Researchers identify species of bacteria linked to lameness in broilers

Researchers at the University of Arkansas have identified a species of bacteria that had never before been associated with lameness in broiler chickens, bringing scientists closer to finding a way to prevent infections.
Using genetic tools and chickens raised on wire flooring as is used in commercial production, the research team determined the bacterium Staphylococcus agnetis is significantly involved with a condition leading to lameness in those broiler chickens, said Douglas Rhoads, university professor of biological sciences and director of the Cell and Molecular Biology interdisciplinary graduate program at the U of A.
The bacteria had been associated with inflammation of the mammary gland in cattle but not in the legs of broiler chickens. Lameness causes the chickens to suffer and the diseased birds are not fit for human consumption. Rough estimates are that lameness in the Arkansas poultry industry could cost growers about $20 million a year due the loss of birds, Rhoads said.
The team published its findings on Nov. 25 in PLOS ONE, the online, open-access journal from the Public Library of Science.
“Lameness in broiler chickens is a significant animal welfare and financial issue,” Rhoads said. “This is the first report of this poorly described pathogen in chickens.”
Bob Wideman, professor of poultry science at the U of A, had shown that growing young broilers on wire flooring is a contributing factor to lameness in broiler chickens. This study, which included Wideman, shows that S. agnetis is also a contributing factor for lameness in those chickens, Rhoads said.
The study arose from the doctoral dissertation work of Adnan A. K. Al-Rubaye, now an instructor and associate director of the Cell and Molecular Biology graduate program, with contributions from Sohita Ojha, a doctoral student in the program; and Joseph Koon, an undergraduate student at Ouachita Baptist University.
Genome assembly for the study was performed at the Arkansas High Performance Computing Center and the High Performance Computing Center at Oklahoma State University. Jeff Pummill at the Arkansas High Performing Computer Center and Brian Couger at Oklahoma State University were co-authors.
The National Institutes of Health and Arkansas Biosciences Institute partially funded the study.

Thesis studies impact of natural biosurfacant on fat digestion

LYSOFORTE^® has been examined as part of a Kemin-sponsored project through the Catholic University of Leuven.
In contrast to feed enzymes, only limited studies have been dedicated to investigating the modes of action of lysophospholipids added to broiler feeds. For some time, researchers have believed lysophospholipids simply act as an emulsifier in the first stages of fat digestion. However, Kemin researchers discovered other possible mechanisms of action for lysophospholipids. In order to further elucidate this important industry topic, the company sponsored the Ph.D. study, “Modes of action of lysophospholipids as feed additives on fat digestion in broilers."
The thesis presents information on how lysophospholipids are important to digestion and nutrient absorption. Ph.D. student, Ing. Matias Jansen, a Kemin Industries senior research associate in Europe, successfully defended the doctoral thesis on the broader impact of lysophospholipids on Dec. 2 at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.
The study determined the impact of lysophospholipids on all three stages of fat digestion: emulsification, hydrolysis and absorption. The data indicates that in addition to their emulsifying capacities, lysophospholipids significantly improve the hydrolysis of triglycerides into monoglycerides and free fatty acids. The lysophospholipids enhance the absorption of monoglycerides and free fatty acids by the enterocytes. The study also clearly differentiates the modes of action of supplemented lysophospholipids from those of phospholipids delivered by lecithins added to the feed.
Secondly, Jansen studied the interaction between bile salts and supplemented lysophospholipids. The results indicate that at low bile salt concentrations, lysophospholipids significantly improve the digestibility of nutrients. Therefore, the addition of lysophospholipids is advised especially in the starter phase of broiler production.
In a third step of the study, the interaction between the fat type in the diet and lysophospholipids was investigated. The dietary addition of lysophospholipids significantly improved the digestibility of fat and other nutrients in diets formulated with mainly saturated fatty acids. These results confirm that lysophospholipids are able to uplift the value of fats and oils. This mode of action allows lysophospholipids to be used in feed reformulation, bringing economic benefit without compromising animal performance.
“This Ph.D. study highlights the complexity of the fat digestion process and demonstrates how lysophospholipids can improve it,” says Dr. Filip Nuyens, Kemin R&D director of the animal nutrition and health division in Europe. “This collaboration with the academic world is an outstanding example of how we can work together to understand the complex molecular mechanisms of lysophospholipids and gain insights that form the foundation of new innovations. Poultry producers face many challenges, and Kemin is committed to providing the industry strategic insight, innovation and the best solutions based on sound science.”
Kemin has developed a unique, natural biosurfactant highly-enriched in lysophospholipids—LYSOFORTE Booster Dry—with superior absorption enhancing properties. Kemin is the original pioneer in absorption enhancers. LYSOFORTE Booster Dry has been successfully tested in several animal species, such as broilers, layers, turkeys, pigs and fish, and a wide range of conditions over the last 20 years, producing a vast amount of scientific and practical information.

