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Veterinary World Mar 2022Although and are common members of human and animal gut microbiota, their resistance to different antimicrobials makes them important pathogens. Multidrug-resistant...
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Although and are common members of human and animal gut microbiota, their resistance to different antimicrobials makes them important pathogens. Multidrug-resistant enterococci often contaminate foods of animal origin at slaughterhouses. The World Health Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health recommend including animal-derived enterococci in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) monitoring programs. This study aimed to fill a literature gap by determining the current AMR prevalence of and from different food-producing animals in Russia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Samples of biomaterial were taken from chickens (n=187), cattle (n=155), pigs (n=49), turkeys (n=34), sheep (n=31), and ducks (n=31) raised at 28 farms in 15 regions of Russia. Isolates of (n=277) and of (n=210) (487 isolates in total; 1 isolate per sample) were tested for resistance to 12 antimicrobials from 11 classes using the broth microdilution method. Three criteria were used for the interpretation of minimum inhibitory concentration: Epidemiological cutoff values (ECOFFs) from the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) clinical breakpoints. The AMR cloud online platform was used for data processing and statistical analysis.
RESULTS
A difference of >10% was found between and resistance to several antimicrobials (erythromycin, gentamycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and streptomycin). In total, resistance to most antimicrobials for enterococci isolates of both species taken from turkeys, chicken, and pigs was higher than cattle, sheep, and ducks. The highest levels were found for turkeys and the lowest for ducks. Among antimicrobials, resistance to bacitracin and virginiamycin was 88-100% in nearly all cases. High levels of clinical resistance were found for both bacteria species: Rifampicin (44-84%) from all animals, tetracycline (45-100%) from poultry and pigs, and erythromycin (60-100%), ciprofloxacin (23-100%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (33-53%) from chickens, turkeys, and pigs. No vancomycin-resistant isolates were found. Most isolates were simultaneously resistant to one-three classes of antimicrobials, and they were rarely resistant to more than three antimicrobials or sensitive to all classes.
CONCLUSION
Differences in resistance between enterococci from different farm animals indicate that antimicrobial application is among the crucial factors determining the level of resistance. Conversely, resistance to rifampicin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin found in enterococci from farm animals in our study was notably also found in enterococci from wild animals and birds. Our results may be partly explained by the intrinsic resistance of and to some antimicrobials, such as trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and bacitracin.
PubMed: 35497972
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.611-621 -
Veterinary World Feb 2022With the increased concerns about global protein supply, chicken meat, especially from male layer chicken, constitutes an alternative in terms of quality and carcass...
Efficacy of dietary supplementary probiotics as substitutes for antibiotic growth promoters during the starter period on growth performances, carcass traits, and immune organs of male layer chicken.
BACKGROUND AND AIM
With the increased concerns about global protein supply, chicken meat, especially from male layer chicken, constitutes an alternative in terms of quality and carcass traits. Probiotics have been proposed for replacing antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs), which have been prohibited as poultry supplement feeds. The present study aimed to determine the efficacy of dietary supplementary probiotics during the starter period on growth performances, carcass traits, and immune organs of male layer chicken.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this study, one hundred and eighty 1-day-old male chicks from the strain ISA brown were used. They were divided into six groups according to the feed: 100% basal feed (T0), basal feed+2.5 g AGP/kg feed (T1), basal feed+probiotics 1 mL/kg feed (T2), basal feed+probiotics 3 mL/kg feed (T3), basal feed+probiotics 4 mL/kg feed (T4), and basal feed+probiotics 5 mL/kg feed (T5). Probiotics (, , and spp.) were given at a concentration of 1.2×10 colony-forming unit/mL. Virginiamycin was used as AGP. ISA brown layer chicken was treated for 21 days. Growth performances (body weight, feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio [FCR]), carcass traits (weight at slaughter, weight of the carcass, breast muscles, liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart), immune organs (spleen, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius), and non-edible organs (head, legs, and wings) were analyzed.
