Nutritional Impacts the Health and Physiology of the Avian Gastro-intestinal Tract

Book excerpt: The physiology of birds is regulated by the interplay internally between the gastrointestinal functioning, endocrine, nervous and defensive systems (immune and anti-oxidative). Acting on these are external factors such as nutrition and the gastrointestinal microbiome. One focus of this Research Topic is the importance of various nutritional physiological approaches, the parameters to be employed and an assessment of their reliability and feasibility. Aims of this topic include the following: 1) Identify specific interventions to facilitate the elimination of food borne pathogens in poultry 2) Develop nutritional strategies to reduce food borne colonization in poultry and reduce prevalence of food borne pathogens in poultry products Increasing numbers of poultry are raised without antibiotics. There is growing attention to using dietary supplements to replace antibiotics, to alter intestinal microbial populations, to stimulate antioxidative and immune systems and to improve overall intestinal health. This Research Topic will include a focus on determining the viability of nutritional intervention like probiotics and non-antibiotic growth promoters, alone or in combination, as a means to mitigate food borne contamination, particularly in the context of an antibiotic-free setting. Particular attention will be paid in determining the effects of dietary supplements on intestinal integrity, gene expression, antioxidative systems and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Reviews and research papers, among other article types, on all aspects of the interactions between nutrition, physiology and microbiology in birds, particularly poultry.