Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 3 April 2021

ISSUE FOCUS 30 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2021 GUT HEALTH MARKERS OF THE EFFICACY OF A PROBIOTIC SOLUTION IN BROILER CHICKENS “The review of the current knowledge of the most relevant gut health biomarkers for poultry production are summarized in this article and effect of the probiotic solution Bacillus subtilis DSM 29784 (Bs29784) on modulating these markers are also highlighted.” G ut health is a very complex issue involving the microbiota, diet, and host response (inflam- mation and epithelial integrity). If there is an imbal- ance in these interactions, inflammation will occur - leading to ‘leaky gut’ (increase of the permeability of the intestinal barrier) and other gut-related disorders. Therefore, biomarkers to evaluate gut health are also difficult to determine with precise accuracy. Never- theless, biomarkers are necessary to evaluate the intes- tinal health status, to predict animal performance, to evaluate efficacy of gut health solutions, to be able to justify interventions, and to test dietary strategies and novel diagnostic tools. That is why probiotics are used in poultry nutrition to improve gut health through their influence on microbiota, gut morphology, in- flammatory responses, and overall performance. The gut microbiota derives nutrients from the host’s diet or endogenous secretions, whilst enhanc- ing the diet nutritional value via synthesis of essen- tial nutrients (e.g. vitamins) and the production of complimentary enzymes. For example, gut bacteria produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) during the process of degrading dietary polysaccharides. Common SCFAs produced are acetate followed by propionate and butyrate. Caecal acetate, propionate, and butyrate are undetectable in 1-d-old broilers, but these SCFAs will reach high concentrations in 15-d-old broilers and remain stable afterwards, as the caecal mi- crobiome becomes established. Butyrate or butyric acid is the primary energy source of colonic epithelia and has been shown to be essential to the development of gut villus morphology, which in turn influences host nutrition absorption and immune health. Gut microbiota interacts directly and indirectly with the intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) that together Damien P. Prévéraud, Agr Eng, PhD Global Scientific Manager Adisseo France SAS Sarper Özbek, D.V.M., PhD Regional Technical Manager Adisseo Turkey