Effect of Age on the Immune and Visceral Organ Weights and Cecal Traits in Modern Broilers

摘要

Currently, due to the high developments achieved in the poultry industry especially in genetics, management, nutrition, health, and animal welfare, modern broilers reach slaughter weight at an earlier age, which in turn has brought about notable changes in the morphophysiology of these birds. The following research proposes to determine the effect of age on visceral and immune organ weight, cecal pH, and cecal lactic acid bacteria in Ross 308® broilers, up to 10 days old. It was concluded that the immune and visceral organs increase their absolute and relative weight according to age and on days 9 and 10 the highest growth rate of the organs was found, furthermore, the colonization of the cecal lactic acid bacteria is established before 10 days of life (as the most critical stage), although with variable changes for intestinal pH. The correlation showed, in addition, a significant association between the organs evaluated, as well as for the cecum relative weight and the cecal lactic bacteria count. These results could contribute to updating knowledge on immunological activity, cecal microbiology, and the functioning of the digestive system, as well as for the development of new nutritional requirements and the optimization of dietary formulations.