title: Effect of dietary prebiotic supplementation on the performance, intestinal microflora, and immune response of broilers.
abstract: This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with the prebiotics fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) and mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) on the performance, small intestinal microflora, and immune response of broilers. Two hundred forty 1-d-old Ross broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatment groups: control, avilamycin (6 mg/kg), 0.25% FOS, 0.5% FOS, 0.025% MOS, and 0.05% MOS. Each treatment was fed to 4 replicates of 10 birds per diet for 4 wk. Except for the 0.5% FOS group, the overall BW gains of birds treated with avilamycin and prebiotics were significantly(P < 0.05) higher than those of the control group. No significant differences were found between the control and supplemented groups in overall feed intake, feed conversion, and mortality. The 0.05% MOS group was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the control and 0.5% FOS groups in heterophil:lymphocyte ratio and basophil level. Concentrations of plasma IgA and IgG were not significantly different among the treatment groups. Quantitative real-time PCR indicated that supplementation of the diet with avilamycin or prebiotics caused significant (P < 0.05) changes in the small intestinal microbial community, as determined in samples obtained at the ileocecal junction. The populations of Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli decreased with 0.25% FOS, 0.05% MOS, or avilamycin, and lactobacilli increased in the 0.25% FOS and 0.25% MOS treatment groups. Total bacteria increased in the 0.25% FOS and 0.05% MOS treatments and decreased in the avilamycin treatment. Feeding 0.25% FOS and 0.05% MOS resulted in an increase in lactobacillus community diversity in the ileum. Our results showed that 0.25% FOS and 0.05% MOS were comparable with avilamycin in improving productivity in broilers raised in wire floor cages up to 28 d of age. Plasma immunoglobulins were not affected by prebiotics, but the heterophil:lymphocyte ratio, basophil level, and microbial population in the ileum were significantly affected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Ansung-Si, Kyonggi-do, South Korea.
authors.forename: G-B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Paik
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D056692:Prebiotics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D056692:Prebiotics; C006653:avilamycin