Effects of different levels of pomegranate peel crude juice powder and a commercial prebiotic on growth performance and gut microbial population of boilers chickens

This study was conducted to compare the effects of different levels of pomegranate peel crude juice powder (PPCJP) with a commercial prebiotic on growth performance and gut microbial population of boiler chicks. This trial was done with 250 one-day-old Ross 308 male chicks in five treatments and five replicates in a completely randomized design for 42 days. The treatments included zero (control), 150, 300 and 450 mg of PPCJP per kg feed and 1000 mg commercial prebiotic per kg feed. The growth performance parameters of broilers in starter, grower and finisher periods were recorded and microbial population of Lactobacillus spp., Coliforms spp. and Total aerobics bacteria spp. of ileum and ceca were measured at day 42. Although adding 150 and 300 mg of PPCJP in comparison with other treatments increased BW at day 42 (P<0.05), these treatments had no significant effects on feed intake and feed conversion ratio at day 42. Not only adding prebiotic in contrast with control group had no significant effects on the whole period (1 until 42 d) growth performance, but also increased ileum Coliforms spp. population at day 42 (P<0.05). Adding 150 mg of PPCJP significantly increased (P<0.05) ileum Lactobacillus spp. population compared with other treatments. Moreover, the effect of treatments on ileum and ceca were not significant at day 42. Overall, supplementing 150 mg PPCJP per kg of diet as a feed additive had the positive effects on growth performance and gut microbial population of broiler chicks.