• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.753-760
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of essential oil coated with glycerol monolaurate (GML) on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, and serum profiles of weaned piglets. Methods: A total of 144 weaned piglets (Duroc×[Landrace×Yorkshire], average weight 8.07±3.33 kg) were randomly assigned to three groups with six replicate pens and eight piglets per pen: i) CON: a corn-soybean basal diet; ii) LEG: with 1,000 mg/kg essential oil coated with GML; and iii) HEG: with 2,000 mg/kg essential oil coated with GML. Results: Results showed that average daily gain was increased (p<0.05) linearly by essential oil coated with GML supplementation on day 14 to 28 and day 0 to 28 compared with the CON group. Dietary supplementation with HEG increased (p<0.05) total antioxidant capacity and catalase activity on day 14, and immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgM concentration on day 28 and tended to increase IgG on day 28. In addition, the crypt depth in the jejunum was reduced (p<0.05), and villus height and villus height/crypt depth in the ileum were increased (p<0.05) in the HEG group compared with the CON group. Moreover, lower (p<0.05) concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-8, and IL-10 were observed in the jejunum of piglets supplemented with HEG compared with the CON group. In addition, dietary HEG tended to decrease IL-6 level in the jejunum of piglets compared with the CON group. Conclusion: Dietary essential oil coated with GML can improve growth performance of weaned piglets. Moreover, supplementing 2,000 mg/kg essential oil coated with GML was demonstrated to improve antioxidant ability, and intestinal morphology, and reduce jejunal inflammatory factor levels.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.981-989
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• 2014

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of a mixture of functional oils (Essential, Oligo Basics Agroind. Ltda) on performance response of chickens challenged with coccidiosis and the determination of apparent metabolizable energy (AME), nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn), the coefficients of protein and ether extract digestibility and intestinal morphology of broilers fed with diets containing Essential. In Exp. 1, a completely randomized design (CRD) was used, with one control diet without Essential inclusion with coccidiosis (Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, and Eimeria tenella) challenged birds and two different inclusion rates of Essential (1.5 kg/ton and 2 kg/ton) with coccidiosis-challenged and non-challenged birds for each inclusion rate, using 10 replicates and 50 birds per experimental unit. After 7 d of coccidiosis challenge, the livability was approximately 10% lower (p<0.05) for the control group. Intestinal lesion scores were lower (p<0.05) in the anterior intestine and the cecum for the chickens supplemented. Feed efficiency and growth rate were improved in birds supplemented with Essential (p<0.05) before the coccidiosis challenge and during the first 7 d post infection. In Exp. 2, a CRD was used, with one control diet without Essential inclusion and one diet with inclusion of Essential (1.5 kg/ton), using nine replications and 33 chicks per pen. The diets with Essential yielded approximately 4% higher AME (p = 0.003) and $AME_n$ (p = 0.001). Essential supplementation increased villus height in the jejunum on d 14 (p<0.05). Villus height:crypt depth ratio for the supplemented birds was larger (p<0.05) in the jejunum on d 7, larger (p<0.05) in the jejunum and ileum on d 14. In conclusion, these functional oils improved the energy utilization and the livability and decreased lesions caused by coccidiosis in supplemented birds.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1734-1741
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• 2012

This trial was performed to study the effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with fermented rapeseed meal (RSM) on growth performance, serum biochemistry variable and intestinal morphology of broilers. A total of 640 d-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments, 4 pens per treatment and 40 birds per pen for a 6-wk feeding trial. In the four treatment groups, fermented RSM replaced soybean meal at 0, 5, 10, and 15%, respectively. On 21 d and 42 d, two birds from each pen were randomly selected and slaughtered. Blood samples and sections of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were collected for measurement of serum biochemical variables and intestinal morphology, respectively. Results showed that body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion (FC) were significantly (p<0.01) poorer for birds fed the 15% fermented RSM diet than those fed with 0, 5 and 10% fermented RSM diets during all periods. Compared with 0 and 5% fermented RSM groups, IgG content in the serum of birds in 10 and 15% fermented RSM groups was improved (p<0.01) urea nitrogen content of serum was reduced (p<0.01) during both growing and finishing periods. However, IgM, phosphorus and calcium levels increased (p<0.05) only during the growing period. Increased (p<0.05) villus height was observed in the duodenum and jejunum of broilers fed the diet with 10% fermented RSM. In addition, villus height to crypt depth ratio in the jejunum was significantly higher (p<0.01) for birds fed the diet with 10% fermented RSM than for those fed diets with 0, 5 and 15% fermented RSM. The present results suggest that RSM fermented with Lactobacillus fermentum and Bacillus subtilis is a promising alternative protein source and that it could be safely used replace up to 10% SBM in broiler diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1784-1789
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• 2002