Moringa oleifera extracts on broilers research wins award

Karthivashan Govindarajan, PhD candidate, won the first Veterinarian Nor-Feed Award for his work on the nutritional role of Moringa oleifera extracts on broilers.
His thesis, published this year, was conducted with the scientific team of the Universiti Putra Malaysia. Their works identified and highlighted the role of this plant’s active compounds on production performance and quality of poultry meat, in particular by improving the broilers’ antioxidant status.
“I am a strong believer in the elite potential of natural products as the source of active candidates in the field of nutrient supplement in both human and animal health and nutrition,” said the prize winner. “Adapting and optimizing Moringa oleifera leaves extract as a dietary supplement will surely help the researchers, farmers and feed professionals to provide an efficient and cost-effective feed for broilers.”
 “Adapting and optimizing Moringa oleifera leaves extract as a dietary supplement will surely help researchers, farmers and feed professionals to provide an efficient and cost-effective feed for broilers,” he added.

Potential biomarkers of gut health in broilers

Alternative grains, such as wheat, barley and rye which are high in non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), can have a substantial negative impact on monogastric digestion and animal performance. Chickens have little or no intrinsic enzymes capable of hydrolyzing these NSP, leading to restricted digestibility of feed ingredients and significant reductions in growth. Undigested feed ingredients in the gut provide nutrients for bacteria overgrowth in the hind gut, which can lead to dysbacteriosis. High NSP diets have also been associated with bacterial diseases that have major economic implications in broiler chickens.
In a recent research study entitled "Identification of potential biomarkers for gut barrier failure in broiler chickens," published in Frontiers in Veterinary Sciences, Novus International, Inc., and University of Arkansas researchers used coccidiosis over-vaccination to trigger a gut health challenge in broiler chickens fed a wheat–barley–rye diet. The overall growth performance and feed efficiency were severely reduced by this gut barrier failure (GBF) model. The results of this study are in agreement with previous studies that concluded high NSP diets compromised growth performance in chickens.
The purpose of the study was not to determine the individual effects of diet ingredients or coccidia challenge, but rather to determine potential biomarkers that may be used to define GBF in future studies. Biomarkers could be useful to monitor poultry health and understand disease mechanisms.
"This research demonstrates Novus's commitment to the understanding of basic physiological and metabolic processes in poultry," said Jeffery Escobar, Executive Manager of Physiology Research at Novus. "The results of this study will allow scientists at Novus, academia, and other poultry researchers to perform better evaluations of gut health parameters and enhance the ability to test solutions, which can translate into safer poultry products for human consumption."
To review the full study, visit this link.

Camelina Study: multi-carbohydrase can benefit broilers

A new study with broiler chickens shows that supplementation with a multi-carbohydrase enzyme formulation can substantially boost the nutritional power of camelina meal, a unique feed source on the rise in Canada and the U.S. Results were unveiled at the 2015 Poultry Science Association (PSA) Annual Meeting, which concluded yesterday.
"Camelina is the new kid on the block as a feed option for poultry," says Rob Patterson of Canadian Bio-Systems Inc. (CBS Inc.), who conducted the study along with Dr. Tofuko Woyengo and Dr. Ruurd Zijlstra of the University of Alberta. "Our study confirms it has a lot to offer from a nutritional standpoint and that using the right formulation of multi-carbohydrase is an effective way to capture more of that full nutritional value."
While it's one thing to have strong nutritional value, it's another to make sure as much of that value as possible is available for absorption and use by the animals, explains Patterson, Technical Director of CBS Inc. Multi-carbohydrase enzyme technology, with its multiple enzyme sources and activities, acts as a universal key that frees nutrients from a number of otherwise hard-to-digest feed components. "This supports the maximum nutrient extraction possible for energy and growth."
Camelina, also known as “false flax” or “wild flax,” is an oilseed crop that initially experienced significant demand before the recent era of dominance of rapeseed and canola. The unique crop, recognized as an excellent source of Omega-3, is now enjoying a fresh resurgence due to its advantages as an option for healthy oils, biofuels, high-end bio-lubricants and bio-plastics, and even jet fuel. It grows well on the Canadian prairies and in key U.S. growing regions, where it is well adapted and has resistance to many common pathogens and pests.
"The rise in camelina production is now becoming a good news story for livestock and poultry industries, because the residual meal left over after oil extraction has shown an attractive nutritional profile for animal feed," says Patterson. "As an added advantage, the high concentration of Omega-3 oils in the meal has been shown to produce Omega meat in broiler chickens - making it a great source not only of high quality feed but as a means of adding value to poultry products."
The study focused on variations of a diet using corn and cold-pressed camelina cake (CPCC). Diets that included multi-carbohydrase supplementation showed a substantial increase in the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of three different major amino acids - methionine, threonine and tryptophan - along with a strong overall boost to the apparent metabolizable energy, N-corrected (AMEn) value of the diet, which increased by 5.6 percent.
The AMEn value shows the difference between the gross energy in the feed and the gross energy in the feces, urine and gasses, to reflect how much energy is actually captured by the animal instead of passed through undigested.
"The results show multi-carbohydrase is effective with camelina meal and strong gains are possible," says Patterson. "Indications are the level of advantage can be further increased depending on the level of multi-carbohydrase used and the overall diet composition. Each poultry operation can determine the ratios that work best economically and effectively for them, depending on their own specific objectives and feeding approaches."
Earlier this year Canadian approval was granted for feeding cold-pressed non-solvent extracted camelina meal to broiler chickens at up to 12 percent inclusion, and approval for inclusion in layer feed is also being considered.
Similarly, the U.S.-FDA has expressed "no objection" to feeding camelina meal to broiler chickens and laying hens up to 10 percent of their final diet.
The CBS Inc. and University of Alberta study involved 600 male broiler chicks divided into 40 groups and fed five diets in a completely randomized design with eight groups per diet, from 15 to 21 days of age. Differences were observed among variations of a corn-based basal diet, the same basal diet with 30 percent replaced by CPCC, and both of these diets without or with multi-carbohydrase enzymes supplementation, as well as an N-free diet.
The corn-based basal diet was fed to determine nutrient digestibility and retention for CPCC by substitution. The N-free diet was fed to estimate basal endogenous amino acid losses, for determining the SID of amino acids. On a dry matter basis, CPCC contained 39.8 percent crude protein, 1.89 percent lysine, 0.70 percent methionine, 1.56 percent threonine, 0.45 percent tryptophan, 12.7 percent ether extract, and 38.3 percent neutral detergent fiber. In addition to boosting the availability and absorption of methionine, threonine and tryptophan, multi-carbohydrase increased the AMEn value of CPCC from 1,533 to 2,072 kcal/kg of dry matter.
The specific multi-carbohydrase formulation used in the study was Omegazyme from CBS Inc.

SRUC study: No bad effects on broilers from LED lighting

A study from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) into the effects of LED lighting on broiler chickens has found that there were no detrimental effects in comparison to more traditional tungsten lighting.
The small study was carried out by researchers from SRUC, in conjunction with lighting manufacturers KEW LEDs. It was funded by a grant from the government’s Innovate UK Technology Strategy Board.
Tungsten (and fluorescent) lights are being superseded by more efficient technology such as low-emitting diodes (LEDs), however their effects on livestock are unknown. Researchers investigated if there were major differences in broiler performance and welfare under 4000K cool, 3000K warm, and 3500K plain (‘neutral’) white LEDs (LC, LW, LN respectively) or tungsten incandescent (T) lighting.
Dr. Victoria Sandilands, Senior Behavior and Welfare Scientist with SRUC’s Avian Science Centre, said: “Birds exposed to LED lights showed more comfort behaviors (4.4 percent) such as preening and dustbathing than birds under tungsten lighting (2.9 percent), whereas tungsten birds sat slightly more (75.6 percent) than LED birds (72.5 percent). This might be viewed as a positive outcome of LED lights as they appear to promote positive behavior and less inactivity.”
Body weights were not significantly affected by lighting treatment at any age, neither was food conversion ratio. Hock and foot pad lesions remained low throughout the study, and lighting appeared to have no effect. Gait scores (an indicator of how well a chicken can walk) gradually worsened with bird age as expected, but also without apparent lighting effects. 

