Combined effects of cyclic heat stress, dietary induced oxidative stress and different levels of antioxidant on gut fermentation activity and mucosal morphology in broiler chickens

Rezar, Vida (author), Pečjak Pal, Manca (author), Leskovec, Jakob (author), Levart, Alenka (author), Salobir, Janez (author), Lavrenčič, Andrej (author), Vrecl, Milka (author), Pirman, Tatjana (author)

The gastrointestinal tract of broilers is susceptible to oxidative stress induced by heat stress (HS) and diet, which can be mitigated by the supply of exogenous vitamins and antioxidants. The aim of this study was to compare the extent of the effects of cyclic HS, and high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (HP) on gut health. It also aimed to investigate whether additional supplementation with vitamins E, C and selenium (HA) is required to support gut health under these conditions. In the present study, 192 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly divided into eight experimental groups. Exposure to HS and HP significantly (p < 0.001) decreased villus height and villus-to-crypt ratio in the duodenum, while no differences were observed in the jejunum and ileum. In addition, oxidative stress in the liver, indicated by increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, was increased in the HP groups (p < 0.0001), while the HA groups had a positive effect on lowering MDA levels. The results confirm that cyclic HS and HP induce oxidative stress that damages the structure of intestinal morphology and that supplementation with HA could be a potential approach to mitigate the negative effects of these stressors.

• Language: English
• Keywords: cyclic heat stress, polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, oxidative stress, gut fermentation, short chain fatty acids, mucosal morphology, broiler chickens
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty; VF - Veterinary Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 21 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 1, art. 64
• UDC: 636.5.084/.087
• ISSN on article: 2077-0472
• DOI: 10.3390/agriculture14010064
• COBISS.SI-ID: 179316995
• Publication date in RUL: 14.11.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Agriculture
• Shortened title: Agriculture
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2077-0472
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523634201

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: perutnina, pitovni piščanci, prehrana živali, oksidativni stres, vročinski stres, antioksidanti, prebavila, morfologija, fermentacija

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P4-0097
• Name: Prehrana in mikrobna ekologija prebavil

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P4-0053
• Name: Endokrini, imunski in encimski odzivi pri zdravih in bolnih živalih