Feed Choice Led to Higher Protein Intake in Broiler Chickens Experimentally Infected With Campylobacter jejuni

Abstract

In 2016, Campylobacter was the most commonly reported gastrointestinal bacterial pathogen in humans in the European Union with 246,307 reported cases. Of these cases, 83.6% were Campylobacter jejuni. The objective of the present study was to investigate to what extent an infection with C. jejuni alters the feed intake behavior of broiler chicks in terms of protein intake. This was done to see if, conversely, measures of control could be derived. In total, 300 commercial broilers of the Ross 308 line were allocated to four different groups, including five replications of 15 chickens each. In two groups, a conventional diet [216 g CP/kg dry matter (DM)] and in the two choice diet groups, diets with different levels of crude protein (286 and 109 g CP/kg DM, respectively) were fed between day 14 and day 42. An intake of both choice diets at a ratio of 3:2 resulted in a composition of consumed feed identical to that of the control concerning composition, energy and nutrient content. One group of each feeding concept was infected artificially with C. jejuni at day 21 by applying an oral C. jejuni-suspension containing 5.26 ± 0.08 log10 colony forming units of C. jejuni to three out of 15 chickens. No significant differences concerning C. jejuni prevalence and excretion could be seen. Broilers infected with C. jejuni chose a higher amount of the high protein choice diet in comparison to C. jejuni negative broilers. This resulted in a significantly (p < 0.0001) higher content of crude protein in the consumed diet (198 ± 3.09 g CP/kg DM and 208 ± 8.57 g CP/kg DM, respectively). Due to C. jejuni infection, a significant increase in crude mucin in excreta at day 42 was seen in experimentally infected groups (62.6 ± 4.62 g/kg DM vs. 59.6 ± 6.21 g/kg DM, respectively; p = 0.0396). There were significantly deeper crypts in infected birds (256 ± 71.6 vs. 234 ± 61.3 μm). In summary, C. jejuni infections significantly alter the feed intake behavior of broiler chickens regarding higher protein intake. Therefore, targeted manipulation of protein supply could be tested for limiting the spread of infection.

Effects of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide on growth performance, blood parameters and immunity in weaned piglets

“…The results of these studies are all similar to ours, in which dietary supplementation with 1000 and 2000 mg/kg GCP improved ADG and FCR in weaned piglets compare with non‐supplemented controls. FCR reflected feed consumption per kilogram of body weight gain (Visscher et al, 2018). Therefore, the decrease of FCR and the increase of ADG indicated that the growth performance of piglets was improved.…”

Efficacy of a competitive exclusion culture against extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli strains in broilers using a seeder bird model

“…One of the most important differences between broiler and layer breeds, which affect both natural and administered intestinal microfloras is the composition and the amount of feed ingested. The considerably higher proportion of protein in the broiler diet [36] compared to layers may result in a different composition of the intestinal flora. For instance, it was shown that the dietary protein content affected diversity and population number of microbiota resulting in a modulation of the Campylobacter jejuni pathogenesis in broilers [37].…”

“…For instance, it was shown that the dietary protein content affected diversity and population number of microbiota resulting in a modulation of the Campylobacter jejuni pathogenesis in broilers [37]. A higher protein content in feed was associated with a higher caecal Campylobacter jejuni load [38], therefore, reducing the availability of protein could limit the spread of infection [36]. Infection studies between broiler-and layer-type chickens [37] provided evidence that the colonisation pattern of commensal bacteria may depend on the breed and/ or the corresponding diet.…”

Advances in Enteropathogen Control Throughout the Meat Chicken Production Chain

“…The authors proposed that this increase may have been because of the higher crude protein in the self-made feeds compared to the commercial feed rather than the nature of the protein source itself [322]. A third study from the same group found that providing broilers with a choice of a high or low protein feed from day 14 of age did not provide protection against C.jejuni colonisation relative to a conventional diet, but interestingly, C.jejuni challenge did increase the consumption of the high protein diet compared to the unchallenged birds [323].…”