Ozcan Cengiz, Bekir Hakan Koksal, Orcun Yagin, Asli Sultan Bakirci, 2 2 1

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1 Interntionl Journl of Poultry Science (6): , 202 ISSN Asin Network for Scientific Informtion, 202 Influence of Dietry Preiotic Addition on Digestiility nd Intestinl Microflor of Young Mle Broiler Chickens Exposed to Delyed Feed Access fter Htch Ozcn Cengiz, Bekir Hkn Koksl, Orcun Ygin, Asli Sultn Bkirci, 2 2 Devrim Beyz, Sdik Buyukyoruk nd Ahmet Gokhn Onol Deprtment of Animl Nutrition nd Nutritionl Diseses, Deprtment of Food Sciences, Fculty of Veterinry, Adnn Menderes University, Aydin, 0906, Turkey 2 Astrct: A tril ws conducted to investigte the effects of dietry preiotic for period of 4 d on the intestinl microflor, Dry Mtter (DM) nd Orgnic Mtter (OM) digestiility nd growth performnce of mle roiler chicks Delyed to Feed Access () fter htch. One hundred forty four -d-old roiler chicks (ROSS 308) were rndomly distriuted into 6 groups with 8 replicte pens hving 3 irds in ech. A 2 x 3 fctoril design ws implemented. Six experimentl groups were formed y two levels of dietry preiotic supplementtion (Control nd Agrimos, kg/ton) nd three periods of (0-, 24- nd 48- h). Depending on the time intervl etween rrivl to the experimentl site nd feeding, holding chicks prior to free ccess to wter nd feed hd negtive impct (p<0.00) on the ody weight. At the end of the tril, these differences remined significnt for ody weight (p<0.05) nd feed consumption (p<0.00) of chicks with. DM digestiility reduced significntly (p<0.05) in irds exposed to 24- nd 48-hour dely prior to feeding. A significnt decrese (6.2 vs. 5.5 log0cfu/g) in Enteroctericee (p<0.0) nd increse (5.5 vs. 5.9 log0cfu/g) in Lctocilli count ws noted in preiotic supplemented groups on d 7. Dietry preiotic supplementtion improved DM (p<0.05) nd OM (p<0.05) digestiility significntly. Reltive weight of intestine ws reduced (p<0.05) in irds fsted for 24- nd 48-h fter htch. Overll, dietry preiotic supplementtion helped roiler chicks to develop helthier intestinl microflor nd this my, in turn, inhiit the resulted decrese of dry mtter digestiility in erly growing period. However, preiotic inclusion to roiler diets my not e protective mngement prctice in preventing -relted growth depression of roiler chickens. Key words: Broiler, preiotic, delyed feed ccess, intestinl microflor, digestiility INTRODUCTION Preiotics hve een shown to lter gstrointestinl microflor, lter the immune system, reduce pthogen invsion including pthogens such s Slmonell spp. nd E. coli (Cummings nd Mcfrlne, 2002). The mjor ction of preiotics is to stimulte the growth nd/or ctivte the metolism of some groups of eneficil cteri in the intestinl trct. Severl studies hve shown tht ddition of preiotics to the diet of roiler leds to improved performnce through improving gut microflor (Xu et l., 2003; Spring et l., 2000; Pelicno et l., 2005). The composition of the gut microflor plys n importnt role in digestion, with eneficil, negtive or neutrl effect. Modifictions to the gstrointestinl microflor which reduce pthogen ttchment my hve positive effect on digestiility of nutrients (Hjti nd Rezei, 200). In prctice, htching nd trnsporttion procedures dely the feeding of chicks y 0 to 60 h (Noy nd Skln, 999). Delyed feeding in the first few dys of life spn reduces finl BW (Noy nd Skln, 999) nd it proly ffects immunologicl cpcities (Diner et l., 998). Indeed, the immune system of the htchling, prticulrly the mucosl immune system, requires orl feed intke for its full nd rpid development. In ddition, the immedite post-htch period seems to e criticl for intestinl development in chicks nd fsting often occurs in prctice (Uni et l., 2003). As rief, this sitution resulted with decresing of growth rte, weken of immune system, decline of digestive enzyme stimultion