ISSUE FOCUS 48 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2022 “The gastrointestinal microbiota, which has been associated with nutrient availability and maintenance of the normal physiological status of the gastrointestinal tract, can be influenced by feeding effective prebiotic fibres. The prebiotic effects of unique seaweed blends have been demonstrated in trials, confirming positive impacts on the beneficial, butyrate-producing gastrointestinal microbiota.” PREBIOTICS AND THE GI MICROBIOTA The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota can affect intestinal nutrient availability and modulate the immune response of the host animal (Stanley et al, 2014; LaBlanc et al 2017). The microbial community has a specific composition in healthy animals consuming a nutrient adequate diet (Borda-Molina et al, 2018); however, poor diet, stress, infection or other environmental challenges can alter the profile of the GI microbiota. This can result in the development of a condition referred to as dysbiosis, a disturbance of the normal GI microbiota profile resulting in an altered immune response and consequent digestive disorders (DeGruttola et al, 2016). Recent advances in genomics have shed new light on the GI microbiota profile and related physiological effects. Using metagenomic analyses, chicken caecal samples were found to contain Proteobacteria as the most abundant phylum (47–79%) followed by Firmicutes (12–28%) and Bacteroidetes (7–27%). At the family level, the Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Clostridiaceae, Eubacteriaceae and ‘unclassified bacteria’ were the most abundant species (Borda-Molina et al, 2018). Prebiotics are non-digested food components that can improve the gut health and digestive functions of the host animal. By definition, a prebiotic food component must be resistant to gastric acidity and hydrolysis by mammalian enzymes and subsequent gastrointestinal absorption, subject to fermentation by intestinal microflora and selectively stimulate the growth and/or activity of the intestinal bacteria that contribute to health and wellbeing of the host (Gibson and Roberfroid, 2017). SEAWEED Marine macroalgae consist of three groups, the Phaeophyta (brown), Chlorophyta (green) and Rhodophyta (red) seaweeds, with more than 10,000 species. Less than 300 of these species are commonly commercially used globally, with approximately 160 Rhodophyta, 75 Phaeophyta and 30 Chlorophyta exploited (White and Wilson, 2015). Seaweeds are known to be rich sources of bioactive SEAWEED CAN POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THE POULTRY MICROBIOME Hadden Graham Chief Commercial Officer Ocean Harvest Technology
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