RESULTS
Probiotic supplementation at 4 and 5 mL/kg feed (T4 and T5) during the starter phase improved the body weight, FCR, and feed consumption. The weight at slaughter, weight of the carcass, breast muscles, and liver from the T4 and T5 groups were significantly greater than those in the other treatment groups. In addition, the weight of the heart, lungs, and kidneys was increased in the T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 groups compared with that measured in the T0 group. Furthermore, there were significant differences regarding the immune organs between the T0 and the other treatment groups. The weight of the head, legs, and wings was also greater in the probiotic and AGP supplementation groups (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5) than that in the basal feed group (T0).
CONCLUSION
Probiotic (, , and spp.) supplementation at 4 and 5 mL/kg feed during the starter period can be used to improve the growth, carcass traits, and weight of immune organs in male layer chicken.
PubMed: 35400938
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.324-330 -
Translational Animal Science Jan 2022One hundred sixty-eight Holstein steer calves (133.4 ± 7.9 kg) were used to evaluate the influence of virginiamycin (VM) supplementation on cattle growth...
One hundred sixty-eight Holstein steer calves (133.4 ± 7.9 kg) were used to evaluate the influence of virginiamycin (VM) supplementation on cattle growth performance and liver abscess incidence, and the effect of feeding 100% vs. 87% of metabolizable protein (MP) requirements during the initial 112 d on growth performance, efficiency of energy utilization, and carcass characteristics. Steers were balanced by weight and assigned to 28 pens (6 steers/pen). During the initial 112-d feeding period, dietary treatments consisted of two levels of MP (100% vs. 87% of expected requirements) supplemented with or without 22.5 mg/kg VM in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. There were no VM × MP supplementation interactions ( ≥ 0.14) on any of the parameters measured in both experiments. Calf-fed Holstein steers supplemented with VM increased ( ≤ 0.03) overall average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (G:F), observed/expected net energy (NE) values for maintenance and gain, and final body weight (BW). Cattle fed VM also increased ( ≤ 0.04) carcass weight, dressing percent, and longissimus muscle area. However, there was no effect ( ≥ 0.22) of VM supplementation on any other carcass characteristics. Calf-fed Holstein steers fed 100% MP requirements during the initial 112-d feeding period had greater ( ≤ 0.02) ADG, G:F, observed/expected NE values for maintenance and gain, and live BW compared with steers fed 87% of the expected MP requirements. However, there was no effect ( ≥ 0.17) of MP supply during the initial 112-d period on overall (342 d) growth performance measurements. The incidence of liver abscesses was low (averaging 7.7%) and not affected by dietary treatments. We conclude that, independent of MP supplies, supplemental VM enhances overall growth performance and efficiency of energy utilization of calf-fed Holstein steers.
PubMed: 35098040
DOI: 10.1093/tas/txab228 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2021The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance genes in pathogenic microorganisms have resulted in many countries restricting the use of antibiotics as growth...
The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance genes in pathogenic microorganisms have resulted in many countries restricting the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed. The combined use of essential oils and organic acids can help maintain intestinal health, improve animal growth performance, and alleviate the negative effects of banned antibiotics for certain economically important animals. Although the modes of action for the combined dietary supplementation of essential oils and organic acids such as thymol-citric acid (EOA1) and thymol-butyric acid (EOA2) remain unclear, it is speculated that their activities are achieved through beneficial modulation of gastrointestinal microbial communities and inhibition of pathogen growth. In this study, 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing was used to analyze the effects of treatment with EOA1 and EOA2 on the jejunal, cecal, and fecal microbial communities of Cobb broilers while also evaluating effects over different broiler ages. The intestinal microbial communities of broilers developed with increasing age, and gradually came to dominate the intestinal communities of treated broilers. Further, the microbial communities of feces were more complex than those of the jejuna and ceca. We systematically elucidate that the longitudinal changes in the intestinal microbial communities of Cobb broiler chickens at different ages. Meanwhile, we found that the addition of EOA1 or EOA2 to the diet: (1) inhibited the proliferation of and Alcaligenaceae in the jejuna on day 28, (2) promoted the colonization and growth of beneficial bacteria such as , Clostridia, and Bacteroidia at various growth stages, and (3) enriched the abundance of certain microbiota functions, including biological pathways related to metabolism (e.g., enzyme families). Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate that EOA1 and EOA2 dietary supplementation can affect various microbial metabolic pathways related to the metabolism and absorption of nutrients via regulation of the intestinal microbial community structures of Cobb broilers.
