Plantago ovata in broiler chicken nutrition: Performance, carcass criteria, intestinal morphology, immunity, and intestinal bacterial population

Shelf Life Extension and Quality Improvement of Fresh Ostrich Meat by Active Chitosan Coating Enriched With Fennel Extract

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of chitosan (CS, 2%, w/v), fennel extract (FE, 1.5%, v/v), and CS + FE (2%, w/v CS + 1.5%, v/v FE) coatings on the physicochemical, microbial, and sensory properties of ostrich meat (OM) at 0, 7, and 15 days of refrigerated storage. The obtained results showed that the use of coatings for OM samples demonstrated a significant enhancement in moisture retention and a decrease in pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total volatile nitrogen (TVB-N), and peroxide value (PV) values compared to the control one, which were 6.34, 0.53 mg/kg, 15.14 mg/100 g, and 2.64 meq/kg, respectively for the CS + FE coating sample, at the 15th day. At the end of the storage time, the total viable count (TVC), psychrophilic bacteria count (PBC), and lactic acid bacteria count (LABC) of the control sample notably (p < 0.05) decreased from 8.92, 6.86, and 5.45 to 6.24, 5.78, and 3.2 log10 CFU/g when coated with CS + FE, respectively. Additionally, sensory evaluation revealed that the treatments did not remarkably affect the initial sensory characteristics of OM and decreased their deterioration throughout storage. In conclusion, the application of the CS + FE coating could be considered a promising alternative to artificial preservatives for meat and meat products, as it extends the shelf life of OM in the refrigerator by more than 2 weeks.

Effects of a Combined Chinese Herbal Medicine on Growth Performance, Intestinal Barrier Function, Immune Response, and Cecal Microflora in Broilers Infected with Salmonella enteritidis

This study investigated the effects of CCHM in drinking water on broilers infected with Salmonella enteritidis. One-day-old male Cobb 500 broilers (n = 300) were randomly assigned to five groups: a control (NC) group, a Salmonella enteritidis challenge (SE) group, an antibiotic (AB) group, a low dose of CCHM (CL) group, and a high dose of CCHM (CH) group. Each group had six replicate cages with ten broilers per cage. The broilers in the NC and SE groups were given normal drinking water. From days 12 to 18, the AB group received water treated with ciprofloxacin lactate injection (1 mL/L), while the CL and CH groups received water containing CCHM at doses of 5 mL/L and 10 mL/L, respectively. Broilers in all groups except the NC group were orally given Salmonella enteritidis daily from days 9 to 11. The experimental period was 28 days. The results showed that, compared with the SE group, the CL and CH groups showed improved growth performance; increased immune organ indices, expressions of ileal occludin and ZO-1 proteins, jejunal and ileal villus heights (except at day 19), and cecal Lactobacillus counts on days 19 and 28 (p < 0.05); and decreased jejunal and ileal lesion scores, ileal interleukin 1β (IL-1β) (except at day 19), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin 6 (IL-6) (except at day 19), secretory immunoglobulin A (slgA) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) (except at day 19) levels, serum D-lactic acid and diamine oxidase (DAO) (except at day 19) contents, jejunal and ileal crypt depths (except at day 19), and cecal Salmonella and Escherichia coli counts on days 19 and 28 (p < 0.05). On day 28, except for the levels of ileal interleukin 10 (IL-10), TNF-α, slgA, and serum D-lactic acid content, there were no differences among the NC, AB, and CL groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, drinking water supplemented with CCHM alleviated the intestinal damage caused by Salmonella enteritidis infection and improved growth performance and cecal microbiota in broilers. The optimal addition rate of CCHM was 5 mL/L.

Comparison of growth performance, meat quality, and blood biochemical indexes of Yangzhou goose under different feeding patterns

The East China region is the main market for the breeding and consumption of meat geese in China, in order to provide data reference for small and medium-sized farms and farmers to choose breeding methods and growth performance. This study selected 300 Yangzhou geese as materials and determined the number of geese in each group according to different modes. The meat quality, blood biochemical indicators, and economic benefits of 4 common feeding methods (Group I: full concentrate feeding; Group II: concentrate feeding in the first stage + 3% fat addition in the later stage; Group III: concentrate feeding + pasture supplementation; Group IV: grazing feeding + concentrate) in East China were analyzed. The results are as follows: The average daily weight gain of Yangzhou geese in Group IV at 5 to 8 wk old was the highest, with the highest feed utilization rate. The body weight at 8 wk old was significantly higher than that of the group III (P < 0.05). The total mortality rate of Group I and II remained at a relatively low level, while the mortality rates of Group III and IV exceeded 17%. The SR, FECR, and FECW of female geese in Groups II, III, and IV were significantly higher than those in Control group I (P < 0.05). Different feeding methods have little effect on the quality of goose breast muscles, while in terms of leg muscles, Group II has the highest binding force, significantly higher than Group I (P < 0.05). The rate of chest muscle loss in group III was significantly higher than that in groups I and II (P < 0.05). However, the pH of leg muscles in groups I, II and III was significantly higher than that in group IV (P < 0.05). Group II has the highest protein and collagen content, and Group I has the highest fat content. Except for the significantly higher histidine content in Groups I And II compared to those in Groups III and IV (P < 0.05), there was almost no significant difference in amino acid content among the groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in ALB/GLO content among the 3 groups of Groups II to IV, but they were all significantly higher than those of Group I (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in other indicators among the groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the content of Ca, Cu, Fe, P, Zn, and other elements in the muscles between the groups (P > 0.05). This study solved the problems of slow growth, poor meat performance, and low economic benefits in meat goose breeding, providing theoretical basis and data support for meat goose breeding enterprises and farmers to choose appropriate breeding modes.

