In ovo carbohydrate supplementation modulates growth and immunity‐related genes in broiler chickens

A study was undertaken to investigate the role of in ovo administrated carbohydrates on the expression pattern of growth and immune‐related genes. In ovo injections (n = 400) were carried out on the 14th day of incubation into the yolk sac/amnion of the broiler chicken embryos. Expression of growth‐related genes: chicken growth hormone (cGH), insulin‐like growth factor‐I & II (IGF‐I & II) and mucin were studied in hepatic and jejunum tissues of late‐term embryo and early post‐hatch chicks. Expression of candidate immune genes: Interleukin‐2, 6, 10 and 12 (IL‐2, IL‐6, IL‐10 and IL‐12), Tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) and Interferon gamma (IFN‐γ) were studied in peripheral blood monocyte cells of in ovo‐injected and control birds following antigenic stimulation with sheep RBC (SRBC) or mitogen concanavalin A (Con‐A). Glucose injection significantly increased the expression of IGF‐II gene during embryonic period and both cGH and IGF‐II in early post‐hatch period, while ribose‐injected chicks had higher expression of IGF‐II gene during embryonic stage. Enhanced mucin gene expression was also observed in fructose‐injected chicks during embryonic age. Glucose‐injected chicks had higher expression of IL‐6 or IL‐10, while those injected with fructose or ribose had higher expression of IL‐2, IL‐12 and IFN gamma. It is concluded that in ovo supplementation of carbohydrates might help in improving the growth of late‐term embryos and chicks. In ovo glucose could modulate humoral‐related immunity, while fructose or ribose might help in improving the cellular immunity in broiler chickens.     

半胱胺对罗非鱼生长和肝胰脏消化酶活性的影响

研究了饲料中添加不同水平的半胱胺（Cysteamine,CS）对尼罗罗非鱼生长和肝胰脏消化酶活性的影响。试验分别设添加爱渔灵（含半胱胺盐酸盐30%）0（对照组）、300（300组）、600（600组）和900mg/kg（900组）饲料4个组,每一饲料组设3个水族箱,每箱放鱼30尾,日投喂率为体质量的3%,饲养45d。结果表明,半胱胺添加组鱼的体增质量均高于对照组,且300组相对于对照组差异显著;半胱胺添加组的饵料系数均低于对照组,且300组相对于对照组差异显著。胰蛋白酶活性随半胱胺添加量的增加呈先上升后下降的趋势,300组最高,但组间差异不显著;肝胰脏淀粉酶活性900组最高,组间差异不显著;脂肪酶活性300组最高,组间差异不显著。以上结果显示,饲料中适量添加半胱胺,能提高罗非鱼肝胰脏胰蛋白酶、淀粉酶和脂肪酶活性,由此提高罗非鱼对饲料营养物质的消化能力,以适应机体快速生长的营养需求。     

益生菌对凡纳对虾生长性能和消化酶活性的影响研究

以凡纳对虾为试验动物,研究不同浓度的复合益生菌对其生长性能和消化酶活性的影响。试验分为4个处理,分别饲喂益生菌浓度为0g/kg(对照组)、1.0g/kg(试验组-1)、3.0g/kg(试验组-2)和5.0g/kg(试验组-3)的日粮,每个处理3个重复。结果显示,与对照组相比,益生菌添加浓度大于1.0g/kg(试验组-2和试验组-3)可显著(P0.05)提高凡纳对虾的末重、相对增重率、成活率以及蛋白酶、淀粉酶、脂肪酶等消化酶活性,但是试验组-2和试验组-3之间差异不显著。试验组-1与对照组比较,所有指标均没有显著差异。因此,饵料中添加一定浓度的益生菌,通过促进消化酶的活性,提高了凡纳对虾的生长性能和成活率,最佳添加浓度为3.0g/kg。     

Effect of soaking,germination, and enzyme treatment of whole barley on nutritional value and digestive tract parameters of broiler chickens

1. An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of soaking at 0°C, soaking at room temperature, germination, or enzyme treatment of whole barley on feeding value and digestive tract parameters of 2‐ to 4‐week old broiler chickens given diets with 700g/kg whole barley.

