Indigestible carbohydrates alter the intestinal microbiota but do not influence the performance of broiler chickens

The definitive version may be found at www.wiley.comAimsPrebiotics are a potential alternative to in-feed antimicrobials to improve performance of chickens. We investigated the effects of mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) and fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on growth, performance and the intestinal microbiota.Methods and resultsCobb 500 birds were fed either: Control, starter diet without antimicrobials; ZnB, Control + 50 ppm zinc bacitracin; MOS, Control + 5 g kg(-1) MOS; or FOS, Control + 5 g kg(-1) FOS. An energy metabolism study was conducted and intestinal microbial communities assessed by T-RFLP and Lac PCR-DGGE. Diet did not influence performance. Ileal microbial communities were significantly different in ZnB-fed birds compared to all diets, and FOS-fed chickens compared to Control. MOS-fed chickens had a different caecal profile to ZnB and FOS-fed birds. Consensus Lac PCR-DGGE profiles indicated Lactobacillus communities clustered according to diet with Lactobacillus johnsonii characteristic of ZnB diet. Control and MOS-fed chickens displayed significantly different jejunal Lactobacillus profiles to each other whilst ileal profiles were different between MOS and FOS-fed birds.ConclusionPrebiotics influenced the intestinal microbiota, but did not affect performance.Significance and impact of the studyIn light of pressure for in-feed antimicrobial withdrawal, the impact of alternative compounds on the intestinal microbiota and bird performance is critical to the poultry industry.M.S. Geier, V.A. Torok, G.E. Allison, K. Ophel-Keller and R.J. Hughe