The effects of microencapsulation of Enterococcus faecalis on the growth performance, antioxidant activity, immune function, and cecal microbiota in broilers were investigated. Broilers (1-day-old) were assigned randomly as follows: 5 treatments, 5 replicate pens per treatment, and 20 broilers per pen. Treatments included (1) a basal diet (CON), (2) CON + Aureomycin (1 g/kg of diet) (ANT), (3) CON + free non-encapsulated probiotics (1 × 10(9) cfu/kg of diet) (FREE), (4) CON + pro-encapsulated probiotics (1 × 10(9) cfu/kg of diet) (PRO), and (5) CON + pre-encapsulated probiotics (1 × 10(9) cfu/kg of diet) (PRE). Feedings included starter (1 to 21 d) and grower (21 to 42 d) phases. In the starter phase, the ANT and the PRE groups had greater (P < 0.05) ADG than the CON groups, and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) for these 2 groups was decreased (P < 0.05). In the finisher phase, the PRE and PRO groups had greater (P < 0.05) ADG than the CON group and their FCR was decreased significantly (P < 0.05). During the entire feeding period, only the PRE group showed greater (P < 0.05) ADG and lower (P < 0.05) FCR. On day 21, only birds in the PRE group had greater (P < 0.05) total antioxidant capacity and number of Lactobacillus than the CON group. On day 42, The PRE group showed greater (P < 0.05) superoxide dismutase than the CON group. Serum IgA and IgM concentrations were increased (P < 0.05) in the PRE group. Serum IL-6 in the PRE group was greater (P < 0.05) than in the other groups with the exception of ANT. At the phylum level, Firmicutes was enriched (P < 0.05) and Proteobacteria was depleted (P < 0.05) only in the PRE group. At the genus level, only the PRE diets increased (P < 0.05) the number of both Lactobacillus and Enterococcus. The results indicate that pre-encapsulation assists the efficient functioning of probiotics in broilers.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of microencapsulted (MEF) and the extract of seed (ECOS) on growth performance, immune functions, and serum biochemical parameters in broiler chickens. A total of 240 1-d-old male broilers were randomly allotted into 6 treatments with 8 replicates/treatment and 5 broilers in each cage. The dietary treatments included 1) a basal diet without antibiotic (group A), 2) the basal diet + 1 g MEF/kg diet (1 × 10 cfu/g MEF; group B), 3) the basal diet + 300 mg ECOS/kg diet (group C), 4) the basal diet + 300 mg ECOS/kg diet + 1 g MEF/kg diet (group D), 5) the basal diet + 500 mg ECOS/kg diet (group E), and 6) the basal diet + 500 mg ECOS/kg diet + 1 g MEF/kg diet (group F). The feeding experiment included 2 phases: the starter phase from Day 1 through 21 and the grower phase from Day 22 through 42. The results showed that a diet supplemented with MEF and ECOS had no significant effect on ADG, ADFI, feed conversion ratio, and average BW during the whole experimental period ( > 0.05), but group F showed an improving trend in growth performance. Serum IL-2, IgA, and IgG levels and spleen index were significantly affected by dietary treatment ( < 0.05). Serum IgA and IgG levels and spleen index in group F were significantly higher than in the group A ( < 0.05), and the IL-2 level was significantly decreased ( < 0.05) on Days 21 and 42. Compared with the group A, diets supplemented with MEF and ECOS can significantly decrease total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood urea nitrogen levels ( < 0.05) and increase the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level on Days 21 and 42. Concentrations of serum biochemical parameters were significantly increased in group F ( < 0.05). In summary, the results indicated that dietary supplementation of MEF and/or ECOS had no significant effect on growth performance but significantly increased spleen index and the levels of serum IgA and IgG and improved serum lipid metabolism. The 1 g MEF/kg diet (1 × 10 cfu/g diet) plus 500 mg ECOS/kg diet was the optimum supplemental dose in this experiment.

In this study, a total of 180 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allotted to 5 groups with 6 replicates per group. Birds in negative control group were fed a corn-soybean mealbased diet, and birds in positive control group, MEF group, COSE group, MEF + COSE group were challenged with E. coli K88 and supplemented with 0, 1 × 10 10 cfu MEF/kg of diets, 500 mg COSE/ kg of diets or their combinations, respectively. Results showed that PC group had lower average body weight and greater E. coli counts in caecal contents than NC group. MEF and COSE significantly increased average body weight, serum IgA level, T-SOD activity compared with that of PC group. MEF and MIX group had less caecal E. coli counts than PC birds. The results indicated dietary supplementation of MEF and COSE had a positive moderating effect on E. coli K88-challenged broiler chickens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the pilot-scale production of microencapsulated in a 500-L fermenter using emulsion and gelation and to assess the effect of the products on the growth performance, antioxidant activity, immune function, and cecal microbiota in Arbor Acres broilers. A total of seven hundred 1-d-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 7 dietary treatments with 5 replicate pens per treatment and 20 broilers per pen. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1) basal diet (CON), 2) basal diet containing 0.1% Aureomycin (ANT), 3) basal diet containing unencapsulated at a dose of 1 × 10 cfu/kg of feed (P1), 4) basal diet containing unencapsulated at a dose of 1 × 10 cfu/kg of feed (P2), 5) basal diet containing 0.01% empty microcapsules (CAP), 6) basal diet containing microencapsulated at a dose of 1 × 10 cfu/kg of feed (CAPP1), and 7) basal diet containing microencapsulated at a dose of 1 × 10 cfu/kg of feed (CAPP2). The feeding experiment included 2 phases: the starter phase from d 1 to 21 and the grower phase from d 22 to 42. The results showed that a 500-L fermenter could produce 20.73 ± 4.05 kg of microcapsules with an approximate diameter of 549 μm. The feeding experiment showed that ADG of broilers in CAPP1 was significantly ( < 0.05) greater than that in CON and CAP throughout the feeding period, whereas the ratio of feed to gain (G:F) was significantly ( < 0.05) lower. Broilers in P1, P2, CAPP1, and CAPP2 had significantly ( < 0.05) greater levels of total superoxide dismutase, catalase, IgG, and cluster of differentiation 3 than those in CON. Furthermore, broilers in CAPP1 had significantly ( < 0.05) greater richness and diversity of intestinal microorganisms, particularly of , than those in all other dietary treatments. In summary, our results indicate that large-scale microencapsulation of microbial cells can be achieved using emulsion and initial gelation and that the dietary administration of microencapsulated can significantly enhance the growth performance, immune function, cecum microbial community, and overall health of broilers.