Maintaining intestinal microflora balance in heat-stressed broilers using dietary creeping wood sorrel (Oxalis corniculata) powder and chromium (chromium picolinate)

• Published in: Spanish journal of agricultural research : SJAR Vol. 18; no. 3; p. e0612
• Main Authors: Saracila, Mihaela, Panaite, Tatiana D., Tabuc, Cristina, Soica, Cristina, Untea, Arabela, Varzaru, Iulia, Wojdyło, Aneta, Criste, Rodica D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) 01-01-2020
• Subjects: Agriculture; Animal production; antioxidants; chicks; heat stress; Livestock; microbiota
• ISSN: 1695-971X; 2171-9292; 2171-9292
• DOI: 10.5424/sjar/2020183-16146

This study aimed to determine the effect of dietary creeping wood sorrel powder (Oxalis corniculata) and chromium supplemented to broilers (1-42 days) exposed to heat stress, on their performance and on the intestinal and caecal microbiota.Area of study: Ilfov, RomaniaMaterial and methods: The feeding trial was conducted on 60, day-old Cobb 500 broilers, divided equally in two groups, each group with six replicates (5 chicks/ replicate). The broilers were housed in an experimental hall at 32° C constant temperature and 23h light regimen. Unlike the dietary control diet (C), the experimental diet (E) was supplemented with 1% creeping wood sorrel powder and 20 mg chromium picolinate/ kg premix. One bird from each replication was slaughtered on days 28 and 42, and samples of caecal and intestinal content were collected for bacteriological analysis.Main results: The dietary creeping wood sorrel powder and chromium supplements for heat-stressed broilers had no significant influence on their growth performance (1-42 d). Overall, E diet had a beneficial effect on the balance of the caecal microflora; however, in the intestine, E diet had a positive influence on the balance of the intestinal microflora, only for the samples collected at 28 days.Research highlights: Dietary creeping wood sorrel powder and chromium supplements can be an efficient tool for maintaining a proper balance of intestinal microflora in heat-stressed broilers.