Background: Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostfidium perffingens infection leads to serious economic losses in the global poultry production. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of essential ...Background: Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostfidium perffingens infection leads to serious economic losses in the global poultry production. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of essential oils (EO, which contained 25 % thymol and 25 % carvacrol as active components) supplementation on growth performance, gut lesions, intestinal morphology, and immune responses of the broiler chickens infected with C. perfringens. A total of 448 1-day-old male broiler chicks were allocated into eight treatment groups following a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement with four dietary EO dosages (0, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg) and two infection status (with or without C. perfringens challenge from d 14 to 20). Results: The challenge did not impair the growth performance of birds, but induced gut lesions and increased crypt depth in the ileum (P ≤ 0.05). It also down-regulated the claudin-1 and occludin mRNA expression (P ≤0.05), up-regulated the mRNA expression of interleukin-113 (P≤ 0.05), tended to increase the toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 mRNA expression (P 〈 0.10) in the ileum, and enhanced the mucosal secretory IgA production (P 〈 0.05). In the challenged birds, dietary EO supplementation linearly alleviated the gut lesions and improved the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P ≤0.05), and the supplementation of 120 and 240 mg/kg EO increased the serum antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus (P≤ 0.05). Regardless of challenge, the EO supplementation showed a tendency to linearly elevate the feed conversion efficiency between 14 and 28 d of age as well as the occludin mRNA expression (P〈 0.10), and linearly inhibited the mRNA expression of TLR2 and tumor necrotic factor-o in the ileum (P≤ 0.05). Conclusions: The dietary supplementation of EO could alleviate the intestinal injury by improving intestinal integrity and modulating immune responses in the C. perffingens-challenged broiler chickens.展开更多
Background: In the post-antibiotic era, essential oils (EO) are promising alternatives to growth-promoting antibiotics. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activities of an EO product ...Background: In the post-antibiotic era, essential oils (EO) are promising alternatives to growth-promoting antibiotics. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activities of an EO product and its components thymol and carvacrol in vitro, and the efficacy of EO to control Clostridium perffingens challenge in broiler chickens. Results: The in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration assay showed strong antibacterial activity of the EO product, thymol, and carvacrol against pathogenic Escherichia col~, C. perffingens, and Salmonella strains, and weak activity towards beneficial Lactobacillus strains. Besides, an additive effect was observed between thymol and carvacrol. The in vivo study was carried out with 448 male broiler chicks following a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement to test the effects of EO supplementation (0, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg EO in wheat-based diet), pathogen challenge (with or without oral gavage of C. perfr/ngens from day 14 to day 20) and their interactions. Each treatment consisted of eight replicate pens (seven birds/pen). The challenge led to macroscopic gut lesions, and resulted in a significant increase in ileal populations of C. perffingens and Eschefichia subgroup (P ≤ 0.05) on day 21. Dietary EO supplementation did not influence C. perfringens numbers, but linearly alleviated intestinal lesions on day 21 and 28 (P= 0.010 and 0.036, respectively), and decreased Eschefichia populations in ileum with increased EO dosages (P = 0.027 and 0.071 for day 21 and 28, respectively). For caecum, EO quadratically influenced Lactobacillus populations on day 21 (P = 0.002), and linearly decreased the numbers of total bacteria and Eschefichio on day 28 (P = 0.026 and 0.060, respectively). Mean thymol and carvacrol concentrations in the small intestine were 0.21 and 0.20 μg/g in intestinal digesta (wet weight), respectively, for birds fed 60 mg/kg EO, and 0.80 and 0.71 μg/g, respectively, for birds fed 240 mg/kg EO. Conclusions: These results indicated that dietary EO supplementation could affect intestinal microbiota and alleviate intestinal lesions in broilers, which may contribute in controlling C. perffingens infection in broiler chickens.展开更多
The relationship between moisture loss and oil uptake at different combination of Frying Oil Temperatures (FOT) and time during deep-fat frying of chicken meat was investigated in this study. Chicken meat samples were...The relationship between moisture loss and oil uptake at different combination of Frying Oil Temperatures (FOT) and time during deep-fat frying of chicken meat was investigated in this study. Chicken meat samples were diced and fried at different FOT (170°C, 180°C, and 190°C) in an industrial fryer for periods varying from 5 to 900 s. Fat analysis was accomplished in a soxhlet extraction apparatus with petroleum ether solvent. Prior to fat analysis samples were freeze dried and the moisture analysis was based on the standard AOAC standard method. The results show that a cook value of 415 s was found to give the most ideal sensory characteristics. The relationship between moisture loss and oil uptake during the initial phase of frying (°C and 190°C, respectively, and the rate (1.35 g/s) at FOT 170°C was significantly (P < 0.05) lower.展开更多
