ISSUE FOCUS 40 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2022 slight change in the diet might significantly improve animal well-being and feed digestibility as well as reduce inflammation in the gut or improve the condition of the microbiota and ultimately benefit the breeder. Phytoncides contained in herbs can be one of the effective solutions. Summer savory alleviates persistent flatulence, peppers and charlock enhance digestion, and inula has prebiotic properties. Certain herbs, such as angelica, valerian, hop, or sweet flag, relieve vegetative neurosis, which also does occur in animals. Essential oils studied in scientific research have been shown to decrease depression, anxiety, stress, and blood pressure. In this case, a change in the diet can change the mood. Phytoncides also have a range of other properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, and antiparasitic effects, that contribute to better animal health and higher meat quality. PHYTOGENIC COMPOUNDS FOR INTESTINAL BARRIER ENHANCEMENT Scientific research has proved that specific active ingredients from plants can improve gut health, especially its barrier condition. For nutrient absorption, the intestinal villi length is an important factor that affects birds’ performance. Supplementation of various phytogenic compounds can increase this parameter. Curcuminoids increase villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio. The addition of carvacrol and thymol to birds’ diets increases jejunal villus height and decreases crypt depth, villus surface area, the mucosal layer of jejunum as well as goblet cell number. Piperine increases villus height in the duodenum and ileum and mucus secretion intensity. Phytoncides also affect the crypts that are involved in enterocyte production. The greater the depth of the crypts, the more intensive the process of epithelial cell synthesis, as damaged cells need to be replaced by new ones. For instance, Clostridium perfringens increases the depth of the crypts and forms lesions, while Campylobacter jejuni shortens the villous length. Limiting the inflammation in the gut is part of the process of restoring homeostasis. The positive effect of phytogenic compositions of one or more herbal ingredients like carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, capsicum oleoresin, piperine, oregano, lavender, carvacrol, thymol, and cinnamaldehyde on gut health has been described widely in literature nevertheless there is much more to be discovered about the mode of action. GUT HEALTH AND THE PLANET Since agriculture is a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), and methane (CH4) emissions is a global concern. Greenhouse gas emissions should be mitigated as much as possible as they contribute to climate change and threaten our planet’s unique ecosystem and biodiversity. Poultry production’s greatest concern is ammonia emission. Once released when ventilating a chicken house or from manure storage or field fertilization, it can pollute the atmosphere, soil, and water. A few phytogenic compounds have been shown to reduce the breakdown of urea with bacterial-delivered urease into ammonia and carbon dioxide. Reduction of gram-negative bacteria with phytogenic additives in the intestinal tract enhances the beneficial bacteria growth and development in the hindgut of broiler chickens as well as in the manure during storage. Also, increased volatile fatty acid formation in feces can lead to lower slurry pH and reduced ammonia emission. Phytogenic compounds in the diet can decrease gas emissions through increasing nutrient digestion. Capsaicinoids from hot pepper regulate the secretion of hydrochloric acid as well as pancreatic digestive enzymes, such as amylase, lipase, and trypsin, improving nutrient digestibility in the small intestine of broiler chickens. White mustard seeds rich in sulfur glycosides stimulate the secretion of gastric juice, decrease the pH and improve the digestion of proteins. The improved utilization of dietary nutrients enables better absorption of dietary nitrogen content, preventing the birds from respiratory diseases that contribute to animal performance losses and welfare issues. Improved digestion reduces the amount of nitrogen excreted and lost in the feces. Less dietary protein waste refers to less environmental pollution. Phytoncides have proven to affect gut health in a number of ways. Let’s focus on the gut. It looks like it can play an important role in saving the planet!
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