Age effects on short chain fatty acids concentrations and pH values in the gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens

作者：Meimandipour A; Soleimanifarjam A; Azhar K; Hair Bejo M; Shuhaimi M; Nateghi Leyla; Yazid A M^*

来源：Archiv fur Geflugelkunde, 2011, 75(3): 164-168.

• Broiler
• gastrointestinal tract
• short chain fatty acids
• pH
• age

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of age and the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) segments on microbial short chain fatty acids concentration and pH value. One hundred and eight one-day old male Cobb broilers were assigned to 4 age treatments with 3 replicates in 12 battery cages. The pH values significantly increased along the GIT from Jejunum to ileum; however, a significant decreased was found in the cecum. Lactate was found in all parts of the GIT and its concentration increased along it at 14 days old birds, however, thereafter cecum had the lowest amount of lactate. Acetate was mainly detected in the ileum and cecum with highest concentration in the cecum. However, the low concentration of acetate was also found in the jejunum that increased with age. Propionate also was found in different segments of the GIT at 14 days of age, but after that it was limited to the cecum. Butyrate was only detected in the cecum over the course of the experiment. In conclusion, pH values, the concentration and proportion of SCFAs and lactate changed along the GIT due to the sites of fermentation and age. The major changes in the proportion of SCFAs in the cecum with age were due to the reduction of lactate and propionate in favour of acetate and butyrate. In the present study, SCFAs and lactate alteration in the GIT did not have any relation with pH changes within the range of pH value in the GIT.

• 出版日期2011-7