Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of promising alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (organic acids, phytobiotics, and their combinations) as feed additives in poultry feed. Methods: Different feed treatments were formulated with organic acids, phytobiotics and their combinations, and their effects on blood profile, serum enzymes and immunity parameters were evaluated in broilers at 21 and 42 days of age. Results: Cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL levels of the 21-and 42-day old broilers were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the feed additives. The effect of albumin and albumin/globulin ratios varied significantly (p < 0.05) from that of the control group at 42 days of age. Haematological analysis did not show significant changes (p > 0.05) in parameters except hematocrit, RBC, MCH, MCHC, WBC at age 21 days. However, among the serum enzymes assayed, only gamma-glutamyl transferase activity was altered for the modified feed group. Conclusion: These results suggest that supplementation with organic acids and phytobiotics can be used as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters without interfering with the overall health and performance of broilers.
This study explored the effects of natural growth promoters (phytogenic feed additives and organic acids) on animal performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, gut microflora composition, and microbe–host interactions in broiler chickens over a 42-day feeding period. Two-hundred-fifty-day-old chicks were randomly assigned to one of five treatments: (i) control diets (CON); (ii) control diets + 40 g/tons antibiotic growth promoter (AB); (iii) control diets + 3 kg/tons organic acids (ORG); (iv) control diets + 3 kg/tons phytogenic feed additives (PHY); (v) control diets + 3 kg/tons organic acids + phytogenic feed additive combination (COM). A non-significant differences (
p
>
0.05
) were observed in broiler performance among treatments at 21 days of age; however, a gradually increasing body weight gain and reduced feed conversion ratio were observed at 42 days in treatments versus control group. Biochemical indices were non-significant (
p
>
0.05
) except for decreased cholesterol (
p
<
0.05
) and increased A/G ratio (
p
<
0.05
) recorded in the treatment groups. The addition of PHY and ORG improved total counts of
Enterococcus
spp. and
Lactobacillus
spp. (
p
<
0.05
) as well as reduced caecal and ileal
Campylobacter
spp. and
Escherichia coli
(
p
<
0.05
). Correlation analysis elucidated beneficial bacteria (
Enterococcus
spp. and
Lactobacillus
spp.) were positively and pathogenic bacteria (
Campylobacter
spp. and
E. coli
) were negatively correlated (
p
<
0.05
) with host weight gain. The findings indicated that dietary supplementation of PHY and ORG sustained balanced gut microflora, which in turn improved body weight. This study broadens the significance of using PHY and ORG as safe alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters for achieving healthier and economical broiler production.
Antibiotic resistance poses a serious threat to human and animal health. As a consequence, their use in conventional poultry feed may be replaced by non-antibiotic additives (alternatives to antibiotics, ATAs). Phytogenic feed additives and organic acids have been gaining considerable attention that could abate the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria and strengthen gut function in broiler chickens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of phytogenic feed additives and organic acids on cecal microbial diversity using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of the V3-V4 region. In this study, 240 chicks were divided into ve treatments comprising: a controlled basal diet (CON), antibiotic group (AB), phytogenic feed additives (PHY), organic acids (ORG) and a combination of PHY + ORG (COM). A distinctive microbial community structure was observed amongst different treatments with an increased microbial diversity in AB, ORG and COM (p < 0.05). The synergistic effects of PHY and ORG increased the population of bene cial bacteria that belonged to the phyla: Firmicutes, Bacteroides and Proteobacteria in the cecum. The presence of the species Akkermansia muciniphila (involved in mucin degradation) and Bacillus safensis (a probiotic bacterium) were noticed in COM and PHY, respectively. Clustering analysis revealed a higher relative abundance of similar microbial community composition between AB and ORG groups. In conclusion, treatments with PHY and ORG modi ed the relative abundance and presence/absence of speci c microbiota in the chicken cecum. Hence, cecal microbiota modulation through diet is a promising strategy to reduce cross-contamination of zoonotic poultry pathogens.
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