Aim:This study was designed to investigate the synergistic effect of the combined action of probiotic bacterial strains (Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Lactobacillus acidophilus) and Quercus cortex extract as biologically active substances in the feed on the immunity and productivity of Gallus gallus domesticus.Materials and Methods:For the experiment, 120 7-day-old broiler chickens were selected (4 groups, n=30, 3 replicates with 10 birds in each group). The groups were as follows: The reference group - basic diet (BD); experimental Group I - BD + Q. cortex extract (Q. cortex), 2.5 ml/kg of body weight; experimental Group II - BD + probiotic preparation based on B. adolescentis, 80.0 million colony-forming units (CFU), and L. acidophilus, 1.0 million CFU (dosage in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer); and experimental Group III - BD + probiotic + extract of Q. cortex. The following methods of study were used: Chemiluminescence and biochemical and hematological analysis.Results:The results of the experiment showed a slight decrease in the level of leukocytes in Groups II (p≤0.05) and III, and of hemoglobin in Group III (p≤0.05), compared to the reference group. The level of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in Group II was higher than both the reference group (p≤0.05) and the other groups. Introduction of Q. cortex extract into the diet increased the level of triglycerides (p≤0.05) and urea in the blood serum. The combined use of probiotic preparations and the extract resulted in an increase in the level of iron in the blood serum by 78.1% (p≤0.05) in Group III. An increase in indicators of the antioxidant system (catalase increased in Group I by 27.2% (p≤0.05) and by 3.0–12.7% in other groups; superoxide dismutase increased by 3.0–13.2%) and nonspecific immunity (β-lysine increased by 8.8–16.0%) was noted. Introduction of the extract and probiotic preparation into the diet contributed to increasing the live weight of chickens at the age of 15 days by 5.9 and 7.4%, respectively (p≤0.05). In experimental Group II, this trend continued, and by the end of the period, the weight of animals exceeded that of their peers in other groups by 0.7-7.0%. Given the high preservation rate of poultry in the II and III Groups, and the low feed consumption per 1 kg of live weight gain (by 3.1–6.7%), the efficiency of growth was higher than in the reference group.Conclusion:Thus, the combined use of probiotic strains of bacteria and Q. cortex extract helped to increase the antioxidant activity of the organism and antimicrobial components of blood plasma compared with broiler chickens with similar growth rates but without the supplementation of this combination.

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A b s t r a c tTo date, numerous studies are focused on searching for alternatives to antibiotics with similar antimicrobial and growth-stimulating effects that do not cause bacterial resistance and potential side effects for animals. Promising phytogenic compounds have been also recognized as potential alternatives to antibiotics in feeds. One of the problems of phytogenic compound use is the unstable chemical composition of plant extracts, depending on the conditions of growth, distribution area and other factors, so the question arises of extracting some substances with the known properties or designing their compositions. In this paper, it has been shown for the first time that a dietary composition of biologically active substances of Quercus cortex helps to maintain productivity and improves the immunomodulating state of Smena 8 poultry cross broilers. In our experiment, a composition of substances (CS) extracted from Quercus cortex and chemically synthesized («Acros Organics B.V.B.A.», Belgium) was used, including 2-n-propylresorcinol (98 %, AVH27024); 4-hydroxy-3methoxybenzaldehyde (99 %, AC14082-1000); 7-hydroxycoumarin (99 %, AC12111-0250); 3,4,5trimethoxyphenol (98.5 %, AC18914-0050); scopoletin (95 %, AC30290-0010); coniferyl alcohol (98 %, AL22373-5) with a confirmed anti-QS effect. A total of 120 broiler chickens aged 7 days were divided into 4 groups (n = 30) by analogue method. Control group was fed with the basic diet (BD). BD + CS 1 (1 ml/kg of live weight), BD + CS 2 (2 ml/kg of lw), and BD + CS 3 (3 ml/kg lw) were used for group 1, group 2, and group 3, respectively. In the experimental groups, as compared to the control, the number of blood leukocytes increased by 19.2-28.5 % (P  0.05), blood lymphocytes were higher by 24.4, 36.2 % (P  0.05) and 44.0 % (P  0.05), blood monocytes were higher by 23.5, 23.5 and 29.4 % (Р  0.05), and blood granulocyte counts were higher by 12.3 % (Р  0.05), 5.7 and 9.5 %. The blood ALT activity in the group 2 and group 3 exceeded the control value by 13.2 % (P  0.05). The level of GGT tended to decrease in the group 2 and group 3, along with a significant decrease in LDH by 17.6-22.5 % (P  0.05). The intake of the CS as a feed additive was accompanied by an increase in blood SOD levels in the test groups, the highest concentration being observed in the group 1 (95.3 %). The catalase indices had similar patterns. Dietary composition of biologically active substances promoted a 16.4 % increase (P  0.05) in blood -lysine levels in the group 1. Within 4 weeks, the dietary CSs led to an increase in the live weight of the poultry of the group 2 and groups 3 by 12.6-15.0 % (P  0.05) when compared to the group 1. In the group 1, the birds grew more rapidly with a 100 % survival rate of the herd, in contrast to the remaining groups with the survival index of 71 to 85 %. These contributed to an insignificant increase in the bird live weight at the end of the experiment (day 42) by 1.9 % (P  0.05) compared to the control group. Thus, feeding broiler chickens with...

