Effects of synbiotic supplementation as an antibiotic growth promoter replacement on cecal Campylobacter jejuni load in broilers challenged with C. jejuni

Authors: CASON, EMILY - University Of Georgia; ADAMS, DANIEL - University Of Georgia; AL HAKEEM, WALID - University Of Georgia; Shanmugasundaram, Revathi; SELVARAJ, RAMESH - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/21/2022
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: N/A

Technical Abstract: Synbiotic supplementation alters the gut microbiota to increase beneficial bacteria and decrease pathogenic bacteria and has been applied to treat dysbiosis. Synbiotics can be applied as a means of improving production performance, modifying cecal load and colonization, and modifying immunological responses during pathogenic challenge in the gut and can be used as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production. This study aimed to determine the effects of synbiotic supplementation as an antibiotic replacement in broilers challenged with Campylobacter jejuni. A total of 336 day old chicks were distributed into four treatment groups: Control, Synbiotic, Antibiotic + Challenge, and Synbiotic + Challenge. At 21 d of age, birds were orally inoculated with PBS or 1 X 108 CFU/bird of C. jejuni. Antibiotics (Virginiamycin) and synbiotics (Poultrystar, DSM) were supplemented in feed for the duration of the experiment at 20 mg/kg and 20 g/1000 birds/day respectively. Feed intake and body weight were measured on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. On 3, 7, and 14 dpi, gut permeability was measured by FITC-dextran assay, C. jejuni loads in cecal content, ileal tissue, and livers were quantified by plating, splenocyte nitric oxide production was quantified using Ricca reagent, and cecal tonsil CD4+:CD8+ and CD4+CD25+ percentage were measured by flow cytometry. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in BWG and FCR between the treatment groups at any of the time points studied. Birds in the Synbiotic + Challenge group had 0.45, -0.81, and -0.64 log10 at 3 dpi, 0.70, -0.10, and 0.25 log10 at 7 dpi, and 0.67, 0.78, and 0.64 log10 at 14 dpi lower C. jejuni loads in the ceca, ileum, and liver, respectively, compared to the Antibiotic + Challenge group. Birds in the Synbiotic + Challenge group had -0.11 and 1.28 % at 0 dpi, 0.11 and -2.35 % at 3dpi, -0.01 and 1.34 % at 7 dpi, and 0.18 and 1.89 % at 14 dpi higher CD4+:CD8+ cell ratio and lower CD4+CD25+ cell percentage, respectively, compared to the Antibiotic + Challenge group. Serum FITC-d concentration more than doubled in all treatment groups between days 7 and 14, with the greatest serum FITC-d level found in the challenged groups. Synbiotic supplementation improved FCR and decreased C. jejuni loads in the ceca, liver, and ileum following challenge. It can be concluded that synbiotic supplementation improves FCR and decreases C. jejuni loads in broilers compared to antibiotic supplementation and synbiotics can be applied to replace antibiotics during C. jejuni infections of poultry.