Study: Water-soluble supplement boosts gut health in broilers
The paper highlights the potential of ferric sillen core-linked polymer (FSCLP) to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in chicken production, with beneficial effects on performance, microbial composition, and intestinal health.
The study, led by Sean Christanseen, PhD, in collaboration with Alltech, Dublin City University (DCU), and the University of Kentucky, investigated FSCLP's impact on body weight gain, feed conversion, water intake, volatile fatty acid production, cecal microbiome, and intestinal morphology in broilers.
These findings are significant for the poultry industry, demonstrating FSCLP's value as an additive in poultry nutrition, claimed the scientists.
The researchers observed improvements in performance metrics, along with a notable shift in the ceca microbiota towards a higher prevalence of Firmicutes, which are linked to better gut health and nutrient absorption due to increased short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) synthesis. The study also found a reduction in the level of the zoonotic pathogen E coli, emphasizing FSCLP's potential to enhance food chain integrity.
Dr Christanseen, sponsored by Alltech, completed his PhD under the mentorship of Dr Karina Horgan at the Alltech European Biosciences Centre in Dunboyne. The company has run structured and sponsored PhD programs since the early 1990s. Dr Blanaid White and Dr Dermot Walls at DCU also supervised the work.
Pathogen control
Providing context, Richard Murphy, director of research at Alltech, told FeedNavigator that the Dunboyne research group has an active gut health program focused on pathogen control to enhance both animal performance and pre-harvest food safety.
“For pre-harvest control, our primary targets are Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E coli. From a performance standpoint, we address a broad range of pathogens, including Clostridia, Enterococcus, E. coli, and Brachyspira.
“A key aspect of our program is the development of novel, fully water-soluble products. These innovations allow for routine application in monogastrics, offering producers new opportunities to promote gut health and effectively control pathogens”
He said Dr Christanseen’s PhD study on FSCLP was particularly noteworthy in this respect with implications for both food safety and animal performance:
“The findings demonstrate this material's in vivo effectiveness, showing striking benefits to broiler performance, even under heat stress, including significantly higher body weight and weight gain, as well as increased feed intake.
“The assessment of the cecal microbiome indicated potential for reducing pathogens like E coli while promoting beneficial bacteria that produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs), important for both growth and postbiotic health benefits.”
Murphy outlined how the product has shown effectiveness in suppressing Campylobacter, Salmonella, and E coli growth in vitro, suggesting its application for pre-harvest pathogen control.
“Ongoing work on Campylobacter is expected to be published soon, with findings showing the material significantly inhibits C jejuni growth, reduces gene expression related to virulence and colonization, and lowers C jejuni attachment to intestinal cells in vitro,” continued the Alltech research lead.
The development of water-soluble gut health products for poultry and livestock represents a innovative approach to combating Campylobacter, believes Murphy. The technology has the potential to impede colonization, reduce transmission, and lower the incidence of human campylobacteriosis, he added.
“Building on Sean’s PhD research, we are also developing additional variants of the material, focusing on targeted, pathogen-specific applications. He is currently finalizing a product variant that shows exceptional effectiveness against Salmonella and E coli growth in vitro, as well as the ability to prevent their attachment to intestinal cells.”