PubMed: 35046927
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.814626 -
Veterinary World Nov 2021Many plants contain bioactive substances with antibacterial and antifungal properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal activity of...
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Many plants contain bioactive substances with antibacterial and antifungal properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal activity of shell liquid smoke (CSL), clove leaf extract (CLE), and mangosteen pericarp extract (MPE) alone and in combination against and . The antioxidant activity, phenol, saponin, and tannin of CSL, CLE, MPE, and L. extract were also measured.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The agar well-diffusion method was used to determine the antimicrobial and antifungal activities of CSL, methanolic MPE, and CLE and their combination CSL+MPE+CLE (COMBI) on bacteria and fungus (). Antioxidant activity was measured by the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl method. Total phenol and total tannin were measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and total saponin was measured by the vanillin-sulphate method.
RESULTS
The results indicated that phenolic and tannin levels were greater in MPE than in CLE, whereas the saponin content was higher in CLE compared with MPE. Undiluted (100%) MPE exhibited lower antibacterial activity (p<0.05) than chloramphenicol against , however, undiluted CLE and COMBI showed similar activity compared with chloramphenicol against . COMBI caused significantly (p<0.05) higher inhibition compared with virginiamycin against . CSL, MPE, and COMBI exhibited significantly lower antifungal activity (p<0.05) than that of ketoconazole against . In contrast, CLE showed improved antifungal activity (p<0.05) compared with ketoconazole.
CONCLUSION
liquid smoke, pericarp extract, and leaf extract, either alone or in combination, have the potential to be used as antibacterial and antifungal agents.
PubMed: 35017855
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.3048-3055 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2021This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation on the growth, antioxidant, immune response, gut microbiota, and intestinal barrier function...
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation on the growth, antioxidant, immune response, gut microbiota, and intestinal barrier function of broilers under high stocking density (HSD) stress. A total of 324 1-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly assigned to three treatments with six replicates, each replicate including 18 chickens (18 birds/m). The experiment lasted 6 weeks. The three treatments were basal diet (control, CON), basal diet supplemented with 1 × 10 colony forming units (cfu)/kg (CB), and basal diet supplemented with 10 mg/kg virginiamycin (antibiotic, ANT). The results showed that the body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) of broilers in the CB group were significantly higher than those in the CON group in three periods ( < 0.05). The total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in serum of the CB group were significantly increased compared with those in the CON and ANT groups at 42 days ( < 0.05). At 42 days, the serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels of the CB group were significantly higher than those of the CON group. Compared with the CON group, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the CB group was significantly decreased in the starter and grower stages ( < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the two treatment groups ( > 0.05). significantly decreased the high stocking density-induced expression levels of IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the ileum of broilers at different stages. Additionally, could increase the expressions of claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in intestinal tissue. Moreover, significantly increased the Sobs and Shannon indices in the CB group compared with the ANT group ( < 0.05), while the Ace index in the CB group was significantly higher than that of the CON group ( < 0.05). Furthermore, by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the proportion of in the CB group was increased compared to those in the CON and ANT groups at the genus level. In conclusion, supplemented into feed could improve the growth performance and feed utilization of broilers by promoting immune and intestinal barrier function and benefiting the cecal microflora.
PubMed: 34956140
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.777456 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2021() as in-feed probiotics is a potential alternative for antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in the poultry industry. The current study investigated the effects of on the...
