Dietary probiotic inclusion level modulates intestinal mucin composition and mucosal morphology in broilers

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Poultry Nutrition
• Gastrointestinal Physiology

Background:

• The gut barrier is crucial for poultry health, influenced by diet and microbial interventions.
• Mucin composition and mucus layer integrity are key indicators of gut health and function.
• Probiotics are widely used in animal feed to improve gut health and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the effect of varying dietary probiotic inclusion levels on broiler intestinal mucin composition, mucosal morphometry, and mucus layer characteristics.
• To compare the effects of probiotics with an antibiotic (avilamycin) on these gut health parameters.

Main Methods:

• Cobb broilers were fed basal diets supplemented with different levels of probiotics (10^8, 10^9, 10^10 CFU/kg) or avilamycin for 42 days.
• Intestinal samples (duodenum, ileum, cecum) were collected at 14 and 42 days of age.
• Analyses included mucin monosaccharide ratio, mucosal morphometry (villus height, crypt depth), and mucus layer thickness and staining intensity.

Main Results:

• Probiotic inclusion linearly decreased mannose in the duodenum and ileum of 14-day-old broilers.
• In 42-day-old broilers, increasing probiotic levels altered cecal monosaccharide ratios (decreased N-acetyl-glucosamine and galactose, increased fucose) and linearly increased cecal villus height and crypt depth.
• Mucus layer thickness in the duodenum increased linearly with probiotic inclusion at both 14 and 42 days.

Conclusions:

• Dietary probiotic inclusion level significantly influences intestinal mucin composition, mucus layer thickness, and intestinal morphology in broilers.
• Probiotics demonstrate a dose-dependent effect on gut health parameters, suggesting a beneficial role in modulating the gut environment.
• The findings support the use of probiotics as an effective strategy to enhance gut health in poultry production.