Efficacy of supplementing Aspergillus awamori in enhancing growth performance, gut microbiota, digestibility, immunity, and antioxidant activity of heat-stressed broiler chickens fed diets containing olive pulp.

BACKGROUND: Gut microbes play a significant role in digestion, developing immunity, and intestinal health. Therefore, direct-fed microbials are used to modify gut microbiota, maintain a healthy digestive system, enhance immunity, and promote the broilers' performance. In addition, it has a role in improving the utilization of unconventional feed ingredients (olive pulp, OP). This study provides the potential role of Aspergillus awamori in enhancing gut microbial content, nutrient utilization, growth performance, and antioxidative status in heat-stressed broiler chickens fed diets containing olive pulp. METHODS: Three hundred chicks (Ross 308; one day old) were divided into four treatment groups (75 chick/ group) randomly, as follows; CON: chicks fed a basal diet based on corn and soybean meal, OP10: chicks fed a diet containing 10% OP, OA1: chicks fed a diet containing OP with A. awamori at 100 mg per kg, OA2: chicks fed a diet containing OP with A. awamori at 200 mg per kg. RESULTS: Adding A. awamori to the broiler diet that contains OP had a positive effect on productive performance via enhancing nutrition digestibility, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and carcass characteristics. A. awamori supplementation had a positive impact on immune responses by increasing serum immunoglobulin G and the relative weight of bursa of Fabricius (P < 0.05) compared to the other groups. Chickens fed A. awamori showed a noticeable improvement in the oxidative status through the increase in the level of serum superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase, and the decrease in the level of malondialdehyde. Feeding A. awamori also modified the intestinal microbial content by increasing the population of Lactobacillus (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicated that adding 200 mg A. awamori reduced the negative effect of heat stress by modifying the microbial content of the intestine, immune response, and enhancing feed utilization, thus improving broiler performance, as well as, improving the nutritional value of the olive pulp. Therefore, adding A. awamori to the OP diet can be effectively used in heat-stressed broiler diets.

Effects of exposing Japanese quail eggs to a low dose of gamma radiation and in ovo feeding by two sources of trace elements on embryonic development activities.

The present study investigated the influence of exposing quail eggs to low-dose gamma radiation (GR) and in ovo feeding with 2 sources of a mixture of trace elements (Zn, Fe, and Cu), including sulfate (TES) and loaded with montmorillonite (TEM), on embryonic development activities and prehatch quality. A total of 960 eggs on the seventh day of incubation were randomly divided into 6 groups (160 eggs/group) with 4 replicate of 40 eggs in each. A 3 × 2 factorial arrangement experiment was performed and included 3 sources in ovo feeding with a mixture of trace elements (Zn, Fe, and Cu), including 0 mg/egg, 50 mg TES/egg, and 50 mg TEM/egg with egg irradiation using 0 and 0.2 Gy from GR. Eggs injected with 50 mg TEM/egg and exposed to 0.2 Gy from GR (TEM/GR) was significantly (P ≤ 0.05 and 0.01) higher in hatchability, hatch body weight, and relative organ weight (liver, gizzard, proventriculus, heart, and intestine). The obtained results indicated significant (P ≤ 0.05) decreased in the serum concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in TEM/GR group. There was significant (P ≤ 0.05) increased of catalase (CAT) activity and the concentrations of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in TEM/GR group; however; total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) was significant (P ≤ 0.05) increased in CT/GR group. Serum concentrations of immunoglobulin M (IgM) (P ≤ 0.05) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were increased in the TEM/CR group; the concentration of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) significant (P ≤ 0.05) increased in the TEM/GR group; and interleukins (IL6 and IL10) showed no significant differences among the groups. Our results showed increase in thyroxine and myostatin concentrations with TES/CR and CT/GR of our study groups, respectively. The relative mRNA expression levels of the GH, IGF-1, and Fas cell surface death receptor (FAS) genes were significantly (P ≤ 0.05 and 0.01) upregulated in the liver tissue of the TEM/GR group compared with the other groups. In conclusion, TEM/GR was the best treatment for improving prehatch quality, increasing serum antioxidant enzyme activities, and promoting the expression of growth and immune genes in fertilized quail eggs.

Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles as Feed Additive on Blood Indices, Physiological, Immunological Responses, and Histological Changes in Broiler Chicks.

A feeding trial of 5-week duration was performed to assess the response of broiler chicks to dietary supplementation with different doses of myco-fabricated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZONPs) on blood indices, physiological, immunological response, antioxidant status, intestinal microbial count, and histological changes in immune organs. A total of 162 3-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were weighed individually and distributed equally into 3 dietary treatments with 6 replicate of 9 chicks in each in a completely randomized design. Chicks were fed ad libitum a basal ration prepared as starter, grower, and finisher supplemented with 0 (T1, control), 40 (T2), and 60 (T3) mg zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZONPs)/kg feed. Results showed that supplementing with ZONPs at both studied levels increased the relative weights of the spleen, bursa, thymus, and liver and decreased the relative weight of the kidney, gizzard, and intestine. A significant increase in the concentrations of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (PCV%), red and white blood cell counts, total protein (TP), globulin (GLOB), aspartate transferase (AST), alanine transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and a significant decrease in malonaldehyde (MDA), uric acid, and creatinine concentration were observed. Furthermore, all immunological organs showed histological alteration and increased both types of immunity in ZONPs groups with more pronounced effects in the T2 group.

