The effect of starting age of feeding wetting fermented feed on the intestinal flora, humoral and cellular immunity of broiler chicks

A feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of solid state fermented feed (SSFF) on intestinal microflora and immunity parameters in broiler chicks. A total of 360 one day old Ross308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to the six experimental diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment group was replicated three times with 20 chicks per replicate. Chicks in T1 group were fed on dry feed throughout of the experimental period which was lasted for six weeks and used as control. Chicks in T2 group were fed with wetting feed. Chicks in T3, T4 and T5 were fed on SSFF from the age of 3, 2 and 1 week of age until the marketing age respectively . Chicks in T6 were fed on the fermented feed from one day old throughout of the experimental period (6 weeks). The SSFF were prepared in two stages; at the first stage the commercial broiler feed were moistened with tap water at the rate 1:1 (1 liter water for each one kg. feed). At the second stage the wetting feed were placed in a plastic tray and inoculated with Iraqi probiotic (IP) at the rate 10 grams of IP for each one one kg. of feed. Then the plastic traywas closed ad incubate for 38 h. at 37±2 ºC for complete fermentation. . The IP was purchased from laboratory of poultry technology at agriculture faculty, university of Baghdad. Each one gram of IP contains at least 109cfu of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium and at least 108cfu of Saccharomyces cervisia.. Experimental parameters measured included: total plate count for aerobic, Lactobaclli, and coliform bacteria in the duodenum and cecum content, bursa weight, bursa index, blood serum titer against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and T-delate hypersensitivity test were used to measure the cell mediated immunity (CMI). The data showed that birds fed on fermented feed had significantly (P?0.05) lower total count for aerobic and coliform bacteria and significantly (P?0.05) higher logarithmic number of Lactobacilli bacteria in duodenum and cecum control. Bursa weight, bursa relative weight and bursa index were significantly (P?0.05) improved in treatment groups fed on wetting or fermented feed. Blood serum ELISA titer against NDV, and CMI were significantly (P?0.05) higher in birds fed on fermented feed. In conclusion, it can be stated that SSFF seemed to improve the bacterial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract and reduced the level of Enterobacteriaceae in the different parts of gastrointestinal tract and improved immunity parameters in broiler chicks.