ARTICLE FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE August 2025 85 increased levels of arginine increased broiler body weight, increased serum IgA and IgG, increased villus height and reduced crypt depth, decreased IL1β, IL-6, and IL-17 and increased mTOR expression. Figure 2 (adopted from Wang et al. (2024) illustrates the beneficial impact of L-arginine supplementation on intestinal morphology during a challenge situation and the improved gastrointestinal health with longer and healthier villi and shorter crypt depth. This was observed simultaneously with reductions in proinflammatory cytokines and activation of the SLC38A9/mTORC1 pathway. Anderson et al., (2025) also reported benefits of increasing arginine level during a necrotic enteritis challenge as they evaluated a dose response of digestible arginine ratio to digestible lysine ranging from 80 to 150 in Ross 708 broilers subjected to a necrotic enteritis challenge model. Anderson et al., (2025) reported a linear decrease in broiler FCR during the recovery phase of challenge with increasing arginine concentration and reported an optimal arginine ratio for FCR during the dose response period of 123% dArg:dLys. These series of experiments provide a comprehensive view of the immunomodulatory potential of arginine administration and a mode of action for the induced performance benefits during challenge. HEAT STRESS The ability of elevated levels of arginine to provide benefits to poultry when experiencing heat stress is not a new concept. Brake et al., (1998) demonstratA CON CON Lesion score Histopathological score C. perfringens population, CFU/g 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 ARG ARG CON+CP CON+CP ARG+CP ARG+CP CON 5 4 3 2 1 0 100 80 60 40 20 0 ARG CON+CP ARG+CP CON ARG CON+CP ARG+CP a a a a c b a b Arg: P = 0.010 CP: P < 0.001 Interaction: P = 0.010 Arg: P = 0.012 CP: P < 0.001 Interaction: P = 0.034 Arg: P = 0.034 CP: P < 0.001 Interaction: P = 0.034 C D a a a b B Figure 2. Intestinal injury examination and liver C. perfringens number of broiler chickens. A Gross lesion score of the small intestine. B and C Histopathological injury score and representative histopathological pictures of the jejunum. The jejunal cross-sections were hematoxylin and eosin-stained. D Number of C. perfringens in the liver in the liver. CON group, received a basal diet; ARG group, fed a basal diet supplemented with 3 g/kg arginine; CON+CP group, received a basal diet and underwent C. perfringens challenge; RG + CP group, given a basal diet supplemented with 3 g/kg arginine and underwent C. perfringens challenge. The results are expressed as means ± SEM (n=8)
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