• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.343-346
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• 1996

The influence of LB20304a, a new fluoroquinolone antibiotic agent, on microflora of caecum in mice was compared with those of ciprofloxacin and piperacillin after administration of drugs for 5 days. Selective medium (CCFMA) was used for the isolation of Clostridium difficile from the specimens of mouse caecum. The emergence of C. difficile in mouse caecum induced by LB20304a was lower than that by ciprofloxacin or piperacillin at day 1 and day 7 after completing administration of drugs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.830-835
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• 2004

An experiment of 10 weeks duration was carried out to study the influence of supplemental effective microorganism (EM) culture, yeast culture and enzymes on nutrient digestibility and gut microflora in rabbit gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Twenty four eight to nine weeks old, New Zealand White rabbits were allotted to four dietary treatments; a basal (control) feed, basal feed supplemented with either EM (1%), yeast culture or enzymes (400 ppm). Nutrient flow in digesta and their digestibility at ileum, caecum, colon and in the total tract as well as gut microflora distribution were studied. Feed dry matter was diluted from 92% to about 14% up to the ileum and about 95% of this water was reabsorbed by the colonic rectal segment followed by caecum (25%). EM and yeast improved protein digestibility at a lower rate than enzymes. Ileal, caecal, colonic and total tract digestibility of crude protein with enzymes were higher by 10.8, 9.4, 11.3 and 10.7%, respectively, as compared to the control. Yeast and enzymes increased crude fiber digestibility at ileum, caecum, colon and in the total tract by 8.5, 9.6, 9.0 and 8.3%, respectively, while EM improved them at a lower rate. Irrespective of treatments, total tract digestibility of crude protein (0.698-0.773) and fiber (0.169-0.183) were greater (p<0.05) than the ileal digestibility. Even though a post-caecal protein digestibility was observed, fiber digestion seemed to be completed in the caecum especially with yeast and enzymes. High precaecal digestibility of crude fiber (97%) and protein (95%) were observed even without additives probably due to caecotrophy. EM and yeast culture promoted the growth of lactic acid bacteria especially in the caecum but they did not influence gut yeast and mould. Present findings reveal that even though rabbits digest nutrients efficiently through hind gut fermentation, they can be further enhanced by EM, yeast and enzymes. Of the three additives tested, enzymes found to be the best.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1288-1295
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• 2009

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of xylanase on performance, blood parameters, intestinal morphology, microflora and digestive enzyme activities of broilers. The wheat-based diets were supplemented with 0, 500, 1,000, 5,000 U/kg xylanase. Xylanase supplementation significantly (p<0.05) improved the feed:gain ratio of broilers from 1 to 21 d and 1 to 42 d. Supplementing 500 U/kg and 1,000 U/kg xylanase improved (p<0.05) the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the small intestine. Excess supplementation of xylanase (5,000 U/kg) increased the villus height in the ileum (p<0.01) and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum and ileum (p<0.05). The microflora in the ileum and caecum, digestive enzyme activities in the small intestine and the concentrations of serum glucose, uric acid, insulin and IGF-I were not affected by the supplementation of xylanase. Excess level of xylanase (5,000 U/kg) had a tendency to induce the multiplication of E. coli and total aerobes. The results suggested that supplementing 500 U/kg and 1,000 U/kg xylanase was beneficial for broilers and excess xylanase supplementation resulted in no further improvement or negative effects.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1726-1733
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• 2012

The effect of genotype, fibre level and fibre source on gut morphology, environment and microflora was studied using 18 Mong Cai (MC) and 18 Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire (LY) pigs, aged around 60 d. The diets were based on maize, rice bran, soybean meal, fish meal and soybean oil, and cassava residue (CR) or brewer's grain (BG) as fibrous ingredient sources in the high-fibre diets (HF). A low-fibre diet (LF), containing around 200 g NDF/kg dry matter (DM), was formulated without CR and BG as feed ingredients. The HF diets (HF-CR and HF-BG) were formulated to contain around 270 g NDF/kg DM. The experiment was arranged according to a $2{\times}3$ factorial completely randomized design with six replications, and lasted 30 d. Crypt density in ileum was lowest (p<0.05) and villus height in jejunum and ileum were the greatest (p<0.05) in pigs fed diet HF-BG. Villus width in ileum was greatest in pigs fed diets HF-CR and HF-BG (p<0.05). Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts in stomach were greatest (p<0.05) and E. coli counts in ileum and colon were lowest (p<0.05) in pigs fed diet HF-CR. The concentration of total organic acids in ileum, caecum and colon were greatest (p<0.05), and pH in ileum and colon were lowest (p<0.05) in pigs fed diet HF-CR. Crypt density in ileum was lowest, and villus height in ileum and villus width in jejunum and ileum was greatest in LY pigs (p<0.05). LAB counts in stomach and ileum were greatest, and E. coli counts in ileum were lowest in MC pigs (p<0.05). The concentration of total organic acids in ileum, caecum and colon were greatest (p<0.05) and pH lowest (p<0.05) in MC pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.827-839
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• 2015

