Figure 1 - Eimeria coccidiosis favours an overpopulation with Clostridia perfringens (from Timbermont et al. 2011).


Eimeria merezoites or oocysts C. perfringens


Virulent C. perfringens C. Bacteriocins Lumen Mucus B. Mucogenesis


Secretion of mucus


A. Leakage plasma proteins


F. Adhesion to ECMMs


E. NetB


Enterocytes Absorptive cells


Absorption


Goblet cell Tight junction Nucleus D. Host


collagenolytic enzymes


wood lignans (agromed ROI) supplementation either to a negative control (NC) or a positive control (PC) with the com- monly used AGP Virginiamycin (trial design in Table 1) in a corn/soybean diet. The wood lignans showed a significant positive influence on performance data in terms of weight gain, feed conversion, carcass and breast muscle percentage (Table 2). Some parameters of intestinal health also showed positive effects (Table 3). Villus height in the ileum increased significantly in the lignan groups and therefore also the mu- cosal surface available for nutrient absorption. The lympho- cyte count was reduced in the experimental groups, indicat- ing a reduced need for immune defence and thus a healthier gut flora.


Commercial trial The data from this scientific trial are supported by the results of a commercial trial. One stable unit was used as a control group treated with the AGP Avilamycin (10 ppm) while the trial group was supplemented with wood lignans (agromed ROI; 400 ppm d 1-21, 300 ppm d 22-33, 200 ppm d 34-41). The zootechnical performance data are summarised in Table 4. Although the control group was supplemented with the AGP, the wood lignan group showed a 144g increase in slaughter weight compared to the control birds. Supplemen- tation with wood lignans resulted in a higher average daily


weight gain and an improved FCR. On day 21, 50 birds from each trial group were killed and samples taken for ileum morphometric analyse. The effects of the two dietary treatments on the birds’ gut morphology are shown in Table 5. The results show a beneficial influence of wood lignan supplementation on the villi height as well as on the villi:crypt ratio. An increase in crypt depth is related to an increase in the crypt-cell production rate and overall stimula- tion of cell turnover in the small intestine associated with an increased energy effort and a reduced digestive and absorp-


Table 3 – Trial results for litter dry matter, intestinal morphology, immune response and faecal bacterial.


NC


Litter dry matter d 42, % Villus height, µm Crypt depth, µm


Clostridium, log10 CFU/g Lactobacillus, log10 CFU/g


74.1


PC NC + wood lignans PC + wood lignans 74.6


75.4


747c 838bc 963a 213


226 267


mature lymphocytes cells/mm³ 6.25B 6.69A 3.92C E. coli, log10 CFU/g


a,b,c,d significant differences p < 0.005 A,B,C,D significant differences p < 0.01


▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 7, 2020 33


6.58a 5.21bc 4.74c 8.57a 7.74a 6.47bc 4.29c 6.98b 7.94a


74.7


925ab 234


2.71D 4.96bc 6.53c


7,31ab


D. Bacterial collagenolytic enzymes


Basal membrane


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36