The effects of dietary supplementation in pigs with plant extract (PE) from Lippia spp., titrated in verbascoside (5mg/kg feed), from weaning to slaughter (166days), on carcass characteristics, meat quality, collagen characteristics, oxidative stability and sensory attributes of Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle were examined. Ten pigs per treatment were slaughter at a live weight of 109.5±1.4kg. No influence on carcass characteristics, LD meat quality parameters and collagen characteristics were observed. Dietary PE increased (P<0.001) α-tocopherol levels in LD muscle. Raw LD of pig fed PE showed lower (P<0.001) lipid oxidation levels than controls. A reduction (P=0.05) of fat odor and rancid flavor intensity in cooked LD muscle stored at 4°C for 24h was observed in the treated group. This study shows that PE is an effective antioxidant in pork meat, enhancing oxidative status and sensory attributes, without affecting other meat quality parameters.

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In the post-antibiotics era, prebiotics are proposed as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production. The goal of this study was to compare in ovo method of prebiotic delivery with in-water supplementation and with both methods combined ( in ovo + in-water) in broiler chickens. Two trials were conducted. Trial 1 was carried out to optimize the doses of two prebiotics, DN (DiNovo ® , extract of beta-glucans) and BI (Bi 2 tos, trans-galactooligosaccharides), for in ovo delivery. The estimated parameters were hatchability and bacteriological status of the newly hatched chicks. Prebiotics were dissolved in 0.2 ml of physiological saline, at the doses: 0.18, 0.88, 3.5 and 7.0 mg/embryo; control group (C) was injected in ovo with 0.2 ml of physiological saline. Trial 2 was conducted to evaluate effects of different prebiotics (DN, BI and raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO)) delivered in ovo, in-water and in a combined way ( in ovo + in-water) on broiler chickens performance. The results of the Trial 1 indicated that the optimal dose of DN and BI prebiotics delivered in ovo, that did not reduce chicks' hatchability, was 0.88 mg/embryo (DN) and 3.5 mg/embryo (BI). Both prebiotics numerically increased number of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in chicken feces ( P > 0.05). In Trial 2, all prebiotics (DN, BI and RFO) significantly increased BW gain compared with the C group ( P < 0.05), especially during the first 21 days of life. However, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were increased upon prebiotics delivery irrespective of method used. Injection of prebiotics in ovo combined with in-water supplementation did not express synergistic effects on broilers performance compared with in ovo injection only. Taken together, those results confirm that single in ovo prebiotics injection into the chicken embryo can successfully replace prolonged in-water supplementation post hatching.

A trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of in ovo injection of prebiotic and synbiotics on growth performance, meat quality traits (cholesterol content, intramuscular collagen properties, fiber measurements), and the presence of histopathological changes in the pectoral muscle (PS) of broiler chickens. On d 12 of incubation, 480 eggs were randomly divided into 5 experimental groups treated with different bioactives, in ovo injected: C, control with physiological saline; T1 with 1.9 mg of raffinose family oligosaccharides; T2 and T3 with 1.9 mg of raffinose family oligosaccharides enriched with different probiotic bacteria, specifically 1,000 cfu of Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis SL1 and Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris IBB SC1, respectively; T4 with commercially available synbiotic Duolac, containing 500 cfu of both Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus faecium with the addition of lactose (0.001 mg/embryo). Among the hatched chickens, 60 males were randomly chosen (12 birds for each group) and were grown to 42 d in collective cages (n = 3 birds in each 4 cages: replications for experimental groups). Broilers were fed ad libitum commercial diets according to age. In ovo prebiotic and synbiotic administration had a low effect on investigated traits, but depend on the kind of bioactives administered. Commercial synbiotic treatment (T4) reduced carcass yield percentage, and the feed conversion ratio was higher in T3 and T4 groups compared with other groups. The abdominal fat, the ultimate pH, and cholesterol of the PS were not affected by treatment. Broiler chickens of the treated groups with both slightly greater PS and fiber diameter had a significantly lower amount of collagen. The greater thickness of muscle fibers (not significant) and the lower fiber density (statistically significant), observed in treated birds in comparison with those of the C group, are not associated with histopathological changes in the PS of broilers. The incidence of histopathological changes in broiler chickens from examined groups was low, which did not affect the deterioration of meat quality obtained from these birds.

Intestinal mucosa is the interface between the microbial content of the gut and the host’s milieu. The goal of this study was to modulate chicken intestinal microflora by in ovo stimulation with galactooligosaccharides (GOS) prebiotic and to demonstrate the molecular responses of the host. The animal trial was performed on meat-type chickens (Ross 308). GOS was delivered by in ovo injection performed into the air cell on day 12 of egg incubation. Analysis of microbial communities and mucosal gene expression was performed at slaughter (day 42 post-hatching). Chyme (for DNA isolation) and intestinal mucosa (for RNA isolation) from four distinct intestinal segments (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and caecum) was sampled. The relative abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. in DNA isolated from chyme samples was determined using qPCR. On the host side, the mRNA expression of 13 genes grouped into two panels was analysed with RT-qPCR. Panel (1) included genes related to intestinal innate immune responses ( IL-1β , IL-10 and IL-12p40 , AvBD1 and CATHL2 ). Panel (2) contained genes involved in intestinal barrier function ( MUC6 , CLDN1 and TJAP1 ) and nutrients sensing ( FFAR2 and FFAR4 , GLUT1 , GLUT2 and GLUT5 ). GOS increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in caecum (from 1.3% to 3.9%). Distinct effects of GOS on gene expression were manifested in jejunum and caecum. Cytokine genes ( IL-1β , IL-10 and IL-12p40 ) were up-regulated in the jejunum and caecum of the GOS-treated group. Host defence peptides ( AvBD1 and CATHL2 ) were up-regulated in the caecum of the GOS-treated group. Free fatty acid receptors ( FFAR2 and FFAR4 ) were up-regulated in all three compartments of the intestine (except the duodenum). Glucose transporters were down-regulated in duodenum ( GLUT2 and GLUT5 ) but up-regulated in the hindgut ( GLUT1 and GLUT2 ). In conclusion, GOS delivered in ovo had a bifidogenic effect in adult chickens. It also modulated gene expression related to intestinal immune responses, gut barrier function, and nutrient sensing.