Effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles and Bacillus coagulans as probiotic on growth, histomorphology of intestine, and immune parameters in broiler chickens

Two hundred eighty-eight 1-day-old-male broilers were assigned to six dietary treatments to assess the influences of nanoparticles Zinc oxide (Zn-nan) and probiotic (Bacillus coagulans) supplements and their interaction on growing, histomorphology of intestine and immune parameters in chicks. Three amounts of dietary supplemental Zn source (100 mg/kg diet Zinc oxide, 25, and 50 mg/kg of diet Zn-nan) and two amounts of probiotic (0, 10¹⁰ CFU/kg of diet) were mixed as a randomized basic design with a 3 × 2 factorial experiment. The interaction effect of Zn source and probiotic was not effectual to change growth performance items, whereas probiotic supplementation had significant positive influence on bodyweight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the whole trial phase (P < 0.001). The relation between Zn Source and probiotic was observed for villus height, width, and crypt depth, which was due to probiotic having greater improvement of villus height and width in birds fed Zn-nan50 than those fed ZnO. In comparison with the ZnO and Zn-nan25, the chicks fed diets with supplemental Zn-nan50 had greater villi length, villi length to crypt depth ratio, and antibody titer against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) at 28 and 42 days (P < 0.05). The chicks consumed probiotic had greater villus height, width, and villi length to crypt depth ratio and antibody titer against SRBC than those fed no probiotic. In conclusion, combination of probiotic (10¹⁰ CFU/kg) and Zn-nan (50 mg/kg) supplementation caused an improvement in performance parameters, immune responses, and intestinal morphology.