Effects of a yeast-derived product on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune function of broilers

Abstract

Yeast culture plus enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast cell wall ( YC-EHY ) contains crude protein, mannan-oligosaccharide, β-glucan and yeast culture. This study was carried out to explore the effects of dietary YC-EHY at different levels on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune function of broiler chickens. A total of 320 one-day-age male broiler chicks were allocated into 4 groups and were fed with a basal diet supplemented with 0 mg/kg (the control group), 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg YC-EHY for 42 d. Dietary YC-EHY improved average daily gain and feed efficiency during the starter, grower, and overall periods as well as average body weight of broiler chickens on 42 d (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05). Broiler chickens fed with YC-EHY quadratically increased jejunal sucrase activity on 21 d (quadratic, P < 0.05), and linearly and quadratically enhanced maltase activity on 21 and 42 d (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05). Supplementing YC-EHY linearly and quadratically enhanced jejunal superoxide dismutase ( SOD ) activity on 21 and 42 d and glutathione peroxidase ( GPX ) activity on 42 d whereas decreased malonaldehyde ( MDA ) concentration on 42 d (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05). Consistently, the jejunal genes expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 ( Nrf2 ) and SOD1 on 21 and 42 d, heme oxygenase-1 ( HO-1 ) and GPX1 on 42 d were enhanced by YC-EHY supplementation (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05). The concentrations of jejunal immunoglobulin G ( IgG ) on 21 and 42 d and secreted immunoglobulin A ( SIgA ) on 42 d were linearly and quadratically elevated by supplementing YC-EHY (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05). Dietary YC-EHY quadratically increased jejunal IgG and IgM genes expression on 21 d (quadratic, P < 0.05), and linearly and quadratically enhanced the genes expression of IgG and IgM on 42 d (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05). Overall, this study indicated that supplementing YC-EHY could exert beneficial effects on growth performance, intestinal antioxidant capacity and immune function in broiler chickens.

Effects of yeast hydrolysate supplementation on intestinal morphology, barrier, and anti-inflammatory functions of broilers

“…Our previous study has showed that dietary YH addition linearly and quadratically increased (linear and quadratic, p<0.05) the body weight gain and gain-to-feed ratio during the starter (1 to 21 d), growth (22 to 42 d), and overall (1 to 42 d) periods of broilers [ 20 ].…”

“…Recent research suggested that dietary supplemented with brewer's yeast hydrolysate had beneficial effects on growth performance in finishing pigs [7]. Similarly, our previous study had found that YH supplementation could improve the body weight gain but decrease the gain to feed ratio during the starter, grower and overall period of broilers [20]. The growth performance might be affected by many factors.…”

“…The growth performance might be affected by many factors. Referring to our previous study, dietary YH supplementation enhanced intestinal digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant, and immune function of broilers [ 19 , 20 ]. Moreover, we could conclude that the positive effects of YH on growth performance might be also related to the improvement of intestinal morphology, barrier and anti-inflammatory functions of broilers based on this study.…”

“…However, the existing literature on YH has mainly studied ruminants, pigs or aquatic animals, little information is available regarding the effects of YH supplementation in broilers, especially in terms of intestinal development and health. According to our previous study, we have found that YH supplementation had beneficial effects on growth performance, intestinal antioxidant, and immune functions of broilers [ 19 , 20 ]. To explore further, this study aimed to evaluate different levels of YH addition on intestinal morphology, barrier, and anti-inflammatory functions of broilers, which might provide evidence for the scientific application of YH in broilers production.…”

Yeast-Derived Products: The Role of Hydrolyzed Yeast and Yeast Culture in Poultry Nutrition—A Review

“…Yeast culture (YC) is a unique micro-ecological product that is composed of yeast biomass (including some residual viable cells, dead cells, and yeast-cell-wall fragments), fermentation metabolites, and the residual growth medium [ 14 ]. YC contains a rich variety of biologically active substances, including proteins, small peptides, oligosaccharides, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and numerous ‘unknown growth factors’, which can all exert beneficial nutritional and health effects on animals.…”