nd negtive effects on orgn development (Pinchsov nd Noy, 993; Noy nd Skln, 999; Diner, 999; Gonzles et l., 2003; Bigot et l., 2003). Previous reports (Uni et l., 2003; Noy nd Skln, 999; Noy et l., 200; Bigot et l., 2003; Gonzles et l., 2003) hve shown tht delyed ccess to feed nd wter decresed roiler post htch performnce. However, no studies hve een crried out to investigte the response of fsted roiler chickens to inclusion of preiotic in corn soyen diets. It is thus necessry to understnd precisely the consequences of delyed Corresponding Author: Ozcn Cengiz, Deprtment of Animl Nutrition nd Nutritionl Diseses, Fculty of Veterinry, Adnn Menderes University, Aydin, 0906, Turkey 408

2 Int. J. Poult. Sci., (6): , 202 feeding nd dietry preiotic supplementtion on microil flor of intestine. Other hypothesis in the present study ws to test the influence of dietry preiotic ddition on reltive weights of some vitl orgns nd intestine therey this my help to inhiit detrimentl effects of fsting fter htch. In this sense, in ddition to the intestinl microflor, the determintion of erly growth performnce nd digestiility of experimentl feeds (DM nd OM digestiilities) were the min ojectives of this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS Birds, housing, experimentl design nd diets: One forty four d-old mle ROSS 308 roiler chicks were otined from commercil htchery 0 to 4 h posthtch (lte htchers) nd trnsported within hour to experimentl unit. Broiler chicks were hold in trnsporttion oxes t constnt temperture (32± C) nd humidity (65-70%) controlled room to prevent dehydrtion efore feed ccess. The irds were initilly weighed individully so tht the pens hd similr initil weight nd weight distriution nd rndomly ssigned to 6 experimentl groups, with 8 replictes of 3 chicks ech. Chicks were housed in ttery cges with wire mesh ottom. These six tretment groups were formed y supplementtion or not of dietry preiotic (Control nd Agrimos ) nd feeding mle roiler chicks t the time of rrivl to the experimentl unit or fter 2-, or 48 h holding time t optiml environmentl conditions prior to feeding (2 x 4 fctoril rrngement of tretments). Broilers were fed with corn nd soyen mel sed diet (Tle ) tht contined the contents of criticl nutrients recommended y ROSS 308 roiler mnul up to 4 dys. From to 4 d of ge, they received strter diet (23.5% crude protein; 3050 kcl/kg ME, kg/ton preiotic). Agrimos is comintion of mnnooligoscchrides nd $-glucns extrcted from the yest cell wlls of Scchromyces cerevisie. Ech pen (5 x 40 cm) ws supplied with metl feeders nd nipple drinkers to provide d liitum ccess to feed nd wter, wheres lighting ws provided on 24 h light schedule. The experiment ws conducted under pproprite niml cre regultions. Smpling nd mesurements: Broiler chicks were weighed efore nd fter holding period nd their BW loss ws recorded. Feed Consumption (FC) nd pen BWs were recorded on dys 0, 7 nd 4 nd mortlity ws recorded dily. FC, BW gin nd Feed Conversion Rtio (FCR) were djusted for mortlity nd clculted for the following growth periods: 0 to 7 d, 7 to 4 d nd 0 to 4 d. The prole cuse of deth or reson for removl ws documented. On d 7, one ird from ech pen (8 irds per tretment, 48 irds) ws rndomly selected nd euthnised y cervicl disloction to determine orgn weights (hert, Tle : Composition nd clculted nlysis of experimentl diets Ingredients Strter diet (0 to 4 d) Corn, ground Soy en mel 39.0 Vegetle ft 3.00 Clcium cronte.20 Diclcium phosphte.60 Slt 0.35 DL-methionine 0.35 L-Lysine 0.0 Vitmin nd minerl premix* 0.30 Preiotic (Agrimos )** 0.0 Clculted nlysis Metolizle energy, kcl/kg Crude protein, % Clcium, % 0.96 Aville phosphorus, % 0.40 *Vitmin nd minerl premix include per kilogrm of diet (Krtl Kimy Sn. ve Tic. AS., Turkey): retinol cette, 706 mg, choleclciferol, 4 mg, DL-"-tocopherol, 27 mg, mendione, 