Effect of dietary supplementation with algae extracts on growth performance and caecal microbiota of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT

1. The objective of this study was to test the dose response of dietary supplementation with algae extracts rich in marine-sulphated polysaccharides (MSP1 and MSP2) on the growing performance, body composition at slaughter and caecal microbiota of broiler chickens.

2. Male broiler Ross 308 chicks 1-d-old were distributed into eight groups, a control group (unsupplemented), four groups supplemented with increasing doses of algae extract MSP1 (40, 81, 121 and 162 g/ton feed) and three groups supplemented with increasing doses of algae extract MSP2 (40, 81 and 162 g/ton feed). Each group comprised six pens of 56 chickens.

3. All chickens were reared under challenging conditions, i.e. high rearing density of 42 kg/m², fed growing and finishing diets containing, palm oil, rye and high levels of wheat and subjected to short daily fasting periods. The growth performance was recorded during rearing. At 10, 22 and 31 d of age, 12 chickens per group were euthanised to collect the caecal contents and determine microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid levels. At d 35, the quality of litter and the condition of feathers, footpads and tarsals were scored. At d 36, 7 chickens per pen were slaughtered under commercial conditions to determine carcass composition and breast meat quality (ultimate pH and colour).

4. Algal extract MSP1 increased the weight of the caeca and butyrate concentration in the caeca at d 22 (p ≤ 0.05). It increased the ultimate pH of breast fillet measured after slaughter at d 36 (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, the group receiving 162 g/t MSP1 had a more diverse microbiota at d22. However, algal extract MSP2 had negligible effect on the different measured parameters.

KEYWORDS:

• Chicken
• growth
• caecal microbiota
• meat quality
• algae extracts
• short-chain fatty acids

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the staff of EASM (INRAE Le Magneraud, France), PEAT (INRAE Nouzilly, France) and BOA (INRAE Nouzilly, France) for their contribution to feed preparation, animal husbandry, tissue sampling and birds slaughtering. They thank A. Hondelatte (INRAE le Magneraud, France) for microbial DNA extraction and Y. Farizon (ENVT, Toulouse, France) for the determination of volatile fatty acids in caeca content. In addition, they would like to thank Pierre Blavy (INRAE Nouzilly, France) for his contribution to statistical analyses. The company Pristine Coasts is acknowledged for the taxonomic analysis of the seaweed used in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was carried out as part of the SAGA future project funded by FranceAgriMer.