This experiment aimed to investigate the effect of different levels of zinc (Zn) and a probiotic on the growth and intestinal health of broiler chickens. One hundred ninety-two-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 6 groups. The birds were supplemented with Zn (30 and 60 mg/kg) and a probiotic mixture alone or in combination with Zn. The results revealed that the broilers receiving a probiotic mixture alone or in combination with Zn (30 and 60 mg) increased (P < 0.05) final body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and total goblet cell count in duodenum compared with the control group. Morphometry of the duodenum also revealed an increase (P < 0.05) in villus height (VH) and the ratio of VH and crypt depth in all the supplemented groups, whereas ileal VH increased (P < 0.05) only in Zn60 group when compared with control. Based on our results, we concluded that compared to the individual supplementation, the combined effect of Zn and probiotic mixture was superior in improving the growth performance and histomorphology of the intestine; however, the effect of two levels of Zn did not vary when combined with probiotic.

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Zinc and Multi-Microbe Probiotic on Growth Traits and Alteration of Intestinal Architecture in Broiler.

The human body has biological redox systems capable of preventing or mitigating the damage caused by increased oxidative stress throughout life. One of them are the paraoxonase (PON) enzymes. The PONs genetic cluster is made up of three members (PON1, PON2, PON3) that share a structural homology, located adjacent to chromosome seven. The most studied enzyme is PON1, which is associated with high density lipoprotein (HDL), having paraoxonase, arylesterase and lactonase activities. Due to these characteristics, the enzyme PON1 has been associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Here we update the knowledge about the association of PON enzymes and their polymorphisms and the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/1/11/pdf

Paraoxonase Role in Human Neurodegenerative Diseases.

The current study was conducted to evaluate the impact of grape (Vitis vinifera) seed powder and zinc-glycine complex on growth parameters and cecal health of broiler following Eimeria tenella challenge. A total of 250 day-old male broilers (Hubbard) were distributed into five treatments as follows: I-negative control (basal diet); II-positive control (E. tenella challenge); III-group infected + Amprolium; IV-group coccidial infection + organic zinc (OZ) at 50 ppm + grape seed powder (GSP) at 2.5 g/kg; V-coccidial infection + organic zinc (OZ) at 50 ppm + grape seed powder (GSP) at 5.0 g/kg. From findings, a lower (p < 0.05) feed intake was noted for positive control compared to the other treatment groups. Conversely, higher (p < 0.05) body weight, dressing percentage, and feed conversion ratio were observed in infected + Amprolium, GSP2.5 + OZ50, and GSP5 + OZ50 treatments in comparison to the positive control. Moreover, the positive control showed severe cecal lesions of thickness and hemorrhages with mild congestion. The lesion scores decreased (p < 0.05) in GSP and OZ treated groups compared to the positive control. Significant (p < 0.05) lower oocyst per gram of feces was found in infected + Amprolium, GSP2.5 + OZ50, and GSP5 + OZ50 in comparison to positive control. Supplementing diet with GSP and OZ at both levels showed restoration of intense sloughing of villi. From the present findings, it can be concluded that OZ and grape seed powder positively ameliorated the growth performance, lesion score, and oocysts shedding in broilers infected with E. tenella.

