Effects of Dietary Lycopene on the Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, Meat Quality, Intestine Histomorphology, and Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of dietary lycopene on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens. We randomly divided five hundred and seventy-six one-day-old male broilers into four groups each with six replicates and 24 chickens in each replicate. The control group (CG) was fed the basal diet, and the other groups were given powder lycopene of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg lycopene (LP10, LP20, and LP30, respectively). Compared with the control group, (1) the dietary lycopene increased (p = 0.001) the average daily gain and decreased (p = 0.033) the feed conversion ratio in the experimental groups; (2) the glutathione peroxidase enzyme contents in LP20 were higher (p =< 0.001) in myocardium; (3) the crude protein contents were higher (p = 0.007) in the group treated with 30 mg/kg dietary lycopene; (4) the jejunum villous height was higher (p = 0.040) in LP20; (5) the Unclassified-f-Ruminococcaceae relative abundance was significantly higher (p = 0.043) in LP20. In this study, adding 20 mg/kg dietary lycopene to the broiler chickens’ diets improved the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens.

Phlorizin Limits Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Infection in Mice via Regulating Gut Microbiota Composition

“…These results are consistent with previous studies that have suggested potential beneficial effects of these microbes. − However, the abundance of Lachnoclostridium differs among different diseases. For example, it is increased in patients with ulcerative colitis, whereas the heavy metal cadmium (Cd) and oxidized cholesterol exposure significantly reduce it. , Unclassified_f_Ruminococcaceae , Oscillibacter , and Intestinimonas are butyrate producers that are also considered health-related, being associated with multiple diseases. − Here, we show that PHZ increases the abundance of these bacteria, further suggesting that it plays an anti-BVDV role by regulating intestinal microbiota. To further verify its role in the antiviral effect of PHZ, we conducted a feces microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment, which showed that the gut microbiota of the PHZ-treated donor mice significantly inhibited the replication of BVDV.…”