This study evaluates the effect of prolonged feeding with a high inclusion level of Spirulina, combined with peptidases, on broiler chicken\'s growth performance, digesta viscosity, carcass attributes and meat quality. The experiment involved 120 male broilers divided into 40 battery brooders, each housing 3 birds. Post 7-day acclimatisation with a corn and soybean-based diet, the birds were provided with one of four diets: a corn and soybean meal-based diet (CON), a mix incorporating 15% Spirulina (SP), a Spirulina-rich mix supplemented with 0.025% of commercial VemoZyme® P (SPV), or a Spirulina-rich mix supplemented with 0.10% of porcine pancreatin (SPP). The CON group had higher body weight and weight gain (p < 0.001) and a lower feed conversion ratio (p < 0.001) from day 7-21, compared to the Spirulina-fed groups. Spirulina-fed chickens significantly increased ileum viscosity (p < 0.05). Spirulina also elevated the weight (p < 0.05) of the duodenum and the length (p < 0.001) of the entire gastrointestinal tract compared to CON. Breast and thigh muscles from Spirulina-fed broilers displayed higher values of yellowness (b*) (p < 0.001), pigments (p < 0.05), and n-3 PUFA (p < 0.01), while n-6/n-3 ratio (p < 0.001) and α-tocopherol (p < 0.001) decreased relative to the CON. In conclusion, the introduction of a high level of Spirulina into broiler diets for an extended duration, has the potential to diminish birds\' growth performance, possibly due to increased digesta viscosity. However, it does enhance the nutritional quality of the meat.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of baicalin and chlorogenic acid (BC) on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, antioxidant capacity, intestinal microbiota, and mucosal metabolism in broilers. A total of 720 twenty-one-day-old broilers were randomly allocated into 3 groups, with 6 replicates per group and 40 chickens per replicate. They were fed a basal diet (Con group) or a basal diet supplemented with 250 or 400 mg/kg BC (BC250 and BC400 groups) for 40 consecutive days. The results revealed that 250 mg/kg BC significantly increased 60-d body weight and average daily gain during 39 to 60 d (P < 0.05). Furthermore, Supplementation with 250 mg/kg BC improved the antioxidant capacity and immunity of broilers, as evidenced by increased (P < 0.05) superoxide dismutase and decreased (P < 0.05) malondialdehyde levels in serum and ileum, as well as increased (P < 0.05) immunoglobulin G levels. Supplementation with 250 mg/kg BC enhanced intestinal development by improving intestinal morphology and promoting the proliferation of intestinal crypts. Moreover, Supplementation with 250 mg/kg BC improved (P < 0.05) intestinal permeability, up-regulated (P < 0.05) the expression of tight junction-related genes (Occludin and ZO-1), and down-regulated (P < 0.05) the expression of pro-inflammatory genes (IL-2, IL-8, and IFN-γ). 16S rRNA sequencing revealed significant enrichment of Microbacteriaceae, Micromonosporaceae, Anaerovoracaceae, and Coriobacteriaceae in the BC250 group. Metabolomics showed that 250 mg/kg BC up-regulated the lysosome, foxo signaling pathway, glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor biosynthesis, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways, while down-regulating the biosynthesis of cofactors pathway. In conclusion, supplementing diets with 250 mg/kg BC is recommended to modulate intestinal microbiota, mucosal metabolism, and antioxidant capacity, thereby improving broiler growth performance and intestinal health.

BACKGROUND: The present experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of commercially processed former foodstuffs (cFF) as dietary substitutes of corn, soybean meal and soybean oil on the growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), hematobiochemical profiles, and liver gene abundance in broiler chickens. Two hundred one-day-old male ROSS-308 chicks were assigned to 4 dietary groups (5 replicates of ten birds per replicate) according to their average body weight (BW, 38.0 ± 0.11 g). All groups received a two-phase feeding program: starter, d 1-12 and grower, d 12-33. The control group (cFF0) was fed a standard commercial feed based on corn, soybean meal and soybean oil. The other three groups received diets in which the feed based on corn, soybean meal, and soybean oil was partially replaced with cFF at a substitution level of 6.25% (cFF6.25), 12.5% (cFF12.5) or 25% (cFF25) for the following 33 d.
RESULTS: The growth performance data showed no differences in BW or average daily gain among groups, although the average daily feed intake decreased during the grower period (12-33 d) and over entire experimental period (1-33 d) in a linear manner as the cFF inclusion level rose (P = 0.026), positively affecting the gain to feed ratio (P = 0.001). The ATTD of dry matter of the cFF-fed groups were greater with respect to control group and increased throughout the experimental period, whereas the ATTD of ether extract linearly decreased with increasing levels of cFF-fed groups compared with control group and throughout the experimental period (P < 0.05). Additionally, a linear increase in the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, serum cholesterol, triglycerides and alanine-aminotransferase were observed with increasing dietary levels of cFF (P < 0.05); however, no differences were observed in lipoprotein lipase or sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor gene abundance.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this experiment demonstrate that it is possible to incorporate cFF into nutritionally balanced diets for broiler chickens, even up to 25% substitution levels, for up to 33 d without adversely impacting the overall growth performance of male broiler chickens raised under commercial conditions. Further studies are essential to validate the hematological trait findings.

UNASSIGNED: Plant essential oils (PEOs) have received significant attention in animal production due to their diverse beneficial properties and hold potential to alleviate weaning stress. However, PEOs effectiveness is often compromised by volatility and degradation. Microencapsulation can enhance the stability and control release rate of essential oils. Whether different microencapsulation techniques affect the effectiveness remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PEOs coated by different microencapsulation techniques on growth performance, immunity, and intestinal health of weaned Tibetan piglets.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 120 Tibetan piglets, aged 30 days, were randomly divided into five groups with four replicates, each containing six piglets. The experimental period lasted for 32 days. The groups were fed different diets: a basal diet without antibiotics (NC), a basal diet supplemented with 10 mg/kg tylosin and 50 mg/kg colistin sulfate (PC), 300 mg/kg solidified PEO particles (SPEO), 300 mg/kg cold spray-coated PEO (CSPEO), or 300 mg/kg hot spray-coated PEO (HSPEO).
UNASSIGNED: The results showed that supplementation with SPEO, CSPEO, or HSPEO led to a notable decrease in diarrhea incidence and feed to gain ratio, as well as duodenum lipopolysaccharide content, while simultaneously increase in average daily gain, interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels and the abundance of ileum Bifidobacterium compared with the NC group (p < 0.05). Supplementation with SPEO, CSPEO, or HSPEO significantly elevated serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels and concurrently reduced serum lipopolysaccharide and interferon γ levels compared with the NC and PC groups (p < 0.05). Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels in the SPEO and HSPEO groups significantly increased compared with the NC group (p < 0.05). Additionally, CSPEO and HSPEO significantly reduced jejunum pH value (p < 0.05) compared with the NC and PC groups (p<0.05). Additionally, Supplementation with HSPEO significantly elevated levels of serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) and interleukin-4 (IL-4), abundance of ileum Lactobacillus, along with decreased serum interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) levels compared with both the NC and PC groups.
UNASSIGNED: Our findings suggest that different microencapsulation techniques affect the effectiveness. Dietary supplemented with PEOs, especially HSPEO, increased growth performance, improved immune function, and optimized gut microbiota composition of weaned piglets, making it a promising feed additive in piglet production.

Fermented traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been identified as a low-cost and promising feed additive to to alleviate weaning stress in young livestock and poultry effectively. This study investigated the impact of probiotic fermentation on the metabolite content of BanQi (Radix Isatidis and Astragalus membranaceus) extract while also examined the effects of both fermented-BanQi (FBQ) and unfermented-BanQi (UBQ) on growth performance, serum biochemistry, intestinal villi, and gut microbiota in weaned lambs. This study demonstrated that compared with UBQ, FBQ contained significantly higher levels of free amino acids (e.g., phenylalanine and isoleucine), short peptides (e.g., Val-Leu-Pro-Val-Pro-Gln and Gly-Leu), and the active ingredients (e.g., vindesine and reserpine) (P < 0.05). The addition of FBQ to the diet significantly increased the final body weight and average daily gain of weaned lambs (P < 0.05). In addition, FBQ significantly increased the total protein level in the serum and the villus length of the jejunum and ileum in lambs, while significantly reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and urea (P < 0.05). Sequencing of the intestinal flora showed that FBQ improved the diversity of intestinal flora and promoted the enrichment of beneficial bacteria in the lamb intestine, such as Mogibacterium and Butyrivibrio, compared to NC or UBQ groups (P < 0.05). Fermentation with Bacillus subtilis can enhance the content of free amino acids, peptides, and active ingredients in BanQi extract, making it an effective method to improve the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine. Adding FBQ to the diet can improve the growth performance of weaned lambs, and its mechanism may be related to increasing the height of intestinal villi and increasing the diversity of intestinal flora.

UNASSIGNED: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of increasing β-mannanase supplementation in diets containing copra meal (CM) on growth performance, meat quality, liver health, intestinal morphology, and nutrient utilization in broiler chickens.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 1,600 3-d-old Ross 308 broiler chickens (initial body weight [BW] ± SD = 43.3 ± 1.08 g) were randomly allotted to 1 of 5 treatment groups with 8 replicates. One group was fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet (control). Other 4 diets were prepared by inclusion of 10% commercial CM in the control diet with 0, 400, 800, and 1,600 U β-mannanase/kg. Experiments lasted for 32 d.
UNASSIGNED: Birds fed the control diet had less (p=0.001) feed conversion ratio (FCR) than those fed diets containing 10% CM without β-mannanase supplementation. Increasing supplementation of β-mannanase in diets containing 10% CM had no linear and quadratic effects on body weight gain, feed intake, and FCR in broiler chickens. The control diet had greater (p<0.01) apparent total tract retention (ATTR) of DM, GE, and N as compared to the diets containing 10% CM without β-mannanase supplementation; however, no differences in the ATTR of Ca and P were identified between 2 diets. There were no linear and quadratic effects of increasing supplementation of β-mannanase on the ATTR of DM, GE, N, Ca, and P in broiler diets containing 10% CM. Both inclusion of 10% CM and increasing supplementation of β-mannanase in broiler diets did not affect apparent ME (AME) and N-corrected ME (AMEn) values in treatment diets.
UNASSIGNED: The use of 10% CM in broiler diets during growing and finishing period impairs growth performance by decreasing energy and nutrient utilization in diets. Increasing β-mannanase supplementation in diets containing 10% CM has no positive effects on performance, meat quality, liver health, intestinal morphology, and nutrient utilization in broiler chickens.

UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to investigate the impact of reducing dietary crude protein (CP) coupled with supplementation of indispensable amino acids (AA) on growth performance of pigs at different growth stages.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 126 (63 barrows and 63 gilts), 90 (45 barrows and gilts), and 72 (36 barrows and 36 gilts) pigs with average weights of 9.8 ± 1.62, 30.6 ± 2.31, and 58.3 ± 2.95 kg in the nursery, growing, and finishing stages, respectively, were assigned to three dietary treatments with six replicates in a randomized complete block design. The pigs had ad libitum access to water and fed three experimental diets, each supplemented with all indispensable AA and subjected to a 2% reduction in CP from the upper limits of 18%, 16%, and 16% established for the nursery, growing, and finishing stages, respectively.
UNASSIGNED: In the nursery stage, from 0 to 2 weeks, reducing dietary CP concentrations decreased average daily feed intake (ADFI; linear, p = 0.04). From 2 to 4 weeks, dietary CP reduction decreased average daily gain (ADG; linear, p < 0.01; quadratic, p = 0.02), ADFI (linear, p = 0.04), and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F; linear, p = 0.01). From 0 to 4 weeks, reduction in dietary CP concentrations decreased ADG (linear p < 0.01), and G:F (linear, p = 0.01). In the growing stage, the dietary CP reduction did not affect growth performance. During the finishing stage, decrease in dietary CP concentrations decreased ADFI from 3 to 6 weeks (quadratic, p < 0.01) and 0 to 6 weeks (quadratic, p = 0.01).
UNASSIGNED: Dietary CP reduction with indispensable AA supplementation potentially decreases the growth performance of nursery pigs but may not decrease the growth performance of growing and finishing pigs.