Protective Effect of Grape (Vitis vinifera) Seed Powder and Zinc-Glycine Complex on Growth Traits and Gut Health of Broilers Following Eimeria tenella Challenge.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary zinc sources on the growth performance and gut health of weaned piglets. In total, 96 Duroc × Landrance × Yorkshire (DLY) weaned piglets with an initial average body weight of 8.81 ± 0.42 kg were divided into four groups, with six replicates per treatment and four pigs per replicate. The dietary treatment groups were as follows: 1) control group, basal diet; 2) zinc sulphate (ZnSO4) group, basal diet + 100 mg/kg ZnSO4; 3) glycine zinc (Gly-Zn) group, basal diet + 100 mg/kg Gly-Zn and 4) zinc lactate group, basal diet + 100 mg/kg zinc lactate. The whole trial lasted for 28 days. Decreased F/G was noted in the Gly-Zn and zinc lactate groups (P < 0.05). The zinc lactate group had a lower diarrhoea rate than the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the ZnSO4, Gly-Zn and zinc lactate groups had significantly higher apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude ash and zinc than the control group (P < 0.05). The Gly-Zn and zinc lactate groups had higher jejunal villus height and a higher villus height:crypt depth ratio than the control group (P < 0.05). In addition, the ZnSO4, Gly-Zn and zinc lactate groups had a significantly lower mRNA expression level of jejunal ZRT/IRT-like protein 4 (ZIP4) and higher mRNA expression level of jejunal interleukin-1β (IL-1β) than the control group (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression level of jejunal zinc transporter 2 (ZNT2) was higher and that of jejunal Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) was lower in the Gly-Zn and zinc lactate groups than in the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the zinc lactate group had a higher count of Lactobacillus spp. in the caecal digesta and higher mRNA expression levels of jejunal occludin and mucin 2 (MUC2) than the control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 100 mg/kg ZnSO4, Gly-Zn or zinc lactate could improve the growth performance and gut barrier function of weaned piglets. Dietary supplementation with organic zinc, particularly zinc lactate, had the best effect.

/pdf/effects-of-dietary-zinc-sources-on-growth-performance-and-164tcoopc9.pdf

Effects of Dietary Zinc Sources on Growth Performance and Gut Health of Weaned Piglets.

Zinc, copper, and manganese are prominent essential trace (or micro) minerals, being required in small, but adequate, amounts by pigs and poultry for normal biological functioning. Feed is a source of trace minerals for pigs and poultry but variable bioavailability in typical feed ingredients means that supplementation with low-cost oxides and sulphates has become common practice. Such trace mineral supplementation often provides significant ‘safety margins’, while copper and zinc have been supplemented at supra-nutritional (or pharmacological) levels to improve health and/or growth performance. Regulatory mechanisms ensure that much of this oversupply is excreted by the host into the environment, which can be toxic to plants and microorganisms or promote antimicrobial resistance in microbes, and thus supplying trace minerals more precisely to pigs and poultry is necessary. The gastrointestinal tract is thus central to the maintenance of trace mineral homeostasis and the provision of supra-nutritional or pharmacological levels is associated with modification of the gut environment, such as the microbiome. This review, therefore, considers recent advances in understanding the influence of zinc, copper, and manganese on the gastrointestinal environment of pigs and poultry, including more novel, alternative sources seeking to maintain supra-nutritional benefits with minimal environmental impact.

Recent Advances in Understanding the Influence of Zinc, Copper, and Manganese on the Gastrointestinal Environment of Pigs and Poultry.

The current experiment was performed to find the potential effect of inorganic and organic forms of zinc (Zn) on growth, intestinal histomorphology, immune response, and paraoxonase (PON1) activity in broiler. In this experiment, a total of 450 broiler chickens were assigned to four experimental and control groups. The birds received organic Zn at the rate of 50 mg/kg (OZ-50) and 60 mg/kg (OZ-60) or inorganic Zn at the rate of 50 mg/kg (IZ-50) and 60 mg/kg (IZ-60) for an experimental period of 30 days. Significantly (P < 0.05) higher feed consumption, body weight, feed conversion ratio, and production efficiency factor (PEF) were recorded in OZ-50. Similarly, antibody titer against infectious bronchitis (IB) and PON1 activity was higher (P < 0.05) in OZ-50 compared with the control group. In addition, significantly (P < 0.05) higher villus dimensions and goblet cell count were recorded for the group OZ-50 compared with other treatments. It was concluded that the organic form of Zn was superior in improving the growth, histological features of intestines, humoral response, and PON1 activity in broiler.

Zahirullah

Papers

Zinc source modulates zootechnical characteristics, intestinal features, humoral response, and paraoxonase (PON1) activity in broilers