Research On Animal Production

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     An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of L-glutamine (Gln) supplementation on growth performance and small intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. One hundred and ninety two day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were used in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 4 replicates with 12 birds in each replicate. Four experimental diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric with different levels (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%) of Gln supplementation and were fed for the first 21 days of rearing period. Results showed that body weight and average daily weight gain increased in the birds consumed 1% Gln supplemented diet compared to the control birds fed a standard corn-SBM diet (P<0.05). Birds fed diets supplemented with 1 or 1.5% Gln had heavier duodenum and jejunum relative weight compared to the control birds (P<0.05). Morphological assays showed that villus height and villus surface area of the duodenum and jejunum increased as 1 or 1.5% Gln was supplemented in broiler diets comparing to the control group (P<0.05). Goblet cells density was not significantly affected by dietary Gln inclusion. The results of this study indicated that adding 1% Gln to diet for the first 21 days of rearing period improved growth performance and small intestinal morphology of broiler chickens.
 

Keywords: Broiler, L-glutamine, Performance, Small intestinal morphology

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