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ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effects of early and short-term administration of an antibiotic or feeding a diet containing a coccidiostat on gastrointestinal function and the blood levels of selected hormones in young turkeys. A total of 1540 Hybrid Converter turkeys were allocated to 4 groups on the day of hatch. Each group consisted of 7 pens with 55 birds per pen. Group ENR was treated with enrofloxacin for the first 5 d of life, group DOX received doxycycline for 5 d and group MON was administered monensin for 84 d. CON birds served as a control group without any antibiotic treatment or MON administration. An analysis of the activity of bacterial enzymes revealed that the cecal microbiota of turkeys were less sensitive to MON than to the other 2 antibiotics. Turkeys subjected to ENR and DOX treatments were characterized by lower (P < 0.05) extracellular activity of cecal bacterial β-glucosidase, compared with groups CON and MON. The extracellular activity of cecal bacterial α-galactosidase and β-galactosidase decreased significantly in response to the experimental treatment with DOX (P < 0.05 vs. CON). Turkeys treated with ENR had higher total activity of bacterial β-galactosidase than those administered DOX or MON. Despite the differences in the enzymatic activity of microbiota, the use of antibiotics did not affect the concentrations of total short-chain fatty acids or ammonia in the cecal digesta of turkeys. A diet containing MON and the early administration of ENR or DOX induced an increase in blood noradrenaline levels (P = 0.004) in 56-day-old turkeys. Early DOX use increased plasma cortisol concentrations (P < 0.001) and decreased plasma serotonin levels (P = 0.006) in 56-day-old turkeys. Over the entire experiment (up to 12 wk of age), the use of MON improved the BW gain of turkeys (P = 0.055) and feed conversion (P = 0.016), compared with the DOX treatment.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of a standard diet enriched with yoghurt (acidified milk) and milk gel (non-acidified milk) and three structurally different beta-glucans (isolated from oats, bacteria and fungi) on the mineral composition and the mechanical and microstructural properties of the femur in growing rats.Feed intake and the feed conversion ratio were influenced by product acidity and the applied beta-glucan. A significant increase in bacterial counts was noted only in the animals fed fungal glucan. Dietary supplementation with beta-glucans significantly decreased the acidity of intestinal contents. The calcium content of bones was determined mainly by the acidity of milk gel than by the type of beta-glucans. The Ca:P ratio in the femurs of rats fed yoghurt was higher than in the animals fed milk gel. Higher failure load was noted in rats fed yoghurt with beta-glucans. Trabecular thickness was highest in rats fed yoghurt with oat beta-glucan and lowest in rats fed milk gel with fungal beta-glucan.

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effects of the early administration of enrofloxacin (E) or doxycycline (D) for the first 5 consecutive days of life, or the continuous administration of the coccidiostat monensin (M) throughout the rearing period on gastrointestinal function in turkeys infected with avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in an early or later stage of rearing. Experiment 1 lasted 21 d, and turkeys in groups E, D, and M were infected with APEC on d 15. Experiment 2 lasted 56 d, and it had a factorial arrangement of treatments where birds in groups E, D, and M were infected with APEC on d 15 or d 50. In both experiments, control groups (C) consisted of infected and uninfected birds without antibiotic or coccidiostat administration. On d 21 (Experiment 1) and d 56 (Experiment 2), 8 birds from each subgroup were killed, and the ileal and cecal digesta were sampled to analyze the activity of bacterial enzymes and the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). The experimental treatments did not affect the final body weight or body weight gain of birds. Both experiments demonstrated that APEC contributed to an increase in ammonia levels of the cecal digesta (means from 2 experiments: 0.311 vs. 0.225 mg/g in uninfected birds) and ileal pH (6.79 vs. 6.00) and viscosity (2.43 vs. 1.83 mPa⋅s). Moreover, the E. coli challenge enhanced the extracellular activity of several cecal bacterial enzymes, especially in older turkeys infected with APEC in a later stage of life. The continuous administration of monensin throughout the rearing period resulted in a weaker gastrointestinal response in older birds, compared with the other 2 antibiotics administered for the first 5 d of life. The results of the study are inconclusive as both desirable and undesirable effects of preventive early short-term antibiotic therapy were observed in turkeys, including normalization of ileal viscosity and cecal ammonia concentration (positive effect), and disruption in cecal SCFA production (negative effect).

Cardiovascular alterations can be improved by the long-term use of fish oil (FO), as well as an adequate supply of copper (Cu). Recently, copper nanoparticles (CuNPs), as an alternative to ionic forms (CuCO3) were found to decrease the level of protein/DNA oxidation.Male Wistar rats were supplemented for 8 weeks with FO (7 g/kg) together with 40 nm sized CuNPs and CuCO3 (6.5 mg Cu/kg).FO with CuNPs modified the superoxide dismutase, catalase, and decreased Cu concentration in the blood. Meanwhile noradrenaline-induced contraction of an isolated aorta was not altered, but acetylcholine-induced vasodilation was reduced.FO with CuCO3 increased the antioxidant capacity of blood, and Zn concentration, however decreased the level of triglycerides. Noradrenaline-induced contraction was improved with no change in acetylcholine-induced response.Since the modifications induced by the FO-supplemented diet corresponded with different Cu formulations, the interaction between FO and CuNPs may follow the replacement of CuCO3 with CuNPs.

The effects of acid whey concentrates after nano- or ultrafiltration on the nutritional and physiological indices of rats were analysed. The ultrafiltration concentrate was characterized by a higher protein and lactoferrin content, and lower lactose content compared to the nanofiltration concentrate. In vivo, a diet incorporating the ultrafiltration concentrate instead of the nanofiltration concentrate seemed to be more beneficial to rats in terms of a good growth rate and utilization of the diet, higher concentration of butyric acid and lower concentration of putrefactive short chain fatty acids in the caecum, increased bacterial enzyme activities in the caecum, lower blood glucose levels and reduced levels of triglycerides, and greater antioxidant capacity of blood serum. Both acid whey concentrates fulfilled the recommendations for powder intended for direct consumption or further processing in food production and showed potential health benefits.

A food product matrix and functional additives used to manufacture it are one of the key factors influencing the fermentation processes in the intestine and the bioavailability of minerals. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of acidified and non-acidified milk gels with highly-purified (1-3)-, (1-3)(1-4)-, and (1-3)(1-6)-β-glucan on: gastrointestinal tract parameters, intestinal metabolic activity, and bioavailability of minerals in growing rats. Concentrations of ammonia, short-chain volatile fatty acids as well as bacterial enzyme activity, blood biochemistry, and bioavailability of Ca, Zn, Mn and Fe were significantly affected by β-glucan structure. The availability of minerals was higher upon the use of branched β-glucans. Milk gel acidity significantly influenced body weight gain, activity of faecal bacterial enzymes, blood levels of triglycerides and glucose, and bioavailability of all investigated mineral compounds. The use of branched β-glucans resulted in the most and least intense fermentation processes in the caecum, respectively.

The objective of the study was to determine the influence of dextrin obtained from potato starch on the numbers and relative proportions of enteric bacteria belonging to the phyla Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. Moreover, basic indicators of gastrointestinal function and short-chain fatty acids were analyzed. Dextrin decreases feed consumption of rats and is intensively metabolized by bacteria in their distal intestine. Dextrin also reduces the level of putrefaction-related SCFAs in the distal intestine provided that it is consumed together with a high-fat diet; it also stimulates the growth of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria strains, while reducing the number of Firmicutes strains regardless of the dietary regimen. These results show that potato dextrin lowers feed intake and leads to modifications in the distal intestine which may help support intestinal health and prevent overweight and obesity.

The present study compared the effects of orange (OR) and purple (PU) carrot preparations obtained from roots and by-products (pomace) on gastrointestinal, blood and tissue biomarkers in Wistar rats. The OR preparations were characterized by higher concentrations of carotenes, while the PU preparations contained higher concentrations of phenolic acids, especially anthocyanins. From examined preparations PU exerted greater effects on microbial activity through higher production of propionic, butyric acids and lower activity of β-glucuronidase in caecum. The PU preparations also improved serum lipid profile by reducing triglycerides and atherogenic index. Both preparations considerably improved antioxidant status in rats. The OR preparations, enhanced the GSH/GSSG ratio in the liver, while the PU preparations reduced the value of hepatic TBARS and enhanced the ACL value in serum. In conclusion, the PU preparations exerted greater health-promoting effects on intestinal microbial activity, serum lipid profile and antioxidant status in rats than the OR preparations.

The effects of blackcurrant and strawberry fibre on high-fat diet-induced metabolic disorders in rats were compared. The blackcurrant and strawberry preparations were obtained from fruit pomace and contained 66.5 and 51.3% dietary fibre and 4.9 and 5.5% polyphenols, respectively. A high-fat diet was supplemented with the blackcurrant or strawberry fibre for the entire 8 weeks of experimental feeding or for 4 weeks, starting at week 5. Obesity, dyslipidaemia, hyperinsulinaemia and altered microbial metabolism in the distal intestine were noted in rats fed a high-fat diet. The 8-week supplementation with blackcurrant fibre decreased body weight, whereas both fibres decreased epididymal fat mass, increased the caecal concentration of short-chain fatty acids, prevented hyperinsulinaemia and decreased cholesterolaemia. Thus, pomace-derived blackcurrant and strawberry fibre attenuate disorders induced by a high-fat diet; however, initial dietary supplementation is more efficient than the same, but delayed, intervention.