Effects of Major Families of Modulators on Performances and Gastrointestinal Microbiota of Poultry, Pigs and Ruminants: A Systematic Approach

Considering the ban on the use of antibiotics as growth stimulators in the livestock industry, the use of microbiota modulators appears to be an alternative solution to improve animal performance. This review aims to describe the effect of different families of modulators on the gastrointestinal microbiota of poultry, pigs and ruminants and their consequences on host physiology. To this end, 65, 32 and 4 controlled trials or systematic reviews were selected from PubMed for poultry, pigs and ruminants, respectively. Microorganisms and their derivatives were the most studied modulator family in poultry, while in pigs, the micronutrient family was the most investigated. With only four controlled trials selected for ruminants, it was difficult to conclude on the modulators of interest for this species. For some modulators, most studies showed a beneficial effect on both the phenotype and the microbiota. This was the case for probiotics and plants in poultry and minerals and probiotics in pigs. These modulators seem to be a good way for improving animal performance.

A Comparison of Two Supplementary Doses of Vitamin A on Performance, Intestine and Immune Organ Development, as well as Gene Expression of Inflammatory Factors in Young Hy-Line Brown Laying Pullets

The objective of this study was to compare two supplementary doses (6000 vs. 12,000 IU/kg) of vitamin A (VA) on the performance, development of intestine and immune organs, as well as gene expression of inflammatory factors in young Hy-Line Brown laying pullets. A total of 288 one-day-old Hy-Line Brown laying pullets (weighing 42.15 ± 0.23 g) were allotted into two treatments with 12 replicate cages and 12 birds per cage. During the 35-day period, the pullets were fed a basal diet supplemented with different doses of VA (6000 IU/kg VA in control group; 12,000 IU/kg VA in treatment group), respectively. The results showed that supplementary high doses of VA reduced the feed-to-gain ratio from day 21 to 35 (p < 0.05). Moreover, the pullets fed high doses of VA diets had increased length and relative weight of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum (p < 0.05). From observations on morphology, high doses of VA diets increased the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the jejunum and ileum (p < 0.05). High doses of VA diets also increased the relative weight of immune organs (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the gene expressions of inflammatory factors were decreased in the thymus of the pullets fed high doses of VA diets (p < 0.05). In summary, supplementary 12,000 IU/kg doses of VA improved performance and intestine and immune organ development, and alleviated gene expressions of inflammatory factors in young Hy-Line Brown laying pullets.

Present and Future Therapeutic Approaches to Barrier Dysfunction

There is converging and increasing evidence, but also uncertainty, for the role of abnormal intestinal epithelial barrier function in the origin and development of a growing number of human gastrointestinal and extraintestinal inflammatory disorders, and their related complaints. Despite a vast literature addressing factors and mechanisms underlying changes in intestinal permeability in humans, and its connection to the appearance and severity of clinical symptoms, the ultimate link remains to be established in many cases. Accordingly, there are no directives or clinical guidelines related to the therapeutic management of intestinal permeability disorders that allow health professionals involved in the management of these patients to carry out a consensus treatment based on clinical evidence. Instead, there are multiple pseudoscientific approaches and commercial propaganda scattered on the internet that confuse those affected and health professionals and that often lack scientific rigor. Therefore, in this review we aim to shed light on the different therapeutic options, which include, among others, dietary management, nutraceuticals and medical devices, microbiota and drugs, and epigenetic and exosomes-manipulation, through an objective evaluation of the scientific publications in this field. Advances in the knowledge and management of intestinal permeability will sure enable better options of dealing with this group of common disorders to enhance quality of life of those affected.

