Effect of probiotic preparations (EM) and sex on morphometric characteristics of the digestive system and leg bones, and caecal microflora in broiler chickens

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of probiotic preparations Pro-Biotyk EM-15 and EMFarma™ and sex on morphometric characteristics of the digestive system and leg bones, and caecal microflora in Ross 308 broiler chickens. One-day chicks were distributed into two groups in two rooms (control, experimental). Each facility contained 9000 Ross 308 chicks and was divided into four compartments. A total of 48 Ross 308 broiler chickens aged 42 days were evaluated, including 12 males and 12 females which received no probiotics, and 12 males and 12 females supplemented with EM preparations. At the age of 42 days, EM supplemented broilers had significantly greater total intestine length, higher intestine–body length ratio and higher proventriculus percentage in body weight. Regardless of the treatment, males exhibited higher body weight, duodenum, jejunum, ileum lengths and total intestine length, higher intestine–body length ratio and spleen weight, and lower duodenum diameter and liver percentage. The group × sex interaction was significant for smallest breadth of the corpus of femur bone and greatest diagonal of proximal end, smallest breadth of the corpus and smallest breadth of distal end of tibia bone.