Sodium Salicylate as Feed Additive in Broilers: Absence of Toxicopathological Findings.

Antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs) in animal production have been related to the increase in multidrug-resistant bacteria. The AGP ban in many countries has highlighted the growing need for alternatives for feed additives. Considering the non-antibiotic anti-inflammatory theory of AGPs, chicks received three different doses of sodium salicylate (SS) in feed (10, 30, 90 mg/kg), basal diet (BD) was used as a negative control, and zinc bacitracin (ZB) was used as a positive control. Chicks were individually housed to increase the accuracy of the dose of SS ingested. Performance parameters and footpad dermatitis were evaluated weekly, while haematology, serum biochemistry, histopathology, and tibial dyschondroplasia were determined on Days 21 and 42. A linear dose-dependent decrease in haemoglobin concentration was observed, but the values were within the normal reference range. Among all the other evaluated parameters, no relevant differences between treatments were observed; however, not even the AGP group performed better than the control group. It is possible that the conditions in which the birds were raised were not stressful enough to allow for anti-inflammatories to demonstrate their beneficial effects on performance. Studies should be conducted where the animals are exposed to commercial conditions, as the presence of natural stressors could allow a better evaluation of the efficacy of the anti-inflammatory agent as a growth promoter.

Acute and subacute (28 days) toxicity of green coffee oil enriched with diterpenes cafestol and kahweol in rats.

Green coffee oil enriched with cafestol and kahweol was obtained by supercritical fluid extraction using carbon dioxide while its safety and possible effects from acute and subacute treatment were evaluated in rats. For acute toxicity study, single dose of green coffee oil (2000 mg/kg) was administered by gavage in female rats. For subacute study (28 days), 32 male rats received different doses of green coffee oil extract (25, 50, and 75 mg/kg/day). In the acute toxicity study, main findings of this treatment indicated no mortality, body weight decrease, no changes in hematological and biochemical parameters, and relative weight increase in heart and thymus, without histopathological alterations in all assessed organs. All these findings suggest that LD50 is higher than aforesaid dose. In the subacute toxicity, main findings showed body weight decrease mainly at the highest dose without food consumption change, serum glucose and tryglicerides levels decrease, and relative weight increase in liver. As evidenced in histopathological pictures, no changes were observed at all treated doses. Our study suggest that green coffee oil can be explored to clinically develop new hypocholesteromic and hypoglycemic agents. However, further studies evaluating long-term effects are needed in order to have sufficient safety evidence for its use in humans.

Zearalenone, an estrogenic mycotoxin, is an immunotoxic compound.

The aim of this study was to assess the toxic effects of zearalenone (ZEA) on the immune function. Ovariectomised rats were treated daily by gavage with 3.0 mg/kg of ZEA for 28 days. Body weight gain, food consumption, haemotological parameters, lymphoid organs, and their cellularities were evaluated. Moreover, acquired immune responses and macrophage activity were also assessed. ZEA promoted reduction in body weight gain, which is not fully explained by diminished food consumption. Despite no effect on haematological parameters, ZEA caused thymic atrophy with histological and thymocyte phenotype changes and decrease in the B cell percentage in the spleen. With respect to acquired and innate immune responses, no statistically significant differences in delayed-type hypersensitivity were noticed; however, in the ZEA-treated rats, antibody production and peroxide release by macrophages were impaired. The observed results could be related to ZEA activity on ERs; thus, ZEA is an immunotoxic compound similar to estrogen and some endocrine disruptors.

