Effect of dietary inulin and chicory root (Cichorium intybus L.) on growth performance and intestinal microflora of broiler chickens

One hundred eighty broiler chicks (Ross 308) from 1 to 42 days of age were used in this experiment in order to investigate the effect of dietary inulin and chicory root (Cichorium intybus L.) supplementation on the growth performance and intestinal microflora. Six dietary treatments with 3 replicates each (10 bird per replicate) were allocated to the chicks in a completely random design. The dietary treatments were: 1, 2) two control groups with 2 and 4% of filler (rice hulls as filler); 3, 4) two levels of dried chicory root (2 and 4% of the diets); 5) an antibiotic group (0.1% of virginiamycin) and 6) an inulin group (1% of the diet). Based on the results of this study, the highest and lowest weight gain were belong to inulin group and control group with 2% filler, respectively (P<0.05). Control group with 4% filler and antibiotic group had the highest and lowest amounts of feed intakes, respectively (P<0.05). Inulin and antibiotic supplemented groups had the lowest feed conversion ratio which was statistically significant compared to the other groups (P<0.05). The highest feed conversion ratio was related to the control group with 4% filler. On day 42, the relative weights of carcass and carcass components were not affected by the dietary treatments (P<0.05). At this age, the highest and lowest numbers of E. coli were related to the control group with 4% filler and 4% chicory group, respectively (P<0.05). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between antibiotic and 2% chicory groups in the numbers of lactobacillus but the differences with the other groups were significant (P<0.05). The lowest numbers of lactobacillus was related to the control group with 4% filler.