EFFECTS OF DIETARY MONTMORILLONITE NANOCOMPOSITE ON THE DIGESTIVE ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN THE PANCREAS AND INTESTINAL VILLI OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

A total of 200 one-day-old Marshal broiler chickens were used to investigate the effects of montmorillonite nanocomposite (MMT-NC) in the diets on pancreas digestive enzyme activities and villus height of the birds. The birds were allotted to 5 dietary treatments jor 56 days; each of the treatment group was replicated 4 times with 10 chicks per replicate. MMT-NC was added to the starter and finisher basal diets at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 g/kg. Data on villus height for duodenum, jejunum and ileum indicated that addition of MMT-NC to broilers diet improved (P<0.05) the villus height of the small intestine. Supplementation of MMT-NC in the diet of broilers significantly (P<0.05) increased the activities of amylase, trypsin and lipase in the pancreas. The present study showed that MMT-NC could be supplemented at 3 g/kg in the diet of broiler chickens for improved pancreas digestive enzyme activities and villus height.