Controlling kinky back disease in broilers

USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, in which researchers were able to determine factors that lead to kinky back disease in broilers. The project is part of the Association’s comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. A brief summary of the completed project is shown below. A complete report may be obtained by going to USPOULTRY’s website, www.uspoultry.org. The project summary is as follows.
Project #682:  Intestinal Co-infection and Flock Management Risk Factors for Enterococcus cecorum-Associated Disease
(Dr. Luke Borst; Dr. H. John Barnes; Dr. Michael Martin; and Dr. Emily Griffith, North Carolina State University)
Enterococcal spondylitis, usually called kinky back in the broiler industry, is an important cause of lameness and mortality in many broiler companies. Researchers at North Carolina State University, led by Dr. Luke Borst, recently completed a research project in which they were able to determine factors that lead to this disease. They found that the causative organism, Enterococcus cecorum, invades through the intestinal tract of the broiler at an early age and travels through the bloodstream to the vertebrae. This finding has led the researchers on the path of developing a vaccine for use in broiler breeders to protect the broiler progeny against the disease. For a detailed summary, click here.

Study looks at added methionine in broilers

The Schothorst Feed Research Institute, an independent privateresearch and consultancy institute for animal nutrition, recently performed a trialto determine the effects of graded inclusion levels of added methionine in broilers.
Recent works indicate that DL-Hydroxy Analogue of Methionine (HMTBa) and DL-Methionine (DL-Met) have a dose dependent equivalency with different asymptote values. The study aimed to confirm this equivalency by assessing the two sources of methionine.
Over the course of 38 days, researchers compared the supplementation of HMTBa, DL-Met and their combination in broiler diets. In total, 1,600 male and female Ross 308 broilers, housed in 80 pens (10 treatments x 4 replicates x 20 broilers x 2 sexes) were fed one of 10 dietary treatments, supplemented with HMTBa and/or DL-Met at three graded levels to a basal diet in the starter, grower and finisher phases. Trial results indicate both HMTBa and DL-Met provided equal methionine value (100 percent) to birds at all doses.
Below are the key findings from this study:


• HMTBa and DL-Met, when supplemented on an equimolar basis, were equally effective, at 90-110 percent of the required doses, in improving growth performance of broilers up to 38 days of age, irrespective of the dose level used.
• HMTBa had higher efficacy to convert a given amount of total sulfur amino acid (TSAA) into one gram of body weight gain at high methionine dose levels in starter diets, when compared to DL-Met.
• In the finisher phase, HTMBa supplementation led to heavier bird weights, when compared with DL-Met, regardless of the methionine dosage.

Viral genotyping can improve infectious bronchitis control

Infectious bronchitis virus continues to cause losses for broiler and layer operations around the globe in spite of extensive vaccination and diagnostic efforts. Dr. Richard Currie, veterinarian, molecular biologist, and co-founder of x-OvO, said that there are three types of diagnostic test for determining the infectious bronchitis status of a flock of chickens. He told the audiences of the WATTAgnet.com webinar, Infectious Bronchitis – Using PCR analysis to identify the predominant strain, sponsored by MSD Animal Health, that three diagnostic methods, ELISA, Hemagglutination inhibition, and molecular diagnostics (PCR), all have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
Currie explained that ELISA testing can be low cost, automated and convenient, but it doesn’t differentiate between different subtypes of the virus. Hemagglutination is low cost, serotype differentiation is possible and he said it can be more useful than ELISA for the construction of an appropriate vaccination program. Unfortunately, he said that the results of Hemagglutination inhibition are sometimes not clear, because there is no differentiation between vaccine response of the same serotype.
Genotyping the virus lets you differentiate vaccine strains from true field viruses so you know where your disease challenge is coming from, said Currie. He explained that vaccines from the same serotype of bronchitis virus can still be different genetically. So vaccines from different companies will be different genetically even though they are the same serotype. Currie said that using DNA sequencing is what lets you differentiate between different vaccine strains and field viruses
Currie’s three practical applications of infectious bronchitis molecular diagnostics:


1. Ensure your flocks are vaccinated
In a test of 300 flocks of commercial broilers in the EU, Currie reported that 18 percent were negative for Infectious bronchitis virus (which means they weren’t effectively vaccinated), 8 percent were sample untypeable (Usually meaning they were exposed to a field type Bronchitis virus that you can’t identify because there is so little genetic material).


2. Vaccinate against true field viruses
This method allows for clear differentiation of vaccine strains from field viruses.
When applied to field outbreaks, it can clarify the apparent large number of field viruses and allow their reclassification.


3. Optimize protection: determine what vaccination programs are associated with the fewest field viruses
Currie explained that current technology does not provide conclusive proof via sequencing analysis that a particular vaccine will protect against a certain field virus. However, molecular characteristics can be identified that are supportive of a protectotype response of a particular vaccine strain for an identified field strain.
To learn more about the field data Currie has gathered on the genotypes of infectious bronchitis virus found in broilers in layers in Europe and the Middle East view the archived webinar.

