The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of lecithin on the performance, meat quality, lipid metabolism, and cecum microbiota of broilers. One hundred and ninety-two one-day-old AA broilers with similar body weights (38 ± 1.0 g) were randomly assigned to two groups with six replicates of sixteen birds each and were supplemented with 0 and 1 g/kg of lecithin for forty-two days. Performance and clinical observations were measured and recorded throughout the study. Relative organ weight, meat quality, lipid-related biochemical parameters and enzyme activities were also measured. Compared with broilers in the control group, broilers in the lecithin treatment group showed a significant increase in L* value and tenderness (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the abdominal adipose index of broilers was markedly decreased in lecithin treatment after 42 days (p < 0.05). In the lipid metabolism, broilers in the lecithin treatment group showed a significant increase in hepatic lipase and general esterase values at 21 days compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Lower Firmicutes and higher Bacteroidetes levels in phylum levels were observed in the lecithin treatment group after 21 and 42 days. The distribution of lactobacillus, clostridia, and rikenella in genus levels were higher in the lecithin treatment group after 21 and 42 days. No statistically significant changes were observed in performance, relative organ weight, or other serum parameters (p > 0.05). These results indicate that supplementation with lecithin significantly influence the lipid metabolism in broilers at 21 and 42 days, which resulted in the positive effect on the meat color, tenderness, and abdominal adipose in broilers.

Ascites is a major problem for both human health and animal production, due to its association with high rates of morbidity and mortality, low efficiency of nutrient utilization, and permanent adverse effects on performance. Although it is one of the three major metabolic diseases in poultry production, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, six ascites syndrome (AS) chickens and six normal chickens were obtained from each group (108 chickens) at 21 and 35 days. A liver metabolomics method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF/MS) was used to explore the metabolic pattern of low molecular mass metabolites in chickens with low-temperature-induced AS. Coupled with blood biochemistry and histopathology results, the significant difference in metabolic profiling between the AS group and the control group, as determined through pattern recognition analysis, indicated changes in global tissue metabolites. The results showed that a primary bile acid synthesis disorder and inflammation had occurred by 21 days and that lysophospholipid metabolism was disrupted by 35 days with the continuation of low temperatures. Several metabolites, including taurodeoxycholic acid, cholic acid glucuronide, glycocholic acid, LysoPC(15 : 0) and taurocholic acid, were identified as the potential and proper biomarkers of AS. These biochemical changes in tissue metabolites are related to perturbations of lipid metabolism, which may be helpful to further understand the AS mechanisms. This work shows that the metabolomics is a valuable tool for studying metabolic diseases.

The liver of hens bears a very heavy workload in handling lipogenesis as well as carbohydrate, protein, and other nutrient metabolism to maintain a high laying rate. D-glucuronolactone (DGL) is a naturally occurring chemical metabolite produced from glucose and exhibits a hepatoprotective effect as a food ingredient. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of DGL on production performance, egg quality, and liver health in laying hens during their peak period. Four hundred and eighty Hy-Line brown hens (aged 42 weeks), with comparable high-laying performance, were randomly assigned to four groups, with each group consisting of eight replicates. The control group was fed a basal diet, while the treatment groups were supplemented with DGL at 70, 140, and 280 mg/kg in the basal diet, respectively. The results indicated that DGL supplementation significantly increases the laying rate and egg mass of hens (p < 0.05). The brown color of the eggshell was significantly deepened by DGL administration (p < 0.05). Additionally, DGL supplementation significantly decreased the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (p < 0.05). The liver index, liver fat, and triglyceride levels in the liver had also significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Liver histopathological results showed that the control group exhibited yellow coloration with large gaps and numerous vacuolar cells, while DGL supplementation improved the compactness of liver parenchyma. Antioxidant activity was enhanced, showing a significant increase in the activity of total antioxidant capacity and catalase in the liver (p < 0.05). The inflammatory response was alleviated, with a significant decrease in expressions of interleukin-β, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 genes in the liver (p < 0.05). Moreover, DGL supplementation significantly reduced cell apoptosis-related genes, including factor-related apoptosis, Caspase 7, and BCL2 associated X protein in the liver (p < 0.05). Overall, these findings indicate that dietary DGL enhanced the laying performance of hens by maintaining liver health, with the best results achieved at a dose of 280 mg/kg in this trial.