0.99 mg, colmin, 0.05 mg, folic cid, 0.8 mg: D-pntothenic cid, 5 mg, rioflvin, 5.4 mg, nicin, 45 mg, thimin, 2.7 mg, D- iotin, 0.07 mg, pyridoxine, 5.3 mg, mngnese, 90 mg, zinc, 83 mg, iron, 2 mg, copper, 2 mg, iodine, 0.5 mg, selenium, 0.3 mg. **Agrimos is comintion of mnno-oligoscchrides nd $- glucns extrcted from the yest cell wlls of Scchromyces cerevisie gizzrd, liver, spleen nd intestine) nd intestinl microflor. The weights of these prts were expressed s grms of slughter weight; the entire length of the intestine ws mesured in cm. For the intestinl microflor, the crcsses were susequently opened nd the entire gstrointestinl trct ws removed septiclly. The gstrointestinl trct ws then divided into sections (i.e., ileum, cec nd colon) tht were ligted with light twine efore seprting the content from ileum. For the cteril enumertion in digest per ird, ppropritely stored smples, frozen t -80 C, were thwed nd removed from storge gs. Intestinl contents (ileum) were then septiclly emptied in new sterile g nd were immeditely diluted 0-fold (i.e., 0% wt/vol) with sterile ice-cold noxic PBS (0. M; ph 7.0) nd susequently homogenized for 3 min in stomcher (Bgmixer 00 Minimix, Interscience, Arpents, Frnce). Ech digest homogente ws serilly diluted from 0- to 0-7. Dilutions were susequently plted on duplicte selective gr medi for enumertion of trget cteril groups. In prticulr, totl eroes, totl neroe cteri, Enteroctericee, coliforms, Lctocillus spp. nd Slmonell were enumerted using nutrient gr, violet red ile glucose gr, violet red ile lctose gr, Rogos gr nd Brillnt green gr ccording to Hrtemink nd Romouts (999). Pltes were then incuted t 37 C for 24 to 72 h eroiclly nd colonies were counted. Aneroic incution ws chieved using pproprite ctlysts (Anerocult A, Merck, Drmstdt, 409

3 Digestiility tril: At the end of the feeding tril (d 4), 8 irds from ech tretments (48 irds totlly) were rndomly selected nd plced into individul ttery cges with excret collection trys. Ech cge ws equipped feeding nd 2 wter nipples plced on the front nd ck sides of the cge respectively. Similr environmentl circumstnces with feeding tril were provided in digestiility tril. Chicks were fsted for 2 h fter 3-d of pre-experimentl dpttion period. Experimentl diets were offered d liitum for 3 d. Chicks were gin fsted for 2 h to unlod the digestive trct. Feces ws collected in every 36 h y using luminum ppers plced on metl trys. Remining feed in the excret trys ws crefully removed nd weighed. Fethers were lso removed from the excret. Smples were kept in nylon gs t -20 C efore nlysis. Fecl smples were weighed nd dried t 60 C nd then they were grinded with 0.5 mm pore filter to homogenize. Feed nd excret smples were susequently nlyzed for DM, OM nd sh using the routine procedures (AOAC, 2003). All nlysis were performed in duplicte. Sttisticl nlyses: Dt were nlyzed y GLM procedure using Duncn s multiple rnge test with SAS sttisticl softwre (SAS Institute, 2003). Reltive orgn weight dt were sujected to rc sine trnsformtion, Int. J. Poult. Sci., (6): , 202 Germny) in seled neroic jrs (Oxoid, Bsingstoke, which showed similr sttisticl trend. Differences UK). Results were expressed s log0 colony-forming were considered significnt t p<0.05 (Steel et l., units per grm of digest (Hrtemink nd Romouts, 997). 