J F Perez

Publications (7)12.84 Total impact

• Article: Effects of dietary AflaDetox on performance, serum biochemistry, histopathological changes, and aflatoxin residues in broilers exposed to aflatoxin B(1).

  M Denli, J C Blandon, M E Guynot, S Salado, J F Perez
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  ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of AflaDetox (Adiveter, Agro-Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain) in counteracting the deleterious effects of aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) in broiler chicks. A total of 120 Ross 308 one-day-old male broiler chicks were assigned to 8 treatments for 42 d. The experiment had a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement of treatments involving 0 and 1 mg of AFB(1)/kg feed and 0, 1, 2, and 5 g of AflaDetox/kg feed. Chicks were fed on the ground during the first 7 d and in cages (3 chicks/cage; 5 cages/treatment) from 7 to 42 d. Growth performance was measured from d 7 to 42 and whole-tract digestibility of gross energy and protein on d 40 to 41. Serum biochemical parameters, organ weights, histopathological examination of liver, and AFB(1) residues in liver and breast muscle tissues were determined on d 42. Aflatoxin B(1) significantly decreased the BW gain, feed intake, and impaired feed conversion rate (P < 0.05). The addition of AflaDetox in the contaminated diets significantly diminished the inhibitory effects of dietary AFB(1) (P < 0.05) on the growth performance with no differences compared to the control diet. Feeding AFB(1) alone decreased serum protein concentration, increased the serum activity of alkaline phosphatase, and caused significant increases in the relative weights of livers. Treatment with AflaDetox significantly alleviated the negative effects of AFB(1) on these parameters (P < 0.05) with no effect on uncontaminated diets. Liver tissue of broilers receiving AFB(1) alone had perilobular inflammation and vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes as compared with the tissue from the control group (P < 0.05). Residues of AFB(1) were detected in the liver tissues of broilers fed on the AFB(1) diet (0.166 microg/kg). Supplementation of AflaDetox reduced the incidence and severity of the hepatic histopathology changes associated with aflatoxicosis and the amount of AFB(1) residue in liver. In conclusion, our results showed that addition of AflaDetox may reduce the adverse effects produced by the presence of AFB(1) in broiler chickens diets.
  Poultry Science 08/2009; 88(7):1444-51. · 1.73 Impact Factor
• Article: Dietary protein modifies effect of plant extracts in the intestinal ecosystem of the pig at weaning.

  E G Manzanilla, J F Pérez, M Martín, J C Blandón, F Baucells, C Kamel, J Gasa
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  ABSTRACT: The plant extract mixture (XT) used in the present experiment, containing carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, and capsicum oleoresin, has previously been shown to decrease diarrhea mortality and to modify the intestinal environment of pigs after weaning. However, results obtained among experiments have not been consistent. We hypothesized that dietary protein could be a main factor determining the effect of plant extracts on intestinal environment. Thus, in the present study we assessed the effects of XT in piglet diets with different protein sources and amounts. Pigs weaned at 20 +/- 1 d of age (n = 240) were allocated to 1 of 6 treatments, which followed a factorial arrangement, with 2 amounts (as-fed basis) of the XT (0 and 200 mg/kg) and 3 diets with various amounts of CP and protein sources. Diet FM18 contained 10% of low-temperature fish meal (LT-FM) and a CP level of 18%; diet SBM18 contained 5% of LT-FM plus 9% of full fat extruded soy and a CP level of 18%; and SBM20 diet contained 10% of LT-FM plus 6.3% of full fat extruded soy and a CP level of 20%. Growth performance of the animals was recorded for 14 d, but no differences were detected among treatments. Eight pigs per treatment were killed to examine variables describing aspects of gastrointestinal ecology. For diets containing 18% CP, FM18 and SBM18, XT tended to decrease ileal digestibility of OM (P = 0.064 and 0.071, respectively) and decreased starch digestibility (P = 0.032 and 0.014, respectively). It also reduced villi length (P = 0.003 and 0.013, respectively) and tended to decrease intraepithelial lymphocyte number (P = 0.051 and 0.100, respectively) in the proximal jejunum. The XT inclusion also increased ileal lactobacilli:enterobacteria (P = 0.017) ratio and decreased VFA production in the cecum (P = 0.045) for all diets. A decreased CP level appeared to favor the effects of the studied plant extracts in a positive or negative way depending on the variable measured. The microbial differences produced by XT could be the reason for improved digestive health observed by the authors in stronger challenging conditions (e.g., dirtier environments or long fasting periods after weaning).
  Journal of Animal Science 03/2009; 87(6):2029-37. · 2.10 Impact Factor
• Article: Efficacy of a new ochratoxin-binding agent (OcraTox) to counteract the deleterious effects of ochratoxin A in laying hens.

