Effect of dietary supplementation of mannan oligosaccharides on hydrogen ion concentration of the digestive tract and microbial populations of the ceca of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

Th e eff ect of the dietary supplementation of mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) on hydrogen ion concentration of the digestive tract and microbial populations of the ceca of the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) was investigated in this experimentation. Two hundred twenty-fi ve 1-day old Japanese quail divided into 3 groups, with 3 subgroups each, were fed a basal diet that served as control, or a basal diet containing 1 g MOS/kg or 2 g MOS/kg. On days 21 and 42, hydrogen ion concentrations of the quail crop, proventriculus, gizzard, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, large intestine, and ceca were measured in situ. Furthermore, on the same days, the total aerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and coliform counts of the cecal content were recorded. Th e results of the experimentation showed that the dietary supplementation of MOS in the feed of growing quail did not signifi cantly aff ect the hydrogen ion concentration in various parts of the digestive tract, the bacterial counts in the ceca and the mortality of growing healthy Japanese quail reared in unstressed conditions.