Effect of a Phytogenic Feed Additive on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestion, and Immune Response in Broiler-Fed Diets with Two Different Levels of Crude Protein.

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of a phytogenic feed additive (PFA) on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of broilers fed corn and soybean meal-based diets containing two different levels of crude protein. A 2 × 2 completely randomized factorial arrangement (eight replicates/treatment, 30 birds/replicate) was conducted with a positive control (PC) and negative control (NC) containing crude protein at standard or reduced by 1.5% (equivalent to a reduction of 15 g/kg), respectively, and supplementation of PFA at 0 or 125 ppm of diet. There were no significant interactions found between PFA and CP levels in the current study. Main effect analysis showed that during 0-42 d of age NC diets decreased body weight gain (p < 0.05), but increased feed intake (p < 0.05) and feed conversion ratio (FCR, p < 0.01), whereas supplementation of PFA resulted in a lower FCR (p < 0.01). The ileal nutrient digestibility was reduced (p < 0.05) in the broilers fed a reduced protein diet at 21 d compared to the standard protein level group, but there were no effects for PFA levels. Similarly, supplementing PFAs showed no effects on digestive enzyme (Alkaline phosphatase, amylase, and lipase) activity in jejunal digesta and jejunal brush border enzyme (maltase, sucrase, and aminopeptidase) activity. Supplementation of PFA downregulated (p < 0.05) the mRNA expressions of cytochrome P450 1A and interleukin 6 in the ileum but had no effects on nutrient transporter genes in the jejunum. In conclusion, supplementation of PFA reduced broiler FCR during the whole grow-out period and positively regulated the immune responses in the ileum.

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome secondary to acetazolamide associated with markedly elevated procalcitonin.

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is an important cause of multi-organ dysfunction and can mimic other disorders including sepsis. We describe a patient presenting with septic shock and accompanying high procalcitonin. Although initially treated empirically with antibiotics, the emergence of eosinophilia during the admission lead to a revised diagnosis of DRESS syndrome, presumed secondary to acetazolamide. This case highlights the importance of regular clinical assessment and re-evaluation is key in identifying emerging features such as eosinophilia, rash and organ dysfunction, which can secure the diagnosis. Furthermore, the case also highlights that acetazolamide may be a rare cause of DRESS syndrome.

Effects of Alternative Administration Programs of a Synbiotic Supplement on Broiler Performance, Foot Pad Dermatitis, Caecal Microbiota, and Blood Metabolites.

This research investigated the effects of different synbiotic administration programs on broiler productive performance and foot pad dermatitis (FPD). Molecular insights on caecal microbiota and plasma metabolomics were also performed. - A total of 1000 one-day-old male chicks were grouped by the synbiotic treatment. The synbiotic was either sprayed as gel droplets onto newly hatched chicks at the hatchery (100 g/10,000 birds) or supplemented in-feed during the entire rearing period (1000, 500, and 250 g/ton according to feeding phase), or both. Only the treatments' combination produced significant results in comparison with the control group (untreated), improving feed conversion ratio from 14 to 29 d and in the overall period of the trial (1.570 vs. 1.509 and 1.643 vs. 1.596, respectively; p < 0.05) while lowering FPD occurrence at slaughter (17% vs. 5%; p < 0.05). These findings can be related to significant variations of caecal microbiota, like higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio (with favorable implications for host's energy-harvesting potential from the diet) and more beneficial microbial consortium presumably sustaining eubiosis. Overall, these results indicate that administering synbiotics through gel droplets at the hatchery combined to in-feed supplementation for the whole growing cycle positively affects broiler feed efficiency and welfare.

Corrigendum II: Phytogenic Feed Additives as an Alternative to Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Broiler Chickens.

[This corrects the article on p. 21 in vol. 2, PMID: 26664950.].

Phytogenic Feed Additives as an Alternative to Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Broiler Chickens.