  M Denli, J C Blandon, M E Guynot, S Salado, J F Perez
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  ABSTRACT: An experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a new ochratoxin-binding agent (Ocra-Tox, 5 g/kg of feed) in offsetting the toxic effects of ochratoxin A (OTA, 2 mg/kg of feed) in laying hen diets. Performance, serum biochemistry, OTA residue in the liver and eggs, and egg quality parameters were evaluated. Twenty-eight Hisex Brown laying hens, 47 wk of age, were allocated to 1 of 4 experimental treatments for 3 wk: control, OTA (containing 2 mg of OTA/kg of feed), OcraTox (containing 5 g of OcraTox/kg of feed), and OTA + OcraTox (containing 2 mg of OTA and 5 g of OcraTox/kg of feed). Laying hens fed OcraTox showed results similar to the control hens (P > 0.05). The OTA diet significantly (P < 0.05) reduced daily feed consumption, egg mass production, and serum triglyceride concentrations, and increased the relative liver weight, the serum activity of alkaline phosphatase, and the serum concentration of uric acid as compared with the control diet. Addition of OcraTox to the contaminated diet alleviated (P < 0.05) the negative effects resulting from OTA, reaching values not significantly different from the control diet for most of the parameters except the relative weight of the liver. Birds fed the OTA treatment showed a greater content of OTA in the liver (15.1 microg/kg) than those fed the control diet (<0.05 microg/kg). Supplementing the contaminated diet with OcraTox (OTA + OcraTox) reduced the values to 12.0 microg/kg. Residues of OTA were not detected above our detection limit (0.05 microg/kg) in any of the analyzed eggs. In conclusion, our results indicated that addition of OcraTox can counteract the deleterious effects caused by OTA in laying hens.
  Poultry Science 11/2008; 87(11):2266-72. · 1.73 Impact Factor
• Article: The response of gastrointestinal microbiota to avilamycin, butyrate, and plant extracts in early-weaned pigs.

  M Castillo, S M Martín-Orúe, M Roca, E G Manzanilla, I Badiola, J F Perez, J Gasa
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  ABSTRACT: An experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of 3 different additives on the gastrointestinal microbiota of early-weaned pigs. Early-weaned (18 to 22 d; n = 32) pigs (6.0 +/- 0.10 kg of BW) from 8 litters were randomly distributed into 8 pens. Each pen was assigned 1 of 4 dietary treatments: a prestarter or control diet, the control diet with 0.04% avilamycin (AB), with 0.3% sodium butyrate, or with 0.03% plant extract mixture (XT; standardized mixture with 5% (wt/wt) carvacrol extracted from Origanum spp., 3% cinnamaldehyde extracted from Cinnamonum spp., and 2% capsicum oleoresin from Capsicum annum). At the end of the experimental period, 8 pigs per treatment were killed, and samples of their intestinal content were taken. The total bacterial load along the gastrointestinal tract (GIT; stomach, jejunum, cecum, and distal colon) and the lactobacilli and enterobacteria in the jejunum and cecum were measured by quantitative PCR. The total microbial counts along the GIT did not differ among the diets, but there was an increase in the lactobacilli:enterobacteria ratio in the cecum of the piglets on the XT diet (P = 0.003). Restriction fragment length polymorphism of the PCR-amplified V3, V4, and V5 regions of the 16S rDNA gene showed changes in the structure of the microbial community in the jejunum. Dendrograms grouped animals by diets; control with 0.3% sodium butyrate was the treatment that promoted the biggest changes in the microbial ecosystem, followed by AB and then XT. Biodiversity increased when using additives compared with the control diet (P = 0.002). Microbial metabolic activity along the hindgut was studied using the concentration of purine bases and carbohydrase activities. Different patterns for purine bases were observed between diets (diet x intestinal section, P = 0.01). The control diet reached a maximum purine base concentration at the end of the colon, whereas that of the AB diet was reached at the cecum. We could not detect any cellulase or xylanase activities in animals of this age. Appreciable amylase and amylopectinase activities were found, but they did not differ between diets. The results suggest that the effects of avilamycin, butyrate, or the plant extract would not be related to a reduction in the number of total bacteria inhabiting different sections of the GIT but rather to changes in the ecological structure and metabolic activity of the microbial community.
  Journal of Animal Science 11/2006; 84(10):2725-34. · 2.10 Impact Factor
• Article: Effects of butyrate, avilamycin, and a plant extract combination on the intestinal equilibrium of early-weaned pigs.

  E G Manzanilla, M Nofrarías, M Anguita, M Castillo, J F Perez, S M Martín-Orúe, C Kamel, J Gasa
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  ABSTRACT: We evaluated the effects of 3 additives, sodium butyrate (AC), avilamycin (AB), and a combination of plant extracts (XT), on the productive performance and the intestinal environment of the early-weaned pig. The XT was a standardized mixture with 5% (wt/wt) carvacrol (from Origanum spp.), 3% cinnamaldehyde (from Cinnamonum spp.), and 2% capsicum oleoresin (from Capsicum annum). Pigs (n = 32) weaned at 18 to 22 d of age with an initial BW of 6.0 +/- 0.10 kg were allocated to 8 pens that, in turn, were allocated to 4 treatments. The treatments included a basal diet (CT) or the basal diet supplemented with 0.3% of AC, 0.04% of AB, or 0.03% of XT. Productive performance was determined during the initial 14 d postweaning. On d 19 and 21 of the experiment, the pigs were killed to allow collection of digesta and intestinal tissue to evaluate variables indicative of aspects of the gastrointestinal environment. Treatments AB and AC improved G:F (P = 0.012 and 0.003, respectively) compared with the CT. Butyrate included in the diet was only detected in the stomach but not in cranial jejunum. When compared with CT, AC produced a lower ileal starch digestibility (P = 0.002) and a lower whole-tract OM and starch digestibility (P = 0.001 and 0.003, respectively), related to a lower VFA concentration in the cranial colon (P = 0.082) and a numerically reduced branched VFA percentage in the rectum. The AB treatment diminished propionate production in caudal colon (P = 0.002) and rectum (P = 0.012) compared with CT. The AC group exhibited deeper crypt depth in the jejunum without variations in villus height compared with CT (P = 0.042). The AC and AB groups also increased goblet cell presence in the colon (P = 0.001 and 0.032, respectively). On the other hand, AB and XT diminished intraepithelial lymphocytes in the jejunum (P = 0.003 and 0.034, respectively). The XT increased lymphocyte presence in the colon (P = 0.003). These results show the important influence of AB and AC on productive performance and on pig gut dynamics. The intestinal modifications observed for AB and AC compared with CT suggest distinct modes of action for each additive.
  Journal of Animal Science 11/2006; 84(10):2743-51. · 2.10 Impact Factor
• Article: Effect of plant extracts and formic acid on the intestinal equilibrium of early-weaned pigs.

  E G Manzanilla, J F Perez, M Martin, C Kamel, F Baucells, J Gasa
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  ABSTRACT: We evaluated the effects of a plant extracts mixture (XT) standardized in 5% (wt/wt) carvacrol, 3% cinnamaldehyde, and 2% capsicum oleoresin (oregano, cinnamon and Mexican pepper), alone or in combination with formic acid (FA), on the productive performance and the intestinal ecosystem of the early-weaned pig. Pigs weaned at 20 +/- 1 d of age (n = 216) were allocated in 24 pens and fed a standard medicated prestarter diet for 12 d. Twelve days after weaning, a stress management system based on social and dietary stress factors was applied to the animals, after which, each group was allocated to one of six dietary treatments, which followed a factorial arrangement, with three levels (as-fed basis) of the XT (0, 150, and 300 mg/kg) and two levels of FA (0 and 0.5%). On d 24 and 25 after the stress episode, eight pigs per treatment were killed to examine variables describing some aspects of the gastrointestinal ecology. Two days after the stress episode, an Escherichia coli K88 diarrhea episode occurred, and five casualties were registered. Four of the five deaths occurred in pens of pigs not fed the XT. The FA resulted in better G:F (P = 0.040) in coincidence with shorter villous height (P = 0.073) and lower rectal total microbial mass (P = 0.078). Both XT and FA addition increased stomach content (P = 0.006 and 0.003, respectively) and percentage of DM (P = 0.089 and 0.010, respectively), suggesting an increased gastric retention time; consequently, pH was also increased (P = 0.005 and 0.060, respectively). The XT decreased ileum total microbial mass (P = 0.025) and increased the lactobacilli:enterobacteria ratio (P = 0.002). The VFA profile in the cecum and colon was modified by XT inclusion, increasing the proportion of acetate (P = 0.018 and 0.025, respectively) and diminishing the proportion of butyrate (P = 0.096 and 0.040, respectively) and valerate (P = 0.001 and 0.039, respectively). Both XT and FA were shown to be effective in modifying the gastrointestinal ecosystem, stomach contents, and stomach emptying rate, which are proposed as important aspects in the mechanisms of action for these additives.
  Journal of Animal Science 12/2004; 82(11):3210-8. · 2.10 Impact Factor
• Article: Enzymes (beta-glucanase and arabinoxylanase) and/or sepiolite supplementation and the nutritive value of maize-barley-wheat based diets for broiler chickens.

  I Ouhida, J F Perez, J Gasa, F Puchal
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  ABSTRACT: 1. Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of crude enzyme preparations (beta-glucanase and arabinoxylanase) and/or 20 g/kg Sepiolite (Exal) on the performance and nutrient digestion of broiler chickens fed on maize-barley-wheat based diets. 2. In experiment 1, enzymes improved daily bodyweight gain (by 14%; P<0.001) and food:gain ratios (8%; P<0.001). Sepiolite improved bodyweight gain on the diets not supplemented simultaneously with enzymes (by 6% in 21-d-old chickens, P<0.05) but reduced it for enzymes-supplemeented diets. Changes in productive perfiormance with both additives were associated with changes in diet digestibility and nitrogen balance. 3. In experiment 2, enzyme supplementation reduced viscosity in jejunum and ileum and the mean retention time of digesta in the gut. Sepiolite inclusion significantly reduced the viscosity of jejunum digesta and modified the retention times of digesta in the gut, depending upon whether enzymes had been added. There was a decreased retention time without enzymes but an increase with enzyme supplementation. 4. Although different mechanisms are presumed for enzymes and sepiolite, both seem to counteract the negative effects of soluble, non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) in the diet by modifying jejunal viscosity and improving organic matter digestibility.
  British Poultry Science 01/2001; 41(5):617-24. · 1.00 Impact Factor