999). RESULTS Growth performnce: The results for live performnce re presented in Tle 2 nd 3. The present tril indicted tht there ws significnt (p<0.00) effect of on BW prior to feeding. In the present study, depending on the time intervl (24- nd 48-hour prior to feeding), holding chicks prior to free ccess to wter nd feed hd dverse impct on dy 4 BW nd FC wheres FE ws not ffected presumly due to decresed feed intke (Tle 3). This ws especilly ovious for the tretment group hold for 48-hours prior to feeding. Dietry preiotic supplementtion did not ffect live weight nd feed consumption in the entire experiment. There were no significnt differences etween tretments regrding mortlity tht ws generlly low nd verged 2.4% for the whole experiment. Intestinl microil popultion: The popultion of Totl Bcteri, Totl Aneroe Bcteri, Coliform Bcteri, Enteroctericee nd Lctocilli in the digest content of the ileum is presented in Tle 4. Current study reveled tht dietry supplementtion of preiotic reduced (6.22 vs log0cfu/g; p<0.0) Enteroctericee count t 7 d of ge. Moreover, Lctocilli count ws significntly (p<0.05) higher (5.46 vs 5.92 log0cfu/g) in groups fed diet supplemented with preiotics t d 7 (Tle 4). The feed smple nlysis Tle 2: Body weight (g) nd BW chnge (%) t 0, 24 nd 48 hrs of mle roilers sujected to holding time nd dietry preiotic inclusion Tretments BW (g) BW chnge (%) Preiotic to 24 hr 0 to 48 hr Pooled SEM c Preiotic ANOVA P NS *** *** *** *** Preiotic NS NS NS NS NS x Preiotic NS NS NS NS NS,,c Mens within tretment nd column with different suscripts differ significntly (p<0.05). NS: Not significnt (p>0.05); ***p<0.00. Agrimos ( kg/ton) 40

4 Int. J. Poult. Sci., (6): , 202 Tle 3: Body weight, ody weight gin, feed consumption nd feed efficiency of mle roilers sujected to holding time nd dietry preiotic inclusion Tretments Body weight (g) Body weight gin (g) Feed consumption (g) Feed efficiency (g:g) Preiotic to 7d 0 to 4d 0 to 7d 0 to 4d 0 to 7d 0 to 4d , Pooled SEM c Preiotic ANOVA P *** * *** * *** *** NS NS Preiotic NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS x Preiotic NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS,,c Mens within tretment nd column with different suscripts differ significntly (p<0.05). NS: Not Significnt (p>0.05); *p<0.05; ***p<0.00. Feed efficiency ws clculted y dividing feed consumption (g) to BW gin (g) per pen sis. 2 Agrimos ( kg/ton) Tle 4: Microiologicl nlysis (ileum) nd totl trct digestiility of mle roiler chickens sujected to holding time nd dietry preiotic inclusion t dy 7 Tretments log0cfu/g Digestiility, % Preiotic TAB Enteroctericee Coliform Lctocilli Dry mtter Orgnic mtter Pooled SEM Preiotic ANOVA P NS NS NS NS * NS Preiotic NS ** NS * * * x Preiotic NS NS NS NS NS NS, Mens within tretment nd column with different suscripts differ significntly (p<0.05). NS: Not Significnt (p>0.05), **p<0.0. Agrimos ( kg/ton). TAB = Totl Aeroe Bcteri scertined tht dietry preiotic supplementtion did oserved tht dry mtter digestiility significntly not influence Totl Bcteri, Totl Aneroe Bcteri, (p<0.05) decresed (84.7 vs nd 78.89%) Coliform Bcteri, Enteroctericee, Lctocilli depending on the time intervl (-24 nd 48-h dely) count compred with diet hd no preiotic wheres dry mtter digestiility incresed significntly supplementtion (dt not shown). During the present (79.64 vs %; p<0.05) when roiler chickens were investigtion lso Slmonell ws sent in feed nd supplemented with dietry preiotic t the end of the first intestinl content smples. week (Tle 4). Similrly OM digestiility ws improved significntly (p<0.05) in irds fed preiotic Dry mtter nd orgnic mtter digestiility: As fr s supplemented diets. However, did not ffect OM DM nd OM digestiilities were concerned, it ws digestiility significntly in this work. 4

5 Int. J. Poult. Sci., (6): , 202 Tle 5: Some orgn yields of mle roiler chickens sujected to holding time nd dietry preiotic inclusion Tretments Reltive weights of orgns (g/00 g BW) Preiotic Hert Gizzrd Liver Spleen Pooled SEM Preiotic ANOVA P NS NS NS NS Preiotic NS NS NS NS x Preiotic NS NS NS NS Agrimos ( kg/ton). NS = Not significnt (p>0.05) Tle 6: Some morphometric intestinl prmeters of mle roiler chickens sujected to holding time nd dietry preiotic inclusion Intestinl prt lenght/totl intestine length (cm) Reltive weight Intestinl rtio of intestine (weight/length Preiotic