Trace Minerals in Laying Hen Diets and Their Effects on Egg Quality.

With the advancement in the egg industry sector, egg quality has assumed great significance in certain countries. Enhancements in the nutritional value of eggs may have direct affirmative consequences for daily nutrient intake and therefore for human health. Thus, affirmative improvement in egg quality boosts consumer preferences for eggs. Also, the improvement in eggshell quality can avoid the disposal of broken eggs and consequently economic losses. Therefore, poultry nutrition and mineral supplements have a significant impact on egg quality. Minerals are crucial in poultry feed for a number of biological processes, including catalytic, physiologic, and structural processes. For instance, they contribute to the biological processes necessary for forming and developing eggshells. To produce high-quality eggs for sale, diets must therefore contain the right amount of minerals. This review aims to highlight the role of both organic and inorganic minerals in improving egg quality, in addition to reviewing the interactions of mineral supplements with intestinal microbiota and subsequent effects on the egg quality.

Effect of probiotics and humate substances on blood parameters, intestinal development and immune organs of growing quail.

This study aimed to evaluate impacts of dietary probiotics (Bacillus subtilis PB6) and humate substances (HS) supplementation on histomorphometry of small intestine and immune organs, blood parameters of growing quail. A total of 216 unsexed quails (seven days old) were randomly distributed to six groups. The 1st group did not receive any supplements (control), 2nd group received B. subtilis (CloSTAT: 0.5 g/kg diet), 3rd and 4th groups received HS (4 and 8 g/kg diet, respectively), 5th and 6th groups received CloSTAT + 4g HS and CloSTAT + 8g HS, respectively. Results showed that the inclusion of B. subtilis alone in quail diets significantly improved histomorphometry indices of intestine and immune organs compared to the control. Dietary supplementation of HS alone led to deteriorating histomorphometry indices of intestinal segments and immune organs compared to the control. CloSTAT, HS or both improved lipid profile and antioxidant parameters. Serum mineral levels did not differ significantly among groups except for Ca levels. In conclusion, dietary probiotics supplementation enhanced histomorphometry of intestine and immune organs and improved serum Ca, lipid profile and antioxidant indices. Moreover, the addition of HS (4 or 8 g/kg diet) improved lipid profile and antioxidant indices, but led to undesirable results in intestinal development and immune organs.

Impact of humate substances and Bacillus subtilis PB6 on thyroid activity and histomorphometry, iron profile and blood haematology of quail.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of dietary humate substances (HS) and CloSTAT (Bacillus subtilis PB6) on the thyroid activity and histology, iron profile, blood haematology and performance of growing Japanese quail. A total of 216 unsexed 7-day-old quail chicks were randomly assigned to six groups. The first group was fed a basal diet (BD) without any additives (control); the 2nd group received BD plus 0.05% CloSTAT, the 3rd and 4th groups were given BD plus 0.4% and 0.8% HS, respectively; and the 5th and 6th groups were administered BD plus CloSTAT + 0.4% HS and BD plus CloSTAT + 0.8% HS, respectively. The results showed that the growth performance was improved with the addition of CloSTAT alone or in combination with 0.4% HS compared with the control. Haematological parameters, iron level and transferrin saturation % were significantly (p < 0.001) increased by feeding HS compared with the control group. Serum thyroxin and triiodothyronine levels were significantly (p = 0.001) increased by adding CloSTAT relative to the control. Supplementation of 0.8% HS caused deterioration in histomorphometry parameters of the thyroid gland, but these parameters were improved in response to CloSTAT compared with the control. In conclusion, dietary B. subtilis PB6 as CloSTAT or CloSTAT + 0.4% HS supplementation may be efficacious in enhancing the growth performance and boosting the thyroid activity of growing Japanese quail. Moreover, the addition of 0.4% or 0.8% HS to quail diets boosted their iron profile and haematological parameters.

Using essential oils to overcome bacterial biofilm formation and their antimicrobial resistance.