The article provides information on the mineral metabolism in the body of an agricultural bird. Studies have shown that when incorporating biologically active substances along with plant extracts, they help to improve the immunity of the birds. This article is devoted to the study of the effect of antibiotic and oak bark extract on mineral metabolism in the body of broiler chickens. During the study it was revealed that the pectoral muscles of the bird contain an excess of such trace elements as cobalt, silicon, vanadium, copper, zinc, and iodine. Oak bark extract in the pectoral muscles and in the muscles of the thigh contributed to the elimination of toxic elements, so the level of aluminum in absolute terms was significantly reduced. The inclusion of antibiotics also led to a significant decrease with respect to aluminum control. The maximum decrease in the level of toxic elements was observed in the group that was additionally co-administered with an antibiotic and oak bark extract. It has been found that extracts of these herbs enhance broiler immunity and help balance the intestinal flora necessary for digestion and for protection against pathogenic microorganisms.Index Terms-Broiler muscle tissue, mineral metabolism, macronutrient composition, muscles of the bird, tetracycline antibiotic, toxic elements.

Background and Aim: Progressive antibiotic resistance has become the primary threat to public health. The search for alternative substances with similar effects is now a global challenge for poultry farming. The aim of this study was to investigate the action of the probiotic Bacillus cereus (BC) and coumarin (CO) on broiler productivity, biochemical indicators of blood, and muscular and liver tissues. Materials and Methods: The trial of this study included Arbor Acres cross broiler chickens that were grown up to the age of 42 days. The experiment was conducted on 200 broiler chickens divided into four experimental groups of 50 individuals each: The control group received ration without additives (main ration [MR]), the first experimental group received MR+BC, the second received MR+CO, and the third received –MR+BC+CO. A biochemical and hematological analyzer was used to estimate elemental concentrations using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Results: Inclusion of CO and CO+BC in the diet improved growth rates and reduced feed consumption (FC) per kg of live weight gain. Decreased white blood cell count, increased creatinine and triglycerides (CO), changes in aminotransferase and transpeptidase activity, and increases in chemical elements in the liver and pectoral muscles (BC+CO) were observed. The inclusion of BC+CO in the diet contributed to increases in a greater number of chemical elements in the liver (calcium [Ca], K, magnesium, Mn, Si, and Zn) and the pectoral muscles (Ca, Na, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn). Conclusion: The inclusion of CO and CO+BC in the diet improves growth rates and reduces FC in broilers against a background of the absence of mortality during the experiment.

