EFFECTS OF SYNBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTATION OF HIGH FIBRE DIET ON GROWTH, PERFORMANCE AND INTESTINAL HISTOMORPHOLOGY OF BROILER CIICK

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of synbiotic dietary supplementation on growth performance and intestinal histomorphology of broiler chickens fed high fibre diets. A total of three hundred and twenty (320) three-week old chicks were used for the study consisting of eight (8) treatments (T1-T8) replicated four (4) times and ten (10) birds per replicate and the study lasted for five weeks. The experimental design was a 2*2~2 factorial design, consisting of two agro-industrial by-products at two inclusion levels, with or without synbiotic (containing mannan oligosaccharide and Saccharomyces cerevisae) supplementation. Birds on T1 to T4 received wheat offal based diet at 20% (without synbiotic), 20% (with synbiotic), 40% (without synbiotic) and 40% (with synbiotic) respectively, while those on T5 to T8 receivedpalm kernel cake based diet at 20% (without synbiotic), 20% (with synbiotic), 40% (without synbiotic) and 40% (with synbiotic) respectively. Birds fed diets supplemented with synbiotic had lower (P<0.05) final body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Birds fed diets without synbiotic supplementation had higher (P<0.05) villi height, crypt depth and full mucosal in the jejunum than the birds fed diets supplemented with synbiotic. It was concluded that synbiotic had negative effect on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers fed high fibre diets.