Supplementing Genistein for Breeder Hens Alters the Growth Performance and Intestinal Health of Offspring

Methionine supplementation regulates eggshell quality and uterine transcriptome in late-stage broiler breeders

This study aimed to compare the effects of dietary methionine (Met) and 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoate (HMTBA) on the eggshell quality of broiler breeder hens and elucidate the mechanism of Met in improving eggshell quality from the perspectives of eggshell microstructure and shell gland physiological function. A total of 720 WOD188 broiler breeder hens at 40 weeks old were assigned to 3 groups, with 8 replicates per group and 30 birds per replicate. Over 7 weeks, birds were fed a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 0.15% Met or 0.17% HMTBA. Our findings revealed significant improvements in the Met group for egg shape index, shell thickness, breaking strength, and fracture toughness (P < 0.05), whereas the HMTBA group showed no significant improvements (P > 0.05). Met supplementation increased calcium and phosphorus levels in both serum and shell gland tissue (P < 0.05), and enhanced Ca2+ ATPase activity in shell gland tissue (P < 0.05). Histomorphological changes cluded enhanced mucosal fold dimensions and increased epithelial height in the shell gland (P < 0.05). Met also improved eggshell ultrastructure, resulting in a thicker effective layer and broader mammillae with fewer type B structures (P < 0.05). The mRNA levels for genes regulating eggshell ultrastructure, such as ovocleidin-116 (OC-116), calbindin 1 (CALB1), and integral membrane protein 2C (ITM2C), were significantly upregulated in the Met group (P < 0.05). Transcriptome analysis identified 248 differentially upregulated genes in the Met group, primarily linked to the non-canonical Wnt/Ca2+ signaling pathway, crucial for calcium ion transport and cellular proliferation. This research highlights that Met supplementation improves eggshell quality by enhancing calcium transport and cellular proliferation in uterine function, particularly through the modulation of Wnt family member 11 (WNT11) and CALB1, influencing calcium deposition and ultrastructural development.

Replacing Hydrolyzed Soybean Meal with Recombinant β-Glucosidase Enhances Resistance to Clostridium perfringens in Broilers Through Immune Modulation

Aglycone soy isoflavones have notable immune-regulatory bioactivity, while glycosidic forms in soybean meal pose challenges for absorption. β-Glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) catalyzes the non-reducing terminal β-d-glucosidic bonds, releasing β-d-glucan and aglycones. This study evaluated the impact of enzymatically hydrolyzed soybean meal (ESM) using recombinant β-glucosidase from Aspergillus niger on the growth performance and intestinal immune function of broilers under Clostridium perfringens infection. Prior to the feeding trial, soybean meal was enzymatically digested with recombinant β-glucosidase, ensuring almost complete conversion of glycosides to aglycones. After a week of pre-feeding, a total 180 healthy AA broilers were randomly assigned to three groups-control, semi-replacement of ESM (50% ESM), and full-replacement of ESM (100% ESM)-with 6 replicates of 10 chickens, and the trial lasted 28 days. On the 36th day, broilers were challenged with 1 mL of 1 × 1010 CFU/mL Clostridium perfringens (Cp) via gavage for 3 days. The results showed that the substitution of ESM had no effect on the body weight gain of broilers but significantly reduced the feed consumption and feed-to-gain ratio (p < 0.01). The study revealed that Cp significantly disrupted jejunal morphology, while ESM significantly mitigated this damage (p < 0.05). Real-time PCR results demonstrated that compared to the Cp group, ESM restored Cp-induced intestinal barrier impairments (e.g., Occludin, Claudin-1, Muc2), normalized aberrant cellular proliferation (PCNA) and apoptosis (Caspase-1 and Caspase-3), and upregulated the expression of anti-inflammatory factor Il-10 while suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines (Il-1β, Il-6, and Il-8) (p < 0.05). Moreover, flow cytometry analyses demonstrated that ESM promoted Treg cell-derived Il-10, which alleviated macrophage-derived inflammation. Substituting conventional soybean meal with β-glucosidase, enzymatically treated, significantly reduced feed consumption and alleviated the intestinal damage and immune dysfunctions induced by Clostridium perfringens infection in broilers.

