Dietary glycine concentration affects intestinal Clostridium perfringens and lactobacilli populations in broiler chickens

Poult Sci. 2005 Dec;84(12):1875-85. doi: 10.1093/ps/84.12.1875.

Abstract

Previous studies have reported that intestinal populations of Clostridium perfringens, the causative agent of necrotic enteritis (NE), are correlated with diets high in glycine. To establish a direct causative link, 3 trials were conducted to examine the effect of dietary glycine levels on gut populations of C. perfringens, alpha-toxin production, and NE lesion scores in broiler chickens. In trials 1 and 2, 12 groups of 4 birds were fed 4 different ideal protein-balanced diets formulated to contain 0.75, 1.58, 3.04, or 4.21% glycine from d 14 to 28 of age. In trial 3, 24 groups of 4 birds were given 6 different ideal protein-balanced diets formulated to contain 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.50, 2.00, or 4.00% glycine. All birds were orally challenged with a broth culture of C. perfringens type A on d 1 and between d 14 and 21 of age and killed on d 28. The majority of birds showed clinical signs of NE with 4.16 to 8.33% mortality in the 3 trials. The highest mortality and intestinal lesion scores were observed in chickens receiving 3.04% glycine in trials 1 and 2, and 4.00% glycine in trial 3. Clostridium perfringens populations in the cecum varied quadratically with increasing dietary glycine, with the maximal response seen at 3.30,3.89, and 3.51% dietary glycine in trials 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Numbers of lactobacilli in cecum declined significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of glycine. The results suggest that dietary glycine level has a significant effect on C. perfringens and lactobacilli populations and may be a predisposing factor for NE in broiler chickens.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Toxins / metabolism
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Chickens / microbiology*
  • Clostridium perfringens / drug effects*
  • Clostridium perfringens / metabolism
  • Diet*
  • Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / drug therapy
  • Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / microbiology
  • Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / veterinary
  • Glycine / administration & dosage*
  • Glycine / pharmacology*
  • Intestines / drug effects
  • Intestines / microbiology*
  • Lactobacillus / drug effects*
  • Male
  • Poultry Diseases / microbiology
  • Poultry Diseases / prevention & control
  • Type C Phospholipases / metabolism
  • Weight Gain

Substances

  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Type C Phospholipases
  • alpha toxin, Clostridium perfringens
  • Glycine