Using litter amendments during broiler grow-out beneficial

Researchers at the University of Delaware, led by Dr. Hong Li, recently completed a research project funded by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) Foundation in which they field tested a novel method to apply a litter amendment at various times throughout the life of broiler flocks. The research project showed that more frequent applications of the litter amendment during grow-out not only reduced ammonia emissions but also improved live production parameters, improved foot pad quality, and reduced Salmonella isolations from the litter.
The poultry industry is concerned about the emission of ammonia from poultry houses because of the potential effects on live performance, poultry health and welfare, and the environment. Litter amendments have become a standard tool for reducing ammonia emissions from poultry houses but the use of litter amendments has been largely restricted to application prior to flock placement.
Assisting Li with the research were Dr. Eric Benson, Dr. Rolf Joerger, Dr. Kali Kniel, Dr. Pei Chiu and Dr. Yan Jin, all from the University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware.
A detailed summary of the research project can be found on the USPOULTRY website.
The project is part of the USPOULTRY comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing.

Improving broiler welfare can improve profitability

Animal welfare programs for the broiler industry and the audits that measure performance to these standards were adopted to address consumer and activist concerns regarding how the birds are raised and handled, according to Dr. Karen Christensen, associate professor and extension specialist, University of Arkansas. She told the audience of the webinar, Responding to consumer demand with nutrition solutions, sponsored by Novus, that as the National Chicken Council animal welfare program has had its measurable standards raised or tightened, the industry’s performance has improved.
Importance of audits
Christensen, who previously worked as director of technical services for OK Foods, said that audits play a crucial role in continuous improvement programs, because they provide producers with a “score card.” Audits identify areas that require additional effort or training and they also provide a “bridge” to customers and consumers that help build confidence in a producer’s welfare program.
There are three types of audits that can be performed, and Christensen said that they can each play a role in continuous improvement. First-party audits are internal audits that identify areas that need improvement. She said that first-party audits can provide teaching/training opportunities as well as allowing for a means for tracking improvements.
In a second-party audit, the auditor comes from outside the poultry company, but the auditor still has an “interest” in the audit’s outcome. An audit conducted by a customer’s quality assurance personnel is an example of a second-party audit.
An audit performed by an independent auditor is referred to as a third-party audit. The auditor is not a consultant; what third-party auditors provide is a “snapshot” view of the operation at that point in time. The National Chicken Council’s animal welfare program requires third-party auditing.
Welfare and bird performance
Dr. Pat Welch, technical service, Novus, discussed the control of foot pad dermatitis, which is one of the measurable bird welfare criteria found in broiler welfare programs. He said that controlling moisture levels in the house is critical for preventing high ammonia levels which will lead to foot pad problems. Welch shared in detail some litter management techniques for reducing ammonia production. He presented research data which shows how flocks with greater levels of foot pad dermatitis also had more breast blister issues, hock burns, poorer gait scores and had higher whole bird and parts condemnation rates.
Welch said that managing broiler houses to reduce rates of foot pad dermatitis does more than just improve bird welfare. It also yields better performance. He said that better growth rates, feed conversions and lower condemnation rates can be expected when foot pad issues are reduced. Foot pad dermatitis control is just one example of how improving performance on bird welfare indicators will also improve bird performance and yield greater financial returns.

Trial shows benefits of phytase superdosing, xylanase in broilers

Trial results from a University of Berlin study have confirmed the benefits of combining phytase superdosing with a high-efficacy single-enzyme xylanase. Compared with phytase superdosing alone, the inclusion of the xylanase produced a significant additional 4 percent improvement in broiler body weight gain (BWG) over a 35-day period.
The trial compared performance of a superdosing-optimized phytase (Quantum Blue) and a latest generation single-enzyme xylanase (Econase XT) in wheat-corn-soy fed broilers grown from 0 to 35 days of age. Superdosing with 1500 FTU/kg of the phytase increased BWG by 3 percent (2205g versus 2140g) compared to the control diet containing a standard 500 FTU/kg phytase dose (formulated using a phytase matrix of 0.2 percent calcium, 0.2 percent phosphorous, 100 kcal/kg AME). Addition of a standard 16,000 FXU/kg dose of the xylanase raised BWG a further 4 percent (to 2291g).
“This is a gain that is not only statistically significant, but is also economically worthwhile, whether used to boost performance or add to the matrix and further reduce feed costs,” said Gilson Gomes, AB Vista’s global technical manager for poultry.
“When the target is phytate elimination, improving the availability of that phytate through the action of a well-targeted xylanase should be an advantage. This trial confirms that when both enzymes are optimized for efficacy, that advantage translates into a genuine performance gain.”

