This study compared the efficacy of Pediococcus acidilactici, mannan-oligosaccharide, butyric acid, and their combination on growth performance and intestinal health in broiler chickens challenged with S. Typhimurium. Ross 308 male broilers (n = 420) were randomly assigned to one of the 6 treatments, resulting in 5 replicate pens of 14 chicks per treatment. The treatments included a negative control [(NC), no additive, not challenged]; positive control [(PC), no additive, but challenged with S. Typhimurium at d 3 posthatch], and 4 groups whereby birds were challenged with S. Typhimurium at d 3 posthatch and fed diets supplemented with either probiotic [0.1 g/kg Pediococcus acidilactici (PA)], prebiotic [2 g/kg mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS)], organic acid [0.5 g/kg butyric acid (BA)], or a combination of the 3 additives (MA). The S. Typhimurium challenge decreased feed intake, body weight gain and increased feed conversion ratio and reduced jejunum villus height (VH) and VH to crypt depth (CD) ratio (P < 0.05). Birds on the MA treatment exhibited similar performance to birds on the NC treatment (P > 0.05) and had a lower population of Salmonella in the ceca compared with birds on the PC treatment, at d 14 and 21 post-challenge (P < 0.05). The lowest heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was observed in birds on the MA and NC treatments (P < 0.05). Birds fed diets supplemented with MA or PA had greater VH and VH: CD ratio than birds on the PC treatment at d 7, 14 and 21 d post-challenge (P < 0.05). Suppressed amylase and protease activity was observed as a result of the S. Typhimurium challenge; the enzyme levels were restored in birds fed the additive-supplemented diets, when compared to the birds on the PC treatment, particularly at d 21 post-challenge (P < 0.05). These results indicate that dietary supplementation with a combination of PA, BA, and MOS in broiler chickens could be used as an effective tool for controlling S. Typhimurium and promoting growth performance.

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1. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing dietary cottonseed meal (CSM) or fermented cottonseed meal (FCSM) for soya bean meal (SBM) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, gastrointestinal microbial populations, and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. 2. CSM was fermented with Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger and A. oryzae for 7 d. A total of 300 one-d-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens were used in a 42-d experiment in which the birds were randomly allotted to one of 5 dietary treatments (containing 0%, 10% and 20% CSM or FCSM) in a completely randomised design. Birds were reared on litter floor and had free access to feed and water during the experiment. 3. Results indicated that the fermentation process significantly reduced crude fibre and free gossypol, while it increased crude protein content and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count in CSM. 4. The use of FCSM instead of CSM significantly improved growth performance of broilers. The abdominal fat yield in treatments containing FCSM was significantly lower than in the other treatments. The increase in the population of LAB in the crop and decrease in the population of coliforms in the ileum of birds fed on diets containing FCSM were more significant than in other birds. Villi in the duodenum and jejunum of the birds fed on diets containing FCSM were significantly higher than for the other experimental groups. 5. The positive effects of diets containing FCSM on growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens showed that this processed source of protein can serve as an appropriate alternative for SBM in diets for broiler chickens.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of synbiotic on performance parameters, blood characteristics and carcass yields of Japanese quails fed diets containing different levels of protein. In a completely randomized design with 3 x 3 factorial arrangements, 720-day-old healthy Japanese quails were randomly allocated into 9 groups with 4 replicates of 20 chicks. Treatments consisted of combination of 3 levels of crude protein (CP): A) sufficient protein diet (24%, high CP) from 0 to 42 days of age; B) low protein diet (22.08%, low CP) from 0 to 42 days of age; C) sufficient protein diet from 0 to 21 days-low protein diet from 21 to 42 (medium CP) days of age and three levels of synbiotic, without, recommended and 150% of recommended levels, respectively. The results showed that there were no significant differences in feed conversation ratio, feed intake and body weight among treatments due to the interaction of CP and synbiotic levels. However, body weight and daily weight gain and feed conversation ratio improved (P<0.05) for bird fed medium and high CP compared with birds fed low CP in diet. The level of serum triglyceride decreased significantly (P<0.05) by adding different levels of synbiotic in diet. However, the effects of synbiotic supplementation on other blood parameters (cholesterol, total protein serum, uric acid, HDL and LDL) were not statistically significant among the groups (P>0.05). The effect of CP and synbiotic levels on the carcass yields of quail were not statistically significant (P>0.05)

An in vitro and in vivo study was conducted to evaluate the fermentability of isolated galactoglucomannan oligosaccharides (GGMs) and the influence of their feeding on shedding and colonisation of Salmonella typhimurium, growth performance and intestinal morphology in broiler chicks. The in vitro data demonstrated that three probiotic lactic acid bacteria namely Lactobacillus casei, L. plantarum and Enterococcus faecium were able to ferment the extracted oligosaccharides and other tested sugars on a basal de Man Rogosa Sharpe media free from carbohydrate. For the in vivo experiment, 144 one-d-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were divided into 6 experimental treatments (with 4 replicates) including two positive and negative controls which received a basal maize-soybean diet without any additives, supplementation of three levels of isolated GGMs (0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3%) and a commercial mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) at 0.2% to the basal diet. All birds except those in the negative control group were challenged orally with 1 × 10 cfu of S. typhimurium at 3-d post-hatch. The results revealed that challenge with S. typhimurium resulted in a significant reduction in body weight gain, feed intake, villus height, villus height to crypt depth ratio and villus surface area in all of infected chicks. Birds that were given GGMs or MOS showed better growth performance, increased villus height and villus surface area and decreased S. typhimurium colonisation than the positive control birds. GGM at 0.2% level was more effective than the other treatments in improving growth rate as well as gut health of broiler chicks.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different durations of flaxseed oil consumption on broiler performance, fatty acid content of meat and expression of FADS2 gene in the liver of chicken. A total of 336 unsexed day old chicks were randomly assigned to 7 dietary treatments with 4 replicates of 12 chickens in each. Body weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not affected by dietary treatments. Longer consumption of flaxseed oil resulted in higher deposition of long chain n‐3 fatty acids in broiler breast and thigh (P < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that feeding broilers with diet enriched with flaxseed oil 17 and 7 days prior to slaughter for breast and thigh respectively, is enough for producing n‐3 labeled meat. Weekly replacement of oil source of diet (soybean oil) with flaxseed oil increased expression of FADS2 gene. To incorporate enough n‐3 fatty acids into chicken meat through addition of flaxseed oil to broiler diet and to maximize de novo long chain n‐3 fatty acid synthesis in broiler body, we recommend adding flaxseed oil to broiler diets 17 days prior to slaughter. Practical applications: Omega‐3 enrichment of broiler chickens depends on both nutrition and gene expression. Flaxseed oil is an omega‐3 oil source that can be supplemented to broiler diet to enrich chicken meat with the beneficial n‐3 fatty acids. However, adding such oil sources to broiler rations is restricted because of their negative effects on broiler performance and meat quality. Therefore, shorter period of such oil sources consumption is preferred. Flaxseed oil consumption can affect gene expression too. Thus, it is necessary to determine the optimum duration of flaxseed oil supplementation to broiler diets to produce omega‐3 labeled chicken using both nutrition and gene expression. Flaxseed oil consumption can affect fatty acid profile of chicken meat through manipulation of fatty acid deposition, de novo fatty acid synthesis, fatty acid oxidation and expression of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism. To incorporate enough n‐3 fatty acids into chicken, providing at least 3 g n‐3 fatty acid per kilogram of meat, by adding flaxseed oil to broiler diet, we recommend adding flaxseed oil to broiler diets 17 days prior to slaughter.