Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens
Abstract Background Clostridium perfringens is the main etiological agent of necrotic enteritis. Lactobacilli show beneficial effects on intestinal health in infectious disease, but the protective functions of lactobacilli in C. perfringens-infected chickens are scarcely described. This study examin...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-018-0243-3 |
| _version_ | 1819163769079595008 |
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| author | Zhui Li Weiwei Wang Dan Liu Yuming Guo |
| author_facet | Zhui Li Weiwei Wang Dan Liu Yuming Guo |
| author_sort | Zhui Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Clostridium perfringens is the main etiological agent of necrotic enteritis. Lactobacilli show beneficial effects on intestinal health in infectious disease, but the protective functions of lactobacilli in C. perfringens-infected chickens are scarcely described. This study examined the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) over a 28-day period. Using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, a total of 308 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were included to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) during a 28-day trial. Results During infection (d 14–21), C. perfringens challenge decreased the average daily gain (P < 0.05), and increased feed conversion ratio and the mortality rate (P < 0.05). However, dietary supplementation with L. acidophilus increased the body weight of C. perfringens-infected broilers on d 21 (P < 0.05), and tended to decrease the mortality (P = 0.061). C. perfringens challenge decreased the villus height (P < 0.05), the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P < 0.05) and OCLN (occludin) mRNA expression (P < 0.05), and increased the pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in the spleen and jejunum, the intestinal populations of C. perfringens and Escherichia (P < 0.05), and the serum content of endotoxin (P < 0.05), regardless of L. acidophilus supplementation. In contrast, dietary L. acidophilus reducedthe intestinal lesion score of challenged broilers (P < 0.05), the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ileal populations of Escherichia and serum endotoxin content (P < 0.05), but increased the intestinal Lactobacillus populations (P < 0.05), irrespective of C. perfringens challenge. Conclusion Dietary addition of L. acidophilus could improve the intestinal health and reduce the mortality of broilers suffering from necrotic enteritis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T17:49:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-81ef8802bbbe4744a18a8936448e9678 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2049-1891 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T17:49:23Z |
| publishDate | 2018-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-81ef8802bbbe4744a18a8936448e96782022-12-21T18:18:13ZengBMCJournal of Animal Science and Biotechnology2049-18912018-03-019111010.1186/s40104-018-0243-3Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringensZhui Li0Weiwei Wang1Dan Liu2Yuming Guo3State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural UniversityState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural UniversityState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural UniversityState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural UniversityAbstract Background Clostridium perfringens is the main etiological agent of necrotic enteritis. Lactobacilli show beneficial effects on intestinal health in infectious disease, but the protective functions of lactobacilli in C. perfringens-infected chickens are scarcely described. This study examined the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) over a 28-day period. Using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, a total of 308 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were included to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) during a 28-day trial. Results During infection (d 14–21), C. perfringens challenge decreased the average daily gain (P < 0.05), and increased feed conversion ratio and the mortality rate (P < 0.05). However, dietary supplementation with L. acidophilus increased the body weight of C. perfringens-infected broilers on d 21 (P < 0.05), and tended to decrease the mortality (P = 0.061). C. perfringens challenge decreased the villus height (P < 0.05), the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P < 0.05) and OCLN (occludin) mRNA expression (P < 0.05), and increased the pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in the spleen and jejunum, the intestinal populations of C. perfringens and Escherichia (P < 0.05), and the serum content of endotoxin (P < 0.05), regardless of L. acidophilus supplementation. In contrast, dietary L. acidophilus reducedthe intestinal lesion score of challenged broilers (P < 0.05), the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ileal populations of Escherichia and serum endotoxin content (P < 0.05), but increased the intestinal Lactobacillus populations (P < 0.05), irrespective of C. perfringens challenge. Conclusion Dietary addition of L. acidophilus could improve the intestinal health and reduce the mortality of broilers suffering from necrotic enteritis.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-018-0243-3BroilerClostridium perfringensIntestineLactobacillus acidophilusNecrotic enteritis |
| spellingShingle | Zhui Li Weiwei Wang Dan Liu Yuming Guo Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology Broiler Clostridium perfringens Intestine Lactobacillus acidophilus Necrotic enteritis |
| title | Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens |
| title_full | Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens |
| title_short | Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens |
| title_sort | effects of lactobacillus acidophilus on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers challenged with clostridium perfringens |
| topic | Broiler Clostridium perfringens Intestine Lactobacillus acidophilus Necrotic enteritis |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-018-0243-3 |
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