Alagbe Emmanuel Oluwabukunmi, Schulze Hagen, Adeola Olayiwola
Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
Livalta, an AB Agri Company, Peterborough, United Kingdom.
J Anim Sci. 2024 Jan 3;102. doi: 10.1093/jas/skae186.
This study investigated the growth performance, nutrient utilization, and intestinal health responses of Eimeria-challenged broiler chickens to dietary Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis). On day 1, birds were assigned to 2 diets supplemented with Spirulina (0 or 5 g/kg) in a randomized complete block design. The birds within each diet were divided into 2 Eimeria-challenge groups (challenge or no-challenge) and that resulted in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 2 levels each of Spirulina and challenge on day 14. On day 15, the birds in the challenge or no-challenge groups were orally gavaged with a solution containing Eimeria oocysts or 1% PBS, respectively. Samples were collected on days 21 and 26 (6- and 11-d post-infection; dpi). Data collected from days 1 to 26 were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Birds that were fed Spirulina-supplemented diets had increased (P < 0.05) BW gain, gain-to-feed ratio, and total tract retention nitrogen from days 14 to 21. The ileal villus perimeter and area, serum catalase, HMOX1 and SOD1 jejunal abundance were all increased (P < 0.05) in birds fed Spirulina-supplemented diets on day 21 (6 dpi). However, there was no effect on bone ash or oocyst count. From days 21 to 26, there was a tendency (P = 0.059) for a Spirulina × Challenge interaction on the BW gain of birds. Moreover, dietary Spirulina addition increased (P < 0.05) serum catalase, total antioxidant capacity, ileal villus perimeter, tibia bone ash, and the relative mRNA expression of HMOX1, SOD1, claudin 1, and TNFα in the jejunal mucosa of birds on day 26 (11 dpi). On both 6 and 11 dpi, the Eimeria challenge negatively (P < 0.05) impacted growth performance, gut morphology, and the relative mRNA expression of genes. Overall, assessing the impact of Spirulina in broilers revealed its positive antioxidant, immune-modulating, and health benefits. However, its dietary addition did not completely reverse the Eimeria-induced effects in these birds. Ultimately, this study outlines the positive properties of dietary Spirulina beyond its use in the diet of healthy broiler chickens.
本研究调查了感染艾美耳球虫的肉鸡对日粮中添加螺旋藻（钝顶节旋藻）的生长性能、养分利用率和肠道健康反应。在第1天，采用随机完全区组设计将鸡分为2种添加螺旋藻（0或5 g/kg）的日粮组。每种日粮中的鸡又分为2个艾美耳球虫感染组（感染或未感染），这形成了一个2×2析因设计，在第14天螺旋藻和感染各有2个水平。在第15天，感染组或未感染组的鸡分别口服含有艾美耳球虫卵囊的溶液或1%的磷酸盐缓冲液。在第21天和第26天（感染后6天和11天；dpi）采集样本。使用SAS的MIXED程序分析从第1天到第26天收集的数据。在第14天到第21天，采食添加螺旋藻日粮的鸡体重增加（P<0.05）、料重比提高，全肠道氮保留量增加。在第21天（6 dpi），采食添加螺旋藻日粮的鸡回肠绒毛周长和面积、血清过氧化氢酶、血红素加氧酶1（HMOX1）和超氧化物歧化酶1（SOD1）在空肠中的丰度均增加（P<0.05）。然而，对骨灰或卵囊计数没有影响。从第21天到第26天，螺旋藻×感染对鸡体重增加存在趋势性影响（P = 0.059）。此外，在第26天（11 dpi），日粮中添加螺旋藻可增加（P<0.05）鸡的血清过氧化氢酶、总抗氧化能力、回肠绒毛周长、胫骨骨灰以及空肠黏膜中HMOX1、SOD1、紧密连接蛋白1和肿瘤坏死因子α（TNFα）的相对mRNA表达。在6 dpi和|1 dpi时，艾美耳球虫感染均对生长性能、肠道形态和基因的相对mRNA表达产生负面影响（P<0.05）。总体而言，评估螺旋藻对肉鸡的影响发现其具有积极的抗氧化、免疫调节和健康益处。然而，在日粮中添加螺旋藻并不能完全逆转艾美耳球虫对这些鸡的影响。最终，本研究概述了日粮中螺旋藻除了在健康肉鸡日粮中的应用之外的积极特性。
