Abstract
Antibiotics have revolutionized the intensive poultry production system as a feed additive by promoting growth, production and meat quality through improving gut health and reduction of sub-clinical infections during last five decades. However, currently, the usage of antibiotics in poultry production is under severe scientific and public scrutiny, because antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) has been linked to the possible development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, which may pose a threat to human health. After European Union ban on in feed antibiotics as growth promoter in poultry, since 2006, prebiotics offer a potential substitute to in feed antibiotics. In this effort, the objective of this present study was to investigate the potentiality of prebiotics (mannan oligosaccharides-MOS and fructo-oligosaccharides-FOS) in replacement of antibiotic growth promoter and their relationship with physio-biochemical indices, antioxidant and oxidative stability and carcass traits of broiler chickens meat. 240 day-old broiler chicks (1 d) of uniform body weight were divided into 30 replicate groups having 8 birds in each. Six corn based dietary treatments were formulated viz. T1 (control diet), T2 (T1 + Bacitracin methylene di-salicylate @ 20 mg/kg diet), T3 (T1 + 0.1% MOS), T4 (T1 + 0.2% MOS), T5 (T1 + 0.1% FOS), and T6 (T1 + 0.2% FOS). Significant (P<0.05) increase in cut up part yields (%) and reduction in cholesterol and fat content in T4 (0.2 % MOS) group. The water holding capacity (WHC) and extract release volume (ERV) were increase (P<0.05) in 0.1 or 0.2 % MOS supplemented group. DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazy) was higher (P<0.05) and lipid oxidation (free fatty acid and thio-barbituric acid reactive substances) was lower (P<0.05) in T4 group. The standard plate count (SPC), staphylococcus and coliform counts were decreased (P<0.05) in T3 or T4 group. Thus, it can be concluded that mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) may be incorporated at 0.2% level in diet for improved physio-biochemical indices, antioxidant and oxidative stability and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens meat and it may be suitable replacer of antibiotic growth promoter.