The combined impact of xylo-oligosaccharides and gamma-irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides on growth performance and intestinal mucosal barrier function of broilers

Q. Wang; X.F. Wang; T. Xing; J.L. Li; X.D. Zhu; L. Zhang; F. Gao

Poultry Science (Mar 2021)

The combined impact of xylo-oligosaccharides and gamma-irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides on growth performance and intestinal mucosal barrier function of broilers

Q. Wang,
X.F. Wang,
T. Xing,
J.L. Li,
X.D. Zhu,
L. Zhang,
F. Gao

Affiliations

Q. Wang: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
X.F. Wang: College of Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
T. Xing: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
J.L. Li: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
X.D. Zhu: College of Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
L. Zhang: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Corresponding author:
F. Gao: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 100, no. 3
p. 100909

Abstract

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This study was conducted to investigate the individual and combined effects of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) and gamma-irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides (IAPS) on the growth performance and intestinal mucosal barrier function of broiler chickens. A total of 240 1-day-old Ross-308 chicks were allocated into 5 groups for 21 d: control group (basal diet), antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) group (basal diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg chlortetracycline), XOS group (basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg XOS), IAPS group (basal diet supplemented with 600 mg/kg IAPS), and XOS + IAPS group (basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg XOS and 600 mg/kg IAPS). The results showed that birds in the XOS + IAPS group showed higher ADG and lower feed-to-gain ratio than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The XOS, IAPS, and XOS + IASP treatments significantly increased villus height (VH) of all intestine segments, jejunal goblet cell numbers, and VH–to–crypt depth ratio (VH/CD) of broilers than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Birds in the XOS + IAPS group had higher jejunal VH/CD ratio and goblet cell numbers than those from the XOS or IAPS groups (P < 0.05). In addition, there was a synergy effect between XOS and IAPS on increasing duodenal goblet cell numbers and improving ileal morphology (higher VH and VH/CD ratio) (P < 0.05). The XOS, IAPS and XOS + IAPS treatments increased the mRNA expression of zonula occludens-1 and occludin of the jejunum as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Simultaneously, birds in the XOS + IAPS group showed lower plasma D-lactic acid concentration and higher mRNA expression of claudin-1, claudin-3, and occludin in the jejunum than those in the control or IAPS groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, there was no significant difference in growth performance, intestinal morphology, and intestinal barrier function of broilers between the AGP and XOS + IAPS groups. In conclusion, the combination of XOS and IAPS had a better potential as chlortetracycline substitute for improving the growth performance, intestinal morphology, and intestinal barrier function of broilers.

Published in Poultry Science

ISSN: 0032-5791 (Print); 1525-3171 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Animal culture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/poultry-science

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