Effects of maternal hawthorn-leaf flavonoid supplementation on the intestinal development of offspring chicks

Metabolic disorders in maternal generation during the late egg-laying period have adverse effects on neonatal development. The study was conducted to clarify the effects of maternal feeding of hawthorn-leaf flavonoid (HF) on the microbial community and intestinal development of chicks. Breeder hens were fed a basic corn-soybean diet, while the treatment groups were supplemented with 30 or 60 mg/kg HF. The offspring chicks were divided into CON, LHF, and HHF groups according to the maternal treatments. Maternal HF supplementation at 60 mg/kg increased the average daily gain and decreased the feed conversion rate of chicks (P < 0.05), but did not affect the average daily feed intake. HF treatments increased the villus height to crypt depth ratio and up-regulated the protein expressions of PCNA, IGF-1R, PI3K and p-mTOR in the jejunum (P < 0.05) of 1-day-old and 14-day-old chicks. Additionally, maternal HF treatment up-regulated the mRNA expression of tight junction transmembrane proteins (occludin) and scaffolding proteins (ZO-1 and ZO-2) in the jejunum of 1-day-old chicks (P < 0.05). Moreover, the maternal effects of HF on ZO-1 expression could last for 14 d (P < 0.05). Interestingly, dietary HF supplementation altered the vertically transmitted microbial community from breeder hens to chicks, especially increased the relative abundance of probiotics (i.e., Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1) in the meconium of chicks (P < 0.05), which may help with early gut microbiota colonization and intestinal development. In summary, dietary HF supplementation for breeder hens altered the bacterial community of neonates and might promote intestinal development of chicks through the IGF-1R/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Maternal supplementation with mulberry-leaf flavonoids improves the development of skeletal muscle in the offspring of chickens

The development of skeletal muscle is a crucial factor in determining the meat yield and economic benefits of broiler production. Recent research has shown that mulberry leaves and their extracts can be used to significantly improve the growth performance of livestock and poultry. The present study aims to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle development in broiler offspring by dietary mulberry-leaf flavonoids (MLF) supplementation from the perspective of maternal effect theory. A total of 270 Qiling broiler breeder hens were randomly assigned to 3 treatments with different doses of MLF (0, 30, 60 mg/kg) for 8 weeks before collecting their fertilized eggs. The chicken offspring at 13 and 19 d of embryonic stage, and from 1 to 28 d old after hatching were included in this study. The results showed that maternal supplementation increased the breast muscle weight and body weight of the offspring at the embryo and chick stages (P < 0.05). This was followed by increased cross-sectional area of pectoral muscle fibres at 14 d (P < 0.05). Further determination revealed a tendency towards increased serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) (P = 0.092) and muscle fibre count (P = 0.167) at 1 d post-hatching following maternal MLF treatment, while serum uric acid (UA) was decreased at 14 d after hatching (P < 0.05). Moreover, maternal MLF supplementation significantly up-regulated the mRNA expression of the myogenic regulatory factor Myf5 in skeletal muscle at the both embryonic and growth stages (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of the downstream protein of BMPR2, Smad1 and p-Smad1/5/9 in the TGFβ signalling pathway was significantly increased by maternal MLF treatment. Meanwhile, the increased expression of the target protein p-mTOR in the breast muscle of the offspring chicks is in accordance with the improved growth rate of the breast and the body. In conclusion, maternal MLF supplementation can promote muscle protein metabolism and muscle fibre development of chick embryos through upregulation of Myf5 expression and BMP/p-Smad1/5/9 axis, thereby improving growth performance of slow growing broiler.

Effects of Sea-Buckthorn Flavonoids on Growth Performance, Serum Inflammation, Intestinal Barrier and Microbiota in LPS-Challenged Broilers

The experiment investigated the effects of sea-buckthorn flavonoids (SF) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged broilers. A total of 288 one-day-old male broilers were randomly assigned to 4 groups, with 6 replicates of 12 broilers each. The experiment lasted for 20 days. The diet included two levels of SF (0 or 1000 mg/kg) and broilers intraperitoneally injected with 500 μg/kg LPS on 16, 18, and 20 days, or an equal amount of saline. LPS challenge decreased final body weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake, increased feed-to-gain ratio, and elevated serum IL-1β, IL-2, TNF-α, D-LA, and endotoxin levels. Moreover, it resulted in a reduction in the IL-10 level. LPS impaired the intestinal morphology of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, down-regulated the mRNA relative expression of Occludin, ZO-1, and MUC-2 in the jejunum mucosa, up-regulated the mRNA relative expression of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB, and IL-1β, and increased the relative abundance of Erysipelatoclostridium in broilers (p < 0.05). However, SF supplementation mitigated the decrease in growth performance, reduced serum IL-1β, IL-2, and D-LA levels, increased IL-10 levels, alleviated intestinal morphological damage, up-regulated mRNA expression of Occludin and ZO-1, down-regulated the mRNA expression of TLR4, NF-κB, and IL-lβ in jejunum mucosal (p < 0.05), and SF supplementation presented a tendency to decrease the relative abundance of proteobacteria (0.05 < p < 0.1). Collectively, incorporating SF can enhance the growth performance, alleviate serum inflammation, and improve the intestinal health of broilers, effectively mitigating the damage triggered by LPS-challenges.

