title: Dynamics of intestinal metabolites and morphology in response to necrotic enteritis challenge in broiler chickens.
abstract: Despite the relatively small contribution to metabolizable energy that volatile fatty acids (VFAs) provide in chickens, these organic acids have been reported to play beneficial roles in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of birds, for example, inhibition of the growth of some pathogenic bacteria. However, information regarding the dynamics of these metabolites in the GIT of chickens is still scarce, especially under disease conditions such as necrotic enteritis (NE). Here, we investigated the dynamics of VFAs and lactic acid, and intestinal morphology in response to NE predisposing factors, that is, excessive dietary fishmeal and Eimeria inoculation, and causative agent Clostridium perfringens producing NetB toxin. The experiment was designed in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with or without: fishmeal feeding, Eimeria inoculation and C. perfringens challenge. The results showed that these factors significantly influenced composition and concentration of VFAs and lactic acids, pH and histomorphometry in one way or another. These changes may be important for the onset of NE or only the synergetic responses to micro environmental stress. Eimeria appeared to be more important than fishmeal in predisposing birds to NE, thus the application of Eimeria in NE challenge provides more consistent success in inducing the disease. The metabolic responses to various adverse factors such as excessive dietary fishmeal and Eimeria infection are complex. Thus, intensive efforts are required to better understand NE so as to achieve the control of the disease in the absence of antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: a School of Environmental and Rural Science , University of New England , Armidale , NSW , Australia.|b Poultry Cooperative Research Centre , University of New England , Armidale , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: Shu-Biao
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: a School of Environmental and Rural Science , University of New England , Armidale , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.affiliation: c Biotechnology Research Centre , Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Taiyuan , People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guimei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: c Biotechnology Research Centre , Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Taiyuan , People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: a School of Environmental and Rural Science , University of New England , Armidale , NSW , Australia.|b Poultry Cooperative Research Centre , University of New England , Armidale , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: Mingan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choct
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000502:physiology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004539:Eimeria / Q000502:physiology; D004751:Enteritis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis / Q000662:veterinary; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D019344:Lactic Acid
keywords: Necrotic entertitis; broiler; histomorphometry; intestine; metabolites; volatile fatty acids (VFAs)