The increase of resistant bacteria puts a huge pressure on the antimicrobials in current use. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) results from antibiotic misuse and abuse over many years and is a global financial burden. New polices must be developed for the use of antimicrobials and to continue research efforts to mitigate AMR. It is essential to target the most harmful bacteria and concentrate on their mechanisms of resistance to develop successful antimicrobials. Essential oils (EOs) are occur naturally in plants and have long been used as antimicrobials, but most have not been researched. This review explores EOs as alternative antimicrobials, investigating their ability to decrease or inhibit biofilm formation, and assess their ability to contribute to AMR control. Low concentrations of EOs can inhibit Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Some EOs have demonstrated strong anti-biofilm activities. If EOs are successful against biofilm formation, particularly in bacteria developing AMR, they could be incorporated into new antimicrobials. Therefore, there is a need to investigate these EOs' potential, particularly for surface disinfection, and against bacteria from food, clinical and non-clinical environments.

Olive Oil: Nutritional Applications, Beneficial Health Aspects and its Prospective Application in Poultry Production.

Plant polyphenols have promoting health features, including anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anti-atherogenic, and anti-allergic effects. These polyphenols improve the immune system by affecting the white blood cell proliferation, as well as by the synthesis of cytokines and other factors, which contribute to immunological resistance. Olive trees are one of the most famous trees in the world. Whereas, olive olive oil and derivatives represent a large group of feeding resource for farm animals. In recent years, remarkable studies have been carried out to show the possible use of olive oil and derivatives for improvement of both animal performance and product quality. In vivo application of olive oil and its derived products has shown to maintain oxidative balance owing to its polyphenolic content. Consumption of extra virgin olive oil reduces the inflammation, limits the risk of liver damage, and prevents the progression of steatohepatitis through its potent antioxidant activities. Also, the monounsaturated fatty acids content of olive oil (particularly oleic acid), might have positive impacts on lipid peroxidation and hepatic protection. Therefore, this review article aims to highlight the nutritional applications and beneficial health aspects of olive oil and its effect on poultry production.

Nanominerals: Fabrication Methods, Benefits and Hazards, and Their Applications in Ruminants with Special Reference to Selenium and Zinc Nanoparticles.

Nanotechnology is one of the major advanced technologies applied in different fields, including agriculture, livestock, medicine, and food sectors. Nanomaterials can help maintain the sustainability of the livestock sector through improving quantitative and qualitative production of safe, healthy, and functional animal products. Given the diverse nanotechnology applications in the animal nutrition field, the use of nanomaterials opens the horizon of opportunities for enhancing feed utilization and efficiency in animal production. Nanotechnology facilitates the development of nano vehicles for nutrients (including trace minerals), allowing efficient delivery to improve digestion and absorption for better nutrient metabolism and physiology. Nanominerals are interesting alternatives for inorganic and organic minerals for animals that can substantially enhance the bioavailability and reduce pollution. Nanominerals promote antioxidant activity, and improve growth performance, reproductive performance, immune response, intestinal health, and the nutritional value of animal products. Nanominerals are also helpful for improving assisted reproductive technologies (ART) outcomes by enriching media for cryopreservation of spermatozoa, oocytes, and embryos with antioxidant nanominerals. Despite the promising positive effects of nanominerals on animal performance and health, there are various challenges related to nanominerals, including their metabolism and fate in the animal's body. Thus, the economic, legal, and ethical implications of nanomaterials must also be considered by the authority. This review highlights the benefits of including nanominerals (particularly nano-selenium and nano-zinc) in animal diets and/or cryopreservation media, focusing on modes of action, physiological effects, and the potential toxicity of their impact on human health.

Potential role of important nutraceuticals in poultry performance and health - A comprehensive review.

