• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.85-89
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• 2005

This study was conducted to examine the effects of green tea polyphenols (GTP) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) supplement on performance, counts of caecal microflora and its metabolites production. In female broiler chickens fed on semi-purified diets from 28 to 42 d of age, dietary green tea polyphenols (GTP) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) significantly reduced mortality (p<0.05). Dietary GTP significantly decreased the total count of caecal microflora, each colonic population count and caecal flora metabolites contents when compared to other groups (p<0.05). Dietary FOS did not influence the total count of caecal flora but it selectively increased Bifidobacteri and Eubacteria counts (p<0.05) and decreased the count of other microflora and concentrations of caecal phenols and indole (p<0.0.5). These results suggest that GTP and FOS in semi-purified diets can decrease mortality and change the caecal colonic flora population, but GTP shows antibiotic-like effects of non-selectively decreasing all colonic flora and then metabolites, and FOS acts selectively by increasing profitable microflora and decreasing production of caecal microflora metabolites besides volatile fatty acids.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.863-866
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• 2003

This study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary cellulose levels on growth, nitrogen utilization, the retention time of diets in the digestive tract, and caecal microflora of 2-month-old Single Comb White Leghorn male chickens fed 3 purified diets that contained 0, 3.5% and 10% cellulose in equal amount of nutrients for 7 days. Body weight gain and nitrogen utilization were significantly higher (p<0.05), while total microflora counts in the caecal contents and retention time of the diet in the digestive tract were significantly lower (p<0.05) in the group fed 3.5% dietary cellulose compared with the group fed 10% dietary cellulose. Body weight gain, nitrogen utilization and retention time of the diet in the digestive tract decreased significantly while the total microflora count in the caecal contents increased significantly in the group fed 10% dietary cellulose compared to the group fed 0% dietary cellulose (p<0.05). Chickens fed 10% dietary cellulose had significantly increased counts of uric acid-degradative bacteria such as Peptococcaceae and Eubacterium, including Peptostreptococcus (p<0.05). The results suggest that cellulose in purified diets is an effective ingredient and the effects on growth, nitrogen utilization, caecal microflora counts and diet retention time in the digestive tract are dependent on the inclusion rate. Positive or negative effects of dietary cellulose are displayed by growth, nitrogen utilization, caecal microflora counts and retention time of the diet in the digestive tract. Positive effects were displayed when the inclusion rate is 3.5% and negative effects were displayed when that is greater than 3.5% of the diet, and the phenomenon is without reference to the age of the chickens.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.471-483
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the interactive effects of dietary digestible tryptophan (dTry) and soy oligosaccharides (SO) on growth performance, caecal skatole level, and microflora of broiler chickens aged from 14 to 42 days. Methods: Three hundred and sixty broiler chicks were allocated equally to 36 cages at 14-day-of-age according to body weight and gender. Using a 3×2 factorial arrangement, 3 dietary dTry levels (0.18%, 0.23%, and 0.28%) supplemented with 0 or 3.5 g/kg of SO were used to create 6 diets (treatments). Each diet was fed to six replicates of 10 birds (60 birds/treatment), growth performance was measured. Caecal content samples were collected at 42 days of age. Results: Results showed that significantly different dTry level×SO interactions were found for average daily gain (ADG), caecal levels of indole, propionic acid, and butyric acid, and microbial Shannon index (p<0.05). Birds fed diet containing 0.23% dTry level with SO supplementation had higher ADG and lower feed/gain ratio than those fed the other diets (p<0.05). Broilers fed diets containing 0.28% dTry increased their caecal levels of indole and skatole compared with those containing 0.18% or 0.23% dTry (p<0.01), regardless of SO addition. SO supplementation to diets decreased the caecal skatole level by 16.17% (p<0.05), and increased the relative frequency of Clostridium IV (p<0.05), regardless of dietary dTry level. Conclusion: These results indicated that diets containing 0.23% dTry with SO supplementation positively promoted ADG, and decreased caecal skatole levels of broiler chickens. The dietary dTry level, SO affected the caecal skatole level, however, there was no interaction between them.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.778-787
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of normal and heat stress environments on growth performance and, selected physiological and immunological parameters, caecal microflora and meat quality in Cobb 500 and Ross 308 broilers. Methods: One-hundred-and-twenty male broiler chicks from each strain (one-day-old) were randomly assigned in groups of 10 to 24 battery cages. Ambient temperature on day (d) 1 was set at 32℃ and gradually reduced to 23℃ on d 21. From d 22 to 35, equal numbers of birds from each strain were exposed to a temperature of either 23℃ throughout (normal) or 34℃ for 6 h (heat stress). Results: From d 1 to 21, strain had no effect (p>0.05) on feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), or the feed conversion ratio (FCR). Except for creatine kinase, no strain×temperature interactions were observed for all the parameters measured. Regardless of strain, heat exposure significantly (p<0.05) reduced FI and BWG (d 22 to 35 and 1 to 35), immunoglobulin Y (IgY) and IgM, while increased FCR (d 22 to 35 and 1 to 35) and serum levels of glucose and acute phase proteins (APPs). Regardless of temperature, the Ross 308 birds had significantly (p<0.05) lower IgA and higher finisher and overall BWG compared to Cobb 500. Conclusion: The present study suggests that the detrimental effects of heat stress are consistent across commercial broiler strains because there were no significant strain×temperature interactions for growth performance, serum APPs and immunoglobulin responses, meat quality, and ceacal microflora population.

