Investigation on effects of organic acid and silver nanoparticles coated on zeolite on performance, intestinal morphology and gastrointestinal microbial population in broiler chickens

The aim of this study was to invastigate the effect of organic acids and silver nanoparticles coated on zeolite on performance, intestinal morphology and gastrointestinal microbial population in broiler chickens. A total of 375 one-day old broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 5 diets including: (1) a basal diet (control), (2) the basal diet containing 1% zeolite, (3) the basal diet containing 1% of zeolite-coated with 0.5% silver nanoparticles, (4) the basal diet containing 1/5 g/kg Organic acids and (5) the basal diet containing 1% of zeolite-coated with 0.5% of silver nanoparticles and 1/5g/kg organic acids. The experimental treatments had no significant effect on performance characterization of birds (P>0.05). Total count of anaerobic bacteria in ceca was decreased on silver nanoparticles coated on zeolite treatment on 21 d of experiment (p < 0.05). The number of lactobacillus bacteria in ileum was increased in all of treatments compared to the control group on 42 d of experiment (p < 0.05) and both tretments contain with organic acid were the most number of lactobacillus bacteria in ceca (p < 0.05). The use of silver nanoparticles coated on zeolite in chickens significantly increased villi length, villi/crypt depth, villus surface area, muscular layer thickness and decreased crypt depth and villus width compared to control treatment (p < 0.05). In conclusion silver nanoparticles coated on zeolite in broilers diet can increase intestinal lactobacillus and could be used as growth and health promoter supplements in broiler chickens feed.