Duodenum Jejunum Ileum Cecum (g/00 g BW) of intestine) Pooled SEM Preiotic NS NS NS NS * NS Preiotic NS NS NS NS NS NS x Preiotic NS NS NS NS NS NS, Mens within tretment nd column with different suscripts differ significntly (p<0.05). NS: Not Significnt (p>0.05), *p<0.05. Agrimos ( kg/ton) Reltive weights of intestine nd some orgns: htch, chicks with reduced BW y pproximtely 6 Chnges in the weight nd lenght of the intestine nd in nd 0% respectively. Moreover, preiotic x reltive weight of some orgns (hert, gizzrd, liver nd interction in BW ws not significnt for the first 48 hrs spleen) re presented in Tle 5 nd 6. The effects of (Tle 2). In the present study, overll BW (76 vs. 52 restriction time nd dietry orgnic cid g; p<0.05), FC ( vs ; p<0.00) ws supplementtion on reltive weight of orgns nd lenght significntly lower in irds hold for 48 h prior to feeding of intestine ws not significnt wheres significntly thn in those ccess feed immeditely (Tle 3). Beside reduced the reltive weight of intestine in the study this, FE of chicks delyed to feed ccess ws not (p<0.05). significnt (p<0.05) in 4 d period. Extended posthtch holding (in the htcher) hs een reported to dehydrte DISCUSSION Growth performnce: The present tril indicted tht there ws significnt (p<0.00) effect of on BW prior to feeding. Between 0 to 24-h nd 0 to 48-h post chicks, reduce growth performnce nd depress immune response (Csteel et l., 994). Similrly, Bigot et l. (2003) found significnt BW loss (7%) in chicks delyed to feed ccess for 2 d post-htching. Moreover, 42

6 Int. J. Poult. Sci., (6): , 202 Ski (2005) reported tht BW ws decresed y those period) my lso influence results. Dt from this study chicks which were not ccessed to feed compred with suggest tht the dverse effects of on growth tht groups which ws fed y strter diet immeditely performnce cnnot e llevited y dietry preiotic fter htching. These findings re consistent with the supplementtion in erly growing period. severl reports which demonstrte tht dely in feed intke fter htch dversely ffect posthtch Intestinl microil popultion: The popultion of performnce of chicks (Bigot et l., 2003; Gonzles et l., microit in the content of the smll intestine is 2003; Pinchsov nd Noy, 993). The present results for presented in Tle 4. Current study results reveled tht initil BW loss following htch is minly due to dietry supplementtion of preiotic inhiited (6.22 vs. metolism nd possily some dehydrtion occurring 5.53 log0cfu/g; p<0.0) Enteroctericee count t 7 d during holding time in the incutor or postincutor s of ge. Moreover, Lctocilli in chicks fed dietry hs een previously reported y Noy et l. (200). In preiotic hd higher (5.46 vs log0cfu/g; p<0.05) previous report (Noy nd Skln, 999) nd in the current count when compred to chicks fed diets study, BW egins to increse 24 to 48 h fter ccess to unsupplemented t d 7. Some previous studies re in feed. This finding confirms tht clerly cuses consistent with the present tril. Kim et l. (20) found negtive energy lnce nd chicks hve invrily tht 0.25% Fructo-Oligoscchride (FOS) ddition to loose weight. roiler diets hd lowered Escherichi coli count wheres In this tril, BW nd FC of irds re depressed due to Lctocilli count in smll intestine ws incresed. for 4 d period, this negtive difference will proly Differences etween studies could e relted with mny remin till the end of the entire growing period (42-45 d). fctors which lter microflor composition of irds However, overll performnce of chicks till mrketing (Yegni nd Korver, 2008) including ge nd reed of ge ws not the min suject in the present study. irds plus composition of diet nd preiotic. Overll, mortlity rtes (dt not shown) in the present Sterile gstro-intestinl trct of chick is ltered with the experiment were found similr to some previous studies time of htch nd the numer nd