• 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.24 no.8
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• pp.1120-1127
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• 2011

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of Bacillus subtilis LS 1-2 grown on citrus-juice waste and corn-soybean substrate on growth performance, nutrient retention, caecal microbial population and intestinal morphology in broilers. Three hundred twenty d-old Ross chicks were randomly allotted to 4 treatments on the basis of BW in a randomized complete block design. Each treatment had 4 replicates of 20 chicks in each. Experimental diets were fed in 2 phases, starter (d 0 to 21) and finisher (d 21 to 35). Dietary treatments were; negative control (NC: basal diet without any antimicrobial), positive control (PC: basal diet added with 20 mg/kg Avilamycin), basal diet added with 0.30% Bacillus subtilis LS 1-2 grown on corn-soybean substrate (P1), and basal diet added with 0.30% Bacillus subtilis LS 1-2 grown on citrus-juice waste substrate (P2). Overall BW gain, feed intake and FCR were better (p<0.05) in PC, P1 and P2 treatments as compared to NC. Moreover, overall BW gain and FCR in PC and P2 treatments were greater than P1. Retention of CP, GE (d 21, d 35) and DM (d 35) were increased (p<0.05) in treatments PC, P1 and P2 compared with NC. At d 35, caecal Clostridium and Coliform counts were lower (p<0.05) in treatments PC, P1 and P2 than NC. Moreover, Clostridium and Coliform counts in treatment PC was lower (p<0.05) than P1. Villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio in both duodenum and ileum were increased (p<0.05) in treatments PC, P1, P2 as compared to NC. However, retention of nutrients, caecal microbial population and intestinal morphology remained comparable among treatments P1 and P2. It is concluded that Bacillus subtilis LS 1-2 inclusion at 0.30% level had beneficial effects on broilers' growth performance, nutrient retention, caecal microflora and intestinal morphology. Additionally, citrus-juice waste can be used as substrate for growth of probiotic Bacillus subtilis LS 1-2.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.787-796
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of probiotic mixture on fecal ammonia, caecal microorganism, immune response, egg quality and production in layer under heat stress (HS).A total of four hundred 50 week olds Hy-Line Brown layers were randomly divided into four groups of 100 heads each: C (control, room temperature $25^{\circ}C$), HS (heat stress $33^{\circ}C$), PM (HS plus probiotic mixture 500, 750 mg/kg of diets). Egg production, egg quality, spleen weight, blood IgG and lymphocyte concentrations were increased in the PM group compared to the HS group, while mortality, the heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L) ratio, and corticosterone levelswere significantly decreased. Lactobacillus was increased in the PM group compared to the HS group, but E. coli, coliform bacteria and aerobic bacteria were significantly reduced. Fecal ammonia production was significantly increased in the HS group compared to the PM group. In conclusion, the results of this study that these mixed probiotics can reduce the heat damage of the summer laying hens and can be an effective nutritional strategy to reduce odor generation from feces, and to improve egg quality and laying production through immune response and caecal microbial balance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2017

Objective: In the present study, role of increasing levels of Ecklonia cava (seaweed) supplementation in diets was investigated on growth performance, coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients, serum immunoglobulins, cecal microflora and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs. Methods: A total of 200 weaned pigs (Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire${\times}$Duroc; initial body weight $7.08{\pm}0.15kg$) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments on the basis of body weight. There were 5 replicate pens in each treatment including 10 pigs of each. Treatments were divided by dietary Ecklonia cava supplementation levels (0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, or 0.15%) in growing-finishing diets. There were 2 diet formulation phases throughout the experiment. The pigs were offered the diets ad libitum for the entire period of experiment in meal form. Results: The pigs fed with increasing dietary concentrations of Ecklonia cava had linear increase (p<0.05) in the overall average daily gain, however, there were no significant differences in gain to feed ratio, CTTAD of dry matter and crude protein at both phase I and phase II. Digestibility of gross energy was linearly improved (p<0.05) in phase II. At day 28, pigs fed Ecklonia cava had greater (linear, p<0.05) Lactobacillus spp., fewer Escherichia coli (E. coli) spp. (linear, p<0.05) and a tendency to have fewer cecal Clostridium spp. (p = 0.077). The total anaerobic bacteria were not affected with supplementation of Ecklonia cava in diets. Polynomial contrasts analysis revealed that villus height of the ileum exhibited a linear increase (p<0.05) in response with the increase in the level of dietary Ecklonia cava. However, villus height of duodenum and jejunum, crypt depth, villus height to crypt depth ratio of different segments of the intestine were not affected. Conclusion: The results suggest that Ecklonia cava had beneficial effects on the growth performance, cecal microflora, and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs.

• 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 the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.613-622
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• 2017

The object of this study was to determine the influence of dietary metabolic energy (ME) on ..... A total of 240 meat ducks Cherry valley (Anas platyrhynchos) were assigned into four treatment groups with a randomized block design for 42 days. The four treatments were: ME 2900 kcal/kg, ME 3000 kcal/kg, ME 3100 kcal/kg, and ME 3200 kcal/kg. There was no difference in liver tissue among the treatments. The duodenal villi and crypt depth length decreased by 10.58% in 2900 compared with ME 3000, but there was no difference between 3100 and 3200. Counts of caecal Latobacillus decreased by 9.47% in 2900 compared to ME 3000, but increased by 2.52 and 3.24% in 3100 and 3200, respectively. Total aerobic bacteria, E. coli and Coliform bacteria were increased by 2900 when compared to ME 3000, but there was no difference between 3100 and 3200. HSP $90-{\alpha}$ among the heat shock proteins (HSPs)-mRNA in the liver was reduced by 48.60% in 2900 compared to ME 3000, while 3100 and 3200 showed no difference or increased.