Infectious bursal disease vaccines examined in research project

A study conducted by scientists from the University of Delaware and Ohio State University that compared the effectiveness of recombinant infectious bursal disease (IBD) vaccines has recently been completed. The study found that overall, bursal lesion scores in challenged broilers appeared to be lower with the use of one of the vaccines compared to lesion scores in broilers vaccinated with the other vaccine.
The vaccines were not specifically named.
In recent years, recombinant IBD vaccines have been utilized to protect chickens against both Marek’s disease and IBD. The research project, led by University of Delaware’s Jack Gelb Jr. and Daral Jackwood, and Ohio State University’s Brian Ladman and Erin Brannick, compared the ability of two recombinant IBD vaccines to protect chickens against a variety of different IBD viruses found in the United States. Both vaccines were found to provide better protection in specific pathogen-free (SPF) maternal antibody-free white leghorns than in maternal antibody positive broilers. Protection varied against different IBD challenge viruses and differences were seen in the protection afforded by the two vaccines. Four different ELISA kits were evaluated for their ability to detect antibody induced by the recombinant vaccines, and two of the evaluated kits were found to be most effective.
The project was part of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and USPOULTRY Foundation comprehensive research program, which encompasses all phases of poultry and egg production and processing.

A broiler’s gut microflora helps determine performance

“The composition of the microbiota determines the long-term performance of any production system,” said Dr. Stephen Collett, associate professor, Poultry Diagnostic Research Center, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. He explained that sometimes research into the impact of antimicrobials on bird performance isn’t really providing data that mimics what happens in modern production systems.
“We tend to think of our systems as all-in-all-out one-step programs,” he said. But, Collet explained to the audience at the “Optimizing the gut environment for improved performance” webinar sponsored by MSD Animal Health that with current production practices, there is carryover of intestinal microflora in the house from one flock to the next.
In research on microbiota management with antibiotics, he explained that these trials are based on a single grow out cycle, but this isn’t how the industry raises birds. “This creates what I call the house flora effect,” he said. What is present in the house helps to create the gut flora, which creates the house flora, which ultimately carries over to the next flock. This occurs to a greater extent on built-up litter, but Collett said that it occurs in spite of any cleanout or disinfection of the house.
Collett said that there is an interaction between the nutrients in the feed and the microflora, and also between the host organism and the microflora of the intestinal tract. He said that producers should try to accelerate the chick’s acquisition of a mature microflora, because the mature microflora gives better flock performance and provides resistance from enteric disease.
Seed, feed and weed
Collett expressed some reluctance in using the "seed, feed and weed" slogan to describe his recommendations for optimizing gut microflora in broilers. He said he wanted to convey the complexity of the interactions and interrelationships between the microbes in the gut and litter and the diet, house management, and other factors. He worried the slogan might not convey this. Having said that, Collett explained that the three components of his recommended plan of action are well described by seed, feed and weed.
Seeding the chick
Because parent stock are maintained during lay on restricted feeding programs, the gut microflora of the hens is not ideal. Microflora from the hen is vertically transmitted to the chick on the shell of the egg and in the embryo itself, according to Collett. Seeding the chicks with a competitive exclusion product or a direct fed microbial can provide the chicks with beneficial microbes and give them the chance to establish a healthy mature gut flora earlier in their lives.
Collett called built-up litter “six inches of competitive exclusion” and said that if the previous flock had a healthy intestinal microflora, the built-up litter will help the new chicks develop a mature microflora. Collett still said that even on built-up litter, direct fed microbial products are useful parts of a gut health program.
Feeding beneficial microbes
Organic acids and enzymes provide two means of “feeding” gut microflora. Acidification of the water supply with weak organic acids serves to “feed” certain bacteria. He said that the acids are bacteriostatic, not bactericidal, and that they promote the growth of beneficial microbes like lactic acid bacteria.
Collett said that the acidification of the gut will be enhanced by the beneficial microbes themselves. He said that the short chain fatty acids produced by bacterial fermentation also acidifies the gut, and in this way the beneficial microbes help create an environment where they can out-compete other microbes like clostridia that need a higher pH to thrive.
The acid treatment can be used continuously or strategically, during the first week the birds are in the house, during times of stress or after antibiotic use. Collett prefers using organic acids in the water, versus incorporating them in the feed.
Supplementing the diet with enzymes will help the bird digest and absorb the non-starch polysaccharides present in the ration in the small intestine. Without these enzymes, the non-starch polysaccharides can make it to the ceca where they serve as a food source for proteolytic organisms, like Clostridium perfringens, and increase the risk of necrotic enteritis.
Weeding out bad microbes
The weeding part of the program comes from the addition of antibiotics, essential oils or yeast cell wall products which help to eliminate the detrimental microbes and keep them from establishing themselves in high numbers in the gut. Collett described what he called the “third generation of yeast cell wall products” as Type 1 Fibrin Blockers and said that they block attachment of the detrimental bacteria to the intestinal wall.
The feed and weed portions of the program help to prevent the microflora from regressing if it becomes disturbed, according to Collett.
Bottom line benefits
A successful program promoting beneficial microflora in broilers will carry over from one flock to the next. Collett said that the microflora in the house won’t change in one flock; it can take several flocks, so performance may improve incrementally from flock to flock.
One manifestation of the better gut health will be expressed in improved bird size uniformity. More uniform flocks will lower processing costs and improve yields, according to Dr. Fernando Vargas, global technical director, MSD Animal Health. He presented data to demonstrate that managing the microflora in the bird and the broiler house can improve bottom line results all the way through the processing plant.