Effects of dietary incorporation of Radix rehmanniae praeparata polysaccharide on growth performance, digestive physiology, blood metabolites, meat quality, and tibia characteristics in broiler chickens.

Radix rehmanniae preparata polysaccharide (RRPP) is recognized as the primary bioactive compound in Radix rehmanniae preparata and has been extensively utilized in traditional Chinese medicine and functional food due to its diverse biological activities. However, this study has yet to explore the application of RRPP as a feed additive in broilers. This study investigated the effects of dietary RRPP on growth performance, meat quality, and physiological responses of broiler chickens. Two hundred eighty-eight 1-day-old Cobb 500 male broilers were randomly assigned to the 4 experimental groups with 6 replications and 12 birds/replicate. The 4 groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 4 concentrations of RRPP (0, 300, 600, and 900 mg/kg, respectively). All RRPP levels did not affect the growth performance of broilers during the starter period (1-21 d), while during the grower (22-35 d) and overall (1-35 d) periods, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and European production efficiency index were linearly improved (P < 0.05) by incorporating RRPP at 600 and 900 mg/kg. Carcass characteristics, relative weight and length of intestinal segments, and meat quality and tibia criteria were not affected by dietary incorporation of RRPP. Dietary RRPP led to a linear increase (P < 0.05) in serum alkaline phosphatase, potassium, calcium and sulfhydryl levels, while reducing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol. The addition of RRPP decreased (P < 0.05) the pH of the ileum and cecum at 21 and 35 d of age while not changing in the remaining intestinal segments. Dietary RRPP at 600 and 900 mg/kg linearly and quadratically (P < 0.05) increased the tibia ash content in chicken at 21 and 35 d of age. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of RRPP improved broiler chicken's growth, gut physiology, and tibia ash content, particularly at 600 and 900 mg/kg.

Growth performance, digestive function, thyroid activity, and immunity of growing rabbits fed olive cake with or without Saccharomyces cerevisiae or citric acid.

The present study investigated the impact of dietary inclusion of olive cakes (OC) with or without Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) and citric acid (CA) on growth, digestive function, thyroid activity, antioxidant status, immunity, and intestinal architecture of growing rabbits. One hundred forty 35-day-old male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned into seven experimental groups with five replicates each, as follows: control (CN), fed the basal diet; OC20 and OC25, fed diets with 20 and 25% OC; OS20 and OS25, fed diets containing 20 and 25% OC with S. cerevisiae at 5 g/kg diet; OA20 and OA25, fed diets supplemented with 20 and 25% OC with 1.0% citric acid. No differences in live body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and carcass traits were noticed among experimental groups, while body weight gain and carcass (%) were increased (P < 0.05) in OS20 compared to the control. Digestibility coefficients of all nutrients and activities of amylase, cellulose, and trypsin did not differ in treated groups compared to the control except for OS20, which recorded enhancement in nutrient digestibility. Plasma triiodothyronine and thyroxine were elevated (P < 0.05), while triglycerides and cholesterol were reduced (P < 0.05) in OS20 compared to CN. Plasma concentrations of immunoglobulin M and G and superoxide dismutase were increased in treated groups compared to the control. Dietary inclusion of SC and CA improved rabbits' intestinal health, as the cecal Lactobacillus count was increased, E. coli count was decreased, and villus height was elevated in SC- and CA-treated groups. In conclusion, dietary incorporation of SC or CA enhanced the nutritional value of OC and improved growth performance, nutrient digestibility, thyroid activity, antioxidative status, and gut health of growing rabbits.

Potential ameliorative role of Spirulina platensis in powdered or extract forms against cyclic heat stress in broiler chickens.

Global warming has become intensified and widespread, threatening the world with causing acute heatwaves that adversely affect poultry production and producers' profitability. Spirulina platensis is a precious and promising mitigating strategy to combat the detrimental impacts of heat stress due to its high contents of nutrients and bioactive components. The current study was designed to compare the incorporation impact of S. platensis powder or aqueous extract on the growth and physiological responses of heat-stressed broiler chicks. Six hundred 1-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were allocated into five experimental groups with six replicates of 20 chicks each. The control group fed the basal diet without additives, SPP1 and SPP2 groups fed the basal diet with 1 g/kg and 2 g/kg S. platensis powder, respectively, while SPE1 and SPE2 groups received 1 ml/L and 2 ml/L S. platensis aqueous extract in the drinking water, respectively. All birds were exposed to cyclic heat stress (34 ± 2 °C for 12 h) for three successive days a week from day 10 to day 35. In vitro analysis showed that total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity of S. platensis were remarkably decreased (P < 0.001) in the aqueous extract compared to the powder form. Body weight, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were improved (P < 0.001) in all treated groups, while carcass yield and dressing percentage were increased only in SPP1 and SPP2. Feed and water intake and blood biochemical parameters were not affected. Both forms of S. platensis enhanced the lipid profile, redox status, and humoral immune response of heat-stressed chicks superior to the powder form. Conclusively, the powder form of S. platensis was more effective in enhancing the productivity of broilers and alleviating the negative impacts of heat stress than the aqueous extract form.