Palygorskite combined probiotics improve the laying performance, hatching performance, egg quality, plasma antioxidative status, and immune response of broiler breeders

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different supplementation levels of palygorskite and probiotics complex (Pal-Pro) on laying performance, hatching performance, egg quality, plasma antioxidative status, and immune response of broiler breeders. A total of 432 Xuefeng black-bone chickens (42-week-old) were randomly assigned into four treatments with six replicates of 18 hens. The broiler breeders were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0, 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg Pal-Pro for 8 weeks. The Pal-Pro supplementation linearly or quadratically increased (p < .05) laying rate, fertilisation rate, hatchability of fertile eggs, heath hatched chicks rate, eggshell thickness, yolk index, total antioxidant capacity, activities of total superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and contents of immunoglobulins, interleukin-2, and tumour necrosis factor-a in plasma. With Pal-Pro supplementation increased, feed convention ratio during 5-8 and 1-8 week, embryo mortality, malondialdehyde linearly decreased (p < .05). This finding suggested that dietary supplementation with 750 mg/kg Pal-Pro administration could improve the antioxidative status and immunoglobulins contents in plasma of broiler breeders, which may contribute to an increase in broiler's laying rate, hatching performance, egg quality, such as eggshell thickness and yolk index. HIGHLIGHTS Dietary supplementation of Pal-Pro decreased the feed conversion ratio and embryo mortality of broiler breeders. Dietary supplementation of Pal-Pro improved the laying rate, fertility, hatchability of fertile eggs, and yolk index of broiler breeders. Dietary supplementation of Pal-Pro enhanced the antioxidant capacity and the level of immunoglobulins in the plasma.

Enhancing egg production and quality by the supplementation of probiotic strains (Clostridium and Brevibacillus) via improved amino acid digestibility, intestinal health, immune response, and antioxidant activity

“…The improvement could be adducible to better nutrient utilization orchestrated by a decrease in stress response, enhanced gut health, and improved immune function, as observed in this study. This claim is supported by previous studies in laying hens, which demonstrated that probiotic-induced improvement in physiological indices, including immunity index, intestinal morphology, and antioxidant capacity culminated in significantly increased laying performance ( Deng et al, 2021 ; Wang Y. et al, 2021 ; Pan et al, 2022 ). However, some studies found no probiotic-induced effect on egg production ( Shi et al, 2020 ; Wang J. et al, 2021 ; Ray et al, 2022 ).…”

“…The immunity index of animals is often measured based on the serum concentrations of immunoglobulins (IgM, IgA, and IgG) due to their key role in immune regulation and disease resistance ( Mountzouris et al, 2010 ). Previous reports demonstrated that B. amyloliquefaciens significantly increased serum concentrations of IgG and IgA ( Ahmat et al, 2021 ) and the probiotic complex ( Deng et al, 2021 ), and B. subtilis ( Qiu et al, 2021 ) enhanced the serum immunoglobulins of IgG, IgA, and IgM in broiler birds. There are pieces of evidence that B. amyloliquefaciens increased IgG and IgA levels ( Zhou et al, 2020 ) and CB enhanced IgA, IgY, and IgM ( Zhan et al, 2019 ) in laying hens.…”

“…The underlying mechanism of probiotic actions, including the production of metabolites (short-chain organic fatty acids), immunostimulatory effects, alteration of gastrointestinal flora, and exclusive competitive binding to receptors ( Sherman et al, 2009 ; Ahasan et al, 2015 ), accounts for the myriad of its positive influence on animal production and health in the poultry industry. Probiotics have been found to enhance laying performance ( Mikulski et al, 2020 ; Macit et al, 2021 ; Xu et al, 2022 ), egg quality ( Deng et al, 2021 ; Wang J. et al, 2021 ; Ray et al, 2022 ), immune response ( Song et al, 2019 ; Deng et al, 2021 ; Pan et al, 2022 ), gut health ( Abdel-Latif et al, 2018 ; Yang et al, 2020 ), and reduced oxidative stress response ( Deng et al, 2021 ; Xu et al, 2022 ). Nevertheless, some studies reported that probiotics had no influence on egg production ( Arpášová et al, 2016 ; Shi et al, 2020 ), egg quality: albumen quality ( Souza et al, 2021 ) and eggshell quality ( Wang W. W. et al, 2020 ), and antioxidant capacity ( Forte et al, 2016 ).…”

Natural Products of Plants and Animal Origin Improve Albumen Quality of Chicken Eggs

“…Probiotics may present improvement of antioxidant capacity, gut integrity, and immunity function as mechanisms that boost process of egg formation and albumen synthesis in laying hens. However, there are other evidences that probiotics had no significant effect on albumen quality (98,(101)(102)(103)(104). These variations among studies may be due to probiotics constituents, dosage level and physiological status of the birds.…”

Investigating the impact of pigmentation variation of breast muscle on growth traits, melanin deposition, and gene expression in Xuefeng black-bone chickens

“…Over an extended period of domestication, it has developed stable genetic traits and unique flavor. These traits encompass notable black features in the skin, bones, meat, beak, legs, cockscomb, and tongue ( Deng et al, 2021 ; Deng et al, 2022 ). However, a noteworthy phenomenon was observed during the slaughter process, revealing significant variations in the blackness of breast muscles ( BBM ) among Xuefeng black-bone chickens.…”