Poult. Sci.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Poult Sci 2008. 87:1796-1803. doi:10.3382/ps.2007-00450
© 2008 Poultry Science Association
This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (2)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Biggs, P.
Right arrow Articles by Parsons, C. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Biggs, P.
Right arrow Articles by Parsons, C. M.

METABOLISM AND NUTRITION

The Effects of Grobiotic-P on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibilities, and Cecal Microbial Populations in Young Chicks

P. Biggs and C. M. Parsons1

Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801

1 Corresponding author: poultry{at}uiuc.edu


   ABSTRACT
TOP
 ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Grobiotic-P (GB), a prebiotic-type product that contains dairy and yeast fractions and dried fermentation extracts, on growth performance and nutrient digestibility at 4 and 21 d of age and cecal populations of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens at 21 d of age. Two experiments were conducted using male New Hampshire x Columbian chicks. The first experiment evaluated GB at 2, 4, and 6% in a corn-soybean meal diet and compared these dietary treatments to a diet containing no GB (negative control) and a diet containing an antibiotic growth promoter (positive control), bacitracin methylene disalicylate. The second experiment used semi-purified dextrose-casein and dextrose-isolated soy protein diets to examine the effects of a 5% GB addition. In the first experiment, supplementing GB at 2, 4, and 6% in a corn-soybean meal diet had no effect on weight gain (P > 0.05). Feed efficiency and MEn were decreased (P < 0.05) by feeding 4 and 6% GB for some time periods, suggesting that the MEn value of GB used in diet formulation was too high. The GB had no consistent effect on apparent digestibility of amino acids. Cecal lactobacilli populations were linearly increased (P < 0.05) by GB in a corn-soybean meal diet in experiment 1. In the second experiment, the cecal populations of bifidobacteria were increased (P < 0.05) when 5% GB was supplemented to chicks fed a dextrose-casein diet, and the cecal populations of E. coli and C. perfringens were reduced (P < 0.05) when 5% GB was supplemented to chicks fed a dextrose-isolated soy protein diet. The results of this study indicate that feeding GB to chicks may promote the growth of beneficial bifidobacteria while reducing the growth of E. coli and C. perfringens in the ceca.

Key Words: Grobiotic-P • nutrient digestibility • cecal microbe • chick


   INTRODUCTION
TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Increasing pressure from consumers and politicians to reduce the use of antibiotic growth promoters in livestock diets has prompted researchers to explore feed additives that may improve intestinal health in the absence of antibiotic growth promoters. Intestinal health usually refers to controlling or reducing, or both, the growth of bacteria that can be considered pathogenic such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens. Many researchers have reported the harmful effects of these bacteria to both the consumer and the chicken (Moxley and Duhamel, 1999; Hofacre et al., 2005). It has been reported in these studies that in the absence of antibiotic growth promoters, these bacteria can proliferate and dominate the other bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract, increasing the risk for disease and reducing the nutritive value of feed consumed. To compensate for this, nutritional strategies that can improve dietary energy utilization, digestibility of nutrients such as amino acids (AA), intestinal health, and the growth performance of broilers need to be identified.

Grobiotic-P (GB; International Ingredient Corporation, St. Louis, MO) is a prebiotic-type product that contains dairy and yeast fractions and dried fermentation extracts. Previous research has shown that when GB (at concentrations less than 6%) was fed to commercial broiler chicks, an improvement in growth was achieved (Douglas et al., 2003). These researchers found that weight gain was improved mainly in chicks that were 2 wk of age or younger. Persia et al. (2006) reported that GB completely ameliorated the negative effects of chronic and acute coccidiosis infections on growth performance, AA digestibility, and MEn in crossbred chicks. It also was reported in the latter study that the growth of noninfected chicks was improved when a diet containing 2 to 6% GB was fed.