Probiotic cocktails accelerate baicalin metabolism in the ileum to modulate intestinal health in broiler chickens

BACKGROUND

Baicalin and probiotic cocktails are promising feed additives with broad application prospects. While probiotic cocktails are known to enhance intestinal health, the potential synergistic impact of combining baicalin with probiotic cocktails on the gut health of broiler chickens remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the influence of the combined administration of baicalin and probiotic cocktails on the composition of ileal and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens to elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the health-promoting effects.

RESULTS

A total of 320 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were divided into 4 groups, each with 8 replicates of 10 chicks per replicate. Over a period of 42 d, the birds were fed a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 37.5 g/t baicalin (BC), 1,000 g/t probiotic cocktails (PC), or a combination of both BC (37.5 g/t) and PC (1,000 g/t). The results demonstrated that BC + PC exhibited positive synergistic effects, enhancing intestinal morphology, immune function, and barrier function. This was evidenced by increased VH/CD ratio, sIgA levels, and upregulated expression of occludin and claudin-1 (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA analysis indicated that PC potentiated the effects of BC, particularly in the ileum, where BC + PC significantly increased the α-diversity of the ileal microbiota, altered its β-diversity, and increased the relative abundance of Flavonifractor (P < 0.05), a flavonoid-metabolizing bacterium. Furthermore, Flavonifractor positively correlated with chicken ileum crypt depth (P < 0.05). While BC + PC had a limited effect on cecal microbiota structure, the PC group had a very similar microbial composition to BC + PC, suggesting that the effect of PC at the distal end of the gut overshadowed those of BC.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated the synergistic enhancement of gut health regulation in broiler chickens by combining baicalin and probiotic cocktails. Probiotic cocktails enhanced the effects of baicalin and accelerated its metabolism in the ileum, thereby influencing the ileal microbiota structure. This study elucidates the interaction mechanism between probiotic cocktails and plant extract additives within the host microbiota. These findings provide compelling evidence for the future development of feed additive combinations.

Dietary probiotic based on a dual-strain Bacillus subtilis improves immunity, intestinal health, and growth performance of broiler chickens

The study investigated the effects of dietary probiotic of dual-strain Bacillus subtilis on production performance, intestinal barrier parameters, and microbiota in broiler chickens. In a randomized trial, male broiler chickens were allocated into 3 groups, a control group (basal diet), BS300 group (basal diet with 300 mg/kg of B. subtilis), and BS500 group (basal diet with 500 mg/kg of B. subtilis). The inclusion of 500 mg/kg of B. subtilis significantly reduced the feed conversion ratio by 4.55% during the starting phase. Both 300 and 500 mg/kg of B. subtilis supplementation increased jejunal villus height (by 17.89% and 24.8%, respectively) significantly and decreased jejunal crypt depth (by 27.2% and 31.9%, respectively) on day 21. The addition of 500 mg/kg of B. subtilis significantly elevated the gene expression of occludin on day 35. Moreover, of B. subtilis supplementation enhanced cytokine levels and immunoglobulins in both serum and jejunal mucosa. Microbial analysis indicated that B. subtilis increased the abundance of potential probiotics (Sutterella) and butyrate-producing bacteria (Lachnoclostridium, Tyzzerella, Anaerostipes, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_13, Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group, and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-010). The abundances of Anaerostipes and Sutterella, are significantly correlated with growth performance and immune function. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with B. subtilis improved the growth performance, potentially through the regulation of immunity, intestinal barrier function, and microbiota in broilers. Notably, 500 mg/kg of B. subtilis exhibited more benefits for broilers compared to the 300 mg/kg.