The increasing demand for sustainable and antibiotic-free poultry production has driven research into alternative bioactive compounds that enhance poultry health and productivity. This study investigated the effects of various bioactive compounds and methods of administration on broiler performance, oxidative stress, intestinal health, and meat quality. Specifically, it tested the effects of in ovo synbiotic supplementation, dietary encapsulated polyphenols derived from olive by-products, and dietary rutin. A in ovo synbiotic injection trial was conducted using Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25 combined with different prebiotics (non-vegetable protein hydrolysate or liquid seaweed extract) at day 12 of incubation. After candling, fertilized eggs were divided into four groups as follows: A, injected with 0.2 ml physiological saline; B, injected with 0.2 ml of physiological saline containing 1% non-vegetable protein hydrolysate (extract A) and 1×104 CFU Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25 (H25); C, injected with 0.2 mL of physiological saline containing 2% extract A and 1×104 CFU H25; D, injected with 0.2 ml of physiological saline containing 0.5% extract A and 0.5% liquid seaweed extract (extract B) with 1×104 CFU Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25. The results demonstrated that synbiotic in ovo injection had no negative impact on hatchability or chick health status. Notably, chicks in groups C and D exhibited significantly increased body length, suggesting a potential benefit for post-hatch growth performance. A second trial assessed the impact of dietary encapsulated polyphenols from olive mill wastewater and olive leaves on broiler growth performance. Polyphenol supplementation did not significantly affect body weight or average daily gain. However, broilers receiving 200 mg/kg encapsulated polyphenols from olive mill wastewater showed a notable improvement of feed conversion ratio, indicating a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable strategy for poultry production. The supplementation with 500 mg/kg rutin was evaluated for its effects on broiler growth, antioxidant status, intestinal health, and meat quality. Rutin supplementation had minimal effects on growth performance, but it exhibited a significant antioxidant effect, enhancing serum SOD activity and modulating the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway in the liver and jejunum. Rutin supplementation improved villus height and the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and downregulated intestinal barrier-related gene expressions, suggesting an ambivalent effect on intestinal health. Additionally, rutin improved meat water-holding capacity and reducing cooking loss and drip loss in both breast and thigh meat, contributing to better meat technological properties. In conclusion, the results of these studies provide insights into the potential benefits of synbiotic supplementation via in ovo injection, the dietary supplementation of encapsulated polyphenols from olive by-products and rutin supplementation in poultry production. These bioactive compounds demonstrated varying degrees of influence on growth performance, feed efficiency, oxidative stress regulation, and meat quality. However, further studies are needed to optimize their application. This will help maximize the advantages of bioactive compounds, ultimately improving economic viability and promoting environmental sustainability of poultry production systems.
La crescente domanda di una produzione avicola sostenibile e priva di antibiotici ha stimolato la ricerca di composti bioattivi alternativi in grado di migliorare la salute e la produttività dei polli. Questo studio ha indagato gli effetti di vari composti bioattivi e loro metodi di somministrazione sulle performance produttive, stress ossidativo e salute intestinale dei polli da carne e sulla qualità della carne. In particolare, sono stati testati gli effetti dell’iniezione in ovo di diversi simbiotici e della somministrazione nella dieta di polifenoli incapsulati estratti da sottoprodotti dell’industria olearia e di rutina. È stata condotta una prima prova sperimentale che è consistita nell’iniezione in ovo di simbiotici al 12° giorno di incubazione, utilizzando Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25 combinato con diversi prebiotici (idrolizzato proteico non vegetale o estratto liquido di alghe). Dopo speratura, le uova fertili sono state equamente suddivise in quattro trattamenti: i) iniettato con 0,2 ml di soluzione fisiologica salina (gruppo A); ii) iniettato con 0,2 ml di soluzione fisiologica salina contenente l'1% di idrolizzato proteico non vegetale (estratto A) e 1×104 CFU Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25 (H25) (gruppo B); iii) iniettato con 0,2 ml di soluzione fisiologica salina contenente il 2% di estratto A e 1×104 CFU H25 (gruppo C); iv) iniettato con 0,2 ml di soluzione fisiologica salina contenente 0,5% di estratto A e 0,5% di estratto B (estratto liquido di alghe marine) con 1×104 CFU Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25 (gruppo D). I risultati hanno dimostrato che l’iniezione in ovo di diverse soluzioni simbiotiche non ha avuto effetti negativi sulla schiusa o sullo stato di salute dei pulcini. In particolare, i pulcini appartenenti ai gruppi C e D hanno mostrato un aumento significativo della lunghezza corporea, suggerendo un potenziale beneficio per la crescita post-nascita. Una seconda sperimentazione ha valutato l’impatto dei polifenoli incapsulati, derivati da acque di vegetazione e da foglie di olivo, sulle performance di crescita dei polli da carne. Sebbene la supplementazione non abbia influenzato significativamente il peso corporeo e l’accrescimento medio giornaliero, i polli che hanno ricevuto 200 mg/kg di polifenoli incapsulati da acque di vegetazione hanno mostrato un migliore indice di conversione alimentare, indicandone un potenziale utilizzo per una produzione avicola sostenibile. Una terza sperimentazione ha valutato l’effetto dell’integrazione alimentare con rutina (500mg/Kg) sulle performance di crescita, lo stress ossidativo e la salute intestinale dei polli da carne e sulla qualità della carne. La rutina ha mostrato effetti limitati sulle performance di crescita, ma ha esercitato un’importante azione antiossidante, aumentando l’attività della SOD sierica e modulando la via Nrf2/Keap1 nel fegato e nel digiuno. La somministrazione di rutina ha migliorato l’altezza dei villi e il rapporto villo/cripta, e una soppressione dell’espressione genica correlata alla barriera intestinale, suggerendo un effetto ambivalente sulla salute intestinale. Inoltre, la rutina ha migliorato la capacità di ritenzione idrica della carne riducendo le perdite di sgocciolamento e di cottura, contribuendo a una migliore qualità tecnologica della carne. In conclusione, questi risultati forniscono informazioni sui potenziali benefici dell’iniezione in ovo di diversi simbiotici, dell'integrazione alimentare con estratti polifenolici incapsulati da sottoprodotti dell'olivo e dell'integrazione con rutina sulle performance produttive e la salute intestinale dei polli da carne. Sebbene questi composti bioattivi abbiano dimostrato diversi gradi di influenza sulle prestazioni di crescita, sull'efficienza alimentare, sulla regolazione dello stress ossidativo e sulla qualità della carne, sono necessari ulteriori studi per ottimizzarne l'applicazione, migliorando la redditività economica e promuovendo la sostenibilità ambientale degli allevamenti avicoli.
Innovative approaches to poultry health and production: i) synbiotics in ovo, hatchability and chick quality ii) dietary supplementation of encapsulated polyphenols from olive-derived by-products or rutin in broiler chickens
PENG, MENG
2025
Abstract
The increasing demand for sustainable and antibiotic-free poultry production has driven research into alternative bioactive compounds that enhance poultry health and productivity. This study investigated the effects of various bioactive compounds and methods of administration on broiler performance, oxidative stress, intestinal health, and meat quality. Specifically, it tested the effects of in ovo synbiotic supplementation, dietary encapsulated polyphenols derived from olive by-products, and dietary rutin. A in ovo synbiotic injection trial was conducted using Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25 combined with different prebiotics (non-vegetable protein hydrolysate or liquid seaweed extract) at day 12 of incubation. After candling, fertilized eggs were divided into four groups as follows: A, injected with 0.2 ml physiological saline; B, injected with 0.2 ml of physiological saline containing 1% non-vegetable protein hydrolysate (extract A) and 1×104 CFU Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25 (H25); C, injected with 0.2 mL of physiological saline containing 2% extract A and 1×104 CFU H25; D, injected with 0.2 ml of physiological saline containing 0.5% extract A and 0.5% liquid seaweed extract (extract B) with 1×104 CFU Lactobacillus rhamnosus H25. The results demonstrated that synbiotic in ovo injection had no negative impact on hatchability or chick health status. Notably, chicks in groups C and D exhibited significantly increased body length, suggesting a potential benefit for post-hatch growth performance. A second trial assessed the impact of dietary encapsulated polyphenols from olive mill wastewater and olive leaves on broiler growth performance. Polyphenol supplementation did not significantly affect body weight or average daily gain. However, broilers receiving 200 mg/kg encapsulated polyphenols from olive mill wastewater showed a notable improvement of feed conversion ratio, indicating a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable strategy for poultry production. The supplementation with 500 mg/kg rutin was evaluated for its effects on broiler growth, antioxidant status, intestinal health, and meat quality. Rutin supplementation had minimal effects on growth performance, but it exhibited a significant antioxidant effect, enhancing serum SOD activity and modulating the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway in the liver and jejunum. Rutin supplementation improved villus height and the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and downregulated intestinal barrier-related gene expressions, suggesting an ambivalent effect on intestinal health. Additionally, rutin improved meat water-holding capacity and reducing cooking loss and drip loss in both breast and thigh meat, contributing to better meat technological properties. In conclusion, the results of these studies provide insights into the potential benefits of synbiotic supplementation via in ovo injection, the dietary supplementation of encapsulated polyphenols from olive by-products and rutin supplementation in poultry production. These bioactive compounds demonstrated varying degrees of influence on growth performance, feed efficiency, oxidative stress regulation, and meat quality. However, further studies are needed to optimize their application. This will help maximize the advantages of bioactive compounds, ultimately improving economic viability and promoting environmental sustainability of poultry production systems.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14242/217641
URN:NBN:IT:UNIMOL-217641