Effects of dietary supplementation with sage (Salvia officinalis L.) essential oil on antioxidant status and duodenal wall integrity of laying strain growers

The objective of this study was to compare the influence of four different concentrations of Salvia officinalis essential oil (EO) on animal health. A total of 50 laying strain chicks were randomly divided at the day of hatching into five dietary-treatment groups. Control group was given the basal diet (BD), the other four experimental groups contained BD supplemented with 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 g S. officinalis EO/kg diet, respectively. 0.1 g/kg EO increased glutathion peroxidase activity (Gpx) in duodenal mucosa, liver and kidney, phagocytic activity in blood (PA), transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in duodenal tissue and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in plasma and liver. 0.25 g/kg EO increased GPx in liver, total antioxidant status (TAS) in plasma, PA in blood and TEER in duodenal tissue. Our results demonstrate that lower concentrations of EO improve animals’ health status, and that it is necessary keep in mind the selection of sufficient concentration of EO used as animal feed additive

Combined administration of bacteriocin-producing, probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium CCM7420 with Eleutherococcus senticosus and their effect in rabbits

The effect of Enterococcus faecium CCM7420 (EF) – enterocin-producing and probiotic strain of rabbit origin, Eleutherococcus senticosus extract (ES) and their combination (ES+EF) was determined on selected bacteria in faeces and caecum content, leukocytes phagocytosis, blood biochemistry and growth performance. Ninety-six weaned rabbits were divided into 3 experimental (ES, EF, ES+EF) and control group (CG). The rabbits in the groups ES and EF+ES were fed commercial diet enriched with E. senticosus extract (30 g/100 kg feed), rabbits in groups EF and CG were fed untreated diet. The rabbits in the EF and ES+EF groups were administered with an overnight culture of E. faecium CCM7420 strain (500 μl/animal/day into water, 109 CFU/ml). The treatment period lasted 21 days. The microbiological examinations in faecal samples confirmed the presence of E. faecium CCM7420 strain. In groups EF and ES+EF, the reduction of faecal coliforms, Pseudomonas-like sp., Clostridium-like sp. and S. aureus was recorded. Leucocyte phagocytosis significantly increased in all experimental groups (P<0.0001) compared to CG. The lowest GPx values were measured in the ES+EF group. Higher total protein, triglycerides and calcium concentrations were detected in experimental groups compared to CG. The cholesterol concentration decreased in the ES group. The highest average daily gain was recorded in EF group; in ES+EF the better feed conversion ratio and no mortality was recorded. These results indicated that the dietary supplementation with the E. faecium CCM7420 and E. senticosus extract stimulate the leukocytes phagocytosis and reduces the potential pathogens in rabbits digestive tract without oxidative stress and improve the growth performance

Effect of combined administration of enterocin 4231 and sage in rabbits

Enterocin (Ent) 4231, produced by non-rabbit origin strain Enterococcus faecium CCM 4231 was used in combination with sage plant extract in rabbits with the aim to check their antimicrobial activity against microbiota, their effect on immunological, biochemical blood parameters, values of volatile fatty acids in caecum, Eimeria sp. oocysts occurrence and selected parameters of rabbits meat. The animals were divided into three experimental groups (EG1-Ent 4231; EG2- sage; EG3- Ent 4231 with sage) and control group (CG); 24 rabbits in each. Natural substances (NS) were administered for 21 days. The experiment lasted for 42 days. The reduction of microbiota in faeces was observed in EG3 at day 21 by a decrease in the numer of coagulase-positive staphylococci (P<0.01) in comparison with that determined in CG. The bacterial counts in the caecum were lower than those found in faeces. A decrease in the numer of Pseudomonas-like sp. in caeca of the experimental groups was observed at days 21 and 42 (difference in range 0.40-1.87 log cycles) comparing with that determined in CG. At day 21, a significant increase in phagocytic activity (PA, P<0.001) was found in blood of rabbits from EG2 comparing with that observed in CG. At day 42, a significant increase in PA (P<0.001) was determined in all experimental groups in comparison with CG. At day 21, in caecal content of EG3 significantly higher values of lactic acid were observed (P<0.05) in comparison with those found in CG. The reduction of Eimeria sp. oocysts was demonstrated after application of each of NS. Addition of NS did not influence biochemical parameters, meat quality of the animals and does not influence negatively the health status of rabbits