ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE October 2023 49 feed leads to changes in the makeup of the microbiome which are associated with lower mortality and decreased eggshell contamination in broiler breeders with a significant improvement in chick quality. Suggesting that it may be challenging for birds to maintain a balanced microbiome with high feed microbial loads. Additionally, it has been speculated that decreasing feed microbial contamination may facilitate the efficacy of probiotics that would normally have to fight the existing flora to achieve the displacement of pathogens in the intestinal environment. Feed-source pathogens have a direct line to the gut and, depending on the age, management conditions, and prevalence, can displace the natural microbiota, colonize the gut, and cause infection. Disruption of the microbiome by feed-source pathogens triggers the immune system and deviates energy from growth to survival. Microbiome populations are variable and can shift by necessity or in response to enteric stress, dietary changes, environment, age and many other factors. Populations of undesirable microbes can exist within the microbiome, and shifts can occur due to the introduction of new microbial populations. In these situations, pathogens have the opportunity to colonize. In a healthy gut, commensal bacteria can outcompete pathogens for resources and block pathogen colonization through competitive exclusion. However, when commensal bacteria are not well established, pathogens can easily disrupt them, especially in young birds. Early pathogen colonization of a juvenile gut can have lifetime repercussions on bird performance, preventing them from achieving their genetic potential. A prime example? Clostridium perfringens, a natural inhabitant of the poultry gut, is linked to Necrotic Enteritis (NE), which can result in elevated mortality, poorer feed conversion and body weight reductions ranging from 10% to 20%. In the past year, Anitox has collaborated with notable research organizations to conduct trials evaluating the impact reduced feed microbial loads have on poultry performance. One of these trials, a necrotic enteritis challenge model, showed that feeding broilers sanitized feed with lower microbial loads throughout their lifecycle supports growth and feed conversion while also reducing mortality in the face of a challenge. Understanding the causes and impact of microbial variation within different batches of feed is crucial to appreciate the potential impact on gut health and it is important to account for the ability of broilers to overcome each episode of enteritis. Figure 2. Compared to broilers fed a control diet, broilers fed sanitized feed had lower NE-specific mortality as well as total mortality in a NE challenge model.
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