Effect of Different Levels of Symbiotic on the Japanese Quail Performance, Immune Response and Small Intestine Histomorphology

     In order to reduce the risks of antibiotic use in poultry diets, the use of alternative additives such as probiotic and prebiotic compounds has attracted the attention of researchers. 128 quail chicks were randomly assigned to study the effects of different levels of synbiotic additive (KidiLact®) on performance parameters, immune response and histology of small intestine in Japanese quails. Quail chicks were distributed in completely randomize design with 4 experimental groups, and each experimental group consisted of 4 replicates and each replicate consisted of 8 birds. The experimental groups included either the first group or the control group without any supplement with the base ration, the second, third and fourth groups, the basal ration plus 1, 2 and 3 grams the synbiotic per liter of water, respectively for 30 days. According to the results of this study, different experimental groups had a significant effect on villi length, crypt depth, monocyte percentage, eosinophil percentage and Igγ percentage (p<0.05). The length of the villus and the intestinal crypt depth in the fourth experimental group were more than the control group, and daily weight gain parameters, the coefficient food conversion, intestinal weight, liver weight, duodenum, jejunum and ileum length, epithelial thickness and lymphocyte percentage were not significantly different between the experimental groups (p>0.05). Experimental groups also had significant effects on some immune response parameters in quail blood and monocyte percentage. Eosinophil and Igγ levels were higher in the experimental group than in the control group, but no significant difference were found in percentage of lymphocytes between the experimental groups was not difference. The results of this study showed that adding synbiotic has not a positive effect on the performance of avail chicks. However, the immune parameters and histologic indicators of the intestine have been positively impacted.