() as in-feed probiotics is a potential alternative for antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in the poultry industry. The current study investigated the effects of on the performance, immunity, gut microbiota, and intestinal barrier function of broiler chickens. A 42-day feeding trial was conducted with a total of 600 1-day-old Arbor Acres broilers with similar initial body weight, which was randomly divided into one of five dietary treatments: the basal diet (Ctrl), Ctrl + virginiamycin (AGP), Ctrl + A (BSA), Ctrl + B (BSB), and Ctrl + A + B (1:1, BSAB). The results showed significantly increased average daily gain in a step-wise manner from the control, , and to the AGP groups. The mortality rate of the group was significantly lower than the AGP group. The concentrations of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G (IgG), IgA, and IgM in the and AGP groups were higher than the control group, and the groups had the highest content of serum lysozyme and relative weight of thymus. Dietary increased the relative length of ileum and the relative weight of jejunum compared with the AGP group. The villus height (V), crypt depth (C), V/C, and intestinal wall thickness of the jejunum in the and AGP groups were increased relative to the control group. Dietary increased the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-1, the same as AGP. The contents of lactic acid, succinic acid, and butyric acid in the ileum and cecum were increased by dietary . Dietary significantly increased the and in the ileum and cecum and decreased the and in the cecum. The improved performance and decreased mortality rate observed in the feeding trial could be accrued to the positive effects of on the immune response capacity, gut health, and gut microflora balance, and the combination of two strains showed additional benefits on the intestinal morphology and tight junction protein expressions. Therefore, it can be concluded that dietary A and B could be used as alternatives to synthetic antibiotics in the promotion of gut health and productivity index in broiler production.
PubMed: 34917643
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.786878 -
PloS One 2021An experiment was conducted to evaluate the feed intake, nutrient digestibility and selected rumen parameters in feedlot bulls fed diets containing different feed...
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the feed intake, nutrient digestibility and selected rumen parameters in feedlot bulls fed diets containing different feed additives. Six rumen-cannulated Nellore bulls (age = 8 ± 1.0 months; initial BW = 225 ± 13.2 kg) were distributed in a 6 × 6 Latin square design. Six experimental diets based on 30% corn silage and 70% concentrate on a dry matter (DM) basis were evaluated. Diets differed in feed additive on a DM basis, as follows: 1.4% bicarbonate and magnesium oxide in 3:1 ratio (BOX); 36 ppm lasalocid sodium (LAS); 30 ppm monensin sodium (MON); 25 ppm virginiamycin (VIR); 30 ppm monensin sodium plus 25 ppm virginiamycin (MV); and 3.15% commercial mineral supplement containing D-limonene and exogenous α-amylase (EOA). The experiment lasted 144 d, with six periods of 24 d. Each period consisted of 14 d for dietary adaptation, 3 d for feces and urine collection, and 7 d for omasal and ruminal digesta collection. Bulls fed the BOX diet showed greater (P < 0.05) intake of DM, organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (apNDF), crude protein (CP), and starch compared to the other diets. Diets with LAS, MON, VIR, MV, or EOA did not influence (P > 0.05) the DM, OM, apNDF, CP, or starch intake of feedlot bulls. Bulls fed the EOA diet showed greater (trend; P = 0.09) ruminal digestibility of starch compared to the other diets. The feed additives did not affect (P > 0.05) the intestinal or total tract digestibility of starch, rumen pH, microbial efficiency, total rumen fluid, dilution rate, rate of intake, rate of degradation, or passage rate of the DM, OM, apNDF, and starch. In conclusion, LAS, MON, VIR, MV, and EOA diets reduced nutrient intake compared to BOX. Although all feed additives presented similar effects on rumen pH, temperature, and kinetics the presence of exogenous α-amylase in the EOA diet may increase ruminal starch digestibility and apparent total tract digestibility of DM and OM.
