Page 11 - VOL.38-NO.5

POULTRY

SUCCESSFUL TOOLS FOR A HOLISTIC

APPROACH TOWARDS GUT HEALTH

Nutritional strategies to support the
production of high quality, low cost and
safe animal products are a must nowadays.
The relationships between health, nutrition,
welfare, and environment need to be con-
sidered. In poultry production, increasing
feed costs are imposing pressure on the
profitability of the farmer, so nutritionists
seek to reduce feed costs whilst maintain-
ing animal performance and gut health.
Several strategies, with tangible tools to
support this, are discussed in this article.
Controlling coccidiosis
Coccidiosis, caused by protozoan par-
asites of the genus Eimeria, is one of the
most widespread and difficult-to-manage
poultry diseases, resulting in considerable
economic losses in the broiler industry. In-
sufficient or inadequate control of coccid-
iosis will result in gut health damage and
provide a pathway for other pathogens The NSPases contain xylanase or xy- and amino acids which are complexed by
to proliferate. lanase-based enzymatic complexes, and phytate, enhancing their digestibility.
For instance, suboptimal coccidiosis their mode of action includes the hydrolysis Supporting the microbiota
control combined with a high amount of of soluble arabinoxylans, which minimises
undigested protein will create an ideal situ- intestinal viscosity, preventing the over- The relationship between a healthy gut
ation for the proliferation of Clostridia spp. growth of microflora and thereby reduces and the animal’s microbiota is undeniable.
Birds suffering from clinical coccidiosis will gut health disorders. As part of the holistic approach, the inclu-
show typical signs like diarrhoea, bloody Together with the efficient reduction sion of probiotics in the nutritional program
droppings, increased mortality, decreased in viscosity, NSPases will also hydrolyse offers a way of supporting gut health from
feed intake and impaired performance. insoluble arabinoxylans. This action will a microbial perspective. The mode of ac-
Inadequate control of coccidiosis leads to unlock nutrients (mainly starch and pro- tion of probiotics is usually multifactorial,
impaired growth and feed conversion ratio, teins) which are trapped in the cell walls of including (but not limited to) the produc-
without the presence of evident clinical the vegetable feed ingredients (the ‘cage tion of beneficial metabolites or the direct
signs. This is subclinical coccidiosis. effect’ of insoluble fibres). competition with unwanted bacteria.
Intensive methods of production of Using the correct NSPase leads to im- As a result, probiotics often help to bal-
poultry favour the reproduction of Eimeria. proved digestibility of starch and protein. ance the present microbiota and improve its
Consequently, coccidiosis is a continuing The latter is of particular importance as robustness, supporting general gut health
attention and, in the case of broilers, a high levels of undigested protein in the in the process.
need for continuous supplementation with (last) part of the intestine is a breeding Probiotics can be incorporate into the
anticoccidial drugs or coccidiosis vaccines, ground for protein-loving pathogens like feed or drinking water, depending on the
in addition to in-feed anticoccidials. Clostridium spp, causing necrotic enteritis. strain and formulation used.
Coccidiosis control combined with a good The breakdown of arabinoxylans by Although there are many commercial
monitoring program will be the base of any NSPase also yields arabino-oligosac- options available, the preferred product
gut health management program. charides (AXOS) which are known to be of choice should be based on a single unique
Improving feed digestibility fermented by the microflora in the lower strain, capable of forming spores and with
a proven and researched mode of action.
part of the intestine to butyrate, which is
Improving the digestibility of feed can a major energy source for villi regeneration Such probiotics increase the ease of use,
be achieved by selecting highly digestible allowing good gut health status. whilst ensuring product efficacy. Good ex-
feedstuffs. However, this will increase the Phytases have been shown not only to amples are B-Act, containing viable spores
feed price. The improvement of the di- break down phytate to release phospho- of Bacillus licheniformis, or Miya-Gold /
gestibility of feed by using enzymes able rus, but by doing so, to also destroy the Top Gut, based on Clostridium butyricum.
to degrade non-starch polysaccharides anti-nutritional factor phytate. This not Probiotics allow producers to support their
(NSPases) will not only lead to lowering only leads to a reduction of endogenous animals’ gut health efficiently, setting them
the feed cost at formulation, but also exert protein losses, but also liberates protein up for a successful production period from
a positive effect on the bird’s gut health. start to finish.
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Vol. 38 No. 5 9