Broiler excreta composition and its effect on wet litter : aspects of nutrition

In commercial broiler farms, birds are usually housed on litter, composed of bedding materials like wood shavings. Wet litter is a condition in which the litter reaches its saturation threshold for water and cannot hold more moisture. It causes increased microbial activity and, as a result, ammonia is produced and emitted into the air. Wet litter can result in negative welfare issues (e.g., footpad dermatitis) and also a reduced performance. Wet litter is a multifactorial problem, involving management, housing, disease, diet, and gut health factors. In this thesis, nutritional aspects on excreta moisture content were studied in four different experiments. Different dietary compositions were evaluated and the results show that reductions in excreta water content were related to increased transit time and/or reduced water reabsorption in the hindgut. Insoluble fibers, if they are combined with a coarse diet, can be used to slow down transit time and optimize digestibility, thereby improving both excreta and litter quality. Minerals (e.g., Mg) and other undigested nutrients increase the osmotic load of the digesta in the hindgut and, as a result, more water is moving into the gut lumen. Changing the type or level of nutrients that reach the hindgut by varying dietary ingredients (medium-chain fatty acids, nonstarch polysaccharides, and starch) had limited effects on the ileal microbiota composition. Additionally, no effects of variations in commensal bacteria and excreta quality were observed. In this thesis, different parameters to assess the status of water in excreta and litter samples were evaluated. Water in the excreta or litter can be present in free form or bound, therefore solely total moisture content may not be sufficient to describe excreta and litter quality. Water activity correlates well with microbial growth. However, its use is limited in high moisture (> 30%) content samples. Free water, even though this parameter is dependent of the centrifugal speed applied, seems to be a more valuable parameter to assess excreta quality. The results from this thesis show that nutrition can be used to manipulate excreta and litter moisture content. The effects of nutritional manipulation can be related to (in)digestibility of nutrients, although transit time also seems to be an important factor determining excreta moisture output. Current feed strategies need to aim at optimizing the gastro-intestinal tract functions via the diet. Besides assessment of litter quality, also monitoring excreta quality throughout the growing period is highly recommended for managing litter quality, broiler health, and environmental impact. This should not be limited to measuring total excreta moisture, as the results of this thesis show that the status of the water in the excreta can be different.</p

Цитологическая диагностика заболеваний эндометрия с помощью решающего правила

Изучены цитограммы 216 больных, у 137 из них по данным клинического обследования и гистологически установлен рак эндометрия (РЭ), у 79 — железистая гиперплазия эндометрия (ГЭ). На основании детального описания клеточного состава мазков аспиратов полости матки составлен перечень всех клеточных элементов цитограмм, выделены структурные и клеточные признаки атипии клеток эндометрия, оценена степень их выраженности и создан алгоритм цитологического исследования эндометрия. Проведена компьютерная обработка данных микроскопического исследования цитограмм с построением экспертной системы для распознавания патологических процессов эндометрия. Разработано решающее правило (РП), включающее 12 наиболее значимых дифференциально-диагностических цитологических признаков ГЭ и РЭ: нарушение полярности ядер (клеток) в структурах, многорядие, наличие ядер и ядрышек неправильной формы, макронуклеол, ядерно-цитоплазменный индекс выше 0,7, неровная ядерная мембрана, опухолевый диатез, пласты гигантских размеров, пласты сложной формы с сосудисто-стромальным компонентом, петлистый рисунок хроматина и трехмерные структуры в виде шаров. Применение РП в сложных диагностических случаях имеет важное консультативное значение. Ключевые слова: рак эндометрия, дифференциальная диагностика, решающее правило.Cytograms of 216 patients were reviewed, including 137 patients with endometrium cancer (EC) diagnosed on the basis of clinical and histological data and 79 patients with hyperplasia of the endometrium (EH). On the basis of in-detail description of the cellular composition of the uterine cavity aspirate smears, a list of all cellular elements present in the cytograms was established; structural and cellular signs of the atypia of endometrium cells were identified; the degree of their evidence was assessed; and the algorithm for the cytological investigation of the endometrium was established. Data of microscopic studies of the cytograms were processed with the help of computers and an expert system for identification of pathology processes in the endometrium was created. A decision rule (DR) was developed, which includes 12 most important differential diagnostics cytological signs of EH and EC, such as: deteriorated polarity of nuclei (cells) in the structures, multiple layers, presence of irregular-shaped nuclei and nucleoli, macronucleoli, nucleocytoplasmic ratio exceeding 0.7, irregular nuclear membrane, tumor diathesis, giant-size layers, odd-shaped layers with vascular-stromal component, loopy pattern of the chromatin and structures in the form of three-dimension spheres. Application of the DR in complicated diagnostic cases is of a considerable consultative importance. Key Words: endometrium cancer, differential diagnostics, decision rule