Topics: Animals; Eating; Monensin; Nutrients; Rumen; Silage
PubMed: 34727141
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259414 -
Translational Animal Science Jul 2021Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of feed additives [monensin (); 30 mg/kg of dry matter (), and virginiamycin (); 25 mg/kg DM] and grain adaptation...
Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of feed additives [monensin (); 30 mg/kg of dry matter (), and virginiamycin (); 25 mg/kg DM] and grain adaptation programs [adding roughage (; sugarcane bagasse) or not () during the 20-d adaptation period] on performance, carcass characteristics, and nutrient digestibility of cattle fed finishing diets containing 85% whole shelled corn and 15% of a pelleted protein-mineral-vitamin supplement. In Exp.1, 105 Nellore bulls [initial body weight () = 368 ± 25 kg] were used in a complete randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, consisting of two feed additives (MON and VM) associated with two adaptation programs (ROU or NO-ROU during the 20-d adaptation period). Effects of feed additives × adaptation programs were not detected ( ≥ 0.13). Feed additives did not affect dry matter intake (), average daily gain (), and feed efficiency () during the 20-d adaptation period ( ≥ 0.35). During the total feeding period (105 d), feeding MON decreased DMI ( ≤ 0.03) compared to VM. Adding sugarcane bagasse to finishing diets during the 20-d adaptation period (ROU) increased ADG ( = 0.05) and G:F ( = 0.03), and tended to increase BW ( = 0.09) compared to NO-ROU. In Exp. 2, 10 ruminally cannulated Nellore steers (BW = 268 ± 38 kg) were used in a completely randomized design to evaluate the effects of the two feed additives used in the Exp. 1 (MON and VM; 5 steers/treatment) on DMI, total apparent digestibility of nutrients, and ruminal fermentation characteristics. No differences in DMI, total tract apparent digestibility of nutrients, and ruminal fermentation characteristics were observed between MON and VM ( ≥ 0.32). An effect of sampling day ( < 0.001) was observed for ruminal pH, which was greater on day 0 compared to day 7, 14, and 21 of the experimental period ( ≤ 0.05). In summary, supplementing monensin and virginiamycin for finishing Nellore bulls fed whole shelled corn diets, resulted in similar growth performance and carcass characteristics. Including sugarcane bagasse to adapt finishing bulls to no-roughage diets containing whole shelled corn is an alternative to increase growth performance.
PubMed: 34671721
DOI: 10.1093/tas/txab119 -
Microorganisms Sep 2021Mature and stable intestinal microbiota in chickens is essential for health and production. Slow development of microbiota in young chickens prolongs the precarious...
Mature and stable intestinal microbiota in chickens is essential for health and production. Slow development of microbiota in young chickens prolongs the precarious period before reaching mature configuration. Whether probiotics can play a role in the early maturation of intestinal microbiota is unknown. To address this, day-old chicks were assigned into six groups: NC (basal diet), PC (virginiamycin), low (BPL) and high-dose (BPH) of and low (BSL) and high-dose (BSH) of . Cecal contents at days 7, 14, 28 and 42 were used to analyze the treatment and time effects on the diversity and composition of microbiota. Overall, the alpha diversity was significantly decreased in the NC group between days 7 and 14, while this decline was prevented in the probiotic (BSL and BSH) and even reversed in the BPH group. The beta-diversity showed significant responses of microbial communities to probiotics in first two weeks of life. Analyses of the abundance of microbiota reflected that members of the family Ruminococcaceae (, , , and ), which were dominant in mature microbiota, were significantly higher in abundance at day 14 in the probiotic groups. Conversely, the abundance of genera within the family Lachnospiraceae (, and ) was dominant in early dynamic microbiota but was significantly lower in the probiotic groups at day 14. The and abundance was higher, while the Enterobacteriaceae abundance was lower in the probiotic groups. In summary, the probiotics efficiently helped the cecal microbiota reach mature configuration earlier in life. These results could be used for the future manipulation of microbiota from the perspective of improving poultry performance.
PubMed: 34576794
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091899