The recent trend toward reduction of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in North American poultry diets has put tremendous pressure on the industry to look for viable alternatives. In this context, phytogenic feed additives (PFA) are researched to improve gut health and thereby performance. An experiment was conducted with the objective to evaluate the effects of PFA as an alternative to AGP on small intestinal histomorphology, cecal microbiota composition, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance in broiler chickens. A total of 432-day-old Vencobb 400 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to one of three dietary groups, each consisting of 12 replicate pens (n = 12 chicks/pen). The chicks were fed a corn-soybean meal-based control (CON), CON + 500 mg/kg of AGP (bacitracin methylene disalicylate containing 450 mg active BMD/g), or CON + 150 mg/kg of proprietary blend of PFA (Digestarom(®) Poultry) until 39 days of age when samples were collected. Birds fed either AGP or PFA had increased villus height in all three segments of the small intestine in comparison to the birds fed CON (P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, the PFA-fed birds had significantly increased villus height and lower crypt depth compared to AGP fed birds (P ≤ 0.05). Birds fed either additive also had increased total tract digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, and ether extract (P ≤ 0.05). The strong effect of the PFA on villus height in the jejunum may suggest augmented nutrient absorption in PFA-fed birds. Although both additives reduced total cecal counts of anaerobic bacteria and Clostridium spp., PFA alone reduced the total coliform count while increasing the Lactobacillus spp. count (P ≤ 0.05). These results suggest the establishment of beneficial microbial colonies in PFA-fed birds. Overall, both PFA and AGP increased body weight gain while lowering the feed conversion ratio (P ≤ 0.05). Hence data from this experiment demonstrate the efficacy of PFA as a substitute to AGP in poultry diets.

Corrigendum: Phytogenic Feed Additives as an Alternative to Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Broiler Chickens.

[This corrects the article on p. 21 in vol. 2, PMID: 26664950.].

Comparative efficacy of a phytogenic feed additive and an antibiotic growth promoter on production performance, caecal microbial population and humoral immune response of broiler chickens inoculated with enteric pathogens.

The aim of this work was to compare the efficacy of a commercially available phytogenic feed additive (PFA) and an antibiotic growth promoter, which was bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD), on performance, nutrient retention, caecal colonization of bacteria and humoral immune responses against Newcastle disease in broiler chickens challenged orally with Salmonella enteritidis and Escherichia coli. One-day-old male Cobb 400 broiler chicks (n = 120) were fed with 1) a negative control (NC) diet, which is the basal diet without any added growth promoter, 2) a positive control (PC) diet, the basal diet supplemented with BMD, 500 mg/kg and 3) a diet supplemented with PFA (150 mg/kg) for 39 days and the birds were inoculated with S. enteritidis and E. coli on d 28. Supplementation of PFA improved body weight, feed conversion ratio, retention of N and crude fiber, increased fecal moisture content and decreased digesta transit time as compared with the NC and PC groups (P < 0.01). Both the PC and the PFA was found to be equally effective in controlling the surge in numbers of Salmonella and E. coli following oral inoculation of these bacteria as compared with the NC group (P < 0.05) at 24 h past inoculation. Caecal content analysis on d 39 indicated lower numbers of Salmonella, E. coli and Clostridium in the PC and PFA groups as compared with the NC group (P < 0.05). The number of Lactobacillus in the PFA group was higher than those in the NC and PC groups (P < 0.05). Humoral immune response, measured as hemagglutination inhibition titer against Newcastle disease, was better in the PC and PFA groups compared with the NC group (P < 0.05) at d 21 but the difference did not last till d 39. The heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was narrower (P < 0.001) and alkaline phosphatase activity was higher (P < 0.01) in the PFA group as compared with the NC and PC groups on d 39. It was concluded that the PFA, which is animal, environment and consumer friendly, may be used as an effective replacement for common in-feed antibiotics like BMD to enhance broiler performance especially when the birds are exposed to heavy infections on fields.