Replacement of Synthetic Choline in Poultry Diet - The Phytogenic Way

Abstract

Phytogenic alternative (Natchol#) for synthetic choline was evaluated by monitoring the performance of commercial broilers on economic traits, accumulation of liver fat, gross & histopathology of liver. Total 768, day old commercial unisex (male) broiler chicks weighed individually and randomly assigned equally in to 2 treatments with 6 replicates per treatment & 64 chicks per replicate. The birds of treatment 1 were offered the basal diet (corn-soybean) as per the broiler strain specification with 1000 ppm of synthetic choline chloride (60%). While the birds of treatment 2 were offered the aforesaid basal diet with 300 ppm of the test product (phytogenic alternative) without additional synthetic choline.

Parameters such as body weight, FCR, liver fat percentage, gross & histopathology of liver etc. were studied. Results revealed that there was no difference in body weight gain and gross pathology of liver of both the treatments. While there was better FCR and lesser accumulation of liver fat in birds of phytogenic alternative supplemented group (treatment2) when compared with the birds of synthetic choline group (treatment1).

Histopathological examination revealed that the phytogenic alternative supplemented group (treatment2) had shown minimal intensity and distribution of hepatic lesions compared to the synthetic choline supplemented group (treatment 1). Based on the results of the present study it could be concluded that the phytogenic product can replace synthetic choline from poultry diet without affecting the performance of birds and with greater economy.

Introduction

Choline, a lipotropic factor was first isolated by Strecker in 1962 from hog bile. Choline is commonly supplemented in poultry feed as Choline Chloride. Choline plays very important role in body of birds.

Since methyl group (CH3+) donor feed ingredients play an important role in prevention and management of Fatty Liver Syndrome, inclusion of such quality nutrients in poultry ration is a common practice. Choline is an important methyl group donor, but it has to be converted into betaine before it can donate methyl group. Also, the uptake and conversion of Choline is adversely affected due to gut infection, mal absorption, mitochondrial insufficiency & mycotoxins in the ration etc.

Fatty Liver Syndrome is a condition that generally affects fast growing broilers kept on high energy diets & caged layers since they do not get sufficient opportunity for free movement. Fatty Liver Syndrome is associated with deficiency of methyl group donors in feed, increased liponeogenesis due to deficiency of vitamin-B Complex, reverse mobilization of fat due to stress, high estrogen activity, mycotoxins etc.

Choline is must for birds in modern farming

• Birds provided with high energy diet for faster body weight, therefore to convert the energy into fatty acids require more methyl groups. (To convert them into phospholipids, the transportable form of lipids.)
• Layer birds remain under high estrogenic activity, which stimulates lipogenesis in the liver.
• Cage rearing of birds reduces physical activity, leading to availability of more energy for conversion into fatty acids. Whitehead & Randall (1982)

Requirement of choline though depends upon the type of bird (layers/broilers), availability of Folic acid, Vitamin B12 and methionine level in feed. Insufficiency of the aforesaid may increase the requirement.

Suggested practical requirement is furnished below:

• Commercial Broiler :
Choline mg/Kg. (Added) - 900.00
• Commercial Layers:
Choline mg/Kg. (Added)
(a) Chick mash - 600.00
(b) Grower mash - 250.00
(c) Layer mash - 500.00

Though, small quantity of Choline is synthesized by liver but is not sufficient hence, poultry diets are now a day supplemented with synthetic Choline to bridge the gap.

Limitations of synthetic Choline

• Being a quaternary base, poorly absorbed by G.I, tract
• Gets converted into Tri Methyl Amine (TMA) which is toxic
• Obnoxious smell is a practical concern in processing units & feed mills
• Corrosive nature hence, not a user friendly & damages machinery & equipments
• Interacts adversely with ionophores
• Hygroscopic, hence very unstable
• Interacts also with Vitamins
• Reacts with metal
Whitehead & Randall (1982)

Limitations of synthetic choline have forced the researchers to find out an alternative to replace synthetic choline in poultry diet.

Keeping this in view an attempt is made to overcome the present crisis and to validate the claims made on the phytogenic formulation (Natchol#) containing Citrulus colocynthis as major phytogenic component.

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of phytogenic formulation (Natchol#) to replace the synthetic choline chloride (60%) in commercial broiler diet.

Material and methods

Seven hundred and sixty eight (768) day old commercial broiler chicks (sexed 100% males) procured from a reputed hatchery, randomly divided into 2 treatments with 6 replicate in each treatment with 64 chicks in each replicate.

All the chicks reared on deep litter and kept under identical health coverage, management conditions with 24 hours light, ad lib isonitrogenous and isocalory diet and sanitized water was offered to each treatment.

Three types of diets were offered to the birds e.i. pre-starter (for first 14 days), starter (from 15th to 28th day) and finisher diet (from 29th to 40th day).

Treatment 1 diet was supplemented with 1000 ppm of synthetic choline (60%) and treatment 2 diet was supplemented with the phytogenic test product @ 300 ppm without any supplementation of synthetic choline.

The treatment groups were:

Treatment 1	Standard basal diet (with synthetic choline (60%) @ 1 kg/ton of feed.
Treatment 2	Standard basal diet without synthetic choline with phytogenic alternative (Natchol^#) @ 300 g/ton of feed.

