Authors : M. Rezaian , A. Yaghoobfar and J. Barin
Abstract: In order to evaluate the effects of pellet and mash diets on bacterial count and morphology of the small intestine on broiler chicks, 400 Ross-308 broilers (males) were used. They were divided into 2 treatment groups of 25 randomly selected birds and 8 replications and were housed in 8 pen floors, with controlled temperature and humidity at the rear parts, for 42 days. By termination of the nurturing, when the chicks come of 42 days old, 4 birds per pen were randomly selected and slaughtered. Pellet and mash diets proved no significant effect on the number and activity of small intestinal microflora. Experiments on the morphometry of 3 parts of small intestines showed the increasing in the villus height of ileum, villus width and crypt depth in the jejunum of broilers chicks fed with mashed diet. The results of experiment shown that nutrients and metabolizable energy requirements differences were significantly effects in the villus heights (duodenums and jejunums), crypt depts. (duodenums) and villus widths (ileums and jejunums) of small intestinal of broiler chicks.
M. Rezaian , A. Yaghoobfar and J. Barin , 2007. Effects of Pellet and Mesh Diets on the Activity of the Microflora and Morphology of the Small Intestine of Broiler Chicks . Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 6: 723-727.