• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.3_spc
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• pp.434-442
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• 2021

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the influence of dietary flavonoids on the growth performance, blood and intestinal profiles, and carcass characteristics of broilers by employing a meta-analysis method. Methods: A database was built from published studies which have reported on the addition of various levels of flavonoids from herbs into broiler diets and then monitored growth performance, blood constituents, carcass proportion and small intestinal morphology. A total of 42 articles were integrated into the database. Several forms of flavonoids in herbs were applied in the form of unextracted and crude extracts. The database compiled was statistically analyzed using mixed model methodology. Different studies were considered as random effects, and the doses of flavonoids were treated as fixed effects. The model statistics used were the p-values and the Akaike information criterion. The significance of an effect was stated when its p-value was <0.05. Results: Dietary flavonoids increased (quadratic pattern; p<0.05) the average daily gain of broilers in the finisher phase. There was a reduction (p<0.01) in the feed conversion ratio of the broilers both in the starter (linear pattern) and finisher phases (quadratic pattern). The mortality rate tended to decrease linearly (p<0.1) with the addition of flavonoids, while the carcass parameter was generally not influenced. A reduction (p<0.001) in cholesterol and malondialdehyde concentrations (both linearly) was observed, while super oxide dismutase activity increased linearly (p<0.001). Increasing the dose of flavonoids increased (p<0.01) the villus height (VH) and villus height and crypt depth (VH:CD) ratio (p<0.05) in the duodenum. Similarly, the VH:CD ratio was elevated (p<0.001) in the jejunum following flavonoid supplementation. Conclusion: Increasing levels of flavonoids in broilers diet leads to an improvement in growth performance, blood constituents, carcass composition and small intestinal morphology.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2020

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of dietary protease (PR) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal morphology of weaned pigs. A total of 75 weaned pigs [7.06 ± 0.18 kg of average body weight (BW); 28 day old] were randomly allotted to 3 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design (blocks = BW and sex): a diet based on corn and soybean meal to meet the requirement of crude protein (CP) as a positive control (PC; CP = 24.49%), a low protein diet as a negative control (NC; CP = 22.51%), and NC + 0.02% PR. The PR used in this study was a commercial product containing 75,000 protease units/g derived from Nocardiopsis prasina produced in Bacillus licheniformis. Pigs were fed the dietary treatments for 6 weeks and the diets containing 0.2% chromic oxide for the last week of this study. Blood, feces, ileal digesta, and ileum samples were collected from randomly selected two pigs in each pen on respective time points. Measurements were growth performance, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), CP, and energy, frequency of diarrhea, packed cell volume (PCV), and ileal morphology of weaned pigs. Pigs fed PC and PR had higher (p < 0.05) final BW, average daily gain (ADG), and gain to feed ratio (G:F) during overall experimental period than those fed NC. Pigs fed PC and PR had higher (p < 0.05) AID or ATTD of DM, CP, or energy than those fed NC. Moreover, pigs fed PR had higher ratio between villus height and crypt depth (p < 0.05) and number of goblet cells (p < 0.05) than those fed NC. Addition of PR decreased (p < 0.05) frequency of diarrhea for the first two weeks after weaning compared with PC and NC. In addition, pigs fed PR had lower (p < 0.05) PCV on d 14 after weaning than those fed PC and NC. In conclusion, addition of PR in nursery diets with a low protein level significantly improved growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal morphology of weaned pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.987-994
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of natural clinoptilolite (NCLI) and modified clinoptilolite (MCLI) on broiler performance, gut morphology, intestinal length and weight, and gut digestive enzyme activity. A total of 240 d-old male chicks were randomly assigned to 3 treatments, each of which comprised 8 pens of 10 chicks per pen. Birds in the control group were fed the basal diet, while those in the experimental groups were fed diets supplemented with NCLI at 2% (NCLI group), or MCLI at 2% (MCLI group), respectively, for 42 d. Compared with the control, supplementation with NCLI or MCLI had no significant (p>0.05) effects on productive parameters from d 1 to 42. Supplementation with NCLI or MCLI had no influence on the relative length and weight of small intestine at d 1 to 21. But supplementation with NCLI or MCLI significantly reduced the relative weight of duodenum. Supplementation with MCLI and NCLI was associated with greater (p<0.05) villus height in the jejunal and ileal mucosa compared with those areas in the controls from d 1 to 42. However, supplementation with NCLI and MCLI had no significant (p>0.05) influence on the crypt depth in the jejunal and ileal mucosa compared with those in the controls. The addition of either NCLI or MCLI to the diet improved the activities of total protease, and amylase in the small intestinal contents. In conclusion, supplementation with NCLI or MCLI in diets improved intestinal morphology, increased the intestinal length and weigh and gut digestive enzyme activity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.134-141
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• 2016

