Halquinol 0.3% cream

The current experiment was designed to estimate the comparative efficacy of selected phytobiotics Persicaria odorata leaf meal (POLM) and Piper betle leaf meal (PBLM) with halquinol, and tetracycline in broiler chickens. The 150-day-old broiler chickens were randomly assigned to five dietary groups. The dietary supplementation groups were the basal diet (BD), which served as the negative control (NC), and BD + 0.2 g/kg tetracycline, which served as the positive control (PC); BD + 0.03 g/kg halquinol (HAL), BD + 8 g/kg POLM (Po8), and BD + 4 g/kg PBLM (Pb4) were the treatment groups. Growth performance, gut morphology, ileal digestibility, and cecal microbiota composition were measured. On day 21, the body weight gain (BWG) was enhanced (p < 0.05) in the broiler chickens fed on phytobiotics (Po8 and Pb4) relative to the NC group, however, on day 42 and in terms of overall growth performance, BWG was enhanced (p < 0.05 in diets (Po8, Pb4, HAL and PC) in comparison with the NC group. Conversely, feed conversion ratio (FCR) was recorded reduced (p < 0.05) in Pb4, Po8, HAL, and PC group in comparison with the NC group. Supplementation of phytobiotics (Po8 and Pb4), HAL and PC, positively improved the gut morphology compared to the NC group. Furthermore, the maximum (p < 0.05) villus height (VH) in duodenum and jejunum was observed in broilers fed on diet Pb4. Supplementation of phytobiotics, HAL and PC, improved (p < 0.05) the digestibility of dry matter (DM) (except for HAL), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), and ash compared to the NC group. Dietary supplementation of phytobiotics (Po8 and Pb4), HAL and PC, significantly reduced the E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus (except for HAL) counts compared to the NC group. However, supplementation of Pb4 resulted in significantly decreased total anaerobic bacteria and Clostridium spp. counts compared to the NC group. In addition, supplementation of phytobiotics significantly increased the Lactobacillus count compared to HAL, PC, and NC groups. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of phytobiotics improved the gut morphology, positively modulated and maintained the dynamics of cecal microbiota with enhanced nutrient digestibility, thus, increased the growth performance. Based on current results, phytobiotics could be used as an alternative to AGPs for sustainable broiler chicken production.

Abstract licence: CC BY 4.0

Abstract In this study, an analysis method was established for the quantification of residues of halquinol and its metabolites in livestock and fishery products using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). We selected beef, pork (muscle and fat), chicken, egg, milk, flat fish, eel, and shrimp as target samples for validation of the method owing to them being typical livestock and fishery products. Validation of the developed analysis method was performed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) at three concentration levels (0.5, 1, and 2 × the maximum residue limits) following the Codex Alimentarius (CODEX) guidelines (CAC/GL 71–2009). For all samples, correlation coefficients (R 2 ) exceeded 0.99, recoveries ranged between 75.59 and 119.36%, and coefficients of variation (CV) ranged between 1.39 and 28.66%, thus satisfying CODEX guidelines. In addition, inter-laboratory validation was conducted, and the resulting recoveries and CVs satisfied the CODEX guidelines; LOQ was established as 10 μg kg –1 for pig muscle and 5 μg kg –1 for the other samples. Therefore, the analysis method developed in this study can accurately and precisely screen for and quantify halquinol and its metabolites in livestock and fishery products.

Abstract licence: CC BY 4.0

ABSTRACTAntimicrobial resistance is an increasingly pressing global concern, with one of its contributing factors being the use of subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics in animal production for zootechnical purposes. Halquinol (HA) remains one of the few compounds still permitted in certain regions; however, the development of alternative solutions is imperative. This study evaluated the in vitro effects of a formulation composed of essential oils and organic acids against Salmonella and Escherichia coli as well as its interaction with HA. The formulation demonstrated both inhibitory and bactericidal activity against the bacteria, with effective concentrations ranging from 2.0 to 8.0 mL/L. In contrast, HA exhibited solely bacteriostatic effects, with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 37.5 to 300 μg/mL. When used in combination, the compounds predominantly resulted in additive or indifferent interactions: 51.35% of the assays showed additive effects, 43.24% exhibited no interaction, and only 5.41% demonstrated antagonistic interactions. Importantly, the formulation did not induce bacterial resistance or adaptation following sublethal exposure. Conversely, sublethal exposure to HA led to an approximately tenfold increase in its bacteriostatic dose. Moreover, the formulation showed potential to mitigate resistance induced by sublethal HA exposure. In a simulated swine digestion, the combination of the formulation with HA was particularly effective against E. coli, with the co‐administration reducing the required concentrations of the individual compounds to achieve sustained bacterial suppression throughout the digestive process. Based on these findings, the tested formulation demonstrates promising potential for bacterial control and may be used in combination with HA to reduce its required dosage.

Abstract licence: CC BY 4.0

The weaning period is a critical phase for nursery pigs that is characterized by rapid growth and alterations in the intestinal microbiome associated with nutrient utilization. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of halquinol, when used as an antibiotic (ABO), on the growth performance, diarrhea incidence, coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD), fecal volatile fatty acids (VFAs), and microbiota in pigs. A total of 210 healthy weaned pigs with an average initial weight of 6.9 kg and aged 28 ± 2 days were assigned to five treatments (six pens/treatment) in a complete randomized design, including a control group (T1, CON; feed with no ABO), a colistin group (T2, CLT; feed containing 120 ppm colistin), and three halquinol groups (T3 to T5, HAL; feed containing 180, 240, and 360 ppm halquinol, respectively). The experiment period lasted for 10 days. Field recordings, observation, and feces collection were performed on D1, D5, and D10. CATTD and VFA assessments were conducted on D10. The composition of the fecal microbiota was analyzed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing using the Illumina Miseq platform. The results demonstrated that the in-feed ABO groups exhibited a significantly lower ADFI (p 0.05), except for fat digestibility in pigs that received T4 (p < 0.01). Pigs fed the T4 and T5 diets had higher propionate concentrations and lower A/P ratios than pigs fed T1, T2, and T3 (p < 0.01). The microbial diversity shifted quickly through the early weaning period. The relative abundance of beneficial Enterococcus microbes increased in pigs fed in-feed ABO, whereas the relative prevalence of pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia and Klebsiella, decreased. Escherichia and Bacteroides were negatively correlated with carbohydrate digestibility and butyric and valeric acid production (p < 0.05). Overall, the appropriate HAL dosage was 240 ppm (T4), and this antimicrobial can potentially be characterized as an in-feed colistin replacer that improves feed efficiency and fat digestion, enhancing VFA production, alleviating post-weaning diarrhea, and protecting ABO-resistant piglets.

Abstract licence: CC BY 4.0