Influencing the populations of bacteria that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract of the chicken can occur by altering the diet of the bird. Grobiotic-P contains dairy fractions, and supplementing lactose from 2.5 to 7% has been shown to alter the populations of cecal lacto-bacilli and bifidobacteria (Morishita et al., 1982). This is possible because the chicken lacks lactase activity, which enables lactose to enter the ceca where it can be fermented by many of the microorganisms present (Siddons and Coates, 1972). In addition to lactose, this product contains yeast cell wall fractions, which can contain a mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) moiety (Ballou, 1970). Yeast cell wall mannans have been extensively researched for their ability to bind pathogenic bacteria (Ofek et al., 1977) and prevent disease (Gibbons and Van Houte, 1975). Previous research with GB has primarily evaluated its effects on growth performance. Two experiments were conducted in the current study to more extensively evaluate the effects of GB on nutrient digestibility (MEn and AA digestibility), in addition to growth performance, and to evaluate the effects of GB on cecal microbial populations.


   MATERIALS AND METHODS
TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Birds and Husbandry

The University Committee on Laboratory Animal Care approved all procedures. Two experiments were conducted using 5 pens of 8 New Hampshire x Columbian male chicks per dietary treatment. The chicks were housed in thermostatically controlled starter batteries with raised wire floors in an environmentally controlled building. The wire floors of the batteries were left uncleaned from previous experiments to provide increased bacterial exposure to the chicks. At hatch, chicks were weighed, wing-banded, and randomly allotted to pens so that each pen of chicks had a similar initial weight and weight distribution.

In experiment 1, chicks were allowed ad libitum access to 1 of 5 diets: 1) corn-soybean meal (SBM) basal diet; diets 2), 3), and 4) contained 2, 4, and 6% GB, respectively; 5) bacitracin methylene disalicylate (27.5 mg/kg) was added to the basal diet. In experiment 2, diets were supplemented with 5% GB in a dextrose-casein and a dextrose-isolated soy protein basal diet and compared with the same diets without GB. The GB was added in place of dextrose and arenaceous flour in experiment 1 in an attempt to keep all diets isocaloric. An MEn value of 2,960 kcal/kg was used for GB; this value was the TMEn value estimated in a precision-fed rooster assay conducted earlier. The GB was added in place of dextrose in experiment 2. The composition of all basal diets is depicted in Table 1Go.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]

  		Table 1. Nutritional composition of experimental basal diets (%)
 
Body weights and feed intakes were measured at the end of wk 1 and 3 in experiment 1. Weight gain and feed efficiency (gain:feed) were calculated for each pen replicate.

Apparent MEn and AA Digestibility

During the first experiment, the following procedures were followed to determine apparent MEn and AA digestibility of the diets in experiment 1. Excreta from each pen were collected over a 24-h period on d 3 and 4 (3 to 4), 7, 14, and 21 posthatching and freeze-dried. Feed and excreta samples then were ground to pass through a 60-mesh screen and analyzed for gross energy using an adiabatic bomb calorimeter. Analysis for nitrogen or CP was performed using the Kjeldahl procedures of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists International (2006; method 990.03). Amino acid concentrations in the feed and excreta samples collected at 3 to 4 d and 21 d were determined at the University of Missouri-Columbia Experiment Station Chemical Laboratory [method 982.30 E (a, b, c); Association of Official Analytical Chemists International, 2006]. Celite (Celite Corporation, Lompoc, CA) was added to all diets in experiment 1, the concentration of acid insoluble ash in the feed and excreta was determined by the procedure of Vogtmann et al. (1975), and the MEn of the diets was calculated using the equation described by Hill and Anderson (1958).

Cecal Microbial Populations

At 21 d, 4 chicks from each pen in both experiment 1 and 2 were killed via CO2 inhalation to extract cecal contents. The cecal contents from one cecum of each bird were pooled together for serial dilution. The content of the other cecum was utilized to determine dry matter content.

