Effect of dietary inulin addition on growth performance, intestinal morphology and cecal microorganisms of broilers.

The study was to investigate the effect of dietary inulin addition on the growth performance, intestinal morphology and cecal microorganisms of broilers. A total of one hundred and eight 28-day-old broilers with similar weight and no underlying diseases were randomly divided into three groups, with six replicates in each group, and six broilers in each replicate. Broilers in the group A were fed a basal diet, broilers in the group B were fed a basal diet + 0.5% inulin, and broilers in the group C were fed a basal diet + 1% inulin. The trial period was 14 days. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the growth performance of broilers among all groups (P>0.05). Compared with the group A, the VH and VH/CD in the duodenum and jejunum of broilers in the group B and group C were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the group B, the duodenal VH of broilers in the group C was significantly increased (P<0.05). The 16S RNA sequencing analysis of intestinal microbiota showed that compared with the group A, the differences in Sobs and Chao values in the group C were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the group A, the abundance of rare Glomerella and Erysipella genera in the group B and group C was significantly decreased, but the abundance of Acinetobacter and Prevotella genera was significantly increased. The abundance and diversity of cecal microbiota of broilers in the group C were significantly higher than those in the group B. The experiment indicates that adding inulin to the feed can improve the morphological structure of the intestine and the abundance of cecal microbiota, optimize the intestinal microbial environment, and ensure intestinal health of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]