Effect of a Yeast β-Glucan on the Performance, Intestinal Integrity, and Liver Function of Broiler Chickens Fed a Diet Naturally Contaminated with <i>Fusarium</i> Mycotoxins
This study evaluated the effect of a yeast β-glucan on the performance, gut health, liver function, and bacterial translocation of broiler chickens fed a diet contaminated with <i>Fusarium</i> mycotoxins. One-day-old male Ross broilers (n = 234) were divided into three treatments with si...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Toxins |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/2/51 |
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| Summary: | This study evaluated the effect of a yeast β-glucan on the performance, gut health, liver function, and bacterial translocation of broiler chickens fed a diet contaminated with <i>Fusarium</i> mycotoxins. One-day-old male Ross broilers (n = 234) were divided into three treatments with six replicates each, and a cage containing 13 birds was the experimental unit. The animals were fed a maize–soybean-based control diet or maize–soybean diets naturally contaminated with <i>Fusarium</i> mycotoxins, where deoxynivalenol (DON) was the major mycotoxin (~3 mg/kg), followed by zearalenone (ZEN) (~0.5 mg/kg). The <i>Fusarium</i>-contaminated diet was either supplemented or not with a yeast β-glucan over 28 days. Dietary exposure to <i>Fusarium</i> mycotoxins did not affect production performance. On the other hand, <i>Fusarium</i> mycotoxin exposure significantly decreased jejunum villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) on d13, and this effect was counteracted by the yeast β-glucan. On d28, the jejunum VH:CD ratio was significantly higher in the broiler chickens that were fed the <i>Fusarium</i>-contaminated diet with yeast β-glucan (125 mg/kg diet) added to it. The ileal villus area was significantly decreased in the broiler chickens fed <i>Fusarium</i>-contaminated diet, regardless of the supplementation with yeast β-glucan. Dietary contamination caused intestinal oxidative stress and inflammation, probably affecting nutrient absorption on d28, and resulted in a significant increase in the translocation of <i>Escherichia coli</i> to the liver. Dietary supplementation with yeast β-glucan minimized these negative effects. |
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| ISSN: | 2072-6651 |