Microbial populations were determined by serial dilution (10–4 to 10–7) of cecal samples in anaerobic diluent before inoculation onto petri dishes of sterile agar as described by Bryant and Burkey (1953). The selective media for bifidobacteria (BIM-25) was prepared using reinforced clostridial agar (BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, MD) according to Munoa and Pares (1988). Lactobacilli were grown on Rogosa SL agar (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, MI). Escherichia coli was grown on EMB agar (Difco Laboratories). Agars used to grow C. perfringens were prepared according to the Food and Drug Administration (1992). Plates for Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and C. perfringens were incubated anaerobically (73% N:20% CO2:7% H2) at 37°C. Plates for E. coli were incubated aerobically at 37°C. Plates were counted between 24 and 48 h after inoculation. Colony-forming units were defined as being distinct colonies measuring at least 1 mm in diameter.

Statistical Analysis

All data were analyzed by the GLM procedure of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., 1990). If the F-test for treatment effect was significant, differences among treatment means were determined with the least significant difference test (Carmer and Walker, 1985). Differences in growth performance, MEn, and AA digestibility were considered significant when P < 0.05.


   RESULTS
TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Weight gain and feed intake (Table 2Go) were reduced (P < 0.05) during the first week for chicks fed the diet containing bacitracin but were similar for the basal and GB diets. From 8 to 21 d, the weight gain of chicks fed GB ranged from 315 to 322 g, which was similar to the weight gain of chicks fed the basal diet (333 g) but lower (P < 0.05) than the weight gain of chicks fed the diet containing bacitracin (356 g). Body weight gain for all treatments over the entire 21-d period was not significantly different. Feed intake was not affected by dietary treatment after the first week. Feed efficiency (Table 2Go) from 0 to 21 d was greatest (P < 0.05) for chicks fed the diet containing bacitracin (672 g/kg). Chicks fed 2% GB had a similar feed efficiency as the chicks fed the basal diet, but the chicks fed the 4 and 6% GB diets had lower (P < 0.05) feed efficiency than chicks fed the basal diet.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]

  		Table 2. Effect of diet on growth performance of chicks fed Grobiotic-P in experiment 11
 
The MEn of all diets increased significantly from 3 to 4 d to 21 d of age (Table 3Go). At 3 to 4 d of age, there were no differences in MEn among diets, which ranged from 2,905 kcal/kg (4% GB) to 3,088 kcal/kg (6% GB). The diets containing 4% GB resulted in a reduction (P < 0.05) in MEn at 7, 14, and 21 d, and the diet containing 6% GB reduced MEn at 14 and 21 d when compared with the basal diet.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]

  		Table 3. Effect of age and Grobiotic-P on MEn values (kcal/kg of DM) in experiment 11
 
The effects of GB on AA digestibility were inconsistent (Table 4Go). At 3 to 4 d, 2 and 4% GB generally had no effect on AA digestibility; however, 6% GB increased (P < 0.05) AA digestibility for all AA. When compared with the basal diet at 21 d, 2% GB increased (P < 0.05) valine digestibility, 4% GB reduced (P < 0.05) AA digestibility for all AA, and 6% GB resulted in a reduction (P < 0.05) in histidine, leucine, lysine, and methionine digestibility but had no effect on the remaining AA. Digestibility of AA was greater at 21 d than at 3 to 4 d for 3 of the 5 dietary treatments.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]

  		Table 4. Effect of age and Grobiotic-P on amino acid digestibility (%) in experiment 11
 
The effects of diet on the cecal microbial populations are presented in Table 5Go. In experiment 1, the chicks fed the corn-SBM diet containing bacitracin exhibited significant decreases in bifidobacteria and lactobacilli populations compared with chicks fed the unsupplemented basal diet. There also was a significant linear increase in lactobacilli (P < 0.05) populations when the GB concentration was increased in the diet and the linear increase in bifidobacteria approached significance (P < 0.09). Cecal populations of E. coli and C. perfringens were unaffected by dietary treatment in chicks fed a corn-SBM diet.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]

  		Table 5. Effect of Grobiotic-P on cecal microbial populations (log10 cfu/g of DM) in 21-d-old chicks1
 