One hundred and twenty-eight growing barrows (Jiaxing Black${\times}$Duroc${\times}$Landrace) at an average BW of 20.8 kg were allocated to four treatments for 42 days, each of which was replicated four times with eight pigs per replicate and used to investigate the effects of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on digestive enzyme activities, intestinal microflora and morphology of growing pigs. The pigs received the same basal corn-soybean meal diet and FOS was added to the basal diet at 0, 2, 4, 6 g/kg diet at the expense of corn, respectively. As compared to control, supplementation with 4 and 6 g/kg FOS significantly improved average daily gain and feed efficiency. Addition of FOS enhanced the growth of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, but inhibited Clostridium and Escherichia coli in the small intestinal and proximal colonic contents. Supplementation with 4 and 6 g/kg FOS significantly improved the activities of total protease, trypsin and amylase in the small intestinal contents. However, FOS had no significant effect on the activity of lipase in the small intestinal contents as well as the digestive enzymes in pancreas. Morphological measurement of jejunal mucosa did show response to consumption of FOS. Villus height and the villus height to crypt depth ratio at the jejunal mucosa were significantly higher with 4 and 6 g/kg FOS supplementation as compared to control.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1712-1716
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• 2004

Copper-bearing montmorillonite (Cu-MMT) was produced by $Cu^{2+}$ cation exchange reaction. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that that the (001) basal spacing of the MMT crystal lattice increased from 1.544 to 1.588 nm after $Cu^{2+}$ exchange. This indicated that $Cu^{2+}$ entered into interlayer position of MMT as a hydrated cation or composite cation. In vitro results indicated that Cu-MMT had antibacterial activity on Escherichia coli $K_{88}$. Cu-MMT had unbalanced positive charge after cation exchange. Its antibacterial activity resulted from two aspects, one was electrostatic attraction which made E. coli $K_{88}$ being adhered on the montmorillonite surface, the other was the $Cu^{2+}$ slowly released, which could kill bacteria. In an in vivo study, four replicates of eight weanling pigs were assigned to each of two dietary treatments to study the effects of Cu-MMT on diarrhea, E. coli in the lumen of the jejunum and morphology of jejunal mucosa. As compared to the control, supplementation of the diet with 0.2% Cu-MMT improved average daily gain by 12.50% (p<0.05) and decreased F/G by 9.42% (p<0.05). The mean diarrhrea incidence was decreased by 71.80% (p<0.05). The viable counts of Escherichia coli in jejunal contents were significantly reduced (p<0.05). Villus height and the villus height to crypt depth ratio at the jejunal mucosa were increased by 19.09% (p<0.05) and 37.10% (p<0.05), respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.863-876
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• 2019

Farm animals such as piglets are often affected by environmental stress, which can disturb the gut ecosystem. Antibiotics were commonly used to prevent diarrhea in weaned piglets, but this was banned by the European Union due to the development of antibiotic resistance. However, the use of probiotics instead of antibiotics may reduce the risk posed by pathogenic microorganisms and reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal diseases. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus casei Zhang on the mechanical barrier and immune function of early-weaned piglets infected using Escherichia coli K88 based on histomorphology and immunology. Fourteen-day-old weaned piglets were divided into a control group and experimental groups that were fed L. casei Zhang and infected with E. coli K88 with or without prefeeding and/or postfeeding of L. casei Zhang. The L. casei Zhang dose used was $10^7CFU/g$ diet. Jejunum segments were obtained before histological, immunohistochemical, and western blot analyses were performed. In addition, the relative mRNA expression of toll receptors and cytokines was measured. Piglets fed L. casei Zhang showed significantly increased jejunum villus height, villus height-crypt depth ratio, muscle thickness, and expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin. The use of L. casei Zhang effectively reduced intestinal inflammation after infection. We found that L. casei Zhang feeding prevented the jejunum damage induced by E. coli K88, suggesting that it may be a potential alternative to antibiotics for preventing diarrhea in early-weaned piglets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.110-117
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• 2019

Objective: An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary glutamine (Gln) and arginine (Arg) supplementation on performance, intestinal morphology and ascites mortality in broilers. Methods: A total of 675 day old chicks were randomly allocated to 9 experimental groups in a $3{\times}3$ factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design with 5 replicates of 15 chicks. Three levels of dietary Gln (0%, 0.5%, and 1%) and Arg (100%, 130%, and 160% of Ross recommendation) supplementation were used in ascites inducing condition ($15^{\circ}C{\pm}1^{\circ}C$) from 7 to 42 days of age. Results: Dietary supplementation of Gln increased body weight gain during grower, finisher and total periods (p<0.05) and increased feed intake during total period. Ascites mortality was decreased by Gln supplementation (p<0.05). Gln supplementation increased the villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) in duodenum and jejunum (p<0.05). Arg supplementation decreased CD in duodenum and jejunum, and increased ileum villus width (VW) and also VH/CD ratio in duodenum and jejunum (p<0.05). Both Gln and Arg increased the goblet cell number (GCN) in duodenum whereas Gln supplementation decreased GCN in jejunum and ileum (p<0.05). The $Gln{\times}Arg$ interaction were observed for right ventricle (RV)/total ventricular (TV) ratio, VH, VW, CD, VH/CD. Conclusion: It was concluded that dietary 0.5% Gln alone or along with 130% Arg of Ross requirement, improve the intestinal morphology and performance and hence decrease the ascites mortality in broiler chickens with cold induced ascites.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1566-1574
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• 2022

Objective: This study investigated the effects of dietary methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) and selenium (Se) on the laying performance, egg quality, gut health indicators, egg yolk Se content, and antioxidant markers in laying hens. Methods: One hundred ninety-two 73-wk-old laying hens were randomly divided into four groups with eight replicates of six hens each. Four diets were prepared in a 2×2 factorial arrangement with or without MSM and Se. The trial lasted for 12 wk. Results: There were no interaction effects or main effects (p>0.05) on laying performance and egg quality. However, feed intake increased in Se-fed hens (p = 0.051) and decreased in MSM-fed hens (p = 0.067) compared with that of hens in the control group. Dietary MSM increased (p<0.05) the ileal villus height and villus height:crypt ratio in hens compared with those receiving the non-supplemented control diet. Dietary MSM and Se did not affect the percentage of short-chain fatty acids in the ileal contents. Dietary Se enriched the Se content in egg yolk compared with that of the non-supplemented control diet (p<0.05). Dietary Se increased (p<0.05) glutathione peroxidase levels in the liver and serum samples compared to the control diet. The total antioxidant capacity in the liver increased (p<0.05) in laying hens that were fed MSM-supplemented diets than in hens fed the control diet. Dietary MSM significantly increased the relative superoxide dismutase levels in serum samples (p<0.05). Conclusion: Supplementation with either MSM or Se independently improved the antioxidant capacity of laying hens. Furthermore, dietary Se produced Se-enriched eggs, but this effect was neither additive nor synergistic with dietary MSM.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.1953-1961
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• 2024

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effects of capsaicin (CAP) on productive performance, blood profile, intestinal morphology, carcass and meat quality of growing-finishing pigs. Methods: Two experimental diets were offered to 36 crossbred barrows: basal diet (0% CAP) and basal diet with CAP at 0.02%. Each experimental group consisted of 18 pigs, with six replications (three each). Results: Supplementation of CAP at 0.02% decreased average daily feed intake (p = 0.003) and feed cost/gain (p = 0.056), increased return on investment (p = 0.052) and increased gain:feed ratio (p = 0.037) during the growing period. There was no effect of CAP on the growth rate. The blood urea nitrogen and nitrogen (N) levels in faeces tended to decrease (p = 0.093 and p = 0.087), whereas the basophil level increased with CAP supplementation (p = 0.029). In addition, dietary CAP supplementation decreased crypt depth (p = 0.022) and tended to increase the villus height/crypt depth ratio in the segment of the jejunum (p = 0.084). Backfat (BF) thickness (p = 0.047) was reduced by supplementing CAP. Whereas the protein content increased with CAP supplementation (p = 0.021). Using CAP in the diet of growing pigs increased the pH at 6 h post-mortem (p = 0.046) and tended to increase the springiness value (p = 0.078) of the meat. In terms of meat color, CAP supplementation increased the yellowness (p = 0.029). Conclusion: Supplemental CAP improves gut morphology and blood profiles, consequently promoting productive performance as well as carcass and meat quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.888-898
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• 2018

Objective: The study was conducted to investigate the effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with different levels of detoxified Jatropha curcas kernel meal (DJM) in growing pig diets on growth performance, nutrients digestibility and meat edibility. Methods: A total of 144 pigs with initial body weight of $20.47{\pm}1.44kg$, were randomly allocated to 6 dietary treatments with 6 replications per treatment and 4 pigs per replication for a period of 79 days. Six diets (DJM0, DJM15, DJM30, DJM45, DJM60, and DJM75) were formulated using DJM to replace 0%, 15%, 30%, 45%, 60%, and 75% of SBM. From d 37 to 42, feces and urine were total collected from six barrows in each treatment. At day 79, thirty-six pigs were slaughtered for sampling. The feed intake and weight gain were recorded, while the intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities, nutrient digestibility and the content of residual phorbol esters in muscles were determined. Results: The results showed that increasing the replacement of SBM with DJM decreased the parameters including body weight, average daily gain, average daily feed intake, gain-to-feed ratio, weight and villus heights of duodenum, villus height and villus height/crypt depth of jejunum, digestive enzymes (protease, amylase, lipase, and trypsin) activities, and nutrients digestibility (nitrogen deposition, digestibility of nitrogen, energy digestibility, and total nitrogen utilization) (linear, p<0.05; quadratic, p<0.05) and there was no significant difference among DJM0, DJM15, and DJM30 in all measured indices. The highest diarrhea morbidity was observed in DJM75 (p<0.05). Phorbol esters were not detected in pig muscle tissues. Conclusion: The DJM was a good protein source for pigs, and could be used to replace SBM up to 30% (diet phorbol esters concentration at 5.5 mg/kg) in growing pig diets with no detrimental impacts on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and meat edibility.