Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Gum Arabic (Acacia senegal) and Lactobacillus acidophilus or their Combination on Broiler Chickens

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

1 Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

2 Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

The present research trial was carried out to explore the effects of supplementation of gum arabic (GA), Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) or combination of prebiotic and probiotic as synbiotic on overall growth performance, and lymphoid organs weights, gut morphology and pathogenic bacteria in broiler chickens. For this reason, Day-old 300 Ross unsex chicks were allotted to six groups each subdivided in five replicates with ten birds per replicate. Chicks kept in the control group (T1) were fed the basal diet. Chickens fed groups (T2 and T3) (prebiotic) received gum arabic at a 5 g/kg diet and 7.5 g/kg, respectively. Chickens fed (T4) (probiotic) LA received L. acidophilus at 1 g/kg. Chicks were fed (T5 and T6) a basal diet containing (synbiotic) 5 g GA + 1 g LA/kg or (synbiotic) 7.5 g GA + 1 g LA /kg, respectively. Results indicated significantly high feed intake, body weight gain, improved (P<0.05) FCR, livability and European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) in group T6 followed by T5, T4, T3 and T2. Same pattern of improved weight of heart, liver, gizzard, pancreas, bursa, spleen and thymus was recorded for the groups studied. Significantly higher (P<0.05) villus height (VH), lower (P<0.05) crypt depth (CD) and higher (P<0.05) VH:CD in duodenum, jejunum and ileum were recorded in synbiotic group T6 followed by T5, T4, T3 and T2. Similarly, supplementation of synbiotic in group T6 and T4 groups resulted in reduction of E. coli and Salmonella while, increasing of Lactobacillus spp from caecum of experimental broiler chickens.

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