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Abstract

Objective: A feeding trial was conducted to assess the effect of supplementation of sodium butyrate on the gut health in broiler chicken. Methods: The trial consisted of six experimental groups with 12 replicates, each containing 6 chicks with a total of 432 birds. The experimental groups consisted of a control group fed the diet without antibiotic (CON), another group fed the diet with antibiotic oxytetracycline (50 ppm; AB), and groups fed the diet with two levels each of coated-sodium butyrate (CSB) at 0.09 and 0.18%, and uncoated sodium butyrate (UCSB) at 0.03 and 0.06% without antibiotic. The trial was carried out in deep litter pen for 42 days. After 42 days, the birds were slaughtered for collection of jejunum and contents of ceacum for the study of villi morphology and microflora count respectively. Results: The caecal Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens count were reduced (P<0.01) on addition of coated SB when compared to other treatment groups while the Lactobacillus sp. count in caecum was not influenced due to supplementation of CSB, UCSB or AB. The jejunum villi height (P<0.01), villus height to crypt depth ratio (P<0.05) and villi height to villi width ratio (P<0.01) were significantly increased on addition of CSB at 0.18 per cent when compared to antibiotic free diet fed group. Conclusion: Dietary Sodium butyrate supplementation in broiler chicken reduces the pathogenic bacterial count and improves the villi morphology thereby increasing the overall gut health.