Due to the removal of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and consumer pressure for antibiotic-free (ABF) or no antibiotics ever (NAE) poultry production, there is a need for sustainable alternatives to prevent disease...Due to the removal of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and consumer pressure for antibiotic-free (ABF) or no antibiotics ever (NAE) poultry production, there is a need for sustainable alternatives to prevent disease in commercial poultry operations. Without AGPs, there has been a rise in diseases that were traditionally controlled by subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics in the diet. This has impacted the health of commercial poultry and has been a significant cost to poultry producers. To mitigate this, the industry has started to investigate alternatives to antibiotics to treat these forthcoming health issues, such as necrotic enteritis (NE). NE is an enteric disease caused by an over proliferation of toxigenic Clostridium perfringens (CP) in the gastrointestinal tract. Although CP is a commensal in the avian intestinal tract, dysbiosis caused by inflammation and impaired intestinal integrity facilitates uncontrolled replication of CP. Infectious agents, such as Eimeria maxima, appear to be a predominant predisposing factor that promotes NE. However, non-infectious stressors, including dietary changes, have also been associated with NE to some degree. As a result of increased pressure to restrict the use of antibiotics, there is a need for research evaluating the efficacy of alternatives, such as plant-derived essential oils, as potential tools to mitigate NE in commercial poultry flocks. The aim of this study is to review the effects of essential oils as an alternative to antibiotics to reduce the incidence and severity of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.展开更多
The potential of biodiesel fuels from various vegetable oil sources such as sunflower (SFME), safflower (SAFME), peanut (PME) and canola (CME) as well as from low-cost chicken fat (CFME) to supplement increasing biodi...The potential of biodiesel fuels from various vegetable oil sources such as sunflower (SFME), safflower (SAFME), peanut (PME) and canola (CME) as well as from low-cost chicken fat (CFME) to supplement increasing biodiesel demands must be evaluated in terms of the corresponding engine performance and exhaust emissions. In this study, two diesel engines rated at 14.2 kW (small) and 60 kW (large) were operated by using the different biodiesel fuels and a reference diesel. Results showed that both the small and large engines delivered similar power when using biodiesel fuels in the expense of higher brake-specific fuel consumptions (BSFC). Higher exhaust concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) while lower carbon dioxide (CO) and negligible sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions were observed in both engines. Total hydrocarbon emissions (THC) were higher in both engines when using SME, SFME and CME but comparable when using CFME, SAFME and PME in the large engine. Thus, with the increasing demand for biodiesel, alternative feedstock sources such as those used in this study may be utilized to take advantage of their availability, renewability and environmental benefits.展开更多
基金supported by Novus International Company (Missouri, USA)the earmarked fund for China Agricultural Research Systems (CARS-42)
文摘Background: Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostfidium perffingens infection leads to serious economic losses in the global poultry production. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of essential oils (EO, which contained 25 % thymol and 25 % carvacrol as active components) supplementation on growth performance, gut lesions, intestinal morphology, and immune responses of the broiler chickens infected with C. perfringens. A total of 448 1-day-old male broiler chicks were allocated into eight treatment groups following a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement with four dietary EO dosages (0, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg) and two infection status (with or without C. perfringens challenge from d 14 to 20). Results: The challenge did not impair the growth performance of birds, but induced gut lesions and increased crypt depth in the ileum (P ≤ 0.05). It also down-regulated the claudin-1 and occludin mRNA expression (P ≤0.05), up-regulated the mRNA expression of interleukin-113 (P≤ 0.05), tended to increase the toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 mRNA expression (P 〈 0.10) in the ileum, and enhanced the mucosal secretory IgA production (P 〈 0.05). In the challenged birds, dietary EO supplementation linearly alleviated the gut lesions and improved the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P ≤0.05), and the supplementation of 120 and 240 mg/kg EO increased the serum antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus (P≤ 0.05). Regardless of challenge, the EO supplementation showed a tendency to linearly elevate the feed conversion efficiency between 14 and 28 d of age as well as the occludin mRNA expression (P〈 0.10), and linearly inhibited the mRNA expression of TLR2 and tumor necrotic factor-o in the ileum (P≤ 0.05). Conclusions: The dietary supplementation of EO could alleviate the intestinal injury by improving intestinal integrity and modulating immune responses in the C. perffingens-challenged broiler chickens.