A total of 144 weaned crossed pigs were used in a 42-d trial to explore the effects of different concentrations/combinations of benzoic acid and thymol on growth performance and gut characteristics in weaned pigs. Pigs were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments: i) control (C), basal diet, ii) C+1,000 mg/kg benzoic acid+100 mg/kg thymol (BT1), iii) C+1,000 mg/kg benzoic acid+200 mg/kg thymol (BT2) and, iv) C+2,000 mg/kg benzoic acid+100 mg/kg thymol (BT3). Relative to the control, pigs fed diet BT3 had lower diarrhoea score during the overall period (p<0.10) and improved feed to gain ratio between days 1 to 14 (p<0.05), which was accompanied by improved apparent total tract digestibility of ether extract, Ca and crude ash (p<0.05), and larger lipase, lactase and sucrose activities in the jejunum (p<0.05) at d 14 and d 42. Similarly, relative to the control, pigs fed diet BT3 had higher counts for Lactobacillus spp in digesta of ileum at d 14 (p<0.05), and pigs fed diets BT1, BT2, or BT3 also had higher counts of Bacillus spp in digesta of caecum at d 14 (p<0.05), and lower concentration of ammonia nitrogen in digesta of caecum at d 14 and d 42 (p<0.05). Finally, pigs fed diet BT3 had higher concentration of butyric acid in digesta of caecum at d 42 (p<0.05), and a larger villus height:crypt depth ratio in jejunum and ileum at d 14 (p<0.05) than pigs fed the control diet. In conclusion, piglets fed diet supplementation with different concentrations/combinations of benzoic acid and thymol could improve feed efficiency and diarrhoea, and improve gut microfloral composition. The combination of 2,000 mg/kg benzoic acid+100 mg/kg thymol produced better effects than other treatments in most measurements.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1282-1287
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of xylanase on net energy for production, performance, nutrient digestion and gut microflora of broilers fed corn/soy-based diet. Eighty-four day-old male broiler chicks were allocated to two groups receiving two treatments, respectively. Each treatment had six replicate cages with seven broilers per cage. The diets were based on corn and soybean. The treatments were: i) basal diet reduced in apparent metabolizable energy (-0.63 MJ/kg compared to commercial diet specifications); ii) basal diet supplemented xylanase at 4,000 u/kg feed. The experiment used the auto-control, open circuit respiration calorimetry apparatus to examine the heat production and net energy for production. The results revealed that xylanase supplementation did not affect growth performance and diet AME value, but increased $NE_p$ value by 18.2% (p<0.05) and decreased daily heat production per $kg^{0.75}$ by 31.7% (p<0.05). There was no effect (p>0.05) of xylanase supplementation on the ileal digestibility of N and hemicelluloses, but the ileum digestibility of energy was increased by 2% by xylanase supplementation (p<0.05). Xylanase supplementation increased (p<0.05) the count of lactobacillus and bifidobacterial in the caecum.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.539-555
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• 2009

