Modulation of intestinal microbiota, morphology and mucin composition by dietary insect meal inclusion in free-range chickens.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Gut health in poultry depends on the balance between the host, intestinal microbiota, intestinal microscopic features and diet. The effects of insect meal (a promising alternative protein source for poultry feed) on chicken gut morphology have recently been reported, but no data about intestinal microbiota and mucin composition modulation are available. The present study evaluated the effects of dietary Tenebrio molitor (TM) meal inclusion on gut health of free-range chickens by intestinal microbiota, morphology and mucin composition characterization.

Results

One hundred forty female medium-growing hybrids were divided into 2 dietary treatments (control feed [C] and 7.5% TM inclusion, with 5 replicate pens/treatment and 14 birds/pen) and slaughtered at 97 days of

SUBMITTER: Biasato I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6278000 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature