Intestinal function and gut microflora of broiler chickens as influenced by cereal grains and microbial enzyme supplementation

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of the key cereal grains and a microbial enzyme supplement on broiler chicken performance, gut microflora and intestinal function. Ingestion of the barley-based diet was associated with low 28-day body weight, decreased feed intake and high FCR. The supplemental enzyme increased feed intake and weight gain of the chickens on a wheat-based diet. The pH of the gizzard and caecal contents varied with the grain type. Enzyme supplementation reduced ileal viscosity, particularly in birds that received the diet based on wheat. The birds on the barley-based diet had lower ileal digestibility of dry matter, protein and energy than those given maize and sorghum-based diets. The ileal digestibility of starch was increased by enzyme supplementation. Enzyme supplementation increased the number of total anaerobic bacteria in the gizzard of birds fed on sorghum and increased lactobacilli in the gizzard of those fed both sorghum and wheat. The birds fed the sorghum-based diet had the lowest counts of caecal total anaerobic bacteria and lactobacilli. Jejunal villus height and villus:crypt ratio of birds fed the barley-based diet were the lowest when compared with those fed the other diets. Enzyme application induced an increase in villus height and villus:crypt ratio of birds on wheat, crypt depth on barley and a reduction in crypt depth of chickens on the sorghum-based diets. The highest activity of maltase and the lowest activity of sucrase were observed in tissue from birds fed on maize and sorghum-based diets respectively. The differences in the performance of broilers on cereal grains could be explained by changes in intestinal morphology, enzyme activities and gut microflora as well as nutrient digestibility. The improved performance by supplemental enzyme in wheat-fed chickens was associated with beneficial changes in intestinal morphology and digesta viscosity.

Cecal drop reflects the chickens' cecal microbiome, fecal drop does not

“…Moreover, diet and breed could be expected to affect the bacteria in the cecum (Shakouri et al, 2009;Stanley et al, 2012). To analyze the effect of variation by both factors on the difference between the microbiota in cecal content and cecal drop on the one hand and cecal content and fecal drop on the other hand, different mixed models were run.…”

Interrelations between the Microbiotas in the Litter and in the Intestines of Commercial Broiler Chickens

“…Since then, the colonization of the intestines by beneficial bacteria has been shown to promote epithelial cell turnover (34), increase mucous production (26), upregulate expression of genes involved in several important intestinal functions (14), and help with reinforcement of the mucosal barrier, modulation of the immune system, and metabolism of nutrients by the host (46). Although studies conducted using either cultivation-based or molecular biology analyses have documented that the intestinal microbiota of mature broiler chickens is relatively stable (10,24,45), this microbiota is still dynamic and can be manipulated to a large extent (8,31,37).…”

Japanese quail performance, intestinal microflora, and molecularresponses to screened wheat and multienzyme diet

“…Shakouri et al (25) found that enzyme supplementation explained the increase in the number of total anaerobic bacteria, lactobacilli, and microbial growth. Birds' responses to enzymes depend mainly on dietary cereal quality and quantity.…”