs) of birds, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), European Efficiency Index (EEI) and the proportion of heart relative to total carcass weight. However, meat acidity measured 15 min post mortem was higher in experimental groups. A decrease in dietary energy concentration contributed to a highly significant increase in the water-holding capacity (WHC) of meat and natural drip loss, an increase in pH 15 , an increase in color lightness, a decrease in redness, an increase in the fat content of meat, and a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration.