Monobutyrine: a novel feed additive in the diet of broiler chickens

Purpose of the present work was to validate the monoglyceride of butyric acid (MB) as an alternative to antibiotics as growth promoters in the diet of broiler chickens. The approach is a kind of prolongation of previous works, in which a blend of mono-, di- and tri-glycerides of butyric acid have been previously tested. The results indicated that MB was very efficient in limiting the mortality of birds challenged with Eimeria spp., but did not appreciably impair the performance of unchallenged birds. In conclusion, the metabolisable energy content of MB appeared comparable with that of soybean oil and MB a reliable coccidiostat

Effect of three species of herbage (Medicago sativa, Lolium multiflorum, Avena sativa) on in vitro ruminal production of conjugated linoleic and vaccenic acids

Little information is available about the effect of different forage species on the rumen biohydrogenation process. The aim of the present work is to compare the in vitro production of CLA and C18:1 isomers after incubation of three different herbage species in rumen liquor from sheep. Pasture herbage samples of lucerne (Medicago sativa; MS), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum; LM) and oats (Avena sativa; AS) were submitted to in vitro fermentation with sheep rumen inoculum. Samples were collected at 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours of fermentation. The fatty acid profile of MS was characterised by 11.62 (g/100 g of lipid extract) of linoleic acid (LA) and 27.08 (g/100 g of lipid extract) of α-linolenic acid (LNA), whereas LA in the other two herbages was 6.60 (g/100 g of lipid extract) and 6.95 (g/100 g of lipid extract) in AS and LM, respectively; LNA was 52.20 (g/100 g of lipid extract) and 54.49 (g/100 g of lipid extract) in AS and LM, respectively. The crude fat content of botanical species was respectively 11.90 (g/100g DM) for AS, and 15.77 (g/100g DM) for LM and 26.17 (g/100g DM) for MS. Rumenic acid (RA, cis-9, trans-11 CLA) was the predominant CLA isomer and the maximum yield was attained with AS after 6 hours of fermentation (0.81 g/100 g of lipid extract); RA concentration remained quite low with the other two herbages. The concentration of the other isomer (trans-10, cis-12 CLA) was always very low; the maximum yield (0.09 g/100 g of lipid extract) was reached after 6 hours with AS. The maximum yield of vaccenic acid (VA, trans-11 C18:1) was reached after 8 hours with MS (2.64 g/100 g of lipid extract). This herbage also produced the highest amount of trans-10 C18:1 at 6 and 8 hours (0.17 g/100 g of lipid extract). AS appeared to have induced the highest amounts of RA relative to the other two forages. The differences in conjugated dienes and C18:1 isomers content during fermentation could be due not only to different amounts of LA or LNA in the herbage, but also to different releasing times of FA from the plant substrate

Effect of chestnut and quebracho tannins on fatty acid profile in rumen liquid- and solid-associated bacteria: an in vitro study

Tannins are phenolic compounds that interfere with biohydrogenation (BH) of polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs). The aim of the present in vitro study was to investigate the effects of two different sources of tannins on FA profiles of rumen bacteria, with particular reference to rumenic and vaccenic acid. A control diet (C; composed of 300 g/kg of wheat straw, 132 g/kg of soyabean meal, 96 g/kg of barley meal, 152 g/kg of maize meal, 300 g/kg of maize gluten and 20 g/kg of mineral vitamin premix, all expressed on dry matter (DM)) and four diets, obtained by adding to C two different types of tannins from chestnut (TC) and from quebracho (TQ) at two concentration levels (49 and 82 g/kg DM), were compared. The content of the main unsaturated FAs (C18:1 cis9, C18:1 trans11, C18:2 cis9, cis12 and C18:3 cis9, cis12, cis15) from solid-associated bacteria (SAB) and liquid-associated bacteria (LAB) was affected by the presence of tannins in the diets. In particular, C18:1 trans11 content was significantly increased, especially with TC1, whereas the decreasing of C18:1 cis9 was unaffected, regardless of the presence or the kind of tannins added to feeds. SAB contained higher amounts of intermediates of polyunsaturated FA BH (as C18:1 trans11 and C18:2 cis9, trans11) than LAB that were characterized by a higher amount of C18:0. In the concentration range adopted in this study, the effect of TC and TQ on changes of bacterial FA profile was comparable. Tannins seem to be a good means to modulate the FA profile of rumen bacteria, favouring the accumulation of C18:1 trans11 during in vitro rumen fermentation

Efficacy test of a hydrolysable tannin extract against necrotic enteritis in challenged broiler chickens

A hydrolysable tannin extracted from chestnut (SaviotaN®) was tested for efficacy in controlling the proliferation of Clostridium perfringens in the gut of broiler chickens challenged via oral gavage first with coccidia (Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima) at the age of 10 days, and then with Clostridium perfringens at the age of 15 days. We randomly allocated 150 broiler chickens within 5 poultry isolators (30 birds each). Dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet (C) composed of corn [575 g/kg on dry matter (DM)] and soybean meal (100 g/kg DM), barley bran (220 g/kg DM), corn gluten feed (30 g/kg DM), soybean oil (25 g/kg DM), vitamin mineral premix (49.5 g/kg DM), and four other diets obtained by adding chestnut tannin extract (1.5, 3, 5, and 12 g/kg during week 1, 10.0 g/kg during week 2, and 8.0 g/kg during the last two weeks, respectively) to C. At the age of 20 days, 15 birds/group were euthanised and individually examined for the level of gut infection by count- ing Clostridium perfringens and macroscopic gut lesions. Results demonstrated that chestnut tan- nin gave significant results even at low concen- tration levels in the feed (1.5 to 3.0 g/kg), but was actually efficient in controlling necrotic enteritis at levels ≥5.0 g/kg. The treatment (12.0 g/kg dur- ing the first week and 8.0 g/kg during the last two weeks of age) resulted very efficient in control- ling the proliferation of Clostridium perfringens and in reducing the severity of gut damage com- pared to the untreated infected group

. Nutritional characteristics and quality of eggs from laying hens fed on a diet supplemented with chestnut tannin extract (Castanea sativa Miller)

1. The trial was performed with 80 laying hens belonging to two Tuscan autochthonous breeds: 40 birds of the Mugellese breed (MU) and 40 of the White Leghorn breed (WL). 2. The animals were allotted to 4 groups of 20 hens each: two groups were fed on a commercial diet and worked as the control groups (MUC and WLC); the other two groups received the same diet, integrated with 2 g of chestnut tannin extract per kg of diet (MUT and WLT). 3. A sample of 70 eggs were randomly collected and analysed for cholesterol content, fatty acid profile, weight, thickness of shell and colour of yolk. 4. Physical parameters, including yolk colour, and indices of egg quality were not affected by the treatments. 5. The concentration of unsaturated fatty acids increased whereas cholesterol was significantly decreased: -17% in WLT and -9% in MUT. Dietary supplementation with chestnut tannin extract resulted in a modification of lipid composition, toward a more healthy quality of eggs

Field bean (Vicia faba var. minor) as a protein feed for growing lambs with and without protected lysine and methionine supplementation

Thirty-two Appenninica lambs were submitted to a growth trial from day 60 to day 110 of age (on average) and the com- position of gains was estimated by means of the comparative slaughter technique. Sixteen different diets, based on wheat straw as the forage and on field bean (Vicia faba var. minor) as the sole protein feed, were tested both by means of ANOVA and of response surface analysis, a multiple regression method designed to study additive and interaction effects. This study thus examined the combined effect of 4 levels of dietary CP (13, 15, 18, 20% DM) and 4 levels of rumen protected lysine and methionine, replacing 4 levels of field bean CP (0, 1, 2, 3 percent units), upon intakes, gains, digestibility and retentions of nutrients within gains. The animals had rather high gains (250 g/d on average) and retention efficiencies both of feed nitrogen and energy. Dietary CP levels higher than 18% and amino acid supplementation appeared of no use in improving the lambs’ performance. It is concluded that field bean may represent a valid alternative to soy bean as a pro- tein feed for growing ruminants in the so-called “organic” animal production where transgenic soy is banned

Changes in conjugated linoleic acid and C18:1 isomers profile during the ripening of Pecorino Toscano cheese produced with raw milk

The aim of the present study was to investigate the evolution of the fatty acid profile, with particular attention to conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and to C18:1 isomers, during ripening of sheep cheese (Pecorino Toscano cheese) produced with raw milk. After 60 days of ripening the total concentration of C18:1 isomers and that of CLA pool content decreased. In particular, if isomers profile is considered, the percentage of trans11 C18:1, trans10 C18:1 and cis9, trans11 CLA decreased as consequence of biohydrogenation or of double bonds isomerisation, while the concentration of trans10, cis12 CLA increased

Effect of chestnut tannins and short chain fatty acids as anti-microbials and as feeding supplements in broilers rearing and meat quality

Chestnut tannins (CT) and saturated short medium chain fatty acids (SMCFA) are valid alternatives to contrast the growth of pathogens in poultry rearing, representing a valid alternative to antibiotics. However, the effect of their blends has never been tested. Two blends of CT extract and Sn1-monoglycerides of SMCFA (SN1) were tested in vitro against the proliferation of Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella typhymurium, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni. The tested concentrations were: 3.0 g/kg of CT; 3.0 g/kg of SN1; 2.0 g/kg of CT and 1.0 g/kg of SN1; 1.0 g/kg of CT and 2.0 g/kg of SN1. Furthermore, their effect on broiler performances and meat quality was evaluated in vivo: one-hundred Ross 308 male birds were fed a basal diet with no supplement (control group) or supplemented with CT or SN1 or their blends at the same concentration used in the in vitro trial. The in vitro assay confirmed the effectiveness of the CT and SN1 mixtures in reducing the growth of the tested bacteria while the in vivo trial showed that broiler performances, animal welfare and meat quality were not negatively affected by the blends, which could be a promising alternative in replacing antibiotics in poultry production