THE EFFECT ON BROILER INTESTINAL MUCOSA OF BARLEY NON-STARCH POLYSACCHARIDES (NSP)

Abstract

One hundred and twenty broiler chicks were dived in four groups (CG, EG1, EG2
and EG3) and included in a 6 weeks in vivo experiment. They were separated
according with the amount of barley present in their daily diet (0-40%), which will
result in a higher amount of NSP administrated. During the first 3 weeks group EG3
received with 1.02% more NSPs and with 1.46% more within the period of 4-6 weeks
(40% barley) compared to group CG. Similarly in the case of NSPi in the first 3
weeks we have and increase of 0.76 p% and for the last phase (3-6 weeks) the
increase was with 1.21 p% compared to group ML. At intestinal level the
hypertrophic processes are more intense for groups EG2 and EG3 compared to
group CG. Thus, if in EG1, intestinal villi are high, they are very narrow and the
mucosal chorion has "thin" aspect containing fine fiber with a conjunctive cell
population reduced. However, in the case of EG2 and EG3, at the level of duodenal
and jejunal mucosa and vilosity, epithelial disruptions are observed. We have also
observed glandular development and in particular of the chorion which shows
evidence of the vascular network hypertrophy with an increased number of
fibroblasts switching to mio-fibroblasts, the lymphoid infiltrate thickened, the
leukocytes infiltrate are present in both basal chorion and in the villi.