The effect of added complex carbohydrates or added dietary fiber on necrotic enteritis lesions in broiler chickens.
Two trials utilizing two corn diets and four wheat diets were conducted. In Trial 2, all chicks were crop-infused at 9 d of age with Eimeria acervulina. In both trials, a broth culture of Clostridium perfringens was mixed with the diets for 3 consecutive d. Necrotic enteritis lesion scores were lowest in chickens consuming the corn diet with no C. perfringens and highest in chickens fed the wheat diets with C. perfringens. Chickens consuming a wheat diet with no added complex carbohydrates or added fiber exhibited the highest lesion score. Chickens on wheat diets with 4% new, ground, pine shavings had intestinal lesion scores intermediate to those of chickens that consumed the wheat or corn diets. Chickens consuming corn diets yielded the lowest lesion scores. Chickens provided diets containing either guar gum or pectin were not fully consumed and thus probably reduced the number of challenge organisms ingested.
Branton
S L
SL
USDA, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA.
Lott
B D
BD
Deaton
J W
JW
Maslin
W R
WR
Austin
F W
FW
Pote
L M
LM
Keirs
R W
RW
Latour
M A
MA
Day
E J
EJ
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004386:Duodenum / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004539:Eimeria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004751:Enteritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005685:Galactans / Q000592:standards; D015994:Incidence; D008351:Mannans / Q000592:standards; D009336:Necrosis; D010368:Pectins / Q000592:standards; D053149:Plant Gums; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D014908:Triticum / Q000592:standards; D003313:Zea mays / Q000592:standards
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005685:Galactans; D008351:Mannans; D053149:Plant Gums; D010368:Pectins; C007894:guar gum