Effects of lactulose supplementation on performance, blood profiles, excreta microbial shedding of Lactobacillus and Escherichia coli, relative organ weight and excreta noxious gas contents in broilers.

This study was to evaluate the effects of lactulose supplementation on performance, blood profiles, excreta microbial shedding of Lactobacillus and Escherichia coli, relative organ weight and excreta noxious gas contents in broilers. A total of 720 ROSS 308 broilers with a body weight of 46 ± 0.1 g (1 day of age) were used in a 28-d experiment. Broilers were randomly allotted to 4 experiment diets with 12 replicate pens and 15 birds per pen. Dietary treatments were as follows: NC, negative control (without antibiotic); PC, NC + 0.1% tiamulin; L1, NC + 0.1% lactulose; and L2, NC + 0.2% lactulose. Broilers were fed with phase 1 (1-8 day), phase 2 (9-18 day) and phase 3 (19-28 day) diets in the form of mash. During day 1-8, broilers fed the PC and L2 diets had higher (p < 0.05) body weight gain than those fed the NC diet. During day 19-28, broilers fed the L1 and L2 diets had lower (p < 0.05) feed intake than those fed the NC diet. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was decreased (p < 0.05) in L1 treatment compared with NC treatment. Overall, the FCR was improved (p < 0.05) in all supplementation treatments compared with NC treatment. The apparently metabolizable nitrogen in L1 treatment was higher (p < 0.05) than that in NC treatment at day 28. The excreta Lactobacillus was increased and E. coli was decreased in PC and L2 treatments compared with NC treatment at day 28 (p < 0.05). The excreta NH3, H2S and acetic acid contents were decreased (p < 0.05) in L1 and L2 treatments compared with NC treatment. The relative weight of abdominal fat of broilers fed the PC diet was lowest (p < 0.05) compared with other treatments. In conclusion, this study indicated that dietary supplementation of 0.1% or 0.2% lactulose could improve growth performance, decrease excreta E. coli and excreta NH3 and H2S contents.

Effect of rearing system (free-range vs cage) on gut and muscle histomorphology and microbial loads of Italian White breed rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: The growing consumers' interest on animal welfare has raised the request of products obtained by alternative rearing systems. The present study was conducted to assess the influence of housing system on gut and muscle morphology and on microbial load in rabbits reared under free-range (FR) and cage system (CS). METHODS: A total of forty weaned (35 days of age) male Italian White breed rabbits were allotted according to the rearing system, and at 91 days of age were randomly selected and slaughtered for the morphological evaluation of tissue from duodenum and longissimus lumborum. Morphometric analysis of the villus height, villus width, crypt depth, villus height/crypt depth ratio, and villus surface was performed. The microbial loads on hind muscle was determined by total mesophilic aerobic count (TMAC), Escherichia coli and Enterobacteriaceae; whereas, total anaerobic bacteria count (TABC) and TMAC, E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae was determined on caecal content. RESULTS: Rearing system did not interfere with the duodenum and muscle histomorphology in both rabbit groups. Similarly, microbial load of caecal content showed no significant differences on the TABC and TMAC. Conversely, significant difference was found for E. coli strains in caecal content, with the lower counts in FR compared to CS rabbits (p<0.01). Microbiological assay of muscle revealed significant lower TMAC in FR vs CS rabbits (p< 0.05). All rabbit meat samples were negative for E. Coli and Enterobacteriaceae. CONCLUSION: Free-range could be considered a possible alternative and sustainable rearing system in rabbits to preserve gut environment and muscle quality.

Achyranthes japonica extracts supplementation to growing pigs positively influences growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbial shedding, and fecal gas emission.

OBJECTIVE: An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Achyranthes japonica extracts (AJE) on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbial shedding, and fecal gas emission of growing pigs. METHODS: A total of 180 ([Landrace×Yorkshire]×Duroc) growing pigs with initial body weight (BW) of 23.94±1.54 kg were used in this study to investigate the effects of AJE as a feed additive. Dietary treatments included: i) CON (basal diet), ii) TRT1 (basal diet+0.05% AJE), and iii) TRT2 (basal diet+0.10% AJE). RESULTS: As a result of the dietary supplementation of 0% to 0.10% AJE, a linear increase of BW (p<0.05) on d 21 and 42, a linear increase of average daily gain (ADG) (p<0.05) during d 21 to 42, a trend in linear increase of ADG (p<0.10) during d 0 to 21 and d 0 to 42, a linear increase of gain to feed ratio (G:F) (p<0.05) during d 0 to 42, and a tendency in the linear increase of G:F during d 21 to 42 were observed in this study. Additionally, dietary supplementation of 0% to 0.10% AJE had a linear increase (p<0.05) on the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter (DM) and energy, a linear increase (p<0.05) on lactic acid bacteria counts, a tendency in reducing (linear effect, p<0.10) coliform bacteria counts, and a linear decrease (p<0.05) in excreta H2S emission content in growing pigs. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the results suggested that AJE had the potential to enhance growth performance, DM and energy digestibility, and fecal lactic acid bacteria counts, and decrease the fecal coliform bacteria counts and excreta H2S emission in growing pigs.

Effects of dietary supplementation of modified zinc oxide on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, fecal microbial shedding and fecal score in weanling pigs.

One hundred and forty piglets ((Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc, 21 day of age) with an initial weight of 6.50 ± 0.71 kg, were randomly allotted into four treatments to determine the effects of a modified form of zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, fecal microbial shedding and fecal score in weanling pigs. Dietary treatments were: (i) NC, negative control, basal diet containing zinc (Zn) from the premix; (ii) PC, positive control, basal diet containing Zn-free premix + 3000 ppm ZnO; (iii) H1, basal diet containing Zn-free premix + 3000 ppm ZnO (phase 1, days 1 to 14)/200 ppm modified ZnO (phase 2, days 15 to 42); (iv) H2, basal diet containing Zn-free premix + 300 ppm modified ZnO (phase 1)/200 ppm modified ZnO (phase 2). During days 1 to 14, average daily gains (ADG) were higher (P = 0.04) in PC, H1 and H2 groups than that in NC group. Overall, H1 treatment increased the ADG compared with NC (P = 0.05). On day 14, the alkaline phosphatase and plasma Zn concentration were increased (P = 0.01 and 0.04, respectively) in PC, H1 and H2 treatments compared with NC treatment. On days 14 and 42, the fecal Lactobacillus counts in NC group were lowest (P = 0.01, P = 0.04 respectively) among treatments. All supplemented groups showed lower (P = 0.03) fecal score than NC treatment on days 21 and 28. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with modified ZnO increased growth rates and reduced fecal scores in weanling pig. Modified ZnO could be used as a substitute to ZnO as a growth promoter and reduce Zn excretion to the environment because of the lower dosage. [Correction added on 3 February 2015, after first online publication: the initial weight of '6.50 ± 1.11 kg' has been replaced with '6.50 ± 0.71 kg' in the abstract.].