Antibiotics use in poultry as a growth promoter leads to the propagation of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and incorporation of drug residues in foods; therefore, it has been restricted in different countries. There is a global trend to limit the use of antibiotics in the animal products. Prevention of the antibiotics use in the poultry diets led to the reduction in the growth performance. Consequently, there is a high demand for natural substances that lead to the same growth enhancement and beneficially affect poultry health. These constituents play essential roles in regulating the normal physiological functions of animals including the protection from infectious ailments. Nutraceuticals administration resulted beneficial in both infectious and noninfectious diseases. Being the natural components of diet, they are compatible with it and do not pose risks associated with antibiotics or other drugs. Nutraceuticals are categorized as commercial additives obtained from natural products as an alternative feed supplement for the improvement of animal welfare. This group includes enzymes, synbiotics, phytobiotics, organic acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In the present review, the summary of various bioactive ingredients that act as nutraceuticals and their mode of action in growth promotion and elevation of the immune system has been presented.

Alterations in cecal microbiota and intestinal barrier function of laying hens fed on fluoride supplemented diets.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fluorine at levels of 31, 431, 1237 mg/kg feed on cecum microbe, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and intestinal barrier function of laying hens. The results showed that the intestinal morphology and ultrastructure were damaged by dietary high F intake. The mRNA expression levels of zonula occludens-1, zonula occludens-2, claudin-1, and claudin-4 were decreased in jejunum and ileum. However, the concentrations of serum diamine oxidase, and D-lactic acid and intestinal contents of interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, and Tumor necrosis factor-alpha were increased. Consistent with this, dietary high F intake altered the cecum microbiota, with increasing the concentration of pathogens, such as Proteobacteria and Escherichia-Shigella, as well as, decreasing the contents of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, and expectedly, reduced the SCFAs concentrations. In conclusion, the actual results confirmed that (1) high dietary F intake could damage the intestinal structure and function, with impaired intestinal barrier and intestinal inflammation, and (2) destroy the cecum microbial homeostasis, and decrease the concentrations of SCFAs, which aggravate the incidence of intestinal inflammation in laying hens.

The Potential Role of Citrus limon Powder as a Natural Feed Supplement to Boost the Productive Performance, Antioxidant Status, and Blood Biochemistry of Growing Rabbits.

The current study examined the influence of Citrus limon (dry lemon) on the hemato-biochemical profiles, and antioxidant indices of growing rabbits. Forty-eight growing New Zealand White rabbits (age, eight weeks; weight, 1543.33 ± 25 g) were allocated into three groups (16 animals each), the first group was (control) fed a basal diet, whereas the second and third groups were supplemented with dried lemon, 1% or 2% DLP, respectively. A GC-MS analysis of more than 27 active constituents was performed. Feed conversion efficiency was (p < 0.05) better with diets containing 1% or 2% dry lemon, compared to the control group. Hematological indexes were increased significantly with the addition of DLP compared to those in the control group. Adding 1% or 2% dry lemon to rabbit diet increased (p < 0.05) enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities (TAC, SOD, GSH, GST, and CAT) in serum and liver tissues. Taken together, these data reveal the advantages and antioxidant effects of dry lemon supplementation for growing rabbits once supplemented at a maximum of 2% in their daily diet.

Effects of iron glycine chelate on laying performance, antioxidant activities, serum biochemical indices, iron concentrations and transferrin mRNA expression in laying hens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of iron glycine chelate (Fe-Gly) on laying performance, antioxidant enzyme activities, serum biochemical indices and iron concentrations in laying hens. A total of 810 laying hens (Hy-Line Variety White, 26 weeks old) were randomly assigned to six groups with five replicates of 27 layers. Hens in the control group received diet supplemented with 60 mg Fe/kg as FeSO4 , while hens in other five groups received the diet supplemented with 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg Fe/kg from Fe-Gly respectively. The results showed that dietary Fe-Gly treatments significantly influenced (p < 0.01) the laying rate and egg weight of layers, compared with the control group. Concerning to CuZn-superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity, Fe-Gly groups (60, 80 mg Fe/kg) were promoted significantly (p < 0.01) compared with 0 mg Fe/kg group. The concentrations of Fe in serum, liver, kidney, spleen and ovary were increased significantly with the level dietary Fe-Gly raised where Fe-Gly groups (60, 80 mg Fe/kg) had observably higher Fe concentration than the control (p < 0.01) in serum, kidney and spleen. There was a trend that transferrin mRNA expression was decreased with the increase of Fe as Fe-Gly in diets, and compared with the control, the expression was lower in the group fed diet with 60 mg/kg Fe as Fe-Gly. In conclusion, Fe-Gly (60 mg Fe/kg) had improved laying rate, egg weight, SOD enzyme activity, Fe absorption and protein synthesis in body and promoted iron metabolism in laying hens. Moreover, Fe-Gly (40 mg/kg Fe) had the similar effect with control group. It revealed that FeSO4 could be substituted by lower concentration of Fe-Gly and Fe-Gly may be superior to FeSO4 for iron fortification to laying hens.