To investigate the role of polysaccharide from Acanthopanax senticosus (ASPS) in preventing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal injury, 18 mice (at 5 wk of age) were assigned to three groups with 6 replicates of one mouse each. Mice were administrated by oral gavage with or without ASPS (300 mg/kg body weight) for 14 days and were injected with saline or LPS at 15 days. Intestinal samples were collected at 4 h post-challenge. The results showed that ASPS ameliorated LPS-induced deterioration of digestive ability of LPS-challenged mice, indicated by an increase in intestinal lactase activity (45%, p<0.05), and the intestinal morphology, as proved by improved villus height (20.84%, p<0.05) and villus height:crypt depth ratio (42%, p<0.05), and lower crypt depth in jejunum (15.55%, p<0.05), as well as enhanced intestinal tight junction proteins expression involving occludin-1 (71.43%, p<0.05). ASPS also prevented intestinal inflammation response, supported by decrease in intestinal inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ (22.28%, p<0.05) and heat shock protein (HSP70) (77.42%, p<0.05). In addition, intestinal mucus layers were also improved by ASPS, as indicated by the increase in number of goblet cells (24.89%, p<0.05) and intestinal trefoil peptide (17.75%, p<0.05). Finally, ASPS facilitated mRNA expression of epidermal growth factor (100%, p<0.05) and its receptor (200%, p<0.05) gene. These results indicate that ASPS can prevent intestinal mucosal barrier injury under inflammatory conditions, which may be associated with up-regulating gene mRNA expression of epidermal growth factor and its receptor.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nutrition Society Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.72-72
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• 2003

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.1035-1040
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• 2003

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of fat sources on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum traits and intestinal morphology in weaning pigs. A total of 128 weaning pigs (Landrace${\times}$Large White${\times}$Duroc, $21{\pm}2$ days of age, $5.82{\pm}0.13kg$ of average initial body weight) were allotted in a randomized complete block (RCB) design with four treatments: 1) corn oil, 2) soybean oil, 3) tallow and 4) fish oil. Each treatment had 8 replicates with 4 pigs per pen. During phase I period (d 0 to 14), pigs fed corn oil or soybean oil diet tended to show higher ADG and FCR than any other treatments although there was no significant difference. During phase II period (d 15 to 28), pigs fed corn oil diet showed better ADG and ADFI than pigs fed soybean oil, tallow or fish oil. For overall period, growth performance of weaning pigs was improved (p<0.05) when pigs were fed soybean oil or corn oil. Apparent digestibility of energy and fat was improved when pigs were fed corn oil diet (p<0.05). Supplementation of corn oil resulted in higher serum triglyceride concentration than the other treatments (p<0.05). However, there was a lower cholesterol concentration when corn oil was provided compared to tallow or fish oil. Pigs fed corn oil tended to have increased villus height compared with soybean oil, tallow or fish oil treatment (p<0.05). This experiment suggested that vegetable oils such as corn oil or soybean oil, were much better fat source for improving growth performance of weaning pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.107-112
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of feed particle size and feed form on growth performance, nutrient metabolizability and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens. This experiment was a 2${\times}$2 factorial arrangement including two feed particle sizes (fine and coarse) and two feed forms (mash and pellet). A total of two hundred and eighty eight day-old male Arbor Acre broilers were used in this six week experiment. Birds were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with six replicates per treatment and twelve birds per replicate. The results showed that pelleting diets resulted in greater ADG (p<0.01), greater ADFI (p<0.01) and lower feed to gain ratio (F/G) (p<0.05) during starter, grower and overall period. Also, pelleting improved both apparent metabolizable energy (AME) (p<0.01) and the apparent metabolizability of crude protein (p<0.05) and organic matter (p<0.05) regardless of the phase. Reduction of feed particle size enhanced AME (p<0.05) during d 19 to 21. Increased villus height (p<0.05) and crypt depth ratio (p< 0.05) within duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were observed in birds fed the pellet diet compared with those given the mash diet. In conclusion, results indicated that feed pellets might enhance performance by improving nutrient metabolizability and digestive tract development.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1288-1295
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• 2009

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of xylanase on performance, blood parameters, intestinal morphology, microflora and digestive enzyme activities of broilers. The wheat-based diets were supplemented with 0, 500, 1,000, 5,000 U/kg xylanase. Xylanase supplementation significantly (p<0.05) improved the feed:gain ratio of broilers from 1 to 21 d and 1 to 42 d. Supplementing 500 U/kg and 1,000 U/kg xylanase improved (p<0.05) the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the small intestine. Excess supplementation of xylanase (5,000 U/kg) increased the villus height in the ileum (p<0.01) and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum and ileum (p<0.05). The microflora in the ileum and caecum, digestive enzyme activities in the small intestine and the concentrations of serum glucose, uric acid, insulin and IGF-I were not affected by the supplementation of xylanase. Excess level of xylanase (5,000 U/kg) had a tendency to induce the multiplication of E. coli and total aerobes. The results suggested that supplementing 500 U/kg and 1,000 U/kg xylanase was beneficial for broilers and excess xylanase supplementation resulted in no further improvement or negative effects.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.4.1-4.5
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• 2015

The study was performed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of a lipid-encapsulated Zinc oxide on growth parameters and intestinal mucosal morphology piglets born to Duroc-sired Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire dams. Twenty-four 30-day-old piglets weaned at 25 days of age were orally challenged with $5{\times}10^8$ colony forming units of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 and fed one of the four diets for 7 days: (i) a nursery basal diet containing 100-ppm ZnO (referred to as BASAL), (ii) BASAL supplemented with 120-ppm apramycin (referred to as ANTIBIO), (iii) BASAL with 2,400-ppm ZnO (referred to as HIGH), and BASAL containing 100-ppm lipid-encapsulated ZnO (referred to as LE). All piglets were killed at the end of the experiment for histological examination on the intestine. The results showed that the average daily gain (ADG), the villus height: crypt depth (CD) ratio in the ileum, and the goblet cell density of the villus and crypt in the duodenum, jejunum, and colon were greater in the LE-fed group that those of the BASAL (p < 0.05). Fecal consistency score (FCS) and the CD ratio in the ileum were less in the LE-fed group, compared to the BASAL-fed one (p < 0.05). The effects observed in the LE-fed group were almost equal to those of the HIGH-fed group as well as even superior to those of the ANTIBIO-fed group. Taken together, our results imply that dietary supplementation of 100-ppm lipid-encapsulated ZnO is as effective as that of 2,400-ppm ZnO for promoting growth diarrhea and intestinal morphology caused by ETEC infection.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.237-243
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to evaluate Solpro500 (a wheat hydrolysate containing a high level of glutamine) as a replacement for spray dried porcine plasma (SDPP) in diets fed to nursery pigs. One hundred and eight pigs (Dalland, $5.39{\pm}0.80$ kg BW) weaned at 21 days were assigned to one of three treatment groups for a 28 day feeding trial. The experimental diets were based on corn and soybean meal and were supplemented with either 8% SDPP, 4% SDPP plus 4% Solpro500 or 8% Solpro500. Each treatment was fed to six pens with six pigs per pen (4 barrows and 2 gilts). The experimental results indicated no significant difference (p>0.05) in daily gain, feed intake or feed efficiency for pigs fed the three experimental diets. However, the diarrhea index for pigs fed either 4% SDPP and 4% Solpro500 or 8% Solpro500 was lower (p<0.05) than that for pigs fed 8% SDPP. No differences (p>0.05) were found in the apparent fecal digestibility of dry matter, organic matter or crude protein between pigs fed the three diets. The intestinal morphology (villous height, villous width and crypt depth) was not affected by diet treatments (p>0.05). In conclusion, Solpro500 SDPP can replace SDPP without any negative effects on nursery pig performance.