Effect of synbiotic supplementation on production performance and intestinal inflammatory response in broilers under induced necrotic enteritis challenge

Authors: SHAH, BIKAS RAJ - University Of Georgia; HAKEEM, WALID GHAZI AL - University Of Georgia; Shanmugasundaram, Revathi; SELVARAJ, RAMESH - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/24/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: N/A

Technical Abstract: Synbiotic supplementation in broilers is beneficial for growth and performance, maintaining gut health, and inducing mucosal immunity against various bacterial diseases through the production of an anti-microbial compound called bacteriocins through the synergistic effect of synbiotic. To evaluate the efficacy of synbiotic supplementation during necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge, a total of 360-day-old chicks were randomly assigned into four experimental groups in a 2x2 factorial setup: control, challenge, synbiotic (1 g/kg), and challenge + synbiotic, with 6 replicates, and this study lasted for 35 days. NE in birds was induced by gavaging 1 x 104 Eimeria maxima oocysts on D14 and 1 x 108 CFU/ml of Clostridium perfringens on D19, 20 and 21 respectively. The data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA to analyze the main effects of dietary treatments, challenge, and their interaction. At D21, the NE challenge significantly decreased BWG by 200 g (p < 0.05), increased FCR (p < 0.05) and FI (p < 0.05) by 0.22 points and 70 g respectively, while synbiotic supplementation during the NE challenge had no effect on BWG and FCR, when compared to the control group. However, synbiotic supplementation during the NE challenge decreased feed intake by 220 g leading to better feed utilization when compared to the control group. At D21, the NE challenge significantly increased the rank score mean for mid-gut lesions (p < 0.05), increased the gut permeability, decreased CD4+:CD8+ T cells in the cecal tonsil (CT), while synbiotic supplementation during NE challenge decreased the rank score means for mid-gut lesions (p < 0.05), no effect on gut permeability (p < 0.05), and increased the percentage of CD4+:CD8+ T cells in cecal tonsil CT (p < 0.05), when compared to the control group. At D28, NE challenge decreased CD4+:CD8+ T cells in CT, while synbiotic supplementation during the NE challenge decreased the percentage of CD4+:CD8+ T cells in CT (p < 0.05), when compared to the control group. It can be concluded that the synbiotic supplementation increases production performance by reducing FI, decreasing mid-gut lesions, and enhancing protective immunity against NE. Keywords: AGPs, Clostridium perfringens, immune response, necrotic enteritis, synbiotic