Effect of Yeast Fermentate Supplementation on Intestinal Health and Plasma Biochemistry in Heat-Stressed Pekin Ducks.

2019-10-12
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI 9(10)
- Jill R Nelson
- Gregory S Archer

PubMed: 31614703
DOI: 10.3390/ani9100790

Study Design

Type: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Population: 144 straight run White Pekin ducks grown to 35 d and exposed to cyclic heat stress (8 h/d) or thermoneutral environment (days 21-35)
Methods: One experiment; on the day of hatching, ducks were randomly assigned to one of six treatments: stressed control (CS), stressed + XPC (XS), stressed + AviCare (AS), non-stressed control (CN), non-stressed + XPC (XN), and non-stressed + AviCare (AN). XPC was added in the feed (1.25 kg/metric ton feed, days 0-35) or AviCare in the drinking water (160 mL/100 L, days 0-35); blood samples were collected on day 33 and ileum sections on day 34

One experiment was conducted to determine the effects of supplementing Saccharomyces cerevisiae-derived yeast fermentate (Diamond V Mills, Cedar Rapids, IA, USA) in the feed (XPC; 1.25 kg/metric ton feed, days 0-35) or drinking water (AviCare; 160 mL/100 L, days 0-35) on plasma biochemical and immune parameters, as well as ileal histomorphology of mixed-sex Pekin ducks grown to 35 d and exposed to cyclic heat stress (8 h/d) or thermoneutral environment (days 21-35). On the day of hatching, 144 straight run White Pekin ducks were randomly assigned to one of six treatments: stressed control (CS), stressed + XPC (XS), stressed + AviCare (AS), non-stressed control (CN), non-stressed + XPC (XN), and non-stressed + AviCare (AN). On day 33, blood samples were collected from 12 birds/treatment to assess plasma chemistry, packed cell volume, and plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-8, and α₁-acid glycoprotein (α₁-AGP). On day 34, ileum sections were collected from 12 birds/treatment to assess goblet cell density, villus length, crypt depth, and villus/crypt ratio from 6 villi per sample. Plasma phosphorus was influenced by diet (p < 0.001) and heat-diet interaction (p = 0.003), and was higher in XS than XN, and higher in AS than AN. Heat stress increased plasma glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) (p = 0.008). Uric acid was increased by adding yeast fermentate to the feed or drinking water (p = 0.002), but was not influenced by heat (p > 0.05). The heat-diet interaction affected plasma IL-1α (p = 0.021) and sodium (p = 0.046). Heat stress reduced villus length (p < 0.001), villus/crypt ratio (p < 0.001), and goblet cell density (p < 0.001), but did not affect crypt depth (p > 0.05). Both XPC and AviCare increased villus length (p < 0.001) and villus/crypt ratio (p < 0.001), and decreased crypt depth (p < 0.001), but did not affect goblet cell density (p > 0.05). Although adding yeast fermentate to the feed or drinking water does not appear to alleviate the effects of heat stress on goblet cell density, both routes of administration improved other measures of villus morphology and affected amino acid metabolism.

Research Insights

Supplement	Dose	Health Outcome	Effect Type	Effect Size	Source
Saccharomyces cerevisiae	—	Altered Amino Acid Metabolism	Beneficial	Small	View source Uric acid was increased by adding yeast fermentate to the feed or drinking water (p = 0.002), but was not influenced by heat (p > 0.05).
Saccharomyces cerevisiae	—	Improved Intestinal Villus Morphology	Beneficial	Moderate	View source Both XPC and AviCare increased villus length (p < 0.001) and villus/crypt ratio (p < 0.001), and decreased crypt depth (p < 0.001), but did not affect goblet cell density (p > 0.05).
Saccharomyces cerevisiae	—	Increased Plasma GLDH	Harmful	Small	View source Heat stress increased plasma glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) (p = 0.008).
Saccharomyces cerevisiae	—	Increased Plasma Phosphorus	Beneficial	Small	View source Plasma phosphorus was influenced by diet (p < 0.001) and heat-diet interaction (p = 0.003), and was higher in XS than XN, and higher in AS than AN.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae	—	Increased Uric Acid	Harmful	Small	View source Uric acid was increased by adding yeast fermentate to the feed or drinking water (p = 0.002), but was not influenced by heat (p > 0.05).