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A feeding trial was conducted to assess the effect of prebiotics on intestinal histo-morphometry and gut health status of broiler chickens. A total number of 240 day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to six dietary treatment groups having five replicates each with eight birds per replicate for six weeks. A basal corn-soybean diet was formulated that served as control (T1). The rest five test dietary treatments were prepared by adding antibiotic (bacitracin methylene di-salicylate-BMD at 0.002% of diet (T2), prebiotics i.e., mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) at 0.1% or 0.2% (T3 and T4) and fructo oligosaccharides (FOS) at 0.1% or 0.2% (T5, T6 respectively) with basal diet. Total anaerobes counts were significantly (P LESS THAN 0.05) reduced at 21 and 42 d at ileum in T2, T3 and T4 groups whereas, coliforms count were reduced (P LESS THAN 0.05) in T2 and T3 groups. However, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count were significantly (P Less than 0.05) increased in T3 and T4 groups but lactobacillus count were increased (P less than 0.05) in only T3 group at 21 and 42 d in ileum. Villus height (VH) and width (VW) were significantly increased (P less than 0.05) at 21d and 42 d in T3 and T4 groups, whereas, at 21 d, crypt depth (CD) were increased (P less than 0.05) in T3 and T4 groups but at 42 d, CD were significantly improved in T3 and T4 or T5 and T6 groups. No significant (P>0.05) differences were observed in ratio between VH and CD at 21d or 42 d. Thus, it might he concluded that 0.1% or 0.2% MOS inclusion in basal diet improved intestinal histo-morphometry and gut health in broiler chickens and it is a better alternate feed additive to replacement of antibiotic growth promoter.

works as Assistant Professor. Presently, he is the Principal Investigator of All India Network Project on Vertebrate Pest Management, especially on rodents. He is also actively engaged in research activities on biological control based management of crop pests. Dr. K.M. Singh serves as Associate Professor. He has the experience of working in biological control of crop pests and weeds. Presently, he works on borer pests of agricultural crops. Dr. V.V. Ramamurthy has made significant contributions towards insect taxonomy in India, especially Coleoptera. He has described many new genera and species of insects and mites. He has served as National Coordinator of ICAR Network Project on Insect Biosystematics. He is the Chief Editor of Oriental Insects and Indian Journal of Entomology.

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of probiotics, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, on histo-morphologic measurements of the small intestine and on the gut health status of broiler chickens. A total of 240 day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to one of six dietary treatments for six weeks. The dietary treatments were basal diet (T 1); basal diet + bacitracin methyl di-salicylate (BMD) at 20 mg/kg diet (T 2); basal diet + L. acidophilus (10 6 and 10 7 cfu/gm diet) (T 3 and T 4); and basal diet + B. bifidum (10 6 and 10 7 cfu/gm diet) (T 5 and T 6), respectively. The villus height (VH), width (VW), crypt depth (CD) and the ratio between villus height and crypt depth (VH: CD) were significantly increased at 21 days and 42 days in L. acidophilus-supplemented groups (T 3 or T 4). No significant differences were observed in protein, albumin and serum mineral (Ca and P) concentrations and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in any of the dietary probiotic treatment groups. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatinine concentrations were increased, whereas alanine aminotransferase (ALT), uric acid and total cholesterol levels were significantly decreased in probiotic-supplemented groups. Coliforms and total anaerobes counts were significantly reduced at 21 and 42 days at the ileum and caecal in T 4 , whereas the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Lactobacilli count was significantly increased in all the probioticsupplemented groups. The results of the present study indicate that L. acidophilus at 10 6 cfu/g feed inclusion in basal diet may improve blood biochemical parameters and histo-morphometry in the intestine and gut health in broiler chickens, resulting in a valid feed additive to replace antibiotic growth promoters.

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