Growth performance
The data pertaining to growth performance of experimental birds as influenced by various dietary treatments has been presented in Table 2. Body weight at 3rd week of age was observe as numerically higher in all dietary treatments groups as compared to control group but highest body weight was recorded in T9 (1x108 CFU Lactobacillus reuteri + 0.1% MOS) group. The cumulative body weight at 6 week of age was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T9 followed by statistically similar T8, T2, T7, T6 and T3 whereas significantly lower body weight was recorded in T1. No significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in average body weight gain among the nine different dietary treatment groups in 0-3 and 4-6 week of age. The body weight gain (0-6 week) was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T9 followed by statistically similar T8, T7, T6, T3 and T2 whereas significantly (P<0.05) lower body weight was recorded in T1 followed by statistically similar T8, T7, T6, T3 and T2 group.
Feed Intake and Feed conversion ratio (FCR)
The data pertaining to feed intake (g) and FCR is presented in Table 3. The results indicate that no significant (P>0.05) difference was observed in feed intake among the different dietary supplemented groups during 0-3, 4-6 and 0-6 week of age. The result of FCR showed that there were no significant (P>0.05) differences between the different dietary groups and control group at 0-3, 4-6 and 0-6 week of age. The T9 group (1x108 CFU Lactobacillus reuteri + 0.1% MOS) showed numerically better FCR than the other groups whereas, the control group showed highest feed conversion ratio than others dietary treatment groups at all times
Intestinal microbial count
The least squares analysis of variance for log10 CFU/g of Lactobacillus, Salmonella and E. coli in crop, ileum and caecum of Broiler fed with different treatments is presented in Table 4. . Enumeration of Lactobacillus spp. Salmonella spp. and E.coli was conducted at 42th day of feeding trial in Broiler. The Lactobacillus count in crop was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T9 (1x108 CFU Lactobacillus reuteri + 0.1% MOS) group and significantly lower in T1 group whereas other treatments resulted in intermediate Lactobacillus count in crop at 6th week of age. The Lactobacillus count in ileum was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T9 followed by statistically similar T8 and lower in T1 and T2 whereas other treatments resulted in intermediate Lactobacillus count in ileum at 6th week of age. In caecum also T9 showed higher (P<0.05) Lactobacillus count than control and other dietary treatment groups.
Significantly (P<0.05) lower Salmonella count was observed in the crop and ileum of the broilers in T9 group as compared to all the treatment groups at 6th week of age. Salmonella count in caecum was significantly (P<0.05) lower in T9 followed by statistically similar in T8, T7, and highest Salomnella count was observed in T1 group at 6th week of age. The E.coli count in crop was significantly (P<0.05) lower in T9 group followed by statistically similar in T8, T3 and T6 groups whereas significantly (P<0.05) higher in T1 followed by statistically similar T7, T8, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T8 at 6 week of age. In ileum E. coli count was significantly (P<0.05) lower in all dietary treatments except T4 and T1. Similar finding was also observed in caecum with significantly (P<0.05) lower E. coli count in T9 group followed by statistically similar T8, T7, T6, T5, T4, T3 and higher count observed in T1 group. The results obtained in this work revealed that 1x108 CFU of Lactobacillus reuteri along with 0.1% MOS significantly increase lactobacillus count and reduce Salmonella and E. coli count in crop, ileum, and caecum.
Immune response
The results of immune response (humoral and cell mediated immune response) as affected by different treatments are presented in Table 5. The antibody titre (humoral immnutity) was significantly (P<0.05) lower in T1 group followed by statistically similar T4 and T5, whereas significantly (P<0.05) higher antibody titre was obtained in T9 group which did not differ significantly from treatment T8, T2, T7, T3, and T6 groups. The antibody titre, it is revealed that dietary inclusion of lab isolated Lactobacillus along with MOS significantly (P<0.05) enhanced the antibody titre values of broilers, more prominently in group T9 and T8. The cell mediated immunity was significantly higher in T9 group followed by statistically similar T8 group, whereas significantly (P<0.05) lower cell mediated immunity was obtained in control (T1) group which did not differ significantly from treatment T4, T3, T5, T2, T6 and T7 group.
Gene expression
Growth related gene
The results pertaining to the gene expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1R are illustrated in Fig 1 and 2.The mRNA levels of IGF-1 and IGF-1R gene were quantified by real-time PCR in breast muscle tissue at the end of 6th week. The relative fold expression of IGF-1 gene were significantly (P<0.05) up regulated in all dietary treatment groups compare to control (T1). The greater up regulation was observed in T9 group followed by statistically similar T8 and T2 group. Similar pattern was also observed in relative expression of IGF-1R gene, where higher relative expression was recorded in T9 and T2 group compared to other dietary treatment and control.
Immune related gene
The results of the gene expression analysis of IL-6, IL-10 and TLR-4 are illustrated in Fig 3, 4 and 5. The mRNA levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TLR-4 genes were quantified by real-time PCR in ileum tissue at the end of 6th week The significantly (P<0.05) lower relative fold expression of IL-6 gene was observed in treatment group T9 followed by statistically similar T2 and T8 group, whereas higher expression was observed in treatment group T1 followed by statistically similar T4 and T5 groups. The other dietary treatments yielded intermediate fold expression of IL-6 in broiler chicken. The relative fold expression of IL-10 gene were significantly (P<0.05) up regulated in T9 group followed by statistically similar T8, T7, T6, T3 and T2 groups whereas lower expression was observed in treatment control (T1) and other dietary treatments yielded intermediate fold expression of IL-10 in broiler chicken. The significantly (P<0.05) lower relative fold expression of TLR-4 gene was observed in treatment group T9 followed by statistically similar T2 and T3 group, whereas higher expression was observed in treatment group T1 and other dietary treatments yielded intermediate fold expression of TLR-4 in broiler chicken.