Author Details

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding Acremonium charticola-fermented cassava pulp (AC-FCP) on the intestinal microbial ecology and hematological indices of broiler chickens.
Materials and Methods: A total of 240 male Lohman day-old-chicks were randomly allotted to one of the four experimental diets including control diet, control diet+antimicrobials (neomycin; 300 mg/kg diet), diet containing AC-FCP (16 g/100 g diet) or diet containing AC-FCP+antimicrobials. At day 28, the birds from each pen were blood sampled, sacrificed and immediately the internal organs were removed and weighed. Digesta were obtained from the ileum and cecum.
Results: Birds fed AC-FCP had lower (p<0.05) coliform bacteria count in the ileal digesta than birds fed control diet or control diet+antimicrobials. Butiric acid was higher (p<0.05) in the cecal content of birds fed AC-FCP than in other birds. Propionic acid was also higher in AC-FCP fed birds than in other birds although statistically not significant. The percentages of lymphocytes and heterophils were higher (p<0.05) and tended (p=0.07) to be lower, respectively, in broilers fed control diet than in other birds. The birds provided control diet had lower (p<0.05) heterophils to lymphocytes ratio compared to those receiving AC-FCP or AC-FCP+antimicrobials. Serum total protein and globulin were higher (p<0.01) in birds fed control diet or control diet+antimicrobials compared to AC-FCP or AC-FCP+antimicrobials fed birds. Serum albumin was lower (p<0.01) in AC-FCP birds than that in other birds. There was a tendency (p=0.09) that birds fed AC-FCP diet had lower total serum cholesterol than other birds.
Conclusion: Feeding AC-FCP has potential to improve the intestinal health and protect the birds from acute infections.

Keywords

Acremonium charticola, Broiler, Fermented Cassava Pulp, Hematological Profile, Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem, Probiotics.

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