Effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of palygorskite-based composite on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and meat quality of broiler chickens.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of palygorskite-based composite (PBC) on growth performance, antioxidant status, and meat quality of broilers. A total of 320 one-day-old mixed-sex Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated to 1 of 5 groups with 8 replicates of 8 birds each, and given a basal diet supplemented with 0, 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg PBC for a 42-day trial, respectively. PBC quadratically increased feed efficiency during the late and overall experimental periods (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, 1,000 mg/kg PBC increased feed efficiency during the overall period (P < 0.05). PBC linearly increased serum total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity at 21 d and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity at both 21 d and 42 d (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, PBC supplementation, regardless of its level, increased 21-day serum SOD activity (P < 0.05). The 21-day serum GSH-Px activity was increased by PBC when its level exceeded 250 mg/kg (P < 0.05). PBC linearly increased 42-day total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) activity, but linearly decreased 42-day malondialdehyde level in liver (P < 0.05). An addition of PBC, irrespective of its level, increased 42-day hepatic T-AOC activity (P < 0.05). PBC quadratically increased 45-min yellowness value and linearly increased 24-h pH value, but quadratically decreased 24-h lightness value and linearly and quadratically reduced 24-h drip loss in breast muscle (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the 24-h drip loss of breast muscle was decreased by PBC, regardless of its dosage (P < 0.05). An addition of PBC linearly increased 42-day T-AOC and T-SOD activities of breast muscle (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, muscle T-SOD activity was increased by PBC, regardless of its administration level (P < 0.05). These results suggested that PBC could improve growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and meat quality of broilers, and its recommended dosage is 1,000 mg/kg.

Effects of dietary supplementation with chlorogenic acid on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and hepatic inflammation in broiler chickens subjected to diquat-induced oxidative stress.

This study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on broilers subjected to (DQ)-induced oxidative stress. In experiment 1, one hundred and ninety-two male one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were distributed into 4 groups and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 250, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg CGA for 21 d. In experiment 2, an equivalent number of male one-day-old chicks were allocated to 4 treatments for a 21-d trial: 1) Control group, normal birds fed a basal diet; 2) DQ group, DQ-challenged birds fed a basal diet; and 3) and 4) CGA-treated groups: DQ-challenged birds fed a basal diet supplemented with 500 or 1,000 mg/kg CGA. The intraperitoneal DQ challenge was performed at 20 d. In experiment 1, CGA administration linearly increased 21-d body weight, and weight gain and feed intake during 1 to 21 d (P < 0.05). CGA linearly and/or quadratically increased total antioxidant capacity, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities, elevated glutathione level, and reduced malondialdehyde accumulation in serum, liver, and/or jejunum (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, compared with the control group, DQ challenge reduced body weight ratio (P < 0.05), which was reversed by CGA administration (P < 0.05). DQ challenge increased serum total protein level, aspartate aminotransferase activity, and total bilirubin concentration (P < 0.05), which were normalized when supplementing 500 mg/kg and/or 1,000 mg/kg CGA (P < 0.05). DQ administration elevated hepatic interleukin-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 levels (P < 0.05), and the values of interleukin-1ß were normalized to control values when supplementing CGA (P < 0.05). DQ injection decreased serum superoxide dismutase activity, hepatic catalase activity, and serum and hepatic glutathione level, but increased malondialdehyde concentration in serum and liver (P < 0.05), and the values of these parameters (except hepatic catalase activity) were reversed by 500 and/or 1,000 mg/kg CGA. The results suggested that CGA could improve growth performance, alleviate oxidative stress, and ameliorate hepatic inflammation in DQ-challenged broilers.

An evaluation of the protective effects of chlorogenic acid on broiler chickens in a dextran sodium sulfate model: a preliminary investigation.

This study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on broilers subjected to dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced intestinal damage. One hundred and forty-four 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were allocated into one of 3 groups with 6 replicates of eight birds each for a 21-d trial. The treatments included: 1) Control group: normal birds fed a basal diet; 2) DSS group: DSS-treated birds fed a basal diet; and 3) CGA group: DSS-treated birds fed a CGA-supplemented control diet. An oral DSS administration via drinking water was performed from 15 to 21 d of age. Compared with the control group, DSS administration reduced 21-d body weight and weight gain from 15 to 21 d, but increased absolute weight of jejunum and absolute and relative weight of ileum (P < 0.05). DSS administration elevated circulating D-lactate concentration and diamine oxidase activity (P < 0.05), which were partially reversed when supplementing CGA (P < 0.05). The oral administration with DSS decreased villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio, but increased crypt depth in jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, DSS administration increased serum glutathione level and jejunal catalase activity and malonaldehyde accumulation, but decreased jejunal glutathione level (P < 0.05). In contrast, feeding a CGA-supplemented diet normalized serum glutathione and jejunal malonaldehyde levels, and increased jejunal glutathione concentration in DSS-administrated birds (P < 0.05). Additionally, CGA supplementation reduced ileal malonaldehyde accumulation in DSS-treated birds (P < 0.05). DSS challenge increased levels of serum interferon-γ and interleukin-6, jejunal interleukin-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6, and ileal interleukin-1ß and interleukin-6 when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The elevated serum interferon-γ and ileal interleukin-6 levels were normalized to control values when supplementing CGA (P < 0.05). The results suggested that CGA administration could partially prevent DSS-induced increased intestinal permeability, oxidative damage, and inflammation in broilers, although it did not improve their growth performance and intestinal morphology.

Dietary palygorskite-based antibacterial agent supplementation as an alternative to antibiotic improves growth performance, intestinal mucosal barrier function, and immunity in broiler chickens.

The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of palygorskite-based antibacterial agent (PAA) as an alternative to antibiotic on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and immunity in broilers. Three hundred and eighty-four mixed-sex 1-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated into 6 groups of 8 replicates with 8 birds each. Birds were given a basal diet, an antibiotic diet (50 mg/kg chlortetracycline), and the basal diet supplemented with 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg PAA for 42 d, respectively. Compared with control group, supplementing 1,000 mg/kg PAA reduced overall feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05), with its value being similar to that of antibiotic group (P > 0.05). However, a higher level of PAA (2,000 mg/kg) increased feed conversion ratio during the late period (P < 0.05). The 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg PAA decreased plasma endotoxin and D-lactate levels at 42 d (P < 0.05) to comparable values (P > 0.05). The 1,000 mg/kg PAA decreased jejunal crypt depth, while 500 and 1,000 mg/kg PAA increased the ratio between jejunal villus height and crypt depth at 42 d (P < 0.05), with their values being similar to antibiotic group (P > 0.05). The highest level of PAA increased 42-d jejunal mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin M concentrations (P < 0.05). The 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg PAA reduced 21-d interleukin-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in serum and ileal mucosa and 42-d interferon-γ level in serum and jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05), which did not differ from antibiotic group (P > 0.05). Moreover, PAA administration, regardless of its dosage, reduced 42-d serum TNF-α concentration, and 500 to 2,000 mg/kg PAA decreased 21-d and 42-d jejunal and 42-d ileal mucosal TNF-α levels (P < 0.05), with their values being comparable with antibiotic group (P > 0.05). The results suggested that PAA as an alternative to antibiotic could improve growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and immunity of broilers, and its optimal dosage was 1,000 mg/kg.