diversity of cteri (Hooshmnd, 2006; Kidd et l., 2007). Moreover, ird increse with ge (Verstegen et l., 2005; Yegni nd losses due to mortlity nd culling were t low level Korver, 2008). In the present tril, there were no nd were not ffected y feeding progrm or feed significnt effects of on microil popultions of supplement. roiler chickens. For our knowledge, there is limited Either no effects or negtive effects of dietry preiotic on numer of study focuses on ilel totl cteri count of chick growth performnce were oserved in the study. roiler chickens delyed to feed ccess. In greement There ws no significnt preiotic x interction for with report of Alhot (20), Lctocillus nd growth performnce in the study. Result for overll FI Slmonell, s n index of helthy gut microflor, were nd FE were lso not significnt nd similr with BW not influenced y dely in ccess to feed nd wter. nd BWG results t the end of tril. Similr to this, Houshmnd et l. (202) lso noticed no significnt effect on growth performnce of roiler chickens fed diets supplemented with preiotic. Similrly, Biggs et l. (2007) nd Rehmn et l. (2007, 2008) using inulin t concentrtions 4 nd 0 g/kg, respectively in their studies nd hd oserved no positive effect of preiotics on growth performnce in roiler chickens. In consistent with our results, some other studies (Wldroup et l., 993; Willims et l., 2008) lso oserved no effects of Dry mtter nd orgnic mtter digestiilities: In this study, the depression in growth performnce in tretments delyed to feed ccess ws concomitnt with n decresed totl trct dry mtter digestiility determined in 7-d-old roilers. OM digestiility did not show significnt reduction in irds supplemented with preiotics compred with unsupplemented groups. On the other hnd, dietry preiotic supplementtion improved dry mtter digestiility of irds t 7 dy of ge. preiotics on FE in roiler chickens. However, these Contrry to studies with dietry enzyme results re in disgreement with some previous studies (Li et l., 2008; Yng et l., 2008). There re numer of possile cuses for the differing results mong trils sujecting preiotic supplementtion in roiler diets. One of these resons is the preiotic dose used in the experimentl diets. The results of this study indicte tht there ws no significnt effect on growth performnce y suggested doses of preiotic in diet. Another possile reson is vritions in the specific preiotics used, which my hve different impcts on the performnce of the irds. Vritions in feedstuffs nd nutrient levels nd ge of irds (our study reveled only first 4 d of growing supplementtion, only few studies hve exmined DM nd OM digestiility in roilers fed preiotics. It ws shown tht, depending on the proiotic inclusion level in the diet, preiotic intke resulted in n improved ilel DM digestiility in roilers fed corn-soy en mel sed diets t 2 nd 42 d of ge (Hung et l., 2005). The enhnced totl trct digestiility of DM in the roilers fed the preiotic contining diets might e explined y the following findings. First, preiotic supplementtion reduced the numer of pthogenic cteri (e.g., Escherichi coli, Slmonell typhimurium) (Choi et l., 994; Wng et l., 2003) nd incresed the eneficil 43

7 Int. J. Poult. Sci., (6): , 202 cteri (e.g., Lctocilli) numers (Oli et l., 998) in pncres, spleen nd urs of Fricius y dietry the intestine. Such chnges in the intestinl cteril preiotic supplementtion. Moreover, it ws lso shown popultion resulted in decrese in the incidence of tht (Pelici et l., 2004) ddition of preiotic nd dirrhe (Oli et l., 998). Second, dietry preiotic proiotic into the diets of roilers hve no effect on the ddition my stimulte the secretion of digestive digestive system (liver, proventriculus, gizzrd, pncres, enzymes from the stomch, pncres nd intestinl duodenum, jejunum, ileum nd cecum). In ddition to mucos (Hou nd Go, 200). This effect