Yeast bioactives (YB) may stimulate broiler breeders (BB) to increase deposition of immunoglobulins (Ig) in eggs. We investigated the effects of feeding YB (mixture of derivatives from whole yeast subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis) to BB and/or their offspring on growth performance, gut development, and immune function in broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria. The BB (Ross 708 ♀ and Ross ♂) were assigned to 2 groups (60 ♀ and 10 ♂) and fed basal or basal diet supplemented with 500 g of YB/Mt. A total of 250 fertile eggs per treatment were collected, incubated, hatched, and sexed. Additional egg samples were analyzed for IgA and IgY contents. A total of 160 broiler chicks (80 ♀ and 80 ♂) from each breeder experimental group were placed in cages based on sex and BW resulting in 32 cages for each BB treatment group. Cages (16 per BB treatment group) were allocated to basal broiler chick diet or basal diet supplemented with 500 g of YB/Mt. On day 9, half of each BB by broiler chick dietary treatments was challenged with 1 mL of Eimeria culture (100,000 oocysts of Eimeria acervulina and 25,000 oocysts of Eimeria maxima). On day 14, all birds were necropsied for intestinal lesion scores and samples. Feeding YB to BB increased (P < 0.05) IgA concentration in egg yolk. Eimeria challenge decreased (P < 0.05) pancreas weight, jejunal villus height (VH), and growth performance but increased spleen weight, intestinal mass and jejunal mucosa IgA concentration. Independent of Eimeria challenge, feeding YB to BB and/or to chicks resulted in higher (P < 0.001) jejunal VH compared with feeding it to BB only or not at all. In conclusion, Eimeria challenge reduced growth performance and had negative effects on indices of intestinal function and health. Feeding YB to BB increased deposition of IgA in hatching eggs and improved jejunal VH independent of Eimeria challenge when fed to BB and/or to broiler chicks.

Modern broiler chickens are associated with rapid growth rates and superior feed efficiency. However, they are also susceptible to physiological and metabolic disorders (e.g., skin lesions, lameness, sudden death, enteric diseases, myopathies) that exert substantial economic losses to producers. This is further exacerbated by consumer pressure and mandated cessation of production practices such as indiscriminate use of antimicrobial growth promoters. Manipulation of broiler breeder (BB) nutrition and management can influence chick quality, robustness, and resilience to stressors in the production environment. The present review examines the role of feeding BB functional polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) and subsequent impact on the indices of immunocompetence, skeletal, and gastrointestinal (GIT) development in broiler chickens. Research in mammalian and avian models led evidence that perinatal feeding of long chain n-3 PUFA such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) engender transgenerational effects through regulation of a variety of biological processes including development of vital organs such as skeleton, brain and GIT. It is shown that feeding poultry breeders n-3 PUFA decreases inflammatory states and enriches hatching eggs with n-3 PUFA and immunoglobulins. Further evidence also shows that after 15 days of incubation, chicken embryos preferentially utilize long chain n-3 PUFA-critical for optimal cell, tissues, and organ development. Enrichment of n-3 PUFA in newly hatchling tissues reduce proinflammatory eicosanoids with consequences of enhanced bone mineralization. Dietary n-3 PUFA also modulates breeder GIT microbiota with consequences of microbial colonization and succession in chicks. As well, research shows that feeding poultry breeders n-3 PUFA bolsters progeny immunocompetence through enhanced passive immunity and antibody titres against routine vaccination. In conclusion, it appears that chicks may benefit from the incorporation of n-3 PUFA in the breeder diets; however, little attention is paid to fatty acids composition in breeder nutrition. We also highlight gaps in knowledge and future research perspectives.

There is limited information on the effects of enteric pathogen on bone quality in rapidly growing broiler chicks. We examined tibia and femur attributes (length, diameter, relative weight of ash content [AC] to the BW, ash concentration [AP]) and serum bone-turnover markers including receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) for resorption, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) for mineralization, and selected serum metabolites in 14-day-old broilers challenged with Eimeria. A total of 160 (80 males and 80 females) 1-day-old Ross × Ross 708 chicks were used. Based on BW, birds were placed within sex in cages (5 birds per cage) and fed chick starter diets to day 9 of age. On day 9, half of the cages were orally gavaged with 1 mL of Eimeria culture (100,000 oocysts of E. acervulina and 25,000 oocysts of E. maxima) and the other half (unchallenged control) received 1 mL 0.9% saline in distilled water. On day 14, 2 birds were randomly selected and necropsied for intestinal lesion score, blood, tibia, and femur samples. Data were analyzed in a 2 (challenged vs. unchallenged) × 2 (males vs. females) factorial arrangement. There was no interaction (P > 0.05) between Eimeria and sex on any measurement. Whereas there were no intestinal lesions in unchallenged birds, Eimeria resulted in lesion score (0 to 4) of 3.35, 2.59 and 0.11 in duodenum, jejunum and ileum, respectively. Eimeria challenge decreased (P < 0.05) tibia AC and AP by 10 and 8.2%, respectively but had no (P > 0.10) effect on femur attributes. Generally, males showed (P < 0.05) longer and wider bones with more AC compared with the female. Circulating serum RANKL concentration increased (P = 0.017) in response to Eimeria challenge and was negatively correlated with tibia AC (–0.731; P = 0.021). Our findings showed that Eimeria damage to the intestinal physiology had adverse effects on long bone attributes linked to increased resorption.

We investigated the effects of adding up to 11% rice bran (RB) in corn-soybean meal diets fed to broiler chickens without or with a multi-enzyme supplement (MES). The MES supplied xylanase, β-glucanase, invertase, protease, cellulase, α-amylase and mannanase with targeted activity of 2,500, 300, 700, 10,000, 1,200, 24,000, and 20 U/kg of feed, respectively. The study used a two-phase feeding program (starter, d 0 to 24; finisher, d 25 to 35) with RB added at 5% and 11%, respectively creating 4 diets in each phase. Diets were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous and contained phytase (500 FTU/kg) and TiO 2 as a digestibility marker. Three hundred and sixty d-old male Ross 708 broiler chicks were placed in cages based on BW (15 birds/cage) and allocated to 4 diets ( n = 6). Birds had free access to feed and water. Body weight and feed intake were recorded. Excreta samples were collected 3 d prior to the end of each phase for apparent retention (AR) of components. Samples of birds were sacrificed on d 24 and 35 for gut weight and ceca digesta for organic acid content. There was no interaction ( P > 0.10) between RB and MES on BWG and FCR in starter or finisher phase. In finisher phase, birds fed MES had better BWG (961 versus 858 g) and FCR (1.69 versus 1.86) than birds fed non-MES diets ( P < 0.01). Feeding RB reduced ( P = 0.02) BWG in finisher phase resulting in lower d 35 BW. Birds fed RB had higher ( P ≤ 0.01) gizzard weight on d 24 and 35 than non-RB birds. An interaction ( P ≤ 0.01) between RB and MES on concentrations of propionic and iso-butyric acids in ceca digesta showed that MES reduced these acids in non-RB diet. The AR of gross energy was higher ( P < 0.02) for MES versus non-MES birds in starter and finisher phases. In conclusion, independently, RB increased gizzard weight and reduced final BW whereas MES improved growth and energy utilization.

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