Effect of dietary levels of a synbiotic on immunity, serum biochemicals, intestinal morphometry and expression of nutrient transporter genes of broiler chicken

Biswas, Avishek, Dev, Kapil, Mir, N.A. and Mandal, A.B. 2020. Effect of dietary levels of a synbiotic on immunity, serum biochemicals, intestinal morphometry and expression of nutrient transporter genes of broiler chicken. Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, 20: 501–514.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of a synbiotic supplementation on immune response, expression of nutrient transporter genes and gut health status of broiler chickens. Day-old chicks (n=240) were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments (each with 5 replicates of 8 birds), and fed a basal diet alone (T_t) or supplemented with bacitracin methylene di-salicylate (BMD) at 20 mg/kg diet (T₂), Lactobacillus acidophilus (LBA) at 10⁶ cfu/g + 0.1% mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS; T₃), LBA at 10⁷ cfu/g + 0.1% MOS (T₄), LBA at 10⁶ cfu/g + 0.2% MOS (T₅), LBA at 10⁷ cfu/g + 0.2% MOS (T₆). Results of the 6 weeks study indicated that the haemagglutination titre to sheep RBC and foot pad index following sensitization with phytohaemagglutinin-P were significantly (P<0.05) higher in T₅ and T₆ groups. Significant increases (P<0.05) were observed in serum proteins and decreases in aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase, creatinine, uric acid, total cholesterol, high- and low density-lipoprotein concentrations in T₅ and T₆ group. Villus height and crypt depth were increased (P<0.05) in T₅ and T₆ groups. The mRNA expression of glucose transporters-5 (GLUT5), sodium glucose transporter-1 (SGLT1) and peptide transporter-1 (PepT1) gene in ileum, measured at 14 d of age, were significantly (P<0.05) upregulated in T₅ and T₆ groups. The results of the present study indicated that inclusion of a synbiotic containing 0.2% mannan-oligosachharide along with L. acidophilus (at 10⁶ cfu/g) in the diet improved the immune response, serum biochemical parameters, intestinal morphometry and expression of nutrient transporter genes of broiler chickens.