In experiment 2, chicks fed the dextrose-casein diet generally had better growth performance than chicks fed the dextrose-isolated soy protein diet (Table 6Go). Body weight gain of chicks fed the isolated soy protein diet was increased by 5% GB for the 8 to 21-d and 0 to 21-d periods. The cecal bifidobacteria populations were increased (P < 0.05) in chicks fed the dextrose-casein diet supplemented with 5% GB (Table 5Go). The lactobacilli, E. coli, and C. perfringens populations were not significantly affected by GB in birds fed a dextrose-casein diet (Table 5Go).


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]

  		Table 6. Effect of Grobiotic-P (GB) on growth performance when added to a dextrose-casein or dextrose-isolated soy protein diet in experiment 21
 
Chicks fed a semipurified dextrose-isolated soy protein diet showed no significant differences in the populations of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. However, there was a significant reduction in the populations of E. coli and C. perfringens when GB was supplemented to this diet.


   DISCUSSION
TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
 
Grobiotic-P is a prebiotic product that contains dairy and yeast fractions. Previous studies from our laboratory (Douglas et al., 2003; Persia et al., 2006) indicated that 2 to 6% GB increased chick growth performance and also ameliorated the effects of coccidial (Eimeria acervulina) infection in crossbred chicks in one experiment. The current study indicated that GB also may have beneficial effects on the cecal microflora in chicks.

The lack of a growth response to GB in the current study differs from our previous studies and may be due to an overestimation of the MEn value of GB used in the formulation of the diets. A TMEn value of 2,960 kcal/kg determined using adult roosters was used for GB in the current study. Much lower ME values were assigned to GB in our earlier studies, because no data were available and it was assumed that GB would contain a low MEn. Because most intestinal enzymes (e.g., amylases and proteases) do not reach optimal activity until about the second week of life (Noy and Sklan, 1998, 1999), the TMEn value determined in adult birds may have overestimated the MEn available to chicks. The latter would have resulted in the GB diets being lower in MEn and, in turn, limiting the growth potential of chicks. The possible overestimation of the MEn of GB is supported by the reduction in feed efficiency of chicks fed diets containing 4 and 6% GB when compared with the chicks fed the basal diet and by the lower MEn values of the diets containing 4 and 6% GB at 21 d.

When GB was supplemented in a corn-SBM diet, there was no significant dietary effect on cecal bacterial populations when comparing individual GB concentrations to the basal diet. However, as the concentration of GB was increased in the diet from 0 to 6%, the populations of bifidobacteria (P < 0.09) and lactobacilli (P < 0.05) increased linearly. The lack of significant effects on cecal bacteria populations to individual GB treatments in a corn-SBM diet may be due to the high oli-gosaccharide content of SBM. Soybean meal contains approximately 6% raffinose plus stachyose (Coon et al., 1990). These 2 compounds are galactooligosaccharides that have been shown to alter human colonic microflora by increasing bifidobacteria and decreasing C. perfringens populations (Hayakawa et al., 1990). Yazawa et al. (1978) reported that Bifidobacterium infantis readily utilized raffinose and stachyose as a substrate. It is possible that the effects of GB on cecal microbes were partially masked by the high concentrations of the indigestible oligosaccharides from the SBM already present in the diet.

In an attempt to better detect the effects of GB on cecal microbes, dextrose-casein and dextrose-isolated soy protein diets containing little or no indigestible oli-gosaccharides were utilized in experiment 2. Several significant effects of GB on the cecal microbes were consequently observed. In the dextrose-casein diet, 5% GB resulted in an increase in cecal bifidobacteria populations, whereas the 5% GB in the dextrose-isolated soy protein diet resulted in a decrease in cecal E. coli and C. perfringens. These results show that GB is able to alter the microflora populations in the ceca of chicks and suggest that dextrose-casein and dextrose-isolated soy protein diets are more sensitive than a corn-SBM diet for detecting these effects.