Інформаційне суспільство як нова утопічна модель розвитку світу

У статті аналізується утопія як нова суперечлива інформаційно-технічна ідилія. Автор розглядає утопію інформаційного суспільства як орієнтацію на те, що відсутнє у суспільстві. Досліджується формування утопій ХХ ст., котрі, залежно він поставленої мети, впливають на особистість і творять нові цінності.The article examines utopia as a new contradictory information and technical idyll. The utopia of the information society is considered to be an orientation on what is missing in society. The author investigates the formation of utopias of the twentieth century, which affect personality and create new values depending on their persecuted goals

Dietary amino acid levels and feed restriction affect small intestinal development, mortality, and weight gain of maile broilers

This study investigated the effect of 2 different dietary amino acid treatments and feed restriction in early life versus a control treatment on development of the small intestine segments (weights), mortality, and broiler performance. Each treatment was applied to 6 cages with Ross 308 male broilers and to 6 cages with Cobb 500 male broilers with 24 birds per cage. A control treatment (100% ideal protein) was compared with a treatment with 30% extra ideal protein, a treatment with daily adjustment of the dietary amino acid level and profile, and a feed restriction treatment. The protein treatments were applied from 0 to 14 d of age. The feed restriction was applied from 4 to 21 d of age. Restriction was 15% from d 4 to 14 of age and diminished with equal daily steps thereafter to 5% at 21 d of age. Birds were weighed and dissected for evaluation of small intestine weights at 6, 9, 14, and 36 d of age. Feed intake restriction reduced leg problems in Ross and Cobb broilers. Extra dietary protein reduced leg problems in Ross broilers only. The present experiment does not show that small intestinal weight development is related to mortality. Thirty percent extra dietary ideal protein increased duodenum weight between 6 and 9 d of age. This was not further increased by the daily optimization of the dietary amino acid level and profile. The increased duodenum weights coincided with an improved BW gain. This indicates that duodenum weight may be important in facilitating BW gain in young broilers. Thus, it may be worthwhile to pay more attention to the relation between nutrition and duodenum weight and duodenum function in further studies

Effect of different magnesium sources on digesta and excreta moisture content and production performance in broiler chickens

Reducing litter moisture is an effective measure to reduce the incidence of footpad dermatitis. Dietary mineral levels affect intestinal conditions with regard to osmolarity and water reabsorption. Magnesium is often used as a laxative, preventing reabsorption of water from the digesta, and as a consequence, more moisture in the excreta. The objective of the current experiment was to evaluate Mg in broiler diets as a model for reduced intestinal water reabsorption. Effects of magnesium source (magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and magnesium chloride), each at 3 levels (0.255, 1.02, and 2.04 g·kg-1 diet), were studied. Measured effects were digesta moisture levels throughout the gastrointestinal tract and the moisture level of the excreta. The 10 treatments were randomly assigned to cages within 6 blocks, resulting in 6 replicates per treatments with 18 birds per replicate. Adding magnesium to the diet of broilers linearly increased the excreta moisture content, following the pattern MgCl > MgSO4 = MgO. This rejects the hypothesis that MgO and MgCl are less laxative sources compared with MgSO4. The magnesium sources most likely changed the water reabsorption in the distal gastrointestinal tract, as confirmed by the increased digesta moisture percentage in the ceca and colon. Increasing dietary MgSO4 linearly reduced BW gain and feed intake, though absolute differences were minor. The results of this experiment show that Mg addition in the diet may be used as a model to study wet litter caused by reduced intestinal water reabsorption

Evaluation of free water and water activity measurements as functional alternatives to total moisture content in broiler excreta and litter samples

Litter moisture contents vary greatly between and within practical poultry barns. The current experiment was designed to measure the effects of 8 different dietary characteristics on litter and excreta moisture content. Additionally, free water content and water activity of the excreta and litter were evaluated as additional quality measures. The dietary treatments consisted of nonstarch polysaccharide content (NSP; corn vs. wheat), particle size of insoluble fiber (coarse vs. finely ground oat hulls), viscosity of a nonfermentable fiber (low- and high-viscosity carboxymethyl cellulose), inclusion of a clay mineral (sepiolite), and inclusion of a laxative electrolyte (MgSO4). The 8 treatments were randomly assigned to cages within blocks, resulting in 12 replicates per treatment with 6 birds per replicate. Limited effects of the dietary treatments were noted on excreta and litter water activity, and indications were observed that this measurement is limited in high-moisture samples. Increasing dietary NSP content by feeding a corn-based diet (low NSP) compared with a wheat-based diet (high NSP) increased water intake, excreta moisture and free water, and litter moisture content. Adding insoluble fibers to the wheat-based diet reduced excreta and litter moisture content, as well as litter water activity. Fine grinding of the oat hulls diminished the effect on litter moisture and water activity. However, excreta moisture and free water content were similar when fed finely or coarsely ground oat hulls. The effects of changing viscosity and adding a clay mineral or laxative deviated from results observed in previous studies. Findings of the current experiment indicate a potential for excreta free water measurement as an additional parameter to assess excreta quality besides total moisture. The exact implication of this parameter warrants further investigation

Moisture content in broiler excreta is influenced by excreta nutrient contents

High litter moisture content, often referred to as wet litter, is a major problem in poultry production. Wet litter is often related to poor management, diseases, and digestive problems. In this experiment, the objective was to study the relationship between nutrient content and the moisture content of the excreta of broilers. A dataset containing 351 observations was built and contained the nutrient contents data including moisture content of excreta samples collected in 8 different broiler feeding trials. A biological based model approach was used to create a model with 10 and another one with 14 variables that may explain the excreta moisture level response. Subsequently, these models were compared with a statistical model that was built automatically and adjusted only if this improved the biological model. The R(2) of the 10 variable model was 0.54, in which Zn content and the interaction of NDF × K and Ca × P content were negatively associated with excreta moisture. Sodium, P, and Ca content and the interaction between content of NDF × Na were positively associated with excreta moisture. The R(2) of the 14 variable model was 0.58, in which Zn and K content and the interaction of NDF × protein and Ca × P content were negatively associated with excreta moisture, and Na, protein, P, and Ca content and the interactions in contents of NDF × Na, NDF × Zn, and K × Cu were positively associated with excreta moisture content. In conclusion, the models confirmed the effect of Na, protein, P, and Ca on excreta moisture content. Furthermore, hitherto unknown nutrient interactions that contribute to excreta moisture level were identified. As excreta levels of most nutrients can be manipulated by adjusting dietary nutrient levels, dietary formulation can be adjusted with the findings of this analysis to change levels of excreted nutrients and, consequently, also moisture outpu

Effect of different magnesium sources on digesta and excreta moisture content and production performance in broiler chickens

Reducing litter moisture is an effective measure to reduce the incidence of footpad dermatitis. Dietary mineral levels affect intestinal conditions with regard to osmolarity and water reabsorption. Magnesium is often used as a laxative, preventing reabsorption of water from the digesta, and as a consequence, more moisture in the excreta. The objective of the current experiment was to evaluate Mg in broiler diets as a model for reduced intestinal water reabsorption. Effects of magnesium source (magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and magnesium chloride), each at 3 levels (0.255, 1.02, and 2.04 g·kg-1 diet), were studied. Measured effects were digesta moisture levels throughout the gastrointestinal tract and the moisture level of the excreta. The 10 treatments were randomly assigned to cages within 6 blocks, resulting in 6 replicates per treatments with 18 birds per replicate. Adding magnesium to the diet of broilers linearly increased the excreta moisture content, following the pattern MgCl > MgSO4 = MgO. This rejects the hypothesis that MgO and MgCl are less laxative sources compared with MgSO4. The magnesium sources most likely changed the water reabsorption in the distal gastrointestinal tract, as confirmed by the increased digesta moisture percentage in the ceca and colon. Increasing dietary MgSO4 linearly reduced BW gain and feed intake, though absolute differences were minor. The results of this experiment show that Mg addition in the diet may be used as a model to study wet litter caused by reduced intestinal water reabsorption

In ovo inoculation of chicken embryos with probiotic bacteria and its effect on posthatch Salmonella susceptibility

The feasibility of establishing probiotic bacteria in the intestine of broiler chickens by in ovo inoculation was investigated, followed by verifying possible subsequent protection against Salmonella Enteriditis infection. In a first study, 7 commercially available probiotics were screened for compatibility with in ovo inoculation. Two of these probiotics, one being a Enterococcus faecium and the other a Bacillus subtilis, were selected for colonizing the chick gut without compromising hatchability. In a second study, these 2 products were administered in ovo and in the feed to chicks reared until 18 d in comparison with noninoculated chicks and with chicks fed an antibiotic. All chicks were orally challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis at 4 d of age. Results showed reduced performance of Salmonella Enteritidis challenged chicks fed no additives compared with challenged chicks fed antibiotic, but no significant differences in mortality was observed. Probiotics offered in ovo or through the diet could only partially recover performance compared with antibiotic-fed chicks. A significant reduction in the number of Salmonella Enteritidis positive chicks was observed when chicks were in ovo inoculated with E. faecium and continued receiving it in the diet. This work establishes standards for future in ovo colonization research and emphasizes its value as a promising method to deliver individual precise dose of probiotics to poultry in mass scale at the earliest possible age based on the competitive exclusion concept. In ovo colonization with probiotic can therefore become an important ally in combination with other approaches to combat Salmonella and other intestinal bacterial infections in poultry © 2014 Poultry Science Association Inc

Ileal microbiota composition of broilers fed various commercial diet compositions

Microbiota plays a role in the release and absorption of nutrients from feed components, thereby affecting digesta composition and moisture content of the excreta. The objective of the current study was to determine the effects of 5 different diets varying in ingredients (medium-chain fatty acids, nonstarch polysaccharides, and starch) on the microbiota composition of ileal digesta of broiler chickens and excreta DM content. Each treatment was repeated 6 times in cages each containing 18 Ross 308 broilers, with growth performance measured from 0 to 34 d of age and excreta DM and ileal microbiota composition analyzed at 34 d of age. Microbiota composition was evaluated using a novel ribosomal RNA microarray technology containing 370 different probes covering various genera, groups of microbial species, and individual species of the chicken gut microbiota, of which 321 had a signal above the background threshold. Replacing part of the animal fat and soybean oil in the wheat-based diet with medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA; 0.3% C10 and 2.7% C12) improved feed efficiency compared with the other dietary treatments. This coincided with a suppression of gram-positive bacteria belonging to the phylum of the Firmicutes, including Lactobacillus species, and species belonging to the family of the Enterococcaceae and Micrococcaceae, whereas the gram-negative bacteria belonging to the family of the Enterobacteriaceae were promoted. None of the other diets used in the present study notably changed the ileal digesta bacteria composition. Excreta DM content was not affected by dietary treatment. The variation between individual birds per dietary treatment was more pronounced than variation caused by feed composition, with the exception of the digesta microbiota of the birds fed the MCFA diet. It is concluded that a diet with MCFA significantly changes the ileal microbiota composition, whereas the effect of the other diets on the composition of the microbiota and excreta DM content is small in broiler chickens