is expected to this, Klvthy et l. (2003) investigted the effects of 2 reduce locl inflmmtion in the intestinl mucos, Lctocillus strins in roiler diets nd stted no fcilitte the rekdown of complex molecules into significnt differences in the reltive weights of liver, simpler ones nd enhnce the integrity of enterocytes, spleen, hert nd pncres mong tretments t therey promoting the digestion nd sorption of different ges (2, 28, 35, 42 d). nutrients (Wu, 998). In conclusion, the preiotic (Agrimos ) ws effective t Generlly, it is very difficult to directly compre different studies using different preiotics nd different dministrtion levels ecuse the efficcy of preiotic ppliction will dditionlly depend on mny other fctors stted in recent review (Hjti nd Rezei, 200). Reltive weights of intestine nd some orgns: The effect of restriction time (24- nd 48-h prior to feeding) nd dietry orgnic cid supplementtion on lenght of totl or prts of intestine ws not significnt. Moreover, reltive weight of orgns were not ffected y holding time t d 7. However, reltive weight of intestine ws significntly reduced (p<0.05) in irds received feed nd wter 24- nd 48-h fter htch. As it is known, the first dys of life of roiler chickens re criticl stge of development with regrd to feeding fctors. Severl reserch ppers focus on the effect of in roiler production nd were motivted y its significnt effects on muscle nd orgn development (Uni et l., 2003; Noy nd Skln, 999). In ddition to this, some of the importnt metolic pthwys prior to htch re lso descried in recent review (De Oliveir et l., 2008) which emphsizes the liver, pectorl muscle, htching muscle nd intestine, s most ffected y chnges towrd htch. In the present study, the reltive growth rtes differed in the different orgns (numericl differences), ut reltive growth of the intestine depressed more rpidly nd drmticlly thn the other orgns. Results for reltive weight of intestine were reltively similr with previous studies of Bigot et l. (2003) nd Moore et l. (2005) who pointed out tht posthtching strvtion impired intestinl growth, retrded pectorl muscle weight gin nd the weight increse occurred only fter chicks hd ccess to feed. Neither the reltive weight of orgns (gizzrd, liver, pncres, spleen, urs Fricius) nor the length or weight of intestine evluted in this study ws ffected y the ddition of preiotic to roiler diets. Some previous studies sujecting preiotic supplementtion in roiler diets were in greement with the present tril. Similrly, Piry et l. (2007) did not find ny significnt effect on reltive weights of hert, gizzrd, liver, enhncing DM nd OM digestiility when it ws included in corn-sbm-sed coccidiostt-free diet t kg/ton. At this inclusion level, the preiotic lso hve significnt positive effect on ilel microflor composition. Moreover, our results lso reveled tht this level of preiotic supplementtion to diets of young chicks my not help in lleviting the inhiitory effects of on growth performnce. It is proposed tht optiml preiotic inclusion levels for growth performnce in roiler diets should e explicitly exmined in context with the feed ingredients nd the level of nutrients in diet. Results gthered from this work confirmed tht increse in the digestion nd sorption of nutrients is mjor mechnism responsile for the enhnced DM nd OM digestiility of roilers in response to dietry preiotic (Agrimos ) supplementtion. From prcticl point of view, this study highlights the need for proper djustment of feed dditive (preiotic) in the roiler diet to chieve the desired eneficil outcome when irds delyed to feed nd wter ccess fter htch. REFERENCES Alhot, R.A., 20. Effects of erly feed restriction during delyed plcement on the performnce nd gut helth of roilers. Doctorte thesis, University of Nersk, Lincoln, USA, pp: -80. 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