GUSTOR N’RGY improves performance, modulates cecal microbiota and exerts immune-modulatory effects in broiler

Bortoluzzi et al. (2017) evaluated the effect of GUSTOR N’RGY on performance, expression of immune-related genes in cecal tonsils, and cecal microbiota when dietary energy and amino acids (AA) were reduced. 2208 day-old chicks were fed with: 3 dietary formulations (control; reduction of 2.3% AA and 60 kcal/kg; and reduction of 4.6% AA and 120 kcal/kg) with or without a 0.1% of N’RGY. FI, BW gain, and FCR were recorded until 28 d of age. From 14 to 28d, there was an interaction of nutrient density by N’RGY (P=0.003) wherein BW gain of birds fed N’RGY was impaired less by the energy/AA reduction than unsupplemented birds. A similar result was obtained from 1 to 28 d (P=0.004). The reduced diets altered the imputed function performed by the microbiota and N’RGY supplementation reduced these variations, keeping the microbial function similar to that observed in chickens fed a control diet. The frequency of bacterial species presenting the butyryl-CoA: acetate CoA-transferase gene increased in the microbiota of chickens fed a nutritionally reduced diet without N’RGY, and was not changed by nutrient density when supplemented with N’RGY (interaction; P=0.01). N’RGY modulated the expression of immune related genes in the cecal tonsils; wherein N’RGY upregulated the expression of A20 in broilers fed control diets (P < 0.05) and increased IL-6 expression (P<0.05). N’RGY had positive effects on performance of broilers fed nutritionally reduced diets, partially by modulating the cecal microbiota and exerting immune-modulatory effects.