The immune organ bursa of Fabricius produces antibodies in response to pathogen invasion. Chicks deprived of feed for 48 hours post-hatch had less lymphocyte synthesis after 72 hours, lower bursa weight, retarded lymphoid development at 21 days, and reduced disease resistance. Furthermore, delay- ing feeding 48 hours lowered the im- mune capacity of broilers up to 42 days of age via reduced humoral and cellular immune capacity. Early feed intake and feed quality deliver maximum value when combined with excellent farm management.
Feed structure and quality Early access to intrinsically safe feed is essential for good chick development. On top of that the poultry feed’s physi- cal structure affects gut health. Good quality crumble or pellet avoids feed segregation enabling all broilers to ac- cess consistent nutrients, while suffi- cient structure helps natural grinding and digestion. Feed structure refers to the size and internal binding strength/ hardness of feed particles. Trouw Nutri- tion’s complete strategy to achieve opti- mal feed particle size (FPS) leverages structural compounds in the feed, grind- ing and pelleting during manufacturing and feed formulation. Particle size has become increasingly important due to the benefits associated with a better- developed and more functional gizzard. Optimum gizzard development and function supports transit time and nutrient digestibility, resulting in superior gut health and performance.
Well developed gizzard Dietary structure sources include cereal hulls, wood shavings and whole grains. Significant improvements have been seen when cereal hulls were included as a dietary structural ele- ment to prevent the rapid proliferation of bacteria. A well-developed gizzard brings a positive response including reduced gizzard pH, heightened pepsin activity and longer retention of feed particles in the stomach, thereby increasing exposure to digestive processes and controlling digesta flow in the intestines. The muscular contractions of well-devel- oped gizzard will induce optimal mixing of digesta and peri- staltis along the digestive tract. Improved mixing, modula- tion of flow into the duodenum and the bulking effect of
structural components reduce starch concentration in the in- testines, optimising enzyme/substrate interaction, thus re- sulting in improved digestion and absorption. By reducing the potential for microbial colonisation, the need for antimi- crobial interventions may be reduced. More than 70% of the antibiotics used are for broiler gut health issues, while the proventriculus and gizzard located in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract have a significant influence on digestion. Using Trouw Nutrition’s NutriOpt system which predicts physiological benefits, different structural components may be incorporated into broiler feed following the feed particle size guidelines for pelleted feed. The NutriOpt Broiler feed structure nutritional add-on matrix supplements nutrient levels for individual structural components, reducing feed costs while improving animal performance.
▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 8, 2020
Dysfunctional stomach, no clear distinction between proventriculus and gizzard.
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PHOTO: TROUW
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