The growing restriction of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) use in farming animals has raised a concern regarding the viability of the animal production system. In this new context, feed additives with proven positive impact on intestinal health may be used as strategy to avoid losses on performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a protected blend of organic acids and essential oils [P(OA+EO)] on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal health of broiler chickens. A total of 1,080 Cobb × Cobb 500 male broilers were randomly distributed in four treatments with 10 replicates (27 birds/each). Treatments were as follow: non-challenged control; challenged control; AGP (enramycin at 10 g/t); and P(OA+EO) at 300 g/t. All birds on challenged groups were challenged with Eimeria spp. at 1 day and with Clostridium perfringens at 11, 12, and 13 days. Body weight gain (BWG), feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were evaluated until 42 days. At 17 days, one bird per pen was orally gavaged with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-d) and blood samples were collected for FITC-d detection to assess intestinal permeability. At 21 days, apparent ileal nutrient and energy (IDE) digestibility, intestinal macroscopic and histologic alterations (ISI) and, expression of mucin2 (MUC2), claudin1 (CLDN1), and occludin (OCLN) genes in the jejunum were evaluated. From 1 to 42 days, birds from the non-challenged and P(OA+EO) groups had greater (P < 0.001) BWG compared to challenged control and AGP groups. The challenged control group presented the worst FCR (P < 0.001). IDE was 106 kcal/kg greater when broilers were fed P(OA+EO) compared to the challenged control group. Broilers supplemented with P(OA+EO) had improved intestinal integrity with lower blood FITC-d concentration and ISI scores, and greater expression of MUC2, CLDN1, and OCLN genes compared to the challenged control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the P(OA+EO) and the AGP led to increased growth performance, nutrient digestibility and intestinal health of challenged broilers. A marked difference occurred in favor of the P(OA+EO), suggesting that this blend may be used to improve intestinal health and broiler growth performance in AGP free programs.

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The effect of a hyperimmunized (GLOBIGEN®) hen egg yolk-based product was evaluated for the control of diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) F4 and F18 in newly weaned piglets. The negative control (NC) animals were not challenged and received 40 ppm of colistin as a growth promoter, 2300 ppm of zinc, and 150 ppm copper. The other three treatments were all challenged with ETEC F4 and F18: 0.2% GLOBIGEN®, 4% dry porcine plasma (DPP), and a positive control (PC). Animals on GLOBIGEN® does not differ from NC (p > 0.05) in weight gain. They also had better feed efficiency than DPP (p < 0.05). Animals in GLOBIGEN® did not present diarrhea as was seen in DPP and PC. GLOBIGEN® also showed reduced F4 and F18 (p < 0.05) excretion compared to PC. The results of this study suggest that GLOBIGEN® acts efficiently in diarrhea control, being a viable alternative to the use of antibiotics in newly weaned piglets.

RESUMO O objetivo neste estudo foi avaliar o desempenho zootécnico de frangos de corte de 1 a 7 dias de idade alimentados com a inclusão de 20% farelo de arroz parboilizado (FAP) na dieta com diferentes processamentos. O delineamento utilizado foi em esquema fatorial 2x3, dois tipos de dietas (uma a base de milho e a outra com a inclusão de 20% FAP) e três tipos de processamento: dietas farelada, peletizada e expandida peletizadas todas isonutritivas. As rações foram peletizadas a uma temperatura de 85°C e expandidas em uma faixa de temperatura de 110°C a 115°C. O estudo foi realizado em aviário experimental composto por 60 boxes experimentais. Cada unidade experimental foi composta por 58 pintos de corte machos da linhagem Cobb 500® de um dia de idade. Foram utilizados seis tratamentos com 10 repetições por tratamentos. Foram avaliadas as variáveis de desempenho aos 7 dias de idade. As médias quando apresentaram diferenças a nível de 5%, foram comparadas pelo teste de Tukey. As variáveis analisadas não apresentaram interação significativa (P<0,05) no período avaliado. Pintos de corte alimentados com a inclusão de 20% FAP na dieta apresentaram menor peso corporal, ganho de peso e consumo de dieta aos 7 dias de idade. O processo de expansão + peletização promove melhora no peso aos 7 dias de idade e no ganho de peso dos pintos até os 7 dias de idade.

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