Effects of feeding chitooligosaccharide on growth performance, immunity and serum composition in goats

Abstract

A total of 15 female goats (28.5 ± 0.5 kg) were employed to determine the effects of feeding commercial prebiotic (Nuclear C.O.S), a type of chitooligosaccharide (COS) on growth performance, immunity and serum composition. A complete randomized design (CRD) was used in the experiment. Goats were randomly allotted into 3 treatments with 5 replications each treatment (a goat/pen). Diets were formulated to meet or exceed nutrient requirements (NRC, 1998) and COS (Nuclear C.O.S) was added with 3 levels; 0 ppm (control), 1 ppm (LL) and 2 ppm (HL). Blood samples were collected all goats each treatment and four times on day 0, 21, 42 and 63 after feeding. Goats were bled via venipuncture from jugular vein. During treatment periods, there were trends to improve weight gain and average daily gain (ADG), as COS (Nuclear C.O.S) levels were increased in the diets, although it was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The other hand, FCR was reduced when COS (Nuclear C.O.S) level LL as compared to control level (p>0.05). Cholesterol level in blood was decreased significantly (p<0.05) although total protein was significantly difference increased in COS (Nuclear C.O.S) treated groups (p<0.05). There were trend towards reducing triglyceride and trend to upward HDL of goats as dietary COS (Nuclear C.O.S) was increased (p>0.05). During the overall period, adding high level (HL) improved lymphocyte cell count (p>0.05). White blood cell was not significantly reduced when added level of COS (Nuclear C.O.S) (p>0.05). In conclusion, nutrients would be utilized more efficiently in goats fed diet containing COS (Nuclear C.O.S) than those fed control diets due to better condition of microbial populations in alimentary tracts.