Effects of Prebiotic Combination Addition to Quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) Diets on Growth Performance and Duodenum Histology

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effects of mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) and β-glucan (βG) combined in quail diets on growth performance and duodenum histology. A total of 160 7-day-old Japanese quails were divided into 4 experimental groups consisting of 5 replicates with 8 quails from each replicate. While the control group was fed with basal a diet, 0.05% βeta-glucan + MOS (BM1), 0.1% (BM2) and 0.2% (BM3) additives were added to the other experimental groups, respectively. All the diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The trial lasted for 35 days. Body weight (BW), live weight gain (BWG), feed consumption (FC) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated weekly. At the end of the experiment, carcass yield and some internal organ weights were measured. At the end of the experiment, the highest CA, CAA, and YT were obtained in the experimental group with 0.2% BM added to the control group (L=0.001; L=0.002; L=0.000), while no difference was observed between the experimental groups in terms of FCR (P>0.05). Addition of BM to the rations had no effect on carcass yield and heart, liver and gizzard weights. Adding 0.1% BM to the rations for the highest villus length (L=0.001, Q=0.001), the lowest crypt depth (L=0.001, Q=0.001) and the highest villus length/crypt depth (Q=0.001, C=0.001) detected in the experimental group. In conclusion; It has been observed that the addition of MOS and βG combination to quail diets improves growth performance as a result of its positive effects on nutrient digestion and absorption.