develop a diverse and balanced microflora population, pro- moting gut health and, therefore, better nutrient digestibility and absorption, immunity and performance. Not only does a good microflora population improve villi height and increase the surface area of the gut but it can also improve the bird’s ability to defend against pathogenic bacteria. It is vital that – once established – this good microflora popu- lation is maintained. This can be challenging in a cage-free housing situation as the birds have more opportunities to pick up pathogenic bacteria that can colonise the gut and in- crease the risk of enteritis leading to reduced performance, as well as health and welfare issues. To help the bird sustain a good microflora population, a buffered weak organic acid compound can be incorporated in the feed, helping to lower the pH in the gastointestinal tract (GI). A low GI tract pH re- duces the growth of pathogenic organisms such as Clostridia and Campylobacter which are intolerant of acidic conditions. Feeding a buffered weak organic acid helps the favourable organisms reach the small intestine, promoting the growth of beneficial microflora.
Supplementing the feed With the increased exposure to potential disease-causing
organisms in cage-free systems, it can be helpful to add a supplement to the feed to weed out and reduce colonisation of the gut by pathogenic bacteria. Actigen is a second-gener- ation unique bio-active product derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, selected by Alltech and isolated to create a more effective product to optimise gut health. For a pathogen to cause disease it first needs to adhere to the gut epithelial lin- ing via type-1 fimbriae projections. Once attached, the patho- gen can replicate which can then lead to inflammation, villi damage and reduced nutrient absorption. By binding to the type-1 fimbriae, Actigen can inhibit attachment by patho- genic bacteria and is preferable to antibiotics that are non-specific and destroy beneficial organisms as well as path- ogens. It has been shown to improve absorptive capacity by increasing villi height and surface area and enhancing the vil- li:crypt ratio, enabling better absorption of nutrients and thus improved performance. It also helps to maintain microbial diversity and promote good gut health and the animal’s natural defences.
Feed consumption Moving birds to a cage-free system, such as a free-range facil- ity, allows the layers to exhibit several natural behaviours that
▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 1, 2022 27
Cage-free hous- ing systems in- crease the abili- ty of the birds to mix, move and have contact with litter and the outside envi- ronment, lead- ing to several potential gut health issues.
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