The potential of encapsulated inuloprebiotics from domestic Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthustuberosus) as natural antibacterial growth promotor for an antibiotic replacement in broiler chickens was presently assessed through assays of growth performance, serum immunoglobulin production and influence on caecal microflora. Two hundred-forty, 1-day-old, male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to four treatments (T1-T4), with three replicate pens per treatment and 20 chicks per pen. Broiler chicks were fed a basal diet (T1: control) or basal diet plus antibiotics (T2: Chlorotetracycline, 0.10%), 300 ppm of the inuloprebiotics (T3), or 450 ppm of the inuloprebiotics (T4) for 35 days. Body weight, dressing percentage or weight of breast and thigh muscles relative to carcass weight of T3 and T4 broiler chickens was significantly (P<0.05) higher than T1 and T2 broiler chickens. The weight of abdominal fat from T3 and T4 broiler chickens were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of T1 and T2 chickens. Serum immunoglobulins in the T3 and T4 groups were significantly (P<0.05) elevated compared to the T1 and T2 groups. The weight of immune organs, thymus and Bursa of Fabricius relative to live body weight in the T3 and T4 groups were significantly (P<0.05) higher than the T1 and T2 groups. Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus, which are beneficial bacteria, were present in greater numbers in the caecum of T3 and T4 birds than T1 and T2 groups, whereas potentially harmful Escherichiacoli and Salmonella were present in lower numbers, with differences being significant (P<0.05). These results suggest that a diet supplemented with 300 ppm of inuloprebiotics has potential as an antibiotic replacement for organic livestock feed supplement intended to improve production of broiler chicken.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.684-692
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• 2011

The present study furthered this research by determining the optimal level of inuloprebiotics derived from Korean Jerusalem artichoke to promote growth in broiler chickens. On hatch day, 320 male Ross 308 broilers were randomly allotted to four groups for a 35-day feeding regimen. The groups were a control (no supplementation), diet supplementation with antibiotics (8 ppm avilamycin), supplementation with 200 ppm inuloprebiotics, and supplementation with 250 ppm inuloprebiotics. Body weight and feed intake were comparably high in the two inuloprebiotics groups, and exceeded the values for the control and antibiotics groups. Body weight and feed intake was higher in chickens fed the antibiotics supplemented diet, compared to controls. There were significant differences among treatment groups. Feed conversion ratio during total experimental periods was significantly high in the control group compared to the inuloprebiotics-fed groups, but no significant difference was evident using antibiotics or inuloprebiotics dietary supplementation. Carcass weight, dressing percentage, and weight of breast and thigh muscle were significantly higher for inuloprebiotics-fed chickens, compared with control and antibiotic-fed chickens. Inuloprebiotics concentration was not significant, while antibiotics-fed chickens displayed significantly higher values than control chickens. Abdominal fat was significantly reduced (19.08%-23.30%) and blood immunoglobulin and the weight of the thymus and Bursa of Fabricius were significantly increased in chickens receiving inuloprebiotics-supplemented feed, compared to control and antibiotics fed groups. In the lower intestine, the viable counts of beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus) were significantly increased and counts of harmful bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp.) were significantly decreased in the presence of the inuloprebiotics, compared to control and antibiotic. The present results support 200 ppm as an optimal level of Korean Jerusalem artichoke-derived inuloprebiotics as a dietary supplement to improve growth in broiler chickens.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1461-1478
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• 2022

The maintenance of poultry gut health is complex depending on the intricate balance among diet, the commensal microbiota, and the mucosa, including the gut epithelium and the superimposing mucus layer. Changes in microflora composition and abundance can confer beneficial or detrimental effects on fowl. Antibiotics have devastating impacts on altering the landscape of gut microbiota, which further leads to antibiotic resistance or spread the pathogenic populations. By eliciting the landscape of gut microbiota, strategies should be made to break down the regulatory signals of pathogenic bacteria. The optional strategy of conferring dietary fibers (DFs) can be used to counterbalance the gut microbiota. DFs are the non-starch carbohydrates indigestible by host endogenous enzymes but can be fermented by symbiotic microbiota to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). This is one of the primary modes through which the gut microbiota interacts and communicate with the host. The majority of SCFAs are produced in the large intestine (particularly in the caecum), where they are taken up by the enterocytes or transported through portal vein circulation into the bloodstream. Recent shreds of evidence have elucidated that SCFAs affect the gut and modulate the tissues and organs either by activating G-protein-coupled receptors or affecting epigenetic modifications in the genome through inducing histone acetylase activities and inhibiting histone deacetylases. Thus, in this way, SCFAs vastly influence poultry health by promoting energy regulation, mucosal integrity, immune homeostasis, and immune maturation. In this review article, we will focus on DFs, which directly interact with gut microbes and lead to the production of SCFAs. Further, we will discuss the current molecular mechanisms of how SCFAs are generated, transported, and modulated the pro-and anti-inflammatory immune responses against pathogens and host physiology and gut health.