The positive effects of GB on the cecal microflora are possibly due to its content of dairy and yeast fractions. The effects of dairy fractions, such as lactose, on cecal microflora in poultry have been studied extensively. The effects of yeast fractions – specifically, MOS – also have been studied for their effects on cecal microbial populations and growth performance in poultry. Lactose, when added to drinking water (2.5%) or when included in the diet (from 2 to 10%), is effective at controlling Salmonella colonization when the bird is challenged (Hinton et al., 1990; Ziprin et al., 1990; Nisbet et al., 1993, 1994). Takeda et al. (1995) showed that 10% lactose in the feed was able to reduce the colonization of cecal C. perfringens after challenging hens with the organism. Yeast fractions have been reported to have positive effects on both growth performance and the intestinal microflora. Feeding yeast (Saccharomyces) to poultry was shown to improve growth of chickens fed a diet high in aflatoxins (Stanley et al., 1993). These authors hypothesized that this might be due to the ability of yeast to bind the aflatoxin and prevent it from remaining within the intestinal tract. Plavnik and Scott (1980) showed a near elimination of tibial dyschondroplasia (25 to 42% incidence in control birds vs. 0 to 4.2% in birds supplemented with brewer’s yeast) and a significant increase in growth when yeast was supplemented to the diets of chicks. Line et al. (1998) reported that supplementing Saccharomyces boulardii at 0.1 and 1% reduced the frequency of cecal Salmonella colonization from 70% to 20 and 5%, respectively.

In addition to the effects of supplementing yeast to poultry, the cell wall of yeast contains MOS, which has been reported to improve weight gain and feed efficiency and alter the microflora within the chicken. Supplementing MOS also has been shown to improve the growth of swine (Miguel et al., 2004), turkeys (Sims et al., 2004; Stanczuk et al., 2005), Japanese quail (Guclu, 2003), and broiler chickens (Pelicano et al., 2004). Mannanoligosaccharides contain a high-affinity ligand for bacteria and offer a competitive binding site for bacteria (Ofek et al., 1977). Bacteria with the mannose-specific type-1 fimbriae (e.g., Salmonella Enteritidis and Typhimurium; E. coli) adsorb to MOS rather than attaching to the intestinal epithelium and, thus, pass through the gastrointestinal tract (Newman, 1994; Spring et al., 2000). Studies involving MOS have shown that cecal bifidobacteria populations are increased, whereas the cecal populations of C. perfringens are decreased (Finucane et al., 1999).


   ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 
This study was supported by a USDA-CSREES Special Research Grant to the Midwest Poultry Consortium.

Received for publication October 31, 2007. Accepted for publication April 19, 2008.


   REFERENCES
TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Association of Official Analytical Chemists International. 2006. Official Methods of Analysis. 17th ed. Association of Official Analytical Chemists International, Gaithersburg, MD.

Ballou, C. E. 1970. A study of the immunochemistry of three yeast mannans. J. Biol. Chem. 245:1197–1203.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Bryant, M. P., and L. A. Burkey. 1953. Cultural methods and some characteristics of some of the more numerous groups of bacteria in the bovine rumen. J. Dairy Sci. 36:205–217.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Carmer, S. G., and W. M. Walker. 1985. Pairwise multiple comparisons of treatment means in agronomic research. J. Agron. Educ. 14:19–26.[Medline]

Coon, C. N., K. L. Leske, O. Akavanichan, and T. K. Cheng. 1990. Effect of oligosaccharide-free soybean meal on true metabolizable energy and fiber digestion in adult roosters. Poult. Sci. 69:787–793.[Web of Science][Medline]

Douglas, M. W., M. Persia, and C. M. Parsons. 2003. Impact of galactose, lactose, and Grobiotic-B70 on growth performance and energy utilization when fed to broiler chicks. Poult. Sci. 82:1596–1601.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Finucane, M., K. A. Dawson, P. Spring, and K. E. Newman. 1999. Effects of mannanoligosaccharides on composition of the gut microflora of turkey poults. Poult. Sci. 78(Suppl. 1):77. (Abstr.)

Food and Drug Administration. 1992. Method 196. Page 506 in Bacteriological Analytical Manual. 7th ed. Food and Drug Administration, Arlington, VA.

Gibbons, R. J., and J. Van Houte. 1975. Bacterial adherence in oral microbial ecology. Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 29:19–44.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]

Guclu, B. K. 2003. The effect of mannanoligosaccharides on fattening performance of quails. Indian Vet. J. 80:1018–1021.[Web of Science]

Hayakawa, K., J. Mizutani, K. Wada, T. Masai, I. Yoshihara, and T. Mitsuoka. 1990. Effects of soybean oligosaccharides on human faecal flora. Microb. Ecol. Health Dis. 3:293–303.

Hill, F. W., and D. L. Anderson. 1958. Comparison of the metabolizable energy and productive energy determination with growing chicks. J. Nutr. 64:587–603.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Hinton, A. Jr., D. E. Corrier, G. E. Spates, J. O. Norman, R.L. Ziprim, R. C. Beier, and J. R. DeLoach. 1990. Biological control of Salmonella Typhimurium in young chickens. Avian Dis. 34:626–633.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]

Hofacre, C. L., G. F. Mathis, and M. A. Quiroz. 2005. Natural alternatives to prevent necrotic enteritis. Int. Poult. Prod. 13:7–9.

Line, J. E., J. S. Bailey, N. A. Cox, N. J. Stern, and T. Tompkins. 1998. Effect of yeast-supplemented feed on Salmonella and Campylobacter populations in broilers. Poult. Sci. 77:405–410.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Miguel, J. C., S. L. Rodriguez-Zas, and J. E. Pettigrew. 2004. Efficacy of a mannan oligosaccharide (Bio-Mos®) for improving nursery pig performance. J. Swine Health Prod. 12:296–307.

Morishita, Y., R. Fuller, and M. E. Coates. 1982. Influence of dietary lactose on the gut flora of chicks. Br. Poult. Sci. 23:349–359.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]

Moxley, R. A., and G. E. Duhamel. 1999. Comparative pathology of enteric bacterial diseases of swine. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 473:83–101.[Web of Science][Medline]

Munoa, F. J., and R. Pares. 1988. Selective medium for isolation and enumeration of Bifidobacterium spp. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54:1715–1718.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Newman, K. 1994. Mannanoligosaccharides: Natural polymers with significant impact on the gastrointestinal microflora and the immune system. Pages 167–174 in Bio-technology in the Feed Industry. Proceedings of Alltech’s 10th Annual Symposium. T. P. Lyons and K. A. Jacques, ed. Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, UK.

Nisbet, D. J., D. E. Corrier, and J. R. DeLoach. 1993. Effect of mixed cecal microflora maintained in continuous culture and of dietary lactose on Salmonella Typhimurium colonization in broiler chicks. Avian Dis. 37:528–535.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]

Nisbet, D. J., D. E. Corrier, C. M. Scanlan, A. G. Hollister, R. C. Beier, and J. R. DeLoach. 1994. Effect of dietary lactose and cell concentration on the ability of a continuous-flow-derived bacterial culture to control Salmonella cecal colonization in broiler chickens. Poult. Sci. 73:56–62.[Web of Science][Medline]

Noy, Y., and D. Sklan. 1998. Yolk utilization in the newly hatched poult. Br. Poult. Sci. 39:446–451.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]

Noy, Y., and D. Sklan. 1999. Energy utilization in the newly hatched chick. Poult. Sci. 78:1750–1756.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Ofek, I., D. Mirelman, and N. Sharon. 1977. Adherence of Escherichia coli to human mucosal cells mediated by man-nose receptors. Nature 265:623–625.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]

Pelicano, E. R. L., P. A. de Souza, H. B. A. de Souza, F. R. Leonel, N. M. B. L. Zeola, and M. M. Boiago. 2004. Productive traits of broiler chickens fed diets containing different growth promoters. Rev. Bras. Cienc. Avicola 6:177–182.