The impact of Qodume Shirazi seed mucilage-based edible coating containing lavender essential oil on the quality enhancement and shelf life improvement of fresh ostrich meat: An experimental and modeling study

Today, food consumers prefer to use the foods that contain natural preservatives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Qodume Shirazi seed mucilage (QSSM) and lavender essential oil (LO) on the preservation of ostrich meat during cold storage. The chemical compounds of LO were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The ostrich meat samples were coated with the mucilage containing the essential oil at concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%, v/v. The control and the coated ostrich meat samples were kept at 4°C and analyzed for microbiological (total viable count, psychrotrophic count, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, coliforms, and fungi), physicochemical (moisture content, pH, texture, and color parameters), and sensorial (odor, color, and total acceptance) characteristics during 9 days of storage. GC/MS identified 12 compounds in the essential oil, among which linalool was the major one (43.3%). The lightness (L* value) and hardness of all the ostrich meat samples were reduced during the storage. From a microbiological point of view, the cold storage duration for the control and the coated sample without the essential oil was only 3 days, while for coated samples containing 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% essential oil, it was 3, 3, 6, and 9 days, respectively. The coated ostrich meat containing 2% LO had an appropriate quality with an expanded shelf life. The results showed that neural network with 10 neurons in the hidden layer had the lowest mean squared error and mean absolute error and the highest correlation coefficient for predicting the quality and microbial properties of the coated meat samples during storage.

Comparative effects of n-hexane and methanol extracts of elecampane (Inula helenium L.) rhizome on growth performance, carcass traits, feed digestibility, intestinal antioxidant status and ileal microbiota in broiler chickens

In this study, the effects of dietary methanol and n-hexane extracts of elecampane rhizome (MEER and HEER, respectively) on growth performance, apparent ileal nutrient digestibility (AID), ileal microbiota, intestinal morphology and antioxidant status of the intestinal mucosa were compared in broiler chickens. In total, 450 1-d-old male chicks were allotted into five groups in six replicates of 15 chicks each. Dietary treatments included: a control, control plus 500 or 1000 mg MEER per kg diet (MEER₅₀₀ and MEER₁₀₀₀) and control plus 500 or 1000 mg HEER per kg diet (HEER₅₀₀ and HEER₁₀₀₀). Broiler performance was not affected by dietary treatments during the starter and grower periods. However, in the finisher (25-42 d) and entire (1-42 d) periods, an increase in body weight gain and a corresponding decrease in feed conversion ratio was noticed when birds received Diets MEER₁₀₀₀ or HEER₁₀₀₀. Also, considering the entire trial, the growth-promoting action of MEER was found to be greater than HEER. When compared with the control, AID of dry matter, organic matter, ether extract (EE) and gross energy (GE) were increased by all treatments, while the AID of EE and GE were also improved by increased extract level. Additionally, HEER groups had significantly increased AID of crude protein. The counts of Escherichia coli and Clostridium spp. were suppressed while the number of Lactobacillus spp. increased in response to an elevated extract level. Meanwhile, the ileum of MEER groups contained lower numbers of Clostridium spp. and greater numbers of Lactobacillus spp. when compared with HEER groups. The duodenal and jejunal structures were not associated with dietary treatments. However, a decreased ileal crypt depth and an increased villus to crypt ratio were observed with addition of extracts, which was more intense with MEER. A lower malondialdehyde content and a higher activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were detected in duodenal and jejunal mucosa with increased extract level, and in jejunum, the antioxidant capability of MEER was found to be stronger than HEER. The antioxidant properties of the ileal mucosa were also improved in response to MEER, which was not observed after HEER inclusion. Overall, MEER seems to be a better choice of treatment owing to its more effective benefits on broiler performance, ileal microbiota, gut morphology and antioxidant ability of the intestinal mucosa.

Performance, egg quality, nutrient digestibility, and excreta microbiota shedding in laying hens fed corn-soybean-meal-wheat-based diets supplemented with xylanase

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary levels of xylanase on production performance, egg quality, nutrient digestibility, and excreta microbiota shedding of laying hens in a 12-week trial. Two-hundred-forty Hy-Line brown laying hens (44 wk old) were distributed according to a randomized block experimental design into one of 4 dietary treatments with 10 replicates of 6 birds each. The 4 dietary treatments were corn-soybean-meal-wheat-based diets supplemented with 0, 225, 450, or 900 U/kg xylanase. Daily feed intake, egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, and damaged egg rate showed no significant response to increasing xylanase supplementation during any phase (P > 0.05). No significant responses were observed for apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, or gross energy (P > 0.05). A significant linear increase to increasing xylanase supplementation was seen for lactic acid bacteria numbers, although coliforms and Salmonella counts were not affected. Increasing the dietary xylanase resulted in a significant linear increase in eggshell thickness in wk 3, 6, 9, and 12 (P < 0.05). In addition, a significant linear increase occurred for Haugh unit and albumen height in wk 12 (P < 0.05). In summary, the inclusion of xylanase in corn-soybean-meal-wheat-based diets increased eggshell thickness, Haugh unit, albumen height, and excreta lactic acid bacteria count but had no effect on production performance or nutrient digestibility.