Effects of a blend of chestnut and quebracho tannins on gut health and performance of broiler chickens

REDONDO, ENZO A.; REDONDO, LEANDRO M.; BRUZZONE, OCTAVIO A.; DIAZ-CARRASCO, JUAN M.; CABRAL, CLAUDIO; GARCES, VICTORINO M.; LIÑEIRO, MAXIMO M.; FERNANDEZ-MIYAKAWA, MARIANO E.

PLOS ONE

PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

Año: 2022 vol. 17

1932-6203

Antimicrobial restrictions prompted the search for cost and biologically effective alternatives to replace antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs) in food-producing animals. In addition, the efficacy of this alternatives needs to be contrasted in field/commercial trials under different challenge conditions. However only a few studies describing the impact of tannins or others AGP-alternatives in commercial poultry production conditions are actually available. The aim of the present work is to study how the inclusion of a blend of chestnut and quebracho tannins can affect broiler productive performance and health under commercial conditions. Three experiments with different approaches were conducted: (1) a trial comparing the effects of both additives (tannins vs AGP) on different commercial farms at the same time; (2) the follow-up of one farm during an entire productive year; and (3) an experimental trial using a C. perfringens challenge model in broiler chickens. Although productive results from field trials were similar among treatments, evaluations of gut health indicators showed improvements in the tannins treated flocks. Frequency and severity of intestinal gross lesions were reduced in jejunum (42% vs 23%; p