Evaluation of the chicory inulin efficacy on ameliorating the intestinal morphology and modulating the intestinal electrophysiological properties in broiler chickens

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) belongs to plants of the Compositae family accumulating energy in the form of inulin fructan. Chicory, a prebiotic, is a fermentable oligosaccharide and oligofructose that may affect the intestinal mucosal architecture and the electrophysiological parameters. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of adding chicory fructans in feed on the intestinal morphology and electrogenic transport of glucose in broilers. Four hundred, 1 day old broiler chicks were randomly divided into two groups (200 bird per group) for 5 weeks. The dietary treatments were (i) control, (ii) basal diets supplemented with the dried, grinded ground chicory pulp containing inulin (1 kg of chicory/ton of the starter and grower diets). In duodenum, dietary chicory increased the villus height and villus width and villus height to crypt depth ratio (p < 0.05), but the duodenal crypt depth remained unaffected (p > 0.05). However, in jejunum, the villus height, crypt depth and villus height to crypt depth ratio were decreased by dietary chicory compared with control birds (p < 0.05). In ileum, the villus height and villus crypt depth was decreased by dietary chicory supplementation compared with control (p < 0.05), but, the villus height to crypt depth ratio was increased (p < 0.05). Moreover, dietary chicory relatively affected the electrophysiological parameters of the intestine but did not reach significance. The amount of ΔIsc after d ‐glucose addition to the jejunal mucosa was numerically higher for chicory fed birds (19 μA/cm²) than control birds (10 μA/cm²). The percentage of increase in the Isc after d ‐glucose addition (ΔIsc %) was higher for chicory group upto (90%) of the control group. In colon, the actual Isc value and Isc after d ‐glucose addition was numerically higher for chicory fed birds than control birds (p > 0.05). Moreover, the conductance of jejunal and colonic tissues after d ‐glucose addition remained unaffected by the dietary chicory. In conclusion, addition of chicory to broilers diet increased the duodenal villus height, villus width and villus height to crypt depth ratio and decreased the villus height and crypt depth in both jejenum and ileum. Furthermore, dietary chicory relatively modified the small intestinal electrogenic transport of glucose in broilers.     

有机酸和益生元对蛋鸡生产性能和蛋壳质量的影响

文章旨在评估不同钙磷水平日粮中添加有机酸和益生元对蛋鸡产蛋量和蛋壳品质的影响。试验选择504只罗曼褐壳蛋鸡,根据产蛋率一致的原则随机分为14个组,每组36只鸡,采用蛋鸡单笼饲养。试验日粮采用2×7因子设计,即两个钙和磷水平(正常组和低水平组)以及不添加、添加0.8%的菊粉和低聚糖、0.5%挥发性脂肪酸中链脂肪酸、0.25%挥发性脂肪酸+0.25%中链脂肪酸、0.4%菊粉+0.25%中链脂肪酸,试验从26w开始到70w结束。试验结果发现,各处理组对产蛋率、采食量、饲料转化率均无显著影响(P>0.05)。低钙磷日粮显著降低了蛋壳百分率、蛋壳厚度、蛋壳密度和蛋壳强度(P<0.05)。日粮添加益生元和有机酸能显著改善46、58和70w蛋壳质量,其中菊粉和中链脂肪酸对蛋壳质量的改善最为显著(P<0.05)。日粮钙、磷水平与益生元和有机酸对各指标的影响无显著交互作用(P>0.05)。结果表明,日粮添加有机酸可以降低饲料pH,同时益生元可以调控肠道功能,从而对高龄高产蛋鸡蛋壳品质有改善作用。     

Functional linseed fibres and their impacts on silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) nutrition

This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the combination of different ratios of soluble and insoluble linseed fibre for silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen). For this, the soluble and insoluble fractions were concentrated separately and combined in four ratios (1:0.5, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4), which were added to silver catfish diets and evaluated in a bioassay. After 45 days of receiving the experimental diets, the animals were submitted to biometry to collect data and tissues. The experimental design was completely randomized, with five treatments and four replications and the means were compared by Tukey's test (p < .05). Diets 1:2 and 1:4 provided higher weight gain, specific growth rate and crude protein deposition to the fish, whereas only the 1:4 diet reflected higher crude body protein. The 1:0.5 diet altered the trypsin activity in the intestine, and, together with the 1:4 diet, it provided a higher intestinal villi height. Body yield, somatic and digestive parameters, chymotrypsin activity and glucose, glycogen and liver protein were not altered, regardless of the experimental diets. In conclusion, the results indicate that linseed fibre acts effectively as a growth promoter in silver catfish diets, with the use of 1:2 and 1:4 ratios optimizing its prebiotic action.     

在夏季天然草场放牧加补饲对阿勒泰羊生产性能和血清生化指标的影响

试验研究日粮中添加沙棘提取物复合添加剂、寡糖+益生素复合添加剂对放牧的阿勒泰羊生产性能和血清生化指标的影响。选择体重35±2 kg的健康阿勒泰羊45只,分成3组,每组15只,对照组采用纯放牧饲养,试验组1在日粮中添加沙棘提取物复合添加剂0.18%,试验组2在日粮中添加寡糖+益生素复合添加剂0.18%。结果表明,与对照组相比,饲喂沙棘提取物复合添加剂、寡糖+益生素复合添加剂极显著提高阿勒泰羊日增重(P0.01);对阿勒泰羊体尺无显著影响(P0.05);对血清中尿素氮、甘油三酯、碱性磷酸酶和磷均有显著性影响(P0.05)。饲喂沙棘提取物复合添加剂0.18%可提高阿勒泰羊的生产性能及血清生化指标。     

益生元在家禽生产中的应用潜力

益生元是以天然来源的碳水化合物为基础的聚合物,可以被胃肠道中的一些细菌利用,但不被宿主动物消化。益生元作为家禽饲料添加剂,可促进养分消化、吸收,因为它们选择有益的微生物,这些微生物被认为可以促进禽类营养,并可能限制食源性病原体的形成。已经有大量研究来评估其对人类、动物的影响,但只有有限的研究是在非常规生产条件下进行的,同时关于它们对宿主和胃肠道菌群影响的具体机制仍有很多未知。随着对非常规生产系统进行的更详细和精确的研究,结构不同的益生元可能不仅会对胃肠道微生物群产生影响,而且可能以不同的模式与禽类宿主直接或间接地产生相互作用。     

Effect of dietary synbiotic on growth performance,body composition,digestive enzyme activity and gut microbiota in Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham.) fingerlings

A feeding trial of 60 days was conducted to delineate the effect of dietary synbiotic on maximum growth, body composition, digestive enzyme activity and subsequently gut microbiota in Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings. One hundred and eighty acclimatized fingerlings of mrigal with initial body weight ranging from 2.87 ± 0.01 g to 3.26 ± 0.05 g were randomly distributed in three replicates of each of four experimental groups including control (without probiotic and prebiotic), T₁ (high probiotic + low prebiotic), T₂ (low probiotic + high prebiotic) and T₃ (high probiotic + high prebiotic), using completely randomized design (CRD). Results showed that growth performance parameters, such as specific growth rate (SGR), per cent weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER), were reported to be higher in the T₂ group followed by the T₃ group. Maximum gut microbiota activity was found in the T₃ group which was significantly different from other treatment groups. Similarly, body composition and digestive enzyme activity varied significantly (p < .05) among the treatment groups. The study showed the possibility of improved nutrient utilization in terms of growth performance and digestive enzyme activity in the group following dietary synbiotic supplementation.