基金supported by Novus International Company(Missouri,USA)the earmarked fund for China Agricultural Research Systems(CARS-42)
文摘Background: In the post-antibiotic era, essential oils (EO) are promising alternatives to growth-promoting antibiotics. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activities of an EO product and its components thymol and carvacrol in vitro, and the efficacy of EO to control Clostridium perffingens challenge in broiler chickens. Results: The in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration assay showed strong antibacterial activity of the EO product, thymol, and carvacrol against pathogenic Escherichia col~, C. perffingens, and Salmonella strains, and weak activity towards beneficial Lactobacillus strains. Besides, an additive effect was observed between thymol and carvacrol. The in vivo study was carried out with 448 male broiler chicks following a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement to test the effects of EO supplementation (0, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg EO in wheat-based diet), pathogen challenge (with or without oral gavage of C. perfr/ngens from day 14 to day 20) and their interactions. Each treatment consisted of eight replicate pens (seven birds/pen). The challenge led to macroscopic gut lesions, and resulted in a significant increase in ileal populations of C. perffingens and Eschefichia subgroup (P ≤ 0.05) on day 21. Dietary EO supplementation did not influence C. perfringens numbers, but linearly alleviated intestinal lesions on day 21 and 28 (P= 0.010 and 0.036, respectively), and decreased Eschefichia populations in ileum with increased EO dosages (P = 0.027 and 0.071 for day 21 and 28, respectively). For caecum, EO quadratically influenced Lactobacillus populations on day 21 (P = 0.002), and linearly decreased the numbers of total bacteria and Eschefichio on day 28 (P = 0.026 and 0.060, respectively). Mean thymol and carvacrol concentrations in the small intestine were 0.21 and 0.20 μg/g in intestinal digesta (wet weight), respectively, for birds fed 60 mg/kg EO, and 0.80 and 0.71 μg/g, respectively, for birds fed 240 mg/kg EO. Conclusions: These results indicated that dietary EO supplementation could affect intestinal microbiota and alleviate intestinal lesions in broilers, which may contribute in controlling C. perffingens infection in broiler chickens.
文摘The relationship between moisture loss and oil uptake at different combination of Frying Oil Temperatures (FOT) and time during deep-fat frying of chicken meat was investigated in this study. Chicken meat samples were diced and fried at different FOT (170°C, 180°C, and 190°C) in an industrial fryer for periods varying from 5 to 900 s. Fat analysis was accomplished in a soxhlet extraction apparatus with petroleum ether solvent. Prior to fat analysis samples were freeze dried and the moisture analysis was based on the standard AOAC standard method. The results show that a cook value of 415 s was found to give the most ideal sensory characteristics. The relationship between moisture loss and oil uptake during the initial phase of frying (°C and 190°C, respectively, and the rate (1.35 g/s) at FOT 170°C was significantly (P < 0.05) lower.
文摘Due to the removal of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and consumer pressure for antibiotic-free (ABF) or no antibiotics ever (NAE) poultry production, there is a need for sustainable alternatives to prevent disease in commercial poultry operations. Without AGPs, there has been a rise in diseases that were traditionally controlled by subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics in the diet. This has impacted the health of commercial poultry and has been a significant cost to poultry producers. To mitigate this, the industry has started to investigate alternatives to antibiotics to treat these forthcoming health issues, such as necrotic enteritis (NE). NE is an enteric disease caused by an over proliferation of toxigenic Clostridium perfringens (CP) in the gastrointestinal tract. Although CP is a commensal in the avian intestinal tract, dysbiosis caused by inflammation and impaired intestinal integrity facilitates uncontrolled replication of CP. Infectious agents, such as Eimeria maxima, appear to be a predominant predisposing factor that promotes NE. However, non-infectious stressors, including dietary changes, have also been associated with NE to some degree. As a result of increased pressure to restrict the use of antibiotics, there is a need for research evaluating the efficacy of alternatives, such as plant-derived essential oils, as potential tools to mitigate NE in commercial poultry flocks. The aim of this study is to review the effects of essential oils as an alternative to antibiotics to reduce the incidence and severity of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.
文摘The potential of biodiesel fuels from various vegetable oil sources such as sunflower (SFME), safflower (SAFME), peanut (PME) and canola (CME) as well as from low-cost chicken fat (CFME) to supplement increasing biodiesel demands must be evaluated in terms of the corresponding engine performance and exhaust emissions. In this study, two diesel engines rated at 14.2 kW (small) and 60 kW (large) were operated by using the different biodiesel fuels and a reference diesel. Results showed that both the small and large engines delivered similar power when using biodiesel fuels in the expense of higher brake-specific fuel consumptions (BSFC). Higher exhaust concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) while lower carbon dioxide (CO) and negligible sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions were observed in both engines. Total hydrocarbon emissions (THC) were higher in both engines when using SME, SFME and CME but comparable when using CFME, SAFME and PME in the large engine. Thus, with the increasing demand for biodiesel, alternative feedstock sources such as those used in this study may be utilized to take advantage of their availability, renewability and environmental benefits.