Acidified Feed Solutions for Broilers (Part 1)

Natural Cinnamon Essential Oil × Benzoic acid = Gut health “ Golden combination ” ! Sour EO How to manage necrotizing enteritis “ To retreat when faced with difficulty. ”？

Amid the wave of intensification in the poultry industry, necrotic enteritis ( NE ) Like a “ Invisible Blade ” , swallowing more than globally each year 60 Billion-dollar profits! In feed “ Antibiotic ban ” Under pressure from policy mandates, traditional prevention and control measures are proving inadequate, and the industry urgently needs green, efficient solutions. Recently, NIC A groundbreaking research finding has sparked widespread industry attention. —— A scientifically formulated blend of natural cinnamon essential oil and benzoic acid “ sour EO” , by precisely targeting multiple sites to combat Clostridium perfringens ( CP ), significantly reducing mortality and improving growth performance in broilers, thus opening up new avenues for antibiotic-free farming!

This article provides an in-depth analysis of sourness. EO of “ Antibacterial - Anti-inflammatory - Fix ” A three-pronged mechanism reveals how it promotes intestinal health in poultry. “ Guardian deity ”！ 🚀

NE Mainly composed of A It is caused by Clostridium perfringens, but its virulence varies depending on the strain. To scientifically evaluate Suanliuliu EO the effectiveness of prevention and control, NIC The R&D team first carried out CP Virulence comparison and screening.

Strain Screening Results: By comparing the two strains A type CP ( BNCC 125404 With production A 343 ) the hemolytic properties were discovered, BNCC 125404 On blood agar, only a single hemolysis zone is observed, and θ toxin expression is weak; whereas produces A 343 A typical double hemolysis zone forms, while α and θ toxins are efficiently expressed. Since θ toxin can synergistically enhance the pathogenicity of α toxin, the team ultimately selected strains that produce A 343 As the virulent strain.

Figure 1  Comparison of the virulence of two strains of Clostridium perfringens

Model Construction : Adopt continuous 3 Tian Guanfu CP Bacterial suspension ( 1×10⁹ CFU/mL A necrotic enteritis model in broiler chickens was successfully established using this method. Following challenge, the birds exhibited depression, stasis, ruffled feathers, and reduced appetite, with passage of black, bloody feces. Necropsy revealed areas of intestinal surface necrosis and petechial hemorrhages; the intestinal wall appeared grayish-black, accompanied by intestinal distension, mucosal congestion, edema, and necrosis—pathological features that fully correspond to the typical lesions of necrotic enteritis.

Facing NE The complex pathogenic cascade—pathogen proliferation → toxin release → intestinal barrier disruption → inflammatory cascade → dysbiosis—often means that targeting a single component sacrifices other critical aspects. NIC After systematically comparing various natural functional ingredients, the R&D team determined to scientifically formulate natural cinnamon essential oil with benzoic acid:

①Natural cinnamon essential oil: Potent antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects; acts directly on pathogenic bacteria and modulates the host immune response.

②Benzoic acid: Broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, optimization of the intestinal environment, and regulation of gut microbiota and growth metabolism.

Experimental treatment: The experiment was conducted by Guangdong nuacid Biotechnology Co., Ltd. NIC Carry out. Select 300 only 1 Age in days 817 Broilers were randomly divided into 5 Group: Control group ( CON ), toxin-inoculation group ( CP ), and CP Based on the toxin challenge, add separately 1kg/t (low), 2kg/t (middle), 3kg/t (Sour) tart EO the treatment group. On day 15-17 Heaven, except CON Outside the group, the remaining groups continuously 3 Tian Guanfu CP Bacterial suspension.

Table 1  Broiler group assignment and challenge infection details

Test Results:

① Recovery of Production Performance:

Compared with the virus-inoculated group, sour EO The average daily gain increased in the low-, medium-, and high-dose groups, respectively. 6.4% 、 8.0% and 8.7% , the high-dose group has approached the level of the healthy control group. The feed-to-meat ratio improved even more significantly: in the challenge group, the feed-to-meat ratio 1.94 , the high-dose group decreased to 1.77 , with a decline of up to 8.8% 。

Figure 2  sour EO to CP Effects of Viral Infection on Broiler Performance

② Significant relief of intestinal lesions

CP Viral challenge resulted in severe focal necrosis and ulcers in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Added sourness EO Subsequently, intestinal damage improved in a dose-dependent manner, and the jejunal lesion score decreased from 3.80 Reduced to 1.20 points, with an improvement of up to 68%。

Figure 3 sour EO to CP After viral challenge 35 Intestinal Condition and Score of Day-Aged Broilers

② Regulation of inflammatory pathways:

At the molecular mechanistic level, CP Pathogen activation TLR4/NF- k B Signaling pathway and its downstream pro-inflammatory factors TNF- alpha, IL-6 , while simultaneously inhibiting anti-inflammatory factors IL-10 Expression. And feeling jealous EO After the intervention, TLR4、 MyD88 mRNA Expression levels were significantly downregulated, NF- k B The pathway is effectively inhibited, pro-inflammatory factors TNF- alpha, IL-6 Reduced expression, anti-inflammatory factors IL-10 Expression increased 。

Figure 4 sour EO to CP After viral challenge 35 Intestine of broiler chickens by age TLR4/NF-κB Effects on pathways and expression of genes related to inflammatory factors

③ Gut microbiota remodeling:

CP Challenge with the pathogen significantly increased the numbers of Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli in the gut. Sour EO After treatment: in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum CP and the number of Escherichia coli decreased significantly, while the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria was promoted; the α diversity of the microbial community - Improvement in diversity metrics: Shannon and Chao1 The index increased with increasing dose, Simpson The decline in the index indicates that Add a tangy flavor EO The species richness and diversity of the gut microbiota were significantly enhanced.

Figure 5  sour EO to CP After viral challenge 35 Effect of Age on the Number of Intestinal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens

Figure 6  sour EO to CP After viral challenge 35 Cecal Microbial Alpha Diversity in Broiler Chickens of Different Ages - The Impact of Diversity

Test conclusion:

The results of this experiment indicate that it is sour. EO Can effectively inhibit CP It promotes proliferation in the broiler intestine, reduces intestinal lesion scores and pathological damage, suppresses inflammatory responses, repairs the intestinal mucosal barrier, and enhances animal recovery and growth performance.

Recently, Guangdong nuacid Company NIC The R&D team will further collaborate with Guizhou University, South China Agricultural University, and other institutions to explore the molecular regulatory mechanisms of necrotic enteritis and to conduct research and demonstration projects aimed at preventing its occurrence in large-scale poultry farming, thereby providing robust support for the healthy development of the poultry gut microbiome.

Written by: Long Mehe

Reviewed by: Hu Youjun