Efficacy of In Ovo Delivered Prebiotics on Growth Performance, Meat Quality and Gut Health of Kuroiler Chickens in the Face of a Natural Coccidiosis Challenge
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Date
2019-10-28
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MDPI journal of Nutrients
Abstract
A study was carried out to assess the efficacy of prebiotic delivered in ovo on performance,
carcass traits, meat quality and gut health in the face of a natural coccidiosis infection in Kuroiler
chickens. On d 12 of incubation, 150 fertile eggs were divided into a prebiotic group injected with
trans-galactooligosaccharides (Bi2
tos) and a control group uninjected. Hatched chicks from each
group were further divided: One group received antibiotic chick formula while the other was left
untreated, giving rise to 4 groups—Control (C), Antibiotic (A), Bi2
tos (B), and Bi2
tos + Antibiotic (AB).
Prebiotic improved growth performance at six weeks of age, AB birds were the heaviest at the end
of the rearing period. The highest intestinal lesion scores and oocyst counts were recorded in C
birds. B group had a slightly higher carcass weight and cuts yields tended to be higher in treated
groups compared to C. Meat from B group displayed a higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids
compared to C and a positively lower n-6/n-3 ratio compared to C and A. In conclusion, prebiotics
with or without antibiotics reduced severity of intestinal lesions and oocyst excretion induced by
natural infection with Eimeria, with positive effects on Kuroiler chicken productive traits.