Popis: |
Background The emergence of antimicrobial resistance has necessitated the development of effective alternatives to antibiotics for livestock and poultry production. This study investigated a possible synergy between butyrate and forskolin (a natural labdane diterpene) in enhancing innate host defense, barrier function, disease resistance, growth performance, and meat quality of broilers. Methods The expressions of representative genes involved in host defense (AvBD9 and AvBD10), barrier function (MUC2, CLDN1, and TJP1), and inflammation (IL-1β) were measured in chicken HD11 macrophages in response to butyrate and forskolin in the presence or absence of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Intestinal lesions and the Clostridium perfringens titers were also assessed in C. perfringens-challenged chickens fed butyrate and forskolin-containing Coleus forskohlii (CF) extract individually or in combination. Furthermore, growth performance and carcass characteristics were evaluated in broilers supplemented with butyrate and the CF extract for 42 d. Results Butyrate and forskolin synergistically induced the expressions of AvBD9, AvBD10, and MUC2 in chicken HD11 cells (P IL-1β gene expression in HD11 cells in a synergistic manner (P C. perfringens-challenged chickens when combined (P P P = 0.07) in a 42-d feeding trial. Desirably, the butyrate/forskolin combination significantly decreased abdominal fat deposition (P = 0.01) with no impact on the carcass yield, breast meat color, drip loss, or pH of d-42 broilers. Conclusions Butyrate and forskolin has potential to be developed as novel antibiotic alternatives to improve disease resistance, feed efficiency, and carcass composition of broilers. |