Effects of In Ovo Methionine-Cysteine Injection on Embryonic Development, Antioxidant Status, IGF-I and TLR4 Gene Expression, and Jejunum Histomorphometry in Newly Hatched Broiler Chicks Exposed to Heat Stress during Incubation.

Sulfur amino acids are typically the first-limiting amino acids (AA) used in protein metabolism in poultry. Therefore, we hypothesized that their utilization in the pre-hatch period would affect embryonic development, IGF-I and TLR4 gene expression, antioxidant status, serum biochemical profile, and jejunum histomorphometry of newly hatched Ross broiler chicks incubated under heat stress conditions. A total of 150 fertile broiler eggs were subjected to heat stress (39.6 °C for 6 h/d) from d10 until d18 and injected at d 17.5 of incubation with methionine and cysteine (Met-Cys) at a dose of 5.90 mg l-methionine plus 3.40 mg l-cysteine. The effects of Met-Cys administration were examined and compared with the control (Non-injected group) and 0.75% NaCl injected group. The results showed that no significant differences among all groups in serum protein profiles (total protein, albumin, globulin, and albumin/globulin ratio) and creatine kinase were observed. The level of heat shock protein-90 was decreased with Met-Cys In ovo injection. The In ovo injection of Met-Cys also improved the values of total antioxidants capacity and glutathione in examined tissues. At the same time, an increase in fold change mRNA abundance of IGF-I and TLR4 was observed after Met-Cys injection in tested tissues. Finally, an increase of 29% in villus area was found after Met-Cys injection compared to the control group. In conclusion, the In ovo injection of Met-Cys resulted in improved embryonic development, IGF-I and TLR4 gene expression, antioxidant status and jejunum histomorphometry of newly hatched broiler chicks exposed to heat stress during incubation.

The effects of dietary tomato powder (Solanum lycopersicum L.) supplementation on the haematological, immunological, serum biochemical and antioxidant parameters of growing rabbits.

Using nutritional antioxidants in livestock systems is considered the key in improving animal production. The current study assumes that dietary tomato powder (TP) supplementation positively affects haemato-immunological, biochemical, and antioxidant parameters for New Zealand rabbits. A total of 30 rabbits (45 days old) were assigned to three groups, including a diet with no additives (control), and two dietary treatments with the providing of 1% or 2% TP. Mass spectrometric study for TP methanolic extract showed some phenolic compounds. Consumption of TP supplemented diets significantly (p < 0.001) affected body weight gain and feed efficiency. Red blood cells and white blood cells count exhibited a significant increase (p < 0.001) in both TP groups compared with the control. In addition to, feeding rabbits on TP enhanced cell-mediated and humoral immune responses through a significant increase in phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and levels of immunoglobulins (TIg, IgG, IgM and IgA). Supplementation of TP significantly (p < 0.01) reduced lipid profile induces except high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values. A remarkable significant (p < 0.001) effect on serum and hepatic oxidative stress responses were observed with TP addition. Ultimately, TP supplementation could play a potential role as a growth and health enhancer for fattening rabbits.