Allium-Based Phytobiotic for Laying Hens' Supplementation: Effects on Productivity, Egg Quality, and Fecal Microbiota.

The poultry industry is constantly demanding novel strategies to improve the productivity and health status of hens, prioritizing those based on the holistic use of natural resources. This study aimed to assess the effects of an Allium-based phytobiotic on productivity, egg quality, and fecal microbiota of laying hens. One hundred and ninety-two 14-week-old Lohmann Lite LSL hens were allocated into an experimental farm, fed with a commercial concentrate with and without the Allium-based phytobiotic, and challenged against Salmonella. Productivity, egg quality, and fecal microbiota were monitored for 20 weeks. Results showed that the phytobiotic caused an increase on the number of eggs laid (p < 0.05) and in the feed conversion rate (p < 0.05); meanwhile, egg quality, expressed as egg weight, albumin height, haugh units, egg shell strength, and egg shell thickness remained unchanged (p > 0.05), although yolk color was decreased. Fecal microbiota structure was also modified, indicating a modulation of the gut microbiota by increasing the presence of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes but reducing Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria phyla. Predicted changes in the functional profiles of fecal microbiota suggest alterations in metabolic activities that could be responsible for the improvement and maintenance of productivity and egg quality when the phytobiotic was supplemented; thus, Allium-based phytobiotic has a major impact on the performance of laying hens associated with a possible gut microbiota modulation.

The Bacterial Community Associated with the Amarillo Zamorano Maize (Zea mays) Landrace Silage Process.

Maize silage is used in the diet of dairy cows, with suitable results in milk yield. In this study, the composition and diversity of the bacterial communities of the silage process of Amarillo Zamorano (AZ) Mexican maize landrace with relation to the Antilope (A) commercial hybrid are described. From both types of maize, seeds were sown in experimental plots, plants harvested at the reproductive stage, chopped, and packed in laboratory micro-silos. Physicochemical parameters were evaluated, and DNA was extracted from the juice in the micro-silos. The bacterial communities were analyzed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) of seven hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. The composition of both bacterial communities was dominated by Lactobacillales and Enterobacteriales, Lactobacillales mainly in A silage and Enterobacteriales in AZ silage; as well, the core bacterial community of both silages comprises 212 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Sugar concentration showed the highest number of significant associations with OTUs of different phyla. The structure of the bacterial communities was different in both silage fermentation processes, showing that AZ silage has a shorter fermentation process than A silage. In addition, NGS demonstrated the effect of the type of maize and local conditions on silage fermentation and contributed to potential strategies to improve the quality of AZ silage.

Fish oil, melatonin and vitamin E attenuates midbrain cyclooxygenase-2 activity and oxidative stress after the administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease whose hallmark pathological features include a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. Ciclooxygenase-2 activity induction and oxidative stress have been implicated in the aetiology of Parkinson's disease and in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) animal model of Parkinson disease. Upon administration of fish oil, melatonin and vitamin E, neuroprotective effects on MPTP-induced neurotoxicity have been indicated. The aim of this study was to investigate the time course and compare the potency of these agents alone, on several parameters such as COX-2 and lipid peroxides (LPO) products associated with MPTP neurotoxicity in midbrain homogenates of C57BL/6 mice. Using fish oil (0.0368 g EPA and 0.0184 g DHA, per day), melatonin (10 mg/kg/day), and vitamin E (50 mg/Kg/day) we have now shown that COX-2 activity, LPO and nitrite/nitrate levels were significantly increased in MPTP treated mice (p < 0.001) while fish oil, melatonin and vitamin E treatment were capable of decreasing significantly the outcome of all above noted parameters (p < 0.05). The effect of fish oil on COX-2 activity and nitrite/nitrate levels was more profound than that of vitamin E or melatonin while the latter was more effective on reducing the LPO levels compared to fish oil and vitamin E. In conclusion, the outcome of the neuroprotective effects of these agents is long lasting and of variable potency indicating a different anti-inflammatory mode of action.