UNASSIGNED: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of wheat inclusion on growth performance, glycolipid metabolism, and tibial properties of broiler chickens.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 480 1-d-old male broiler chickens were initially fed identical starter diets until d 10. Subsequently, they were divided into 3 treatments consisting of 8 replicates with 20 birds per replicate, i.e., 1) low-level wheat addition group, with wheat ratios of 15% and 25% during the grower and finisher periods, respectively; 2) medium-level wheat inclusion group, incorporating 30% and 40% wheat in the grower and finisher diets, respectively; and 3) high-level wheat addition group, containing 55.8% and 62.4% wheat in the grower and finisher diets, until d 39.
UNASSIGNED: When compared to the low- and medium-level wheat diet, the high-level wheat inclusion in the diet increased feed intake and reduced the feed conversion ratio (both p<0.01), which was accompanied by a longer jejunum (p=0.031). Meanwhile, the high-level addition of wheat displayed a decreased abundance of Ruminococcin, Bacteroidetes, and Lactobacillus than the low-wheat group. With the increase of the proportion of wheat treatment, the contents of cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were elevated in serum, whereas the concentration of serum C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen, a bone resorption marker, was decreased. In addition, the diet with medium and high levels of wheat improved the yield load of tibia, along with comparable bone dimension and weight.
UNASSIGNED: The medium- and high-level wheat additions increased serum glycolipid deposition and enhanced tibial mechanical properties, whereas the high-level wheat diet compromised the growth performance of broiler chickens, which might be associated with the alteration of gut microbiota.

UNASSIGNED: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of dietary β-mannanase supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, digesta viscosity, and dietary nutrient utilization in broiler chickens through a meta-analysis. The effects were further examined by a meta-regression analysis with activity levels of β-mannanase in broiler diets.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 23 studies, which conducted in 11 countries and completed between December 2003 and August 2023, were finally selected for this meta-analysis. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated as the effect size metrics using random effect model, with I2 value being utilized to measure heterogeneity. Investigated measurements included body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD), VH:CD ratio, digesta viscosity, nitrogen-corrected metabolizable energy (AMEn), apparent ileal digestibility (AID), and apparent total tract retention (ATTR) of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), and nitrogen (N). All statistical analyses were performed using R version 4.3.3.
UNASSIGNED: Results revealed significant positive effects of dietary β-mannanase supplementation on BWG (P = 0.005), FCR (P < 0.001), VH (P < 0.001), VH:CD (P < 0.001), digesta viscosity (P < 0.001), AMEn (P = 0.011), AID of GE (P = 0.002) and N (P = 0.003), and ATTR of DM (P = 0.019), GE (P = 0.002), and N (P = 0.005) in broiler chickens. In the meta-regression analysis, increasing activity levels of β-mannanase in broiler diets increased VH:CD (P < 0.001, R2 = 79.2%) and AID of N (P = 0.038, R2 = 67.4%).
UNASSIGNED: the current meta-analysis indicates that dietary β-mannanase supplementation improves energy and nutrient utilization in broiler diets possibly by decreasing digesta viscosity and enhancing intestinal morphology in broiler chickens. These beneficial effects can contribute to improved growth performance in broiler chickens.

UNASSIGNED: Mulberry (Morus alba) leaf (ML) is a high-quality feed source for ruminants, while it is unclear whether it can enhance the growth performance and meat quality of Xiangdong black goats.
UNASSIGNED: In this study, we investigated the effects of ML supplementation (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%) on the growth performance, serum variables, and the profiles of amino acids and fatty acids in the muscle of Xiangdong black goats.
UNASSIGNED: Results showed that the final body weight, initial and final dry matter intake, and average daily gain increased linearly and quadratically with the increasing ML content (P < 0.05). The serum concentrations of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) increased linearly, while immunoglobulin G (IgG) increased quadratically with the increasing ML content (P < 0.05). Conversely, the saturated fatty acids (SFA) content in meat decreased linearly with the increasing ML content (P < 0.05). Compared to goats without ML supplementation, goats fed with 15% ML showed significant increases in serum concentrations of T-AOC, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and IgG (P < 0.05). Furthermore, goats fed with 20% ML displayed significant decreases in SFA (C18:0) content, compared to goats without ML supplementation (P < 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: These results suggest that ML supplementation promotes the growth performance of goats. A diet containing 15% ML showed better effects in promoting antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities, while a diet with 20% ML was more effective in enhancing meat flavor in Xiangdong black goats.