Effects of mannanoligosaccharide and/or organic acid mixture on performance, blood parameters and intestinal microbiota of broiler chicks

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic acid mixture and/or mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) on growth performance, blood parameters and intestinal microbiota in 120 Ross 308 male broiler chicks, over a period of 21 days. Birds were maintained in battery brooders confined in an environmentally controlled experimental room. There were 4 dietary treatments, each consisting of 6 replicates. Dietary treatments were: (i) basal diet (as a control), (ii) basal diet + MOS 2 kg/ton feed, (iii) basal diet + organic acid mixture 3 kg/ton feed and (iv) basal diet + MOS 2 kg/ton feed + organic acid mixture 3 kg/ton feed. Weight gain of the broilers in this study was significantly influenced by the addition of organic acid mixture (P<0.01). The lowest feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were detected in the MOS supplemented groups (P<0.05). Erythrocyte length (EL) was significantly increased in MOS + organic acid mixture fed groups (P<0.05). In ileal digesta, lactic acid bacteria counts increased in MOS + organic acid mixture fed groups (P<0.001). Otherwise, E. coli counts decreased in MOS, organic acid mixture and MOS + organic acid mixture fed groups compared to control groups (P<0.001). In caecal digesta, lactic acid bacteria counts increased (P<0.001), whereas E. coli numbers decreased compared to control groups (P<0.001).