The impact of β-glucans on performance and response of broiler chickens during a coccidiosis challenge

Abstract

Coccidiosis is a costly parasitic disease to the poultry industry with multiple prevention methods being explored to control its impact. This study evaluated the feeding effects of β-glucans on performance and responses of chickens during a coccidiosis challenge. Cobb 500 male broilers (n = 1280) were assigned to 1 of 8 treatment groups (8 replicate pens; 20 birds/pen) in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement, including non-infected and Eimeria-infected birds fed for 28 d a control diet, control + BG (150 g/MT Algamune 50), control + BGZn (100 g/MT Algamune 50 Zn), and control + 0.01% Salinomycin (Sal). On d15, birds in the challenge groups received a mixed Eimeria inoculum. Birds and feed were weighed weekly on a per pen basis to evaluate body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratios (FCR). Lesion scores were assessed 6 d post infection (d21) on 3 birds per pen. Performance data were subjected to ANOVA and differences were established using the LS-MEANS statement with significance reported at P ≤ 0.05. There were minor differences in lesion scores among the dietary treatments in the infected groups with reduced duodenal and cecal scores in the Sal group compared to the BGZn and BG groups, respectively. The coccidiosis challenge main effect resulted in a significant reduction in 0-28 d BW and FI. Dietary treatment resulted in non-significant effect on BWG, but Sal addition resulted in increased FI. A significant diet X challenge interaction resulted in higher FCR in the Eimeria-challenged birds supplemented with Sal and BGZn in comparison to the other challenged groups, likely due to reduced mortality in the challenged Sal and BGZn groups. Body composition analysis at d28 revealed that the Eimeria challenge reduced both fat and lean tissue contents, where the β-glucans and Sal birds had lower fat percent than control birds.

Dietary Non-Drug Feed Additive as an Alternative for Antibiotic Growth Promoters for Broilers During a Necrotic Enteritis Challenge

“…Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is used to estimate fat, fat-free soft tissue, and bone mineral components of the body [28]. For broiler studies, it is a useful tool for the in-depth understanding of bird performance [29]. Carcass, tissue, and lean weights showed similar patterns to overall BWG (days 0–42).…”

Effects of Dietary Direct Fed Microbial Supplementation on Performance, Intestinal Morphology and Immune Response of Broiler Chickens Challenged With Coccidiosis

“…Avian coccidiosis is an important parasitic disease that leads to considerable intestinal tissue damage, inefficient nutrient absorption, and increased mortality resulting in millions of dollars in economic losses to the world poultry industry every year (1,2). This disease is caused by several species of Eimeria of the phylum Apicomplexa (3), which are ubiquitous pathogens in the environment of poultry farms making it difficult to control (2).…”

Innate Immunomodulation in Food Animals: Evidence for Trained Immunity?

“…Interestingly, the same positive effect was not observed with continuous feeding of the yeast β-glucan product (129). No benefit of a β-glucan diet was observed when broiler chicks were challenged with Eimeria oocysts (128). While no studies in poultry have directly addressed the ability of β-glucans or other immunostimulants to induce trained immunity, β-glucan can alter the chicken immune system both in vitro and in vivo.…”

“…β-glucans are the most well-studied of the known innate memory immunostimulants in poultry (123, 124). However, due to the practical limitation of inoculating thousands of birds with β-glucans, stimulation with β-glucan occurs almost exclusively through the oral route via feed supplementation (125)(126)(127)(128)(129). Yeast are the most common form of dietary β-glucan as cereal β-glucans with (1-4)(1-6) linkages (i.e., barley and oat) are detrimental to poultry production due to reduced nutrient digestion and adsorption (130).…”