Background and Aim: As an alternative to natural and chemically synthesized direct-acting bactericides, there has been an increase in the use of plant extracts, which possess a set of phytochemicals with potential for microbial disease control; this is due to the spectrum of secondary metabolites present in extracts, which include phenolic compounds, quinones, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polyacetylenes. The biologically active substances within plant extracts, which perform protective functions for plant tissues, can have ambiguous effects on the animal body. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the ability of gamma-octalactone, isolated from Eucalyptus viminalis extract, to inhibit various LuxI/LuxR quorum-sensing (QS) systems in bacteria, and to evaluate its effect on broiler chickens. Materials and Methods: Phytochemical analysis of E. viminalis extract was performed. The ability of gamma-octalactone to inhibit QS was evaluated using four different LuxI/LuxR bacterial test systems. In vivo assessments were performed on one hundred and twenty 7-day-old broiler chickens (Arbor Acres cross), split into four groups of 30 chickens: 1. Control group: Basic diet (BD); 2. experimental Group I: BD + gamma-octalactone at a dosage of 0.05 ml/kg live weight/day; 3. experimental Group II: BD + gamma-octalactone at a dosage of 0.1 ml/kg live weight/day; and 4. experimental Group III: BD + gamma-octalactone at a dosage of 0.2 ml/kg live weight/day. Hematological blood parameters were assessed using an automatic hematological analyzer (URIT-2900 Vet Plus, URIT Medial Electronic Co., China) and an automatic biochemical analyzer (CS-T240, Dirui Industrial Co., Ltd., China). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Statistics Version 20 (IBM); averages (M), standard deviations (σ), and standard deviation errors (m) were calculated. Results with p≤0.05 were considered significant. Results: Based on the phytochemical analysis results, libraries of compounds with putative QS inhibitory properties were compiled. Gamma-octalactone exhibited a pronounced inhibitory effect on the LuxI/LuxR QS systems, characterized by EC50 values of 0.15-0.4 mM. In the in vivo portion of this study, broiler chicken live weights increased in all experimental groups, with the most significant increase in Group III (14.0%), in relation to the control group. Blood serum from the experimental group chickens had significantly higher levels of triglycerides and uric acid (p≤0.05), in comparison to the control group chickens. With respect to blood serum enzyme activity and antioxidant status indicators, the experimental group chickens had a higher level of gamma-glutamyl transferase, an enzyme associated with amino acid metabolism, than those in the control group; this increase was especially pronounced in Group III, with 37.0% increase (p≤0.05). Superoxide dismutase and catalase levels were higher in the experimental groups than the control group, corresponding to increases of 30.4-56.2% (p≤0.05), 33.3-83.3%, and 27.9-45.5% (p≤0.05) in Groups I, II, and III (p≤0.05), respectively. Morphological blood parameters did not display significant changes due to gamma-octalactone. Conclusion: According to the results of this in vivo study in broiler chickens, gamma-octalactone, isolated from E. viminalis leaf extract and supplied at a dosage of 0.2 ml/kg live weight/day, led to an increase in the activity of blood plasma digestive enzymes, increased live weight, and had a positive effect on lipid metabolism and antioxidant status.

The prohibition of antibiotic drugs in animal husbandry to stimulate animal productivity has provoked an active study of alternative substances, including plant extracts. No less interesting for a detailed study of the extracts of plants Eucalyptus viminalis and Scutellaria baicalensis, as information about their effect on ruminant microbiome is extremely scarce. According to the results of phytochemical analysis, 14 small molecules were found in the extract of Scutellaria baicalensis. and 13 in the composition of the extract of the leaves of Eucalyptus viminalis. Analysis of metagenomic sequencing when plant extracts are included in the feed indicates a significant change in the rumen microbiome. The absence of Proteobacteria and Fibrobacteres phyla in the experimental groups, a decrease in the content of Bacteroidetes by 12.0–17.0% and an increase in Firmicutes (p<0.05) and Saccharibacteria (p<0.05) were noted. An increase in the class Clostridia (p<0.05), due to the family Ruminococcaceae (p<0.05) and the genus Ruminococaceace, was found. In the Bacteroidia class in all groups, the family Prevotellaceae, the genus Prevotella, prevailed in most of the groups. Additional inclusion in the diet of plant extracts of Eucalyptus viminalis and Scutellaria baicalensis have a significant impact on the rumen microbiome of the cattle, the taxonomic identification of microorganisms indicates the prevalence of phyloma Firmicutes, Clostridia class and the Ruminococcaceae family, which are responsible for the separation of imperfect migration. Further evaluation of plant matter is needed in the direction of the overall effect on fermentation of feed in the rumen.

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