Enhancing gastrointestinal development and functionality in chickens through fiber nutrition

在全球范围内，鸡肉是人类消费最受欢迎的动物蛋白来源之一，消费者需求不断增长，这与其有益健康和低环境足迹有关。传统上，抗生素被用来预防家禽生产中的肠道疾病。然而，由于抗生素耐药性细菌的增加，世界许多地区的抗生素使用量正在逐渐下降，这对人类健康构成了威胁。因此，病原菌定植的风险越来越大，这可能损害鸡的健康，并导致人类食源性感染，导致重大经济损失。功能性胃肠道(GIT)是预防这些感染的有效工具，因为肠道粘膜和微生物群的破坏是病原体对家禽造成严重破坏的基本机制。膳食纤维富含酚类化合物(DF-PC)，来自当地可获得的材料，如海藻(Sw)、葡萄渣(GP)和红木(Cornus stolonifera；Rod)，可以作为多刃剑，通过防止氧化应激(酚类成分)和改善Git上皮完整性(非淀粉多糖成分)来促进鸡肉Git的功能，而不会降低生长性能。更有可能的是，这种组合方法将实现必要的突破，消除或减少家禽生产中抗生素的使用。我的研究计划的长期目标是研究生物活性化合物和新的递送策略，以实现鸡的最佳生长和Git健康和发育。下一个五年周期的短期目标是：1)确定SW、GP和Rod的特征，并确定它们对鸡的潜在益生成分；2)调查饲喂SW、GP、Rod及其酶释放的生物活性成分的鸡的肠道形态、紧密连接蛋白的基因表达、单链脂肪酸的产生和肠道微生物种群；以及3)建立肉鸡体内酶释放的SW的生物活性成分的卵给药策略，以及在疾病挑战条件下对Git完整性的影响。建议的研究将改善鸡只的胃肠道功能和发育，提高养分的利用率，将细菌感染的风险降至最低，并减少鸡只生产中对抗生素的依赖。在肉鸡中建立健康的GIT环境提供了降低生产成本的机会，从而提高了盈利能力和可持续性。该项目的成果还将为相关的人类疾病提供控制措施，以及减少抗生素耐药性的发生率，从而减少加拿大在医疗保健方面的支出。这项研究将提供一个极好的机会来培训6名HQP(2名博士、2名硕士和2名本科生)，并为他们提供进一步促进加拿大经济发展的经验。

Globally, chicken meat is one of the most popular sources of animal protein for human consumption, with increasing consumer demand, which is associated with its health benefit and low environmental footprint. Traditionally, antibiotics have been used to prevent enteric diseases in poultry production. However, there is progressive decline in the use of antibiotics in many parts of the world, because of increase in development of antibiotic resistant bacteria, which poses threats to human health. Consequently, there is increasing risk of colonization by pathogenic bacteria that can impair chicken health and cause food-borne infections in humans, resulting in significant economic losses. Functional gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a proven tool to prevent these infections, because disruption of intestinal mucosa and microflora are the essential mechanisms by which pathogens cause havoc to poultry. Dietary fiber, rich in phenolic compounds (DF-PC) from locally available materials such as seaweed (SW), grape pomace (GP) and red osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera; ROD) can serve as multiple-edged sword to promote chicken GIT functionality by preventing oxidative stress (phenolic fraction) and improving GIT epithelial integrity (non-starch polysaccharide fractions), without reducing growth performance. It is more likely that this combinational approach will achieve the needed breakthrough to eliminate or reduce the use of antibiotics in poultry production. The long term goal of my research program is to investigate bioactive compounds and novel delivery strategies for optimal growth and GIT health and development of chickens. The short term objectives of the next five year cycle  are to: 1) Characterize SW, GP, and ROD and identify their potential prebiotic components for chickens; 2) investigate gut morphology, gene expression of tight junction proteins, SCFA production and gut microbial population in chickens fed SW, GP, ROD and their enzymatically-released bioactive components; and 3) Develop in ovo delivery strategy for enzymatically-released bioactive components of SW in broiler chickens and the effect on GIT integrity during disease challenge conditions. The proposed studies will result in improvement of GIT functionality and development in chickens, improve nutrient utilization, minimize the risk of bacterial infections and reduce dependence on antibiotics in chicken production. The establishment of a healthy GIT environment in broiler chickens offers an opportunity to reduce cost of production and consequently increase profitability and sustainability. The results of this project will also provide control measures for the associated human illnesses, as well as reducing the incidence of antibiotic resistance, thus reducing Canada's expenditure on healthcare. The research will offer an excellent opportunity to train 6 HQPs (2 PhD, 2 MSc and 2 Undergraduate students) and equip them with experience that will further advance the Canadian economy.