Quality and formulation of feed is important to meeting producers’ goals of increasing average daily gains (ADG) and reduced feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers; especially following government restrictions on antibiotics in many countries. Feed additives can act to improve poultry responses to environmental and immune challenges, and we can improve these responses by understanding their mechanisms of action. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the immunometabolic effects and mechanisms of action of 2 feed additives, protected biofactors and antioxidants (P(BF+AOx)), and protected biofactors and antioxidants with protected organic acids and essential oils (P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO)) in broilers exposed to an early life cold stress and viral immune stimulation; and to identify their mechanism of action in the broiler gut.
We determined the effects of protected biofactors and antioxidants (P(BF+AOx)), and protected biofactors and antioxidants with protected organic acids and essential oils (P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO)) on the immune and metabolic health of Ross 308 broiler chickens. These biofactors and antioxidants were derived from vitamins, and Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis fermentation extracts. All Ross 308 chickens were exposed to a
double-dose of live bronchitis vaccine at d 0 and environmentally challenged by reducing the temperature from 32°C to 20°C at d 3 for 48 h. Control birds were fed without feed additives in the diet. Each treatment consisted of 12 replicate pens with 30 birds each. Performance data and jejunum samples were collected to evaluate the effects of these treatments on growth, cytokine expression, and protein phosphorylation via kinome peptide array.
The P(BF+AOx) and P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) treatments significantly increased bird weight gain and decreased feed conversion. The kinome peptide array data analysis showed increased activity of
cytoskeletal, cell growth and proliferation proteins, and metabolic signaling in the jejunum of P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) treated chickens. There was a significant decrease in IL-6 gene expression in the jejunum of P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) samples compared to control at d 15. P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) treatments in the jejunum showed strong immunomodulatory effects, perhaps to control inflammation. P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) improves gut health via growth and metabolic signaling in the jejunum while inducing stronger immunomodulation.
Treatment with both P(BF+AOx) and P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) decreased FCR significantly. Performance data should be considered in the context that comparisons were made to a challenge (cold stress and IBV) control. Thus, an increase in performance suggests a decrease in the stress effects of the physiological and environmental challenge. Increased growth performance due to each treatment compared to control may be linked to changes in cell growth and metabolic signaling, P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) appears to induce a unique effect in the growth and metabolic signaling in the gut compared to the P(BF+AOx) treatment.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and mechanism of action of 2 feed additives in reducing the impacts of virus and temperature stressors. We determined the effects of protected biofactors and antioxidants (P(BF+AOx)), and protected biofactors and antioxidants with protected organic acids and essential oils (P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO)) on the immune and metabolic health of Ross 308 broiler chickens. These biofactors and antioxidants were derived from vitamins, and Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis fermentation extracts. All Ross 308 chickens were exposed to a double-dose of live bronchitis vaccine at d 0 and environmentally challenged by reducing the temperature from 32°C to 20°C at d 3 for 48 h. Control birds were fed without feed additives in the diet. Performance data and jejunum samples were collected to evaluate the effects of these treatments on growth, cytokine expression, and protein phosphorylation via kinome peptide array. ANOVA was used for statistical analysis of the performance and gene expression data (p-value of 0.05), and PIIKA2 was used for statistical evaluation and comparison of the kinome peptide array data. The P(BF plus;AOx) and P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) treatments significantly increased bird weight gain and decreased feed conversion. The kinome peptide array data analysis showed increased activity of cytoskeletal, cell growth and proliferation proteins, and metabolic signaling in the jejunum of P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) treated chickens. There was a significant decrease in IL-6 gene expression in the jejunum of P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) samples compared to control at d 15. P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) treatments in the jejunum showed strong immunomodulatory effects, perhaps to control inflammation. P(BF+AOx)+P(OA+EO) improves gut health via growth and metabolic signaling in the jejunum while inducing stronger immunomodulation.