Composition of basal diet

Ingredient/ton	Pre starter	Starter	Finisher
	*1-14 d*	*15-28 d*	*29-42 d*
Maize (kg)	553	596	640
Soybean meal (kg)	387	334	292
Vegetable oil(kg)	21.5	33.3	32.6
Common salt(kg)	4	4	4
Sodium bi-carbonate(kg)	1	1	1
Dicalcium phosphate(kg)	18.8	17.5	16.6
Shell grit(kg)	7.2	7.2	6.9
DL-methionine (kg)	2.27	1.81	1.68
AB2D3K(kg)	0.15	0.15	0.15
B complex(kg)	0.15	0.15	0.15
Trace mineral premix(kg)	1.20	1.20	1.20
Choline chloride (60%) kg*	1.00	1.00	1.00
Toxin binder(kg)	1.00	1.00	1.00
Vitamin E & Se(kg)	0.200	0.200	0.200
Antibiotic(kg)	0.500	0.500	0.500
Coccidiostat(kg)	0.500	0.500	0.500
Tylon (kg)	0.500	0.500	0.500

* Only in diet of treatment 1group.

Calculated Analysis

	Pre Starter	Starter	Finisher
ME (K Cal/Kg)	2966	3082	3124
C.P. %	23.05	20.92	19.35
C.F. %	3.98	3.79	3.67
E.E. %	4.65	5.91	6.00
A.I.A. %	0.82	0.76	0.72
Ca %	0.85	0.84	0.81
Available P %	0.50	0.50	0.49
Meth. %	0.57	0.50	0.46
Meth.+Cys. %	1.05	0.92	0.85
Lys. %	1.2	1.06	0.95
Na %	0.19	0.19	0.19

Parameters such as average body weight on 14, 28 and on 40th day, cumulative FCR, fat content of liver, gross pathology and histopathology of liver, feathering pattern and any other abnormality were studied throughout the experiment.

Six birds from each group randomly (one from each replicate) were scarified at the end of the experiment to estimate fat percent as well to study gross and histo-pathological lesions.

Results and discussion

Results are tabulated below-

Replacement of Synthetic Choline in Poultry Diet - The Phytogenic Way - Image 1

From the results it's evident that there is no significant difference in body weight of both the groups. Feathering pattern was also similar in both the groups. While there is better FCR and lesser accumulation of liver fat in phytogenic alternative supplemented group when it is compared with the synthetic choline group.

Gross pathology of liver of both the groups did not reveal any changes. While Histopathological examination revealed that the phytogenic alternative supplemented group had shown minimal intensity and distribution of hepatic lesions compared to the synthetic choline supplemented group. This hiastopathalogical observation is supporting the liver fat percentage of both the groups in study.

Histopathology of liver

(Treatment 1)

(Treatment 2)

This efficacy of the test product (phytogenic alternative) most probably could have been contributed by cucurbitacin B (1,2 dihydro-a-elaterin) an active phytochemical of Citrulus colocynthis.

Citrulus colocynthis is reported to increase the fat mobilization from liver when the liver is challenged by CCl4 and treated with C. colocynthis (Daradka et al 2007). Observation of Daradka et al is very much corroborating with observation of Bartalis, Judit (2005), Joshua et al (2006) M.Miro (1995). Probably this could be the reason for lower liver fat percentages in phytogenic alternative supplemented group as well no gross or histo-pathological lesion in liver in this present study.

The observation of this study is very much corroborating with the observation of Sanjeev Kumar (2004), Ravishankar N., (2005), Joshua et al, (2006), and Parinya (2009) and with several other field observations in India and abroad.

Based on the observation of this study it can be concluded that the phytogenic product can replace synthetic choline from poultry diet with greater economy without affecting the performance of birds.

Apart from, this phytogenic alternative does not possess any limitations as of synthetic choline (as summarized earlier in this paper).

References

• Bartalis,J. (2005), South Dakota State University, 201 pages; Publication No. AAT 3211730.

• Daradka, Almasad Qazan and Samara (2007) "Hypolipidaemic Effects of Citrullus colocynthis L". Pak. Jr. of Biological Sciences 10 (16): 2768-2771.

• Joshua, A.J., Vinod, D.R., Pravina, K., Suja, R.S., Goudar, K.S., Pande, C.B. & Amit, A. (2006). "Lipotropic activity of Natchol a poly herbal formulation in albino Wistar rats". Journal of Natural Remedies, vol. 6/2, pp 177-183.

• M.Miro, (1995). Phytotherapy Research, Vol. 9, 159-168.

• Parinya, C. (2009).C.P. Feeds, India. Personal communication. (Unpublished).

• Pharmacology & Applications of Chinese Material Medica, vol II Hson-Mou Chang, Paul Pui-Hay, Sih-Cheng Yao World Scientific, 2001, page 1157.

• Sanjeev Kumar (2004). "Studies of different pesticides and poly herbal formulation on performance of commercial broilers". Thesis submitted to Dept. of Poultry Science as partial fulfilment of master's degree research work at U.P. Pt. D.D. Upadhyaya Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwa Vidyalaya evam Go-anusandhan Sansthan, Mathura, U.P. (India).

• Whitehead, C.C. & Randall, C. J. (1982). "Interrelationships between biotin, choline & other B-vitamins & occurrence of fatty liver & kidney syndrome & sudden death syndrome in broiler chickens". British Journal of Nutrition, 48 , pp 177-184