Persia, M. E., P. L. Utterback, E. L. Young, and C. M. Parsons. 2006. Effects of dietary ingredients and Eimeria acervulina infection of chick performance, apparent metabolizable energy and amino acid digestibility. Poult. Sci. 85:48–55.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Plavnik, I., and M. L. Scott. 1980. Effects of additional vitamins, minerals, or brewer’s yeast upon leg weaknesses in broiler chickens. Poult. Sci. 59:459–464.[Web of Science][Medline]

SAS Institute Inc. 1990. SAS/STAT User’s Guide Release 6.08. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.

Siddons, R. C., and M. E. Coates. 1972. The influence of the intestinal microflora on disaccharidase activities in the chick. Br. J. Nutr. 27:101–112.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]

Sims, M. D., K. A. Dawson, K. E. Newman, P. Spring, and D. M. Hooge. 2004. Effects of dietary mannan oligosaccharide, bacitracin methylene disalicylate, or both on the live performance and intestinal microbiology of turkeys. Poult. Sci. 83:1148–1154.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Spring, P. C., K. A. Dawson, and K. E. Newman. 2000. The effects of dietary mannanoligosaccharides on cecal parameters and the concentrations of enteric bacteria in the ceca of Salmonella-challenged broiler chicks. Poult. Sci. 79:205–211.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Stanczuk, J., Z. Zdunczyk, J. Juskiewicz, and J. Jankowski. 2005. Indices of response of young turkeys to diets containing mannanoligosaccharide or insulin. Vet. Zootech. 31:98–101.

Stanley, V. G., R. Ojo, S. Wodesenbet, D. H. Hutchinson, and L. F. Kubena. 1993. The use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to suppress the effects of aflatoxicosis in broiler chicks. Poult. Sci. 72:1867–1872.[Web of Science][Medline]

Takeda, T., T. Fukata, T. Miyamoto, K. Sasai, E. Baba, and A. Arakawa. 1995. The effects of dietary lactose and rye on cecal colonization of Clostridium perfringens in chicks. Avian Dis. 39:375–381.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]

Vogtmann, H., P. Frirter, and A. L. Prabuck. 1975. A new method of determining metabolizability of energy and digestibility of fatty acids in broiler diets. Br. Poult. Sci. 16:531–534.[Web of Science][Medline]

Yazawa, K., K. Imai, and Z. Tamura. 1978. Oligosaccharides and polysaccharides specifically utilizable by bifidobacteria. Chem. Pharm. Bull. (Tokyo) 26:3306–3311.[Medline]

Ziprin, R. L., D. E. Corrier, A. Hinton Jr., R. C. Beier, G. E. Spates, J. R. DeLoach, and M. H. Elissalde. 1990. Intrac-loacal Salmonella Typhimurium infection of broiler chickens: Reduction of colonization with anaerobic organisms and dietary lactose. Avian Dis. 34:749–753.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Poult. Sci.Home page
A. Rebole, L. T. Ortiz, M. L. Rodriguez, C. Alzueta, J. Trevino, and S. Velasco
Effects of inulin and enzyme complex, individually or in combination, on growth performance, intestinal microflora, cecal fermentation characteristics, and jejunal histomorphology in broiler chickens fed a wheat- and barley-based diet
Poult. Sci., February 1, 2010; 89(2): 276 - 286.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Poult. Sci.Home page
C. M. Jacobs and C. M. Parsons
The effect of Grobiotic-P combined with yeast cell wall and gluconic acid on growth performance, nutrient digestibilities, and cecal microbial populations in young chicks
Poult. Sci., November 1, 2009; 88(11): 2360 - 2367.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (2)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Biggs, P.
Right arrow Articles by Parsons, C. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Biggs, P.
Right arrow Articles by Parsons, C. M.

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS