• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.1092-1104
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• 2022

Using antibiotics as growth promoter has been banned in poultry feed industry, thus various researchers try to seek an alternative to replace the growth-promoting antibiotics. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the growth performance via intestinal nutrient utilization and cecal microbial composition of broiler after dietary supplementation with most commonly using antibiotics, zinc bacitracin, and sophorolipid. A total of 180 1-day-old chicks were randomly assigned, and dietary treatment was as follow: CON, basal diet; ZB, 100 ppm of zinc bacitracin supplemented diet; and SPL, 250 ppm of sophorolipid supplemented diet. Their growth performance was evaluated and the samples of blood, small intestine, and ileal and cecal digesta were collected for biochemical, histological, and genomic analyses. The body weight and average daily gain of 7-day-old chicks were higher in ZB and those in overall experimental period were improved by ZB and SPL supplementation (p < 0.05). Their intestinal characteristics were not affected by dietary treatments in duodenum and ileum. Nonetheless, villus height was increased by SPL supplementation in jejunum (p < 0.05). Moreover, dietary SPL supplementation could down-regulate the expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-1β (p < 0.05). mRNA levels of lipid and protein transporters did not differ among the treatments, however, relative expression levels of carbohydrate transporters, GLUT2 and SGLT1 were increased in broiler chicken's jejumum fed zinc bacitracin and sophorolipid supplemented diets (p < 0.05). Dietary zinc bacitracin supplementation could increase the population of Firmicutes in phylum level, and the portion of Turiciacter in genus level. On the other hands, the portion of Faecalibacterium was increased by dietary SPL supplementation compared to the other treatments. Our findings suggest that SPL supplementation improves growth performance through enhanced carbohydrate utilization capacity via improvement of gut morphological status and modulation of the cecal microbial population of broilers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.1554-1560
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• 2000

Ninety-six crossbred (Large White${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Duroc) pigs, weaned at 35 days of age, were assigned to four dietary treatments in order to investigate the effects of oral antibiotics on the performance and the intestinal microflora of weanling pigs. Pigs were fed either a basal diet, without antibiotics, or the basal diet plus either 50 ppm acetylspiramycin, 50 ppm olaquindox, or 100 ppm bacitracin zinc. The pigs were housed eight per pen with three pens per treatment in an environmentally controlled nursery. Ten days after weaning, three pigs from each treatment were slaughtered and intestinal pH, microflora, and volatile fatty acid concentration were determined. At the end of the 4 week trial, the remaining pigs were weighed and feed consumption was measured. Average daily gains for pigs fed acetylspiramycin, olaquindox, bacitracin zinc and the control diet were 0.43, 0.40, 0.37, and 0.34 kg per day (p=0.001), respectively. Antibiotic addition did not modify feed intake, but acetylspiramycin improved feed conversion (p=0.003). In comparison with the control, acetylspiramycin significantly increased Bifidobacteria numbers in the jejunum (p=0.082) and ileum (p=0.014) and decreased total bacterial counts throughout the intestine (p<0.01 except for the ileum where p=0.079). Acetate production was significantly lower in the cecum (p=0.028) and colon (p=0.079) of pigs fed acetylspiramycin. In addition to increasing numbers of Bifidobacteria in the jejunum (p=0.082) and ileum (p=0.014), olaquindox increased Lactobacillus in the jejunum (p=0.004) and decreased E. coli in the colon (p=0.022). Bacitracin zinc increased Lactobacillus numbers in the jejunum (p=0.004) and Bifidobacterium concentrations in the jejunum (p=0.082) and ileum (p=0.014).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.116-121
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• 2013

The effects of oligosaccharide supplementation on the growth performance, flock uniformity and GIT development of broiler chickens were investigated. Four diets, one negative control, one positive control supplemented with zinc-bacitracin, and two test diets supplemented with mannoligosaccharide (MOS) and fructooligosaccharide (FOS), were used for the experiment. Birds given MOS or FOS had improved body weight (BW) and feed efficiency (FCR), compared to those fed the negative control diet during the 35-d trial period. The effect on FCR became less apparent when the birds got older. FOS and MOS supplementation reduced the pancreas weight as a percentage of BW, with an effect similar to that of the antibiotic, at 35 d of age. Birds given MOS tended to have a heavier bursa (p = 0.164) and lower spleen/bursa weight ratio (p = 0.102) at 35 d of age. MOS and Zn-bacitracin showed a clear improvement on flock uniformity, compared to FOS. The mortality rate was not affected by FOS or MOS.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1084-1091
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• 2007

Different levels of dietary mannanoligosaccharide (Bio-MOS, Alltech Inc.) were evaluated for their efficacy on performance and gut development of broiler chickens during a 6-week experimental period. Experimental diets contained (g MOS/kg diet) a low (0.5 g during the entire period), medium (1 g during the entire period), high (2 g during the entire period), or step down (2 g in the first week; 1 g in the second and third week; 0.5 g in the last three weeks) level of MOS. Control diets included a negative and a positive control (zinc bacitracin, ZnB, 50 ppm and 30 ppm in the first and last three weeks, respectively). MOS supplementation improved the growth performance of young birds and the effects became less when the birds got older. The growth response of birds was more obvious at the high dosage level of MOS treatment than the other MOS treatments and the growth performance of birds fed on the high MOS diet was comparable to that of birds fed on the ZnB diet. Depending on the dosage level and the age of birds, MOS seemed to reduce the size of the liver and the relative length of the small intestine but did not affect the relative weight of the other visceral organs (proventriculus, gizzard, pancreas, bursa and spleen) and that of the small intestine. A numerical increase in the small intestine digestibility of nutrients was noticed in the young birds fed on the MOS diet(s), but not in the older ones. Medium and/or high MOS treatment also increased the villus height of the small intestine of birds at different ages. Similar results were observed on the ZnB treatment. However, MOS and ZnB affected caecal VFA profile in different ways. MOS increased, or tended to increase, whereas ZnB reduced individual VFA concentrations in the caeca.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.78-84
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine shifts in the composition of the bacterial population in the intestinal tracts (ITs) of weaning piglets by antibiotic treatment using high-throughput sequencing. Methods: Sixty 28-d-old weaning piglets were randomly divided into two treatment groups. The Control group was treated with a basal diet without antibiotics. The Antibiotic group's basal diet contained colistin sulfate at a concentration of 20 g per ton and bacitracin zinc at a concentration of 40 g per ton. All of the pigs were fed for 28 days. Then, three pigs were killed, and the luminal contents of the jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon were collected for DNA extraction and high-throughput sequencing. Results: The results showed that the average daily weight gain of the antibiotic group was significantly greater (p<0.05), and the incidence of diarrhea lower (p>0.05), than the control group. A total of 812,607 valid reads were generated. Thirty-eight operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that were found in all of the samples were defined as core OTUs. Twenty-one phyla were identified, and approximately 90% of the classifiable sequences belonged to the phylum Firmicutes. Forty-two classes were identified. Of the 232 genera identified, nine genera were identified as the core gut microbiome because they existed in all of the tracts. The proportion of the nine core bacteria varied at the different tract sites. A heat map was used to understand how the numbers of the abundant genera shifted between the two treatment groups. Conclusion: At different tract sites the relative abundance of gut microbiota was different. Antibiotics could cause shifts in the microorganism composition and affect the composition of gut microbiota in the different tracts of weaning piglets.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.587-595
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• 2022

Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with Bifidobacterium animalis, Agave fructans, and symbiotic of both encapsulated on growth performance, feed efficiency, blood parameters, and immune status in broiler chickens, and to compare these with diets including antibiotic growth promoters and without additives. Methods: A comparative experimental study was carried out with 135 male Ross 308 broiler chickens. Each trial was divided into 5 equal groups. Control group (CON) received a standard diet without growth promoter; GPA, a standard diet with colistin sulfate and zinc bacitracin (0.25 g/kg of feed); PRE, a standard diet with 1% Agave fructans; PRO, a standard diet with Bifidobacterium animalis (11.14±0.70 log CFU/g); SYM, a standard diet with B. animalis and Agave fructans. Results: A significant decrease in food consumption was found for the GPA, PRE, and SYM, compared to the CON group. The results show a better feed conversion index in PRE and GPA with respect to the CON group with the highest conversion index. Interestingly, the weight of the gastrointestinal tract shows a statistically significant difference between GPA and PRE groups. Moreover, the length of the gastrointestinal tract of the GPA group was less than the PRE group. In the total leukocyte count, there was a statistically significant increase in the GPA group compared to the CON, PRE, and PRO groups, and the heterophiles-lymphocytes index was lower in PRO. Regarding the cytokines, interleukin 10 (IL-10) decreased in PRO compared to CON and PRE, while IL-1β increased in the SYM group. Conclusion: Alternative treatments were shown to achieve similar productive results as growth-promoting antibiotics and showed improvement over diet without additives; however, they have immunomodulatory properties and improved the development of the gastrointestinal tract compared to the treatment of growth-promoting antibiotics.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.1059-1066
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• 2023

Objective: Present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of Acacia nilotica bark extract as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in broilers. Methods: Six hundred, day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into six groups (NC, without any supplementation; AB, NC+Zinc Bacitracin; PB, NC+Safmannan; ANBE1, NC+A. nilotica bark extract 0.1%; ANBE3, NC+A. nilotica bark extract 0.3%; ANBE5, NC+A. nilotica bark extract 0.5%), with ten replicates per group (10 chicks/replicate) and feeding trial was lasted for 35 days. Results: Results showed that weight gain (1,296.63 g) and feed conversion ratio (FCR, 1.59) of AB was better than NC, during the finisher phase. Overall FCR of AB (1.53), PB (1.54), and ANBE5 (1.54) was significantly (p<0.05) better than NC. From carcass parameters relative weight of wing and heart were highest in ANBE3 (2.5% and 1.51%, respectively). Significantly (p<0.05) highest blood glucose level was observed in NC (264.5 mg/dL) and highest albumin concentration was found in AB (1.46 mg/dL). In addition, antibody titer levels against ND and IBD were higher in ANBE5 than NC, while higher relative weight of bursa was observed in ANBE3 than NC. The villus height to crypt depth ratio in all experimental groups was better than NC. Conclusion: Acacia nilotica bark extract could be a suitable alternative to antibiotic growth promoters to support the growth in broilers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.690-699
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• 2017

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of sodium butyrate (SB) on growth performance, immune status, organs weights, and microarchitecture of lymphoid organs and small intestine. Methods: A total of 120, 1-d-old broiler chicks were distributed into the following four treatment groups: corn-soy based basal diet (BD) without supplement (control), or the same BD supplemented with 0.1 g/kg zinc bacitracin (ZnB), 0.5 g/kg SB (SB-0.5), or 1.0 g/kg SB (SB-1), respectively. Six birds/group were killed on d-21 and d-35, and samples were collected. Results: Cell-mediated immune response at 48 h post-Phytohemagglutinin-P injection, and antibody titer against Newcastle disease vaccine and sheep red blood cells on d-35 was noted higher (p<0.05) in SB-1 compared to ZnB and control. Lower (p<0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) was attained by the supplemented groups. Thymus and spleen weighed more (p<0.05) in SB-1, and bursa registered more (p<0.05) weight in both SB groups compared to control. On d-21, areas of thymus medulla and spleen germinal centers were noted higher (p<0.05) in SB-1 group. The villus height and villus surface area increased (p<0.05) in duodenum and jejunum in both SB groups on d-21, and in SB-1 on d-35, respectively compared to ZnB and control. On d-21, number of goblet cells containing mucins of acidic nature increased (p<0.05) in all the segments of small intestines in SB-1 group compared to control, and on d-35 in ileum compared to other groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, SB improved growth performance and immunity as well as modulated morphology of lymphoid organs and gut mucosa in broiler chickens.