Protected Blend of Organic Acids and Essential Oils Improves Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Intestinal Health of Broiler Chickens Undergoing an Intestinal Challenge

Abstract

The growing restriction of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) use in farming animals has raised a concern regarding the viability of the animal production system. In this new context, feed additives with proven positive impact on intestinal health may be used as strategy to avoid losses on performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a protected blend of organic acids and essential oils [P(OA+EO)] on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal health of broiler chickens. A total of 1,080 Cobb × Cobb 500 male broilers were randomly distributed in four treatments with 10 replicates (27 birds/each). Treatments were as follow: non-challenged control; challenged control; AGP (enramycin at 10 g/t); and P(OA+EO) at 300 g/t. All birds on challenged groups were challenged with Eimeria spp. at 1 day and with Clostridium perfringens at 11, 12, and 13 days. Body weight gain (BWG), feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were evaluated until 42 days. At 17 days, one bird per pen was orally gavaged with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-d) and blood samples were collected for FITC-d detection to assess intestinal permeability. At 21 days, apparent ileal nutrient and energy (IDE) digestibility, intestinal macroscopic and histologic alterations (ISI) and, expression of mucin2 (MUC2), claudin1 (CLDN1), and occludin (OCLN) genes in the jejunum were evaluated. From 1 to 42 days, birds from the non-challenged and P(OA+EO) groups had greater (P < 0.001) BWG compared to challenged control and AGP groups. The challenged control group presented the worst FCR (P < 0.001). IDE was 106 kcal/kg greater when broilers were fed P(OA+EO) compared to the challenged control group. Broilers supplemented with P(OA+EO) had improved intestinal integrity with lower blood FITC-d concentration and ISI scores, and greater expression of MUC2, CLDN1, and OCLN genes compared to the challenged control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the P(OA+EO) and the AGP led to increased growth performance, nutrient digestibility and intestinal health of challenged broilers. A marked difference occurred in favor of the P(OA+EO), suggesting that this blend may be used to improve intestinal health and broiler growth performance in AGP free programs.

Organic Acids as Alternatives for Antibiotic Growth Promoters Alter the Intestinal Structure and Microbiota and Improve the Growth Performance in Broilers

“…Intestinal tight junction barrier disruption leads to endogenous infection and inflammation and tissue damage as well as decrease of nutrient absorption ( Peterson and Artis, 2014 ). In the present study, both OA and AGP up-regulated mRNA expressions of intestinal barrier genes relative to the NC group, such as Claudin-1, Claudin-3, and ZO-1, which were consistent with previous studies ( Stefanello et al, 2019 ; Pham et al, 2020 ). As the most important components of the intestinal epithelial barrier, Claudin-1, and Claudin-3 play important roles in barrier formation and paracellular selectivity ( Suzuki, 2013 ).…”

Targeted-Release Organic Acids and Essential Oils Improve Performance and Digestive Function in Broilers under a Necrotic Enteritis Challenge

“…These constant renewal processes demand more energy and protein, leading to diverting nutrients away from productive purposes. Our findings are in line with several studies [49,50]. However, numerical improvement [51] or no growth performance effects have been reported by other authors [52].…”

Effects of Bacillus subtilis on performance, immune system and gut in Salmonella-challenged broilers

“…The microarchitecture of the gut mucosa, including villus height, represents a well-known histological parameter to assess the digestive and absorptive efficiency in the intestine (Stefanello et al, 2020). These structures are exposed primarily to feed and its antigens cause lesions and sloughing of the epithelial cells and thus affect their secretary and absorptive functions (Sikandar et al, 2012).…”