Effect of organic acids—essential oils blend and oat fiber combination on broiler chicken growth performance, blood parameters, and intestinal health

This study evaluated the effect of organic acids-essential oils blend with or without oat hulls(OH)on growth performance,organ weights,blood parameters,gut morphology,microbiota,and short-chain fatty acids(SC FA)in broilerchickens.Day-old broiler chickens were randomly allocated to 4 dieta ry treatments consisting of 1)a corn-soybean meal-wheat based diet(BAS),2)BAS+0.05%bacitracin methylene disalicylate(BMD),3)BAS+protected organic acids-essential oils at 300 g/1,000 kg of feed(OE),and 4)BAS+protected organic acids-essential oils at 300 g/1,000 kg of feed+3%OH(OEOH),in 8 replicate groups.Feeding was in starter(d0 to 14),grower(d 14 to 24),and finisher(d 24 to 36)phases.Body weight(BW),feed intake(FI),feed conversion ratio(FCR),and mortality were determined weekly.On d 36,8 chickens per treatment were sampled for blood biochemistry,organ weights,cecal SCFA production,and microbiota.Treatments had no effect on FI and FCR at all phases.Both OE and OEOH treatments reduced(P<0.001)the body weight gain of birds at the starter phase.Birds fed the OEOH treatment had higher(P<0.001)gizzard weight,while those offered the BMD diet showed a tendency(P=0.08)to have higher cecal weight.Birds in the OEOH treatment recorded increased ileal villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio,as well as reduced duodenal crypt depth,while birds in the OE treatment had increased j ej unal villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio.Both OEOH and OE treatments increased the number of goblet cells produced in the duodenum and jejunum.Treatments had no effecton SCFA concentrations.Birds in the OE treatment recorded the lowest concentration of blood urea(P=0.05)and cholesterol(P<0.05).Both OE and OEOH treatments increased(P<0.05)the relative abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria in the genus Firmicutesunclassified,Ruminococcus,Turicibacter,and Erysipelotrichaceaeunclassified,while reducing(P<0.001)the relative abundance of potentially harmful Coprobacillus.Conclusively,both protected organic acids-essential oils blend and its combination with oat fibers show potential as tools to achieve antibiotics reduction in broiler production.

Fruit pomacesdtheir nutrient and bioactive components,effects on growth and health of poultry species,and possible optimization techniques

The ever-growing human population,coupled with the exigent need to meet the increasing demand for poultry meat and egg,has put the onus on poultry nutritionists and farmers to identify alternative feed ingredients that could assure the least-cost feed formulation.In addition,the public desire for nonantibiotic-treated poultry products has also necessitated the ultimate search for potent antibiotic alternatives for use in poultry production.While some identified alternatives are promising,their cost implications and technical know-how requirements may discourage their ease of adoption in poultry.The use of plants and/or their by-products,like fruit pomaces,present a pocket-friendly advantage and as a result,are gaining much interest.This is traceable to their rich phytochemical profile,nutritional composition,ready availability,and relatively cheap cost.The fruit juice and wine pressing industries generate a plethora of fruit wastes annually.Interestingly,fruit pomaces contain appreciable dietary fibre,protein,and phenolic compounds,and thus,their adoption could serve the poultry industry in dual capacities including as substitutes to antibiotics and some conventional feedstuff.Thus,there is a possibility to reduce fruit wastes produced and feed-cost in poultry farming from environmental and economical standpoints,respectively.This review seeks to provide reinforcing evidence on the applicability and impact of fruit pomaces in poultry nutrition.