Register for webinar on broiler chick gut health

A balanced and stable gut ensures that broiler chicks have the correct gut microflora to promote early development of the intestine,leading to more efficient use of feed, reduced risk of gut disease and shorter finishing times.
Register athttps://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/136349304 to attend the webinar, “Optimizing the gut environment for improved performance,” sponsored by MSD Animal Health and presented by WATT Global Media, on Thursday, June 19 at 8:30 a.m. CDT.
During this webinar, you will learn:


• How to utilize basic principles of gut flora development for improved performance 
• How to manage the lower gut beyond digestion
• How to rehabilitate intestinal microflora and their environment
• Tools for reducing harmful microflora that can impair performance


Speakers
Dr. Stephen Collett and Fernando Vargas will be the webinar’s featured speakers.
Collett is a clinical associate professor at the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center (PDRC) in the College of Veterinary Medicine at The University of Georgia. As a clinician at the PDRC, he is primarily responsible for teaching clinical medicine in the Masters in Avian Medicine program and problem solving in the State of Georgia’s enormous poultry industry.
After spending 10 years in private practice, he specialized in poultry, receiving his MMed.Vet. in Poultry, from the University of Pretoria and diplomat status with the American College of Poultry Veterinarians. He gained many years of industry experience as head veterinarian with Rainbow Chicken Farms in South Africa and as director of Alltech Inc.’s North American Poultry Division before joining the UGA in 2004.
Fernando Vargas is a veterinarian with more than 20 years dedicated to the poultry industry in several areas, such as broiler health and management, breeders and hatchery, nutrition and feed milling. He has worked for some of the major Brazilian poultry companies.

Hatchery-applied probiotics can improve broiler performance

“Normal intestinal villus development is entirely dependent upon colonization by pioneer colonizers,” said Dr. William Hargis, sustainable poultry health chair, Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas. Providing broiler chicks with a large enough quantity of beneficial bacteria to colonize the birds' guts shortly after hatch also allows for normal intestinal acquired and innate immune function to develop as well.
Hargis discussed the benefits of using appropriate probiotics treatments for broilers during the WattAgnet.com webinar, “You never have to recover from a good start: The importance of early flock performance and recent innovations in hatchery probiotics,” which was sponsored by the Pacific Vet Group. He said that the immediate post-hatch period is a critical time for the development of the chick’s digestive tract. Chicks must undergo the transition from energy supplied by the endogenous nutrients of the yolk to exogenous carbohydrate-rich feed. During this time, dramatic changes occur in mucosal development, morphology and function. He said that the timing and occurrence of these changes is “entirely dependent upon appropriate microbial colonization.”
Exposing the chick to a sufficient quantity of the appropriate probiotics mixture before it is exposed to other microbes can improve the effectiveness of the probiotics. Application in the hatchery gives the probiotics bacteria a head start on colonizing the chick's digestive tract, before the chicks will be exposed to the bacteria and fungi in the broiler house.


Symbiotic relationship
The intestinal microbiota of the chicken can aid the health and growth of the bird by fermenting carbohydrates, producing short-chain fatty acids, metabolizing proteins, and enhancing mineral and lipid absorption. Early establishment of the intestinal microbiota promotes proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cell lineages, regulates angiogenesis, modifies the activity of the enteric nervous system, extracting and processing nutrients in the diet, assembly of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue, and education of the immune system.
Hargis said the most beneficial pioneer colonizers of the gastrointestinal tract must competitively establish within the neonatal intestinal tract, displace opportunistic pathogens to which chicks are commonly exposed as early as hatch, stimulate enteric development and integrity, and must create favorable niches for eventual colonization by complex beneficial microbiota. Selection for bacterial strains that can meet all of these criteria is an essential part of the development of a truly effective probiotics culture.


Field trials
Dr. Ross E. Wolfenden, vice president of research and development, Pacific Vet Group, and Dr. James Barton, technical service director, Pacific Vet Group, presented results of large field trials, one with 9 million broilers, of hatchery-applied probiotics, FloraStart, in the U.S. The probiotics-treated birds had higher weights, with greater uniformity, and lower mortality at seven days of age. In the 9 million broiler test, the livability and weight gain improvements carried through to market.

Research investigates cyanosis in male broiler chickens

USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at Mississippi State University in Pearl, Miss., investigating the cause of cyanosis in male breeder broilers. The project is part of USPOULTRY's comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing.
The research project, led by Dr. Danny Magee, investigated the cause of cyanosis in male broiler breeders. Cyanosis is a dark blue or purple coloration of the skin, comb, and wattles, and has been seen in the industry for several years. The research found that the underlying cause may be a cardiac problem affecting blood flow in the male breeders. The project investigated the contributions of feeding programs on the incidence of the condition.
Other Mississippi State University researchers involved with the project were Kelli Jones, Floyd Wilson, Erica Varavik-Munsell, Timothy Cummings and Robert Wills.

Research enhances understanding of broiler runting and stunting syndrome

USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia on research that enhances the understanding of runting and stunting syndrome of broilers. The project is part of the Association's comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing.
Researchers at the University of Georgia, led by Dr. Holly Sellers, have identified four different viruses that are present in the intestines of broilers that are suffering from runting and stunting syndrome (RSS). RSS is a disease which affects the intestinal tract of broilers at a very young age and retards the growth of the broilers. The cause of this disease has been difficult to pinpoint. In this study, a vaccine was made which incorporates portions of the four viruses. Broiler breeders were vaccinated with the experimental vaccine, and then the broiler progeny of those breeders were challenged with the RSS agents to determine whether maternal immunity could provide some protection against the disease. Results indicate that this approach does not provide satisfactory protection to the broilers.
"This was well-constructed research which pointed to new strategies for our next attempt at combatting RSS," remarked Dr. John Glisson, vice president of research programs for USPOULTRY.

Research shows benefits of windrowing broiler litter

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and the USPOULTRY Foundation have completed a funded research project at the University of Arkansas on the production and environmental benefits of windrowing broiler litter.
The project is part of the association's comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. A complete report, along with information on other association research, may be obtained by going to USPOULTRY's website.
Dr. Yi Liang, University of Arkansas, and a group of researchers from the University of Arkansas, Oklahoma State University and Mississippi State University, recently completed a research project, funded by USPOULTRY, which evaluated the effect of in-house broiler litter windrowing on several important production and environmental factors. Potential pathogens, such as Clostridium spp. and E. coli, were reduced below detection limits after windrowing. The moisture content of litter was reduced significantly by windrowing and the quality of the paws (paw score) improved in the windrowed houses. Water soluble phosphorous levels were very similar in windrowed and non-windrowed litter. Windrowing did not eliminate ammonia emissions from the litter.
Overall, the windrow process provided a positive effect to most of the parameters studied and provided no negative effects. It provides producers an option for reducing potential pathogens in the broiler house, reducing litter moisture, and improving paw quality.

Lowering protein levels paying off for European broiler producers

Lowering the level of protein -- one of the most expensive raw materials for the future -- is paying off for more broiler producers across Europe, according to James Truscott, director of Cobb Germany.
The practice is showing benefits in the company's market area of 21 countries with economic and bird health advantages for the Cobb500 broiler, Truscott told more than 40 participants at the company's annual pre-Christmas conference in the eastern German town of Dessau.
"Especially in Germany, most of the large integrations are increasing or have already increased significantly the percentage of Cobb," he said. "Broiler producers in Switzerland and Germany are now realizing they can earn a higher profit if they work with the Cobb500, following market leaders in Eastern Europe who already have moved to, or are maintaining, their 100 percent share of the breed. Germany and some other Northern European countries are a bit slower in recognizing this advantage compared with other countries further east, where financial investors already count on the highest profitability and moved to Cobb several years ago. In these countries customers also benefit from the breed’s higher meat yield and so reap double benefits."