Modulation of Morphology and Glycan Composition of Mucins in Farmed Guinea Fowl (<i>Numida meleagris</i>) Intestine by the Multi-Strain Probiotic Slab51<sup>®</sup>
Salvatore Desantis,
Livio Galosi,
Nicoletta Santamaria,
Alessandra Roncarati,
Lucia Biagini,
Giacomo Rossi
Affiliations
Salvatore Desantis
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, S.P. 62 per Casamassima Km 3, 70010 Valenzano (Bari), Italy
Livio Galosi
School of Biosciences and Veterinary medicine, University of Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93/95, 62024 Matelica (M.C.), Italy
Nicoletta Santamaria
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, S.P. 62 per Casamassima Km 3, 70010 Valenzano (Bari), Italy
Alessandra Roncarati
School of Biosciences and Veterinary medicine, University of Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93/95, 62024 Matelica (M.C.), Italy
Lucia Biagini
School of Biosciences and Veterinary medicine, University of Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93/95, 62024 Matelica (M.C.), Italy
Giacomo Rossi
School of Biosciences and Veterinary medicine, University of Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93/95, 62024 Matelica (M.C.), Italy
Probiotics have become highly recognized as supplements for poultry.Since gut health can be considered synonymous withanimal health, the effects of probiotic Slab51® on the morphology and the glycan composition of guineafowlintestine were examined. The probiotics were added in drinking water (2 × 1011 UFC/L) throughout the grow-out cycle.Birds were individually weighed andslaughtered after four months. Samples from the duodenum, ileum and caecum were collected and processed for morphological, morphometric, conventional and lectin glycohistochemical studies.The results were analyzed for statistical significance by Student’s t test. Compared with control samples, probiotic group revealed (1) significant increase in villus height (p p p p p ® induces morphological and region-specific changes in glycoprotein composition of guinea fowl intestine, promoting gut health.
