Jejunal ecosystem of broiler fed glucomannan extract of porang (Ammorphopallus onchophyllus) tuber

Abstract

The research aimed to examine the ecological changes of gastrointestinal digesta in broiler fed ration with added glucomannan exctract of porang tuber (GEPT). Forty eight birds of day old broiler were used with average body weight of 42.08±0.86 g. The basal ration was added with 0.1% prebiotic of GEPT and fed from one day old until 35 days of age. Parameters observed were populations of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Coliform in jejunum and ileum, pH of duodenum, jejunum and ileum, and production of short chain fatty acid (SCFA) in jejunum. All parameters were observed weekly starting from day 14, and the data trend were evaluated as age increased. Feeding GEPT significantly (P<0.05) depressed coliform population strating at week 3 and reached the lowest population at week 5 either in jejunum (0.44 cfu/g) or ileum (0.77 cfu/g). Population of LAB were significantly (P<0.05) increased and reached its peak at week 5 (225.67 cfu/g) in both jejunum and ileum (148.17 cfu/g). The duodenal, jejunal and ileal pH were not significantly (P>0,05) different among ages and ranging from 5.25 to 6.63. Production of jejunal SCFA, such as acetate, propionate and butyrate, were significantly different (P<0.05) among ages and acetate was the highest concentration especially at 3 weeks of age. The conclusion is that the addition of 0.1% GEPT for 5 weeks enhances LAB population and depresses Coliform counts without any change in pH profile along the small intestine. Short chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate and butyrate) is detected at the jejunal segment.