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Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product on immune functions of broilers challenged with Eimeria tenella

J. Gao^*,1, H. J. Zhang^*, S. G. Wu^*, S. H. Yu, I. Yoon, D. Moore, Y. P. Gao, H. J. Yan^* and G. H. Qi^*,2

^* Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences & Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Beijing 100081, China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwestern A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; and Diamond V Mills Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA 52407-4570

² Corresponding author: qiguanghai{at}mail.caas.net.cn or guanghai.qi{at}gmail.com

Three hundred sixty 1-d-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allotted to 6 groups with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Three supplemental levels (0, 0.25, and 0.50%) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (XP) were fed to control and Eimeria tenella-infected broilers. Growth performance and immune response criteria were measured after coccidian infection. Broiler ADG was lowered (P < 0.01) by coccidian infection and improved by XP supplementation (P = 0.04). Supplementation of XP increased CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-lymphocyte counts (P < 0.05) and the ratio CD4+:CD8+ in blood (P = 0.06) and spleen (P = 0.04) as well as ileum intraepithelial lymphocyte count, cecal tonsil secretory IgA counts, serum lysozyme content (P < 0.01), and albumin:globulin ratio (P = 0.02). These results suggest that dietary XP supplementation could improve immune function and growth performance in coccidia-infected broilers.

Key Words: yeast culture • broiler • immune function • coccidian infection

¹ Present address: Health & Nutrition, Evonik Degussa (China) Co. Ltd., Beijing 100026, China.