Diferentes fontes e níveis de selênio sobre a imunidade humoral de frangos de corte / Different sources and levels of selenium on humoral immunity of broiler chickens

O presente trabalho teve o objetivo de investigar os efeitos da variação de níveis e fontes de selênio (Se) sobre a imunidade humoral de frangos de corte. Foram utilizados 1440 pintos de um dia, machos, criados até os 42 dias. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com seis dietas experimentais (A: 0,15mg kg-1 Se inorgânico (inorg.); B: 0,15mg kg-1 Se orgânico; C: 0,15mg kg-1 Se inorg.+orgânico; D: 0,45mg kg-1 Se inorgânico; E: 0,45mg kg-1 Se orgânico; F: 0,45mg kg-1 Se inorg.+orgânico) calculadas para fornecerem a quantidade de Se descritas, e seis repetições com 40 aves cada. Foi utilizado um arranjo fatorial 3x2 e os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância, com nível de significância a 5 por cento. A imunidade foi avaliada por meio da resposta à vacina contra a Doença de Newcastle e resposta à sensibilização prévia com eritrócitos de carneiro (SRBC). Não foi observada diferença estatística ao nível de significância de 5 por cento, para os títulos de anticorpos contra a vacina da Doença de Newcastle (P>0,05). Entretanto aos 14 dias o fator fonte obteve probabilidade (P=0,0580), resultado que mostra uma tendência de influência da fonte inorgânica na manutenção da imunidade materna, pois nesta idade as aves ainda não haviam sido vacinadas contra a Doença de Newcastle. Não foi observado nenhum efeito para variável de resposta a sensibilização prévia com SRBC (P>0,05). Os resultados mostram que as aves responderam imunologicamente ao estímulo, porém a variação da fonte e do nível de Se não foi capaz de induzir uma diferença significativa na resposta imunológica das aves. Os níveis e fontes de Se não têm efeito sobre a resposta imunológica aos eritrócitos de carneiro (SRBC) e, resposta imunológica a vacina contra a Doença de Newcastle.

The use of organic trace minerals is getting strength and is an alternative to increase production and improve other characteristics such as humoral immunity. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels and sources of selenium (Se) on humoral immunity of broilers. A six-week research was conducted using 1440 one-day-old males broiler chickens. The experimental design was randomized with six experimental diets (A: 0.15mg kg-1 inorganic (inorg.); B: 0.15mg kg-1 organic; C: 0.15mg kg-1 inorg.+organic; D: 0.45mg kg-1 inorganic; E: 0.45mg kg-1 organic; F: 0.45mg kg-1 inorg.+organic) calculated to provide the described amount of Se. Each diet was replicated in six box with 40 birds. A 3x2 factorial arrangement was used and the data were analyzed by ANOVA. The immunity was evaluated by means of the reaction against vaccine of Newcastle disease, and a reaction against sheep red blood cells (SRBC). No significant effects were observed at 5 percent significance level in NewCastle antibody (P>0.05). However at 14 day-old the source factor had p value at 0.0580, that show a trend of inorganic source in prolong the maternal immunity. No effect was observed in the immune response against SRBC (P>0.05). The results showed a immunologic response against Newcastle vaccine and SRBC, but the treatments was not able to induce a significant difference. The source and the level of Se showed no effect on the response against Newcastle vaccine and SRBC.

Avaliação do desempenho de frangos de corte alimentados com rações contendo probiótico e diferentes níveis de nucleotídeos / Performance evaluation of broilers fed diets containing probiotic and different nucleotides levels

objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho de frangos de corte alimentados com ração contendo um probiótico comercial e diferentes níveis de nucleotídeos. Foram utilizados 1050 pintos de 01 dia, machos da linhagem Ross 308 totalizando trinta e cinco aves por boxe, em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com cinco repetições por tratamento. As aves foram criadas até 42 dias de idade, e receberam as rações experimentais a base de milho e farelo de soja contendo 6 níveis de nucleotídeos (0; 100; 200; 300; 400 e 500 gramas por tonelada de ração). Os nucleotídeos foram utilizados na fase inicial (1 a 21 dias) e fase de crescimento (22 a 35 dias). Durante a fase final (36 a 42 dias) os nucleotídeos foram removidos da ração . Houve melhora linear no desempenho dos frangos no período de 1 a 21 dias, indicando que, quanto maior o nível de nucleotídeos na dieta, maior o peso corporal das aves. A conversão alimentar também melhorou linearmente nesse período à medida que aumentou o nível de nucleotídeos na ração. O peso no período de 35 dias, também teve um comportamento linear, semelhante ao período de 1 a 21 dias, indicando que, o nível de nucleotídeos na ração melhorou o desempenho. A concentração plasmática de acido úrico demonstrou efeito quadrático no período de 1 a 21 dias, indicando 231,59 gramas de nucleotídeos por tonelada de ração, como o melhor, em níveis mínimos de ácido úrico, por outro lado, no período de 35 dias de idade, estimou-se o nível de 208,99 g de nucleotídeos por tonelada de ração; como o melhor em níveis mínimos de ácido úrico no sangue. No período final (35 a 42 dias) e período total (1 a 42 dias de idade) não foi possível o observar efeito dos contrastes testados neste trabalho.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of broilers fed diets containing a commercial probiotic and different levels of nucleotides. One thousand and fifty chicks 1-d male were reared in a randomized experimental design with five replications of each treatment, distributed in 30 experimental boxes with 35 birds each. The diets contained corn and soybean meal with six different nucleotídes levels (0; 100; 200; 300; 400 and 500 grams for ton of ration), and the different nucleotides levels were used in the initial phase (1 to 21 days of age) and growth phase (22 to 35 days of age). During the final phase (36 to 42 days) nucleotides were removed from the feed. There was improvement on broilers performance in the period from 1 to 21 days of age, demonstrating proportionality between nucleotides level in the diet of broilers and body weight of the birds. Feed conversion at 21 days of age was directly proportional to nucleotides level in the diet. Body weight at 35 days of age, also had a linear behavior, similar to the period from 1 to 21 days, indicating that the nucleotides level in the feed improved the performance. Plasma uric acid concentration demonstrated quadratic effect at 21 days of age, showing that 231,59 grams of nucleotides for ton of feed had the minimum level of plasma uric acid concentration. At 35 days of age, concentration of 208,99 g of nucleotides for ton of feed had the minimum level of plasma uric acid concentration. No effects were observed in the final period (35 to 42 days of age) and total period (1 to 42 days of age) it was not demonstrated effect of the contrasts tested in this study.

Desempenho e morfologia intestinal de frangos de corte alimentados com rações contendo aditivos alternativos a antimicrobianos / Performance and intestinal morphology of broilers of cut fed with rations containing alternative additive instead of antimicrobials

Este estudo avaliou o efeito de um prebiótico e de um probiótico sobre o desempenho e morfologia intestinal de frangos de corte, atuando como aditivos alternativos a antimicrobianos. Foram utilizados 960 pintos de corte, criados sobre cama reutilizada. O delineamento era inteiramente casualizado, com 4 tratamentos: Antibiótico (Avilamicina); Prebiótico (MOS); Probiótico (poolbacteriano); Controle (sem aditivo), sendo 8 repetições/tratamento. Considerando-se o período total de criação, os aditivos alternativos testados pioraram o GP em relação ao antibiótico não demonstrando efeito sobre o ganho de peso (GP) e consumo de ração (CR). Por suavez, a conversão alimentar (CA) dos tratamentos com aditivos alternativos foi similar à do antibiótico, entretanto, não diferiu do controle. Não foi possível observar efeito benéfico dos aditivos alternativos testados sobre a morfologia intestinal de frangos de corte.

This study evaluated the effect of a prebiotic (MOS) and of a probiotic(bacterial pool), acting as alternative additives instead of antibiotics, on the performance and on the intestinal morphology of broilers. In this experiment, 960 chicks were used on litter previously used. The birds were randomly assigned to four different treatments: Antibiotic; Prebiotic; Probiotic; and the control treatment, with eight repetitions for each treatment. For the whole breeding period (42 days) the alternative additives did not show any effect on the weight gain and feed intake. The feed conversion in the alternative additives groups was similar to that of the antibiotic group, however, it was not significantly different from that of the control group. It was not possible to observe any beneficial effect of the alternative additives,used in this essay, on the intestinal morphology of broilers.