Effect of Dietary Prebiotic Supplementation on the Immune Response, Intestinal Health and Blood Parameters Following Eimeria Infection of Broiler Chicken

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

The present work was conducted to evaluate the effect of prebiotic (Nutri Yeast, NY) supplementation on the intestinal morphology and microflora, and immune response in mild challenged broilers with Eimeria. A total of 420 1-d-old male Ross 308 chicks were used in a completely randomized design with 7 treatments and 5 replicates with 12 birds in each replication. Experimental treatments included: 1) negative control (without challenge); 2) positive control [challenged with sporulated oocysts (SO)]; 3) 0.2 % NY in starter, 0.1 % in grower and 0.05 % in finisher, challenged with SO (NYC0.2S%0.1%G0.05%F); 4) 0.2 % NY in starter, 0.1 % in grower and 0.05 percent NY in finisher, without challenge (NY0.2S%0.1%G0.05%F); 5) 0.2 % NY in the whole rearing period of chicks challenged with SO (NY0.2%WPC); 6) 0.2 percent NY in the whole rearing period of chicks without challenge (NY0.2%WP); 7) salinomycin (0.05 percent of diet) as a coccidiostat for the entire experimental period. At 7 d of age, the infected chicks were challenged with 20-fold dose of the EIMERIAVAX 4m as a trivalent live attenuated coccidiosis vaccine. The results showed that NY supplementation increased concentration of serum total protein and decreased serum triglycerides and cholesterol (P<0.05), and had a positive effect on male broilers intestinal pH, morphology, microflora, and immune system. Expression of IL-6 gene was decreased (P<0.05) in the NY treatments relative to the control treatments. The relative weights of immune organs (bursa of Fabricius and thymus), breast and small intestine increased in broilers fed NY (P<0.05).

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 January 2025

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