Effects of Dietary Chicory (Chicorium intybus L.) and Probiotic Blend as Natural Feed Additives on Performance Traits, Blood Biochemistry, and Gut Microbiota of Broiler Chickens.

Mohammadreza Khoobani,Alireza Seidavi,Mehran Nosrati,Isam T Kadim,Vincenzo Tufarelli,Faramin Javandel,Seyyed-Hamed Hasheminezhad,Vito Laudadio

doi:10.3390/antibiotics9010005

Abstract

The experiment was designed to determine the effect of different levels of chicory (Chicorium intybus L.) powder and a probiotic blend (PrimaLac®) on productive performance, blood biochemical parameters, and ileal microbiota in broiler chickens. A total of 225 one-day-old broilers (Ross 308) were used in a completely randomized design with five experimental diets as follows: 1—basal-diet without supplements (control-group); 2—basal-diet including probiotic blend; 3— basal-diet including 0.10% chicory; 4—basal-diet including 0.15% chicory; 5—basal-diet including 0.20% chicory. At 42 days of age, representative birds per replicate were randomly selected for blood samples and carcass measurements. Results showed that the body weight gain of broilers fed the probiotic blend or 0.10% chicory was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those fed on the other treatments. The abdominal fat pad was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in birds fed diets including chicory compared with control or probiotic. Blood triglycerides and LDL levels were reduced (P < 0.05) and HDL increased (P < 0.05) when fed probiotic or chicory whereas no significant effect on the other serum parameters was found. Broiler ileal microflora from the control group had significantly (P < 0.05) higher count of E. coli and lower Lactobacillus than those from the other groups. From findings, it is possible to conclude that dietary chicory powder supported positively growth performance and improved gut microbiota in broiler chickens. However, more research is needed on this subject to better understand the mode of action of feed additives used.

Highlights

Antibiotics are usually used in poultry for therapeutic, preventive, and nutritional purposes [1,2,3].Using antibiotics for the growth promotion or prevention and treatment of infectious diseases can result in resistance among both resident bacterial pathogens and commensal organisms [4,5]
No significant (P > 0.05) differences due to dietary treatment effects were observed on feed intake in the first and second growing periods, birds receiving diet supplemented with 0.10% chicory powder during the whole period of the experiment (1–42 days) had a higher (P < 0.05) feed intake than those receiving the basal or basal-diet supplemented with probiotics or 0.15–0.20% chicory
The current study revealed that birds receiving diet supplemented with a probiotic blend or different levels of chicory powder during the experimental period improved significantly (P < 0.05)

Summary

Introduction

Antibiotics are usually used in poultry for therapeutic, preventive, and nutritional purposes [1,2,3].Using antibiotics for the growth promotion or prevention and treatment of infectious diseases can result in resistance among both resident bacterial pathogens and commensal organisms [4,5]. There is increasing interest in using medicinal plants or probiotics and as natural alternatives to antibiotics for poultry production because they have the potential of inhibition against organisms improving animal performance [6,7,8,9,10,11]. The mechanism of action of probiotics is mainly related to the competition for attachment sites of the intestinal mucosa, to prevent the pathogenic bacteria attachment by forming a physical obstacle [13], and to stimulate epithelial and immune cells activities; supplementing diet with natural additives can improve poultry production. Chicory could be supplemented to poultry diets to manipulate the gut microflora composition and to enhance its integrity [20], improving broiler performance and health status by modulating lipid metabolism with hypolipidemic effects [21,22,23]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion