The effect of coffee husks used as pellet bedding material on the intestinal barrier, immune-related gene expression and microbiota composition in the broiler chicken caecum
Jakub Biesek
Profilo Orcid, Aleksandra Dunisławska
Profilo Orcid e Wojciech Kozdruń
Profilo Orcid 
Pubblicato online: 23 set 2024
Pagine: 443 - 449
Ricevuto: 28 mar 2024
Accettato: 09 set 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2024-0053
Parole chiave
© 2024 Jakub Biesek et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Introduction
Using coffee husks as waste material for bedding contributes to sustainable development. A sustainable choice of bedding has also, however, to be a safe choice for poultry. The study analysed immune-related gene expression in the intestinal mucosa and indicator bacteria in caecal content collected from broiler chickens bedded on material with coffee husk addition.
Material and Methods
One-day-old Ross 308 chickens were divided into four groups of 10 birds each in five replicates: C, the control group kept on wheat straw bedding; CH10, a group kept on bedding of 10% coffee husks and 90% wheat straw; CH25, a group kept on bedding of 25% husks and 75% straw; and CH50, a group kept on bedding of 50% husks and 50% straw. After 42 days, the birds were slaughtered, the caecal mucosae were removed for RNA isolation and the caecal content was collected for bacterial DNA isolation. The expression of genes involved in intestinal immune response and host organism defence and the relative abundance of indicator bacteria were analysed.
Results
Upregulation of the expression of genes related to the immune response and intestinal tightness was correlated with an increase in the percentage of coffee husks in the pellet. Coffee husk pellets at 50% bedding content caused a significant numerical increase in
Conclusion
The addition of coffee husks to poultry litter effects beneficial changes in the expression of genes related to intestinal health and the caecal bacterial profile.