2. Soaking or germination decreased the soluble and total β‐glucan content (P<0.05) and, except for soaking at 0°C, the acid extract viscosity of the grain also decreased (P< 0.05). Germination and soaking in the presence of enzymes produced the lowest β‐glucan content and viscosity.

3. Except for soaking in cold water, the soaking, germination and enzyme treatments increased weight gain and decreased food: gain ratio (P< 0.05). Correspondingly, the digestibility of protein, fat, and ash, and the digestible energy content, increased (P< 0.05) after enzyme treatment or germination.

4. Chickens fed on enzyme‐treated or germinated barley diets had intestinal contents with a greater proportion of dry matter and lower viscosity than chickens fed on untreated barley (P< 0.05). Consequently, the cages and chickens were cleaner (P< 0.05) and the weight of digestive organs as proportion of live weight was lower.

5. Particle size analysis of excreta revealed that whole barley was efficiently ground by the gizzards of 16‐d‐old chickens, and very few whole kernels were found.     

Effect of purine nucleosides on growth performance,gut morphology,digestive enzymes,serum profile and immune response in broiler chickens

1. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of purine nucleosides on performance, gut morphology, intestinal enzymes and immunity functions in broiler chickens from 0 to 21 d of age.

2. A total of 360 1-d-old male chickens (Cobb 500) were randomly assigned to 4 treatments with 6 replications. Experimental diets consisted of a control without any additives and diets containing 0.1% pure adenosine, 0.1% pure guanosine and 0.1% equal aliquots of pure adenosine and guanosine. Two birds per cage (12 birds per treatment) were killed on d 11 and 21 in order to obtain serum samples for lipid profile, jejunal samples for morphology and mucosal immunity, digestive enzymes for epithelial maturation, and bursa and spleen samples for relative weight of immune organs to live body weight.

3. Birds receiving adenosine in their diets showed a significant increase in body weight and average daily gain and a significantly lower feed conversion ratio compared to the control birds. Villus height and width in jejunal samples also increased significantly in birds supplemented with adenosine. Although maltase was not affected by the experimental diets, adenosine increased alkaline phosphatase and aminopeptidase. Adenosine and its combination with guanosine boosted mucosal immunity as a result of increased IgA production. While there was no significant difference among treatments regarding the relative weight of the spleen, adenosine increased the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius. Present results also showed that adding guanosine to broiler diets had no significant effects on growth, gut morphology, enzymes activity and immunological indices.

4. In conclusion, the improvement in growth performance, gut morphology and immunity in birds receiving adenosine demonstrated that pure adenosine could be a beneficial feed additive for the poultry industry, while guanosine showed no significant improvement.     

Effect of dietary supplementation with an ethanolic extract of propolis on broiler intestinal morphology and digestive enzyme activity

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of different levels of an ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) on broiler performance, carcass characteristics, weight of gastrointestinal organs, intestinal morphometry and digestive enzyme activity. 1020 male broiler chicks were assigned in a completely randomised experimental design to six treatments (EEP supplement levels of 0, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 ppm) and five replications, and 34 birds per experimental unit. The experimental diets were administered from 1 to 21 days of age, and the birds were subsequently provided a ration based on corn and soybean meal. EEP supplementation from 1 to 7 days negatively affected (p < 0.05) the weight gain and feed intake. The proventriculus weight at 7 days exhibited a quadratic response (p < 0.05), which predicted a lower weight at a dose of 2865 ppm of the EEP. For the duodenum at 21 days of age, the response pattern (p < 0.05) predicted that birds that were fed 2943 and 3047 ppm of the EEP would exhibit an improved crypt depth and villus‐to‐crypt ratio respectively. The villus height, crypt depth and villus‐to‐crypt ratio in the jejunum and the ileum were not affected (p > 0.05). With increased EEP doses, the duodenal sucrase activity linearly decreased at 7 days of age and linearly increased in the jejunum at 21 days of age (p < 0.05), while pancreatic enzyme activity was unaffected (p > 0.05). Although the carcass and cut yields did not improve, the percentage of abdominal fat decreased (p < 0.05). The supplementation of the broiler pre‐starter diet with 1000–5000 ppm of the EEP impaired performance at this stage, most likely due to the decreased sucrase activity. However, the EEP supplementation from 3000 ppm improved intestinal morphophysiology at 21 days of age and did not affect the performance or carcass yield at 42 days of age.     

Long-term effects of early life L-arginine supplementation on growth performance, lymphoid organs and immune responses in Leghorn-type chickens

The effects of a short-term dietary arginine supplementation after hatching on subsequent growth and the immune system were assessed in growing male Leghorn-type chickens. An arginine-deficient basal diet (67 g/kg) supplemented with 0 (control), 2.7 (LA) or 5.4 (HA) g L-arginine/kg, was offered ad libitum to 1-d-old male ISA Brown chicks for 4 weeks, then all birds were offered ad libitum a commercial pullet grower feed (8.9 g arginine/kg) for another 8 weeks. Supplemented birds had higher growth rates and feed intake than control birds during the 4-week supplementation period, but these effects did not persist into the subsequent periods. When the supplementation ceased at week 4, no differences in lymphoid organ weights relative to body weight (BW), primary serum antibody levels against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) or cutaneous reactivity of toe webs to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) were detected. LA-fed birds had lower immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels against bovine serum albumin (BSA) than the control at week 4, but this effect did not persist at weeks 8 and 12. No difference in anti-BSA IgM levels was detected among birds at week 4; at week 12, however, the LA-fed birds had a significantly higher anti-BSA IgM level than the control. An increased anti-SRBC antibody level and a reduced relative bursa weight in HA-fed birds were evident at week 8, without any prior effects. It is concluded that short-term supplementary L-arginine had minimal effects on immunity, but some enhancement of SRBC antibody responses in later stages of growth was observed with previous L-arginine administration.     

Effects of dietary threonine and crude protein on growth performance, carcase and meat composition of broiler chickens

1. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of dietary threonine (Thr) and crude protein (CP) in maize-soybean meal based diets on the growth performance, carcase traits and meat composition of broiler chickens and to determine the dietary Thr requirement for optimum performance (weight gain and feed conversion efficiency (FCE)) at 0 to 3 weeks and 3 to 6 weeks of age. 2. Two basal diets that differed in CP (191.3 or 179.7 and 176.7 or 165.4 g/kg at 0 to 3 and 3 to 6 weeks, respectively) were formulated to have identical contents of Thr (6.0 and 5.4 g/kg), energy (12.97 and 13.39 MJ ME/kg) and other essential amino acids except for Gly + Ser. Basal diets were supplemented with L-Thr from 0.6 to 1.8 g/kg in 0.6 g/kg increments. Broiler chicks (540) were randomly allocated to 9 dietary treatments with 6 replicates of 10 (5 female, 5 male) chicks. 3. A significant interaction between dietary CP and Thr was found for feed intake, body weight (BW) gain and FCE. Increasing Thr supplementation improved feed intake, BW gain and FCE, especially in high CP diets in both feeding periods. 4. Incremental increases in dietary Thr increased breast yield at both CP levels and drumstick yield only on high CP diets. The proportion of thigh decreased with Thr concentration. Liver weight was significantly reduced by Thr supplementation; abdominal fat was not affected. 5. Estimated Thr requirements for FCE increased as dietary CP increased according to an exponential model. This model indicated higher Thr requirements than those of broken-line models for growth performance.     

Effects of dietary supplementation of probiotic,Clostridium butyricum,on growth performance,immune response,intestinal barrier function,and digestive enzyme activity in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli K88

Background:Colibacillosis caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(E.coli) results in economic losses in the poultry industry.Antibiotics are usually used to control colibacillosis,however,E.coli has varying degrees of resistance to different antibiotics.Therefore the use of probiotics is becoming accepted as an alternative to antibiotics.In this study,we evaluated the effects of Clostridium butyricum(C.butyricum) on growth performance,immune response,intestinal barrier function,and digestive enzyme activity in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli(E.coif) K88.Methods:The chickens were randomly divided into four treatment groups for 28 days.Negative control treatment(NC) consisted of birds fed a basal diet without E.coli K88 challenge and positive control treatment(PC) consisted of birds fed a basal diet and challenged with E.coli K88.C.butyricum probiotic treatment(CB) consisted of birds fed a diet containing 2×10~7 cfu C butyricum/kg of diet and challenged with E.coli K88.Colistin sulfate antibiotic treatment(CS)consisted of birds fed a diet containing 20 mg colistin sulfate/kg of diet and challenged with E.coli K88.Results:The body weight(BW) and average day gain(ADG) in the broilers of CB group were higher(P 0.05) than the broilers in the PC group overall except the ADG in the 14-21 d post-challenge.The birds in CB treatment had higher(P 0.05) concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) at 3 and 7 d post-challenge,and higher(P 0.05)concentration of interleukin-4(IL-4) at 14 d post-challenge than those in the PC treatment group.The concentration of serum endotoxin in CB birds was lower(P0.05) at 21 d post-challenge,and the concentrations of serum diamine oxidase in CB birds were lower(P 0.05) at 14 and 21 d post-challenge than in PC birds.Birds in CB treatment group had higher(P 0.05) jejunum villi height than those in PC,NC,or CS treatment at 7,14,and 21 d post-challenge.In comparison to PC birds,the CB birds had lower(P 0.05) jejunum crypt depth during the whole experiment.The birds in CB or CS treatment group had higher(P 0.05) activities of amylase and protease at 3,7,and 14 d post-challenge,and higher(P 0.05) activity of lipase at 3,7 d post-challenge than PC birds.Conclusions:In all,these results indicate that dietary supplementation with C.butyricum promotes immune response,improves intestinal barrier function,and digestive enzyme activities in broiler chickens challenged with E.coli K88.There is no significant difference between the C.butyricum probiotic treatment and the colistin sulfate antibiotic treatment.Therefore,the C.butyricum probiotic may be an alternative to antibiotic for broiler chickens.     

半胱胺对仔猪生长性能及小肠内容物消化酶活性的影响

选取9窝(共90头)新生"杜×长×大"三元杂交仔猪,随机分为3组,每组3窝(共30头),14日龄时分别饲喂基础日粮、基础日粮 120 mg/kg半胱胺和基础日粮 200 mg/kg半胱胺,试验期45 d.在45日龄时,每组随机选取6头仔猪,屠宰后分别迅速刮取十二指肠中段、空肠近、远段、回肠中段内容物,冷冻保存,测定消化酶活性.结果表明,日粮中添加120 mg/kg半胱胺能显著提高仔猪体质量、平均日增重,改善料重比;添加120 mg/kg半胱胺和200 mg/kg半胱胺均能显著提高仔猪十二指肠、空肠近、远端和回肠内容物中的脂肪酶、胰蛋白酶活性以及回肠中淀粉酶活性.试验提示,日粮中添加适量半胱胺可以显著提高仔猪小肠中消化酶活力,改善仔猪生长性能.     

不同性别肉鸡心肌易颤性、血清酶活性和电解质水平的比较

对不同性别肉鸡的心肌易颤性、血清酶活性和电解质水平进行了比较,结果表明:(1)雄性肉鸡的电刺激诱颤阈和输钾诱颤阈均显著低于雌性肉鸡(P<0.05),二者均表明雄性肉鸡的心肌易颤性高于雌性肉鸡;(2)冷加压试验:冷加压5 min内心率和PT波宽出现了显著的变化,而且变化幅度雄性肉鸡均明显大于雌性肉鸡,提示雄性肉鸡的心肌易颤性高于雌性肉鸡;(3)雄性肉鸡LDH活性和CK活性极显著高于雌性肉鸡(P<0.01),而AST活性无显著差异(P>0.05);(4)K 、Na 、Cl-浓度均无显著差异(P>0.05)。     

Effects of in ovo administration of L-carnitine on hatchability performance,glycogen status and insulin-like growth factor-1 of broiler chickens

1.?Eggs from a meat-type breeder flock (Ross) were used in two trials to study the effects of in ovo administration of L-carnitine (carnitine) on hatchability traits (hatchability percentage, embryo deaths, pipped with live or dead embryo), chick weight at hatch as an absolute value (CWT) or expressed as a percentage of egg weight (CWT%), hatching period, glycogen status (liver and pectoral muscle) and plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) of hatched chicks were investigated. There were 9 treatments with three replicates of each. Treatments were non-injected control (negative control), or injection with sterilised saline (0?9%, positive control), or sterilised saline with carnitine at 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 µg/egg.

2.?In ovo carnitine treatment increased CWT, CWT%, glycogen in the liver and pectoral muscle, glycogen index and plasma IGF-1 of hatched chicks, and did not influence hatchability traits and hatching period. The glycogen index of hatched chicks of the in ovo carnitine treatments with values (500 > 400 = 300 > 200) was higher than that of the control and in ovo carnitine at 25, 50, and 100 µg/egg treatments. The nature of response to carnitine was cubic for CWT and CWT%, and linear for glycogen in the liver and pectoral muscle, glycogen index of hatched chicks when the negative control or positive control treatment was used as base line.

3.?It was concluded that in ovo administration of carnitine at 25–500 µg/egg increased chick weight at hatch and IGF-1, and did not influence hatchability traits and hatching period of eggs. The linear relationship between in ovo administration of carnitine and glycogen status of hatched chicks indicated that increasing in ovo doses improved glycogen status of hatched chicks.     

饲用复合酶对鸡消化道酶活力的影响

1材料和方法1.1材料选用40日龄、体重2.0～2.2kg的肉鸡作供试鸡。供试鸡与饲料由沈阳市辉山鸡场提供,饲用复合酶由辽宁星河公司提供。1.2方法1.2.1实验设计取供试鸡12只。其中对照4只,不喂饲用复合酶;试验8只,分成2组,喂饲用复合酶,喂量分别为0.2%与5%。因胃肠内容物中还原糖与氨基酸浓度很高,对各种酶活力测定干扰很大,在0.1%用量条件下难以测出,为此在试验中设了一个酶用量5%的处理。1.2.2试验步骤供试鸡分组后,对照组喂普通饲料(不加酶),试验组喂加酶饲料,连喂3d,到第4d上午8时试验组继续喂试验饲料,对照组喂普通饲料。到12时30分屠宰,分…     

Effect of clenbuterol on growth,carcase and skeletal muscle characteristics in broiler chickens

1. Male and female broiler chickens (144 in total) were given diets supplemented with clenbuterol (CB) at 0 (control) and at 1 mg/kg between 28 and 49 d of age to study the effect of CB on growth, carcase and skeletal muscle.

2. CB improved growth in males by increasing daily weight gain and final live weight and by lowering food conversion ratio. In females it changed the carcase composition by reducing abdominal fat pad and by increasing the proportion of protein. Consequently, carcase protein gain was increased in both sexes (11% and 16%, respectively).

3. Skeletal muscle weights were enhanced by between 6% and 22%. Muscle fibre diameters were increased in extensor hallucis longus (EHL) but not in gastrocnemius (GAS) muscle. This increase was more pronounced in females. EHL total muscle fibre number remained unchanged. The proportion of fast‐twitch glycolytic fibres was increased at the expense of fast‐twitch oxidative fibres in males only. Nuclear/cytoplasm and DNA/protein ratios tended to be decreased by CB.

4. From the elevated EHL muscle RNA/DNA, unchanged protein/RNA and translation activity it is suggested that CB stimulated protein synthesis at the pretranslational level. Reduced protein degradation is deduced from decreased neutral calcium‐dependent proteolytic activity.

5. It is concluded that broiler chickens respond to long‐term CB treatment as has been shown in various mammals. However, the sex‐specific response in growth, carcase composition and skeletal muscle cellularity is more clearly apparent in broiler chickens.     

特异乳酸菌对麻羽肉鸡部分消化道生理指标的影响

试验选用温氏麻鸡1日龄母雏3200羽,随机分成4组,每组5个重复,每个重复160只鸡。试验Ⅰ组采用基础日粮(不含有抗生素和乳酸菌);试验Ⅱ组为基础日粮 0.0125%黄霉素;试验Ⅲ组采用基础日粮 1.5%乳酸菌制剂饮水;试验Ⅳ组为基础日粮 1.5%乳酸菌制剂拌料后发酵6h。试验期为72d,分为3阶段:前期(1～4周)、中期(5～8周)、后期(9～11周)。结果表明:发酵组可明显改善盲肠微生物菌群结构和氨浓度、降低盲肠pH值、提高十二指肠和空肠淀粉酶活性(P<0.05)。在添加方式上,饮水组效果不如发酵组。从三个生长阶段看,添加乳酸菌对麻羽肉鸡早期作用好于中后期。     

Effects of dietary essential oil components on growth performance,digestive enzymes and lipid metabolism in female broiler chickens

1. The present experiment was conducted to describe the effects of thymol, cinnamaldehyde and a commercial preparation of essential oil components (CRINA Poultry), in female broilers. Feed and water were provided for ad libitum consumption. 2. Feed intake, weight gain and feed:gain ratio were not different among the treatments. Water intake was significantly lowered by cinnamaldehyde. Relative liver weight (g/100 g of body weight) was highest in birds given thymol, but this was seen only at the age of 21 d and not at 40 d. Patterns of digestive enzymes in pancreatic tissue were similar for the 4 treatments. 3. Amylase activity in intestinal digesta was highest in chickens given CRINA Poultry for 21 d, but the effect had disappeared after 40 d. Ileal digestibility coefficients for starch and protein were high and identical for all treatments. 4. Fatty acid composition of diet was reflected in that of adipose tissue. Plasma lipid concentrations were not changed by any dietary treatment. 5. Thus, the present results show no effect of essential oil constituents on growth performance in female broiler chickens, but it cannot be excluded that positive effects would have been observed under less hygienic environmental conditions or when using a less digestible diet.     

益生素和低聚木糖对断奶仔猪生产性能、消化酶活性、血液指标和肠道微生物的影响

选用(21±2)日龄体质量为(6.83±0.9)kg的PIC断奶仔猪240头,随机分为4个处理,正对照组(positive diet,PD)含有较多的鱼粉和乳清粉;负对照纽(negative diet,ND)舍有较少的鱼粉和乳清粉,较多的豆粕;负对照+0.035%益生素(negative diet+probiotics,ND+P);负对照+0.002%低聚木糖(negative diet+xylo-oligosaccharide,ND+X).饲喂至65日龄屠宰.结果显示,在断奶仔猪日粮中乳清粉和鱼粉从5.50%降低到2.50%,豆粕从22.50%增加到26.50%可导致仔猪消化道酶活性、血糖和血清总蛋白水平、盲肠乳酸杆菌数量降低(P<0.05),血清尿素氮、盲肠大肠杆菌数量、仔猪腹泻指数扣料重比增加(P<0.05).添加益生素和低聚木糖可以提高仔猪消化道蛋白质、脂肪和淀粉消化酶活性(P<0.05),降低料重比(P<0.05);提高血糖,降低血清尿素氮水平(P<0.05),改善蛋白质平衡和能量代谢;提高盲肠乳酸杆菌数量,减少大肠杆菌数量(P<0.05),降低仔猪的腹泻指数(P<0.05).添加益生素和低聚木糖与否,均不影响日增重和采食量(P>0.05).益生素和低聚木糖可以改善断奶仔猪的消化功能、后消化道有益菌群、饲料转化效率,防治仔猪腹泻.     

Feed enzyme supplementation does not ameliorate foot pad dermatitis in broiler chickens fed on a corn-soyabean diet

1.?Foot Pad Dermatitis (FPD) can be a serious health, quality and welfare problem in poultry production, with a significant affect on the economics of production. The physico-chemical properties of (NSP) have been correlated with increases in excreta viscosity and adherence, and hence FPD in broiler chickens.

2.?Two broiler experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different dietary non-starch polisaccharide (NSP) applications to corn-soyabean based diets in replicated floor pens. In addition to live performance, the incidence and severity of FPD was scored and, in experiment 2, intestinal viscosity and ammonia volatilization were measured.

3.?Live performance did not vary with the different treatments in either experiment and the incidence and severity of FPD, and ammionia volatisation in experiment 2, were unaffected. However, birds reared on enzyme supplemented diets had lower (P? 4.?In this study with corn-soyabean meal based diets, dietary enzyme supplementation had no affect on the incidence and severity of FPD. The lack of an association between the excreta viscosity and FPD is attributed to the multifactorial etiology of this condition.