Dietary symbiotic supplementation alters the ileal histomorphology and caecal pathogen micro-organism in broiler chicks

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of dietary symbiotic supplementation on growth performance, digestive tract development, ilealhistomorphology, caecaltotalColiform, E coli andEnterobactericaeacounts in different chick weights. A blend of mannanoligosaccharide and Saccharomyces cerevisiae mixture was used as symbiotic. Two initial body weight groups (L= Light and H= Heavy chicks) and two feeds (B= basal diet and S= 0,2% symbiotic supplemented diet) were tested in 2x2 factorial experimental design. One hundred and twenty newly hatched chicks obtained from a healthy broiler parent stock aged 40 wk old. Each treatment group had 3 replicates consist of 10 chicks. Trial lasted for 21 days. Daily body weight gain (DBWG), daily feed intake (DFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) (g feed/g gain) was recorded weekly. The DBWG, DFI, FCR and digestive tract development (heart, liver, gizzard, proventriculus, pancreas, bursa fabricius weight and gut length) were not affected by treatments. Symbiotic supplementation increased villi length. Symbiotic supplementation decreased pathogenic microorganisms (Escherichia Coli, Coliform and Enterobactericaea) in caeca irrespective to the DBWG of chicks. To conclude, symbiotic supplementation can be used to improve villi morphology and to suppress pathogenic microorganisms in caeca.