Effects of Co-Supplementation of β-Galacto-oligosaccharides
and Methionine on Production Performance, Blood Metabolites, and Gut
Histomorphometry in Broilers
Sohrab Ahmad1, Muhammad Shahbaz Yousaf1*,
Sajid Khan Tahir1, Ghulam Mustafa2, Khalid
Abdul Majeed1, Muhammad Afzal Rashid3, Hafsa
Zaneb4, Riaz Mustafa5 and Habib Rehman1
1Department
of Physiology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore,
Pakistan
2Department of
Pathology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore,
Pakistan
3Department of Animal
Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore,
Pakistan
4Department of Anatomy
and Histology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore,
Pakistan
5University of
Agriculture, Faisalabad, Sub-Campus Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan *Corresponding author:
drmshahbaz@uvas.edu.pk
Abstract
The study was conducted to investigate the role
of β-Galacto-oligosaccharides (β-GOS) and methionine on production performance,
blood metabolites, and intestinal microarchitecture in broilers. A total of 288,
one-day-old, chicks were distributed in a 3×2 factorial arrangement (6
replicates/group) based on three dietary levels of β-GOS (0, 0.2, and 0.5%) and
two levels of methionine (0.5 and 1%). Birds were kept under standard husbandry
conditions till day 35.In the end, two birds from each replicate
were exsanguinated to collect the blood samples, viscera, and portions of each
segment of the small intestine for histology. Results of the main effects
revealed that FCR was improved (P<0.05)
in the β-GOS supplementation groups during the third week. A dose-dependent
increase (P<0.05) in globulins
levels with an increase in β-GOS concentrations was observed. A high level of
methionine (1%), however, increased (P<0.05) the creatinine concentration. The findings of
interaction effects between β-GOS and methionine revealed increased
(P<0.05) body weights during the
third, fourth, and fifth weeks along with higher feed intake during the fifth
week only in the birds supplemented with 0.2% β-GOS and 0.5% methionine.
Moreover, the birds in 0.5% of β-GOS and 0.5% of methionine showed increased
(P<0.05) crypt depth and reduced
(P<0.05) VH:CD in the jejunum.
In conclusion, 0.2% β-GOS supplementation in the diets containing a basal level
of methionine (0.5%) confers some benefits to the broilers. Moreover, the extra
topping of methionine did not show any benefits.
To Cite This Article:
Ahmad S, Yousaf MS, Tahir SK, Mustafa G, Majeed
KA, Rashid MA, Zaneb H, Mustafa R and Rehman H, 2022. Effects of
co-supplementation of β-galacto-oligosaccharides and methionine on production
performance, blood metabolites and gut histomorphometry in broilers. Pak Vet J,
42(2): 173-178.
http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2022.031