IN OVO ADMINISTRATION OF GLUTAMINE AND LYSINE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTESTINAL MUCOSA OF BROILER CHICKENS ON THE FIRST WEEK AFTER HATCHING.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of in ovo glutamine and lysine injections on the intestinal development of broiler chickens from the first to the seventh day of life. Three hundred fertile eggs from Cobb® broiler breeders were submitted to the treatments: - glutamine injection (1%); - lysine injection(1%); - water injection; - control group without injection. The injections (150μL) were applied in the allantoic cavity at 11 days of incubation. At day 1, 4 and 7 post-hatch body weight was recorded and samples of small intestine were collected for mucosa morphometric analysis. The experiment was performed in a completely randomized 4X3 factorial design(treatment x age). Body weight at hatch was not affected by treatments; however, broilers from control group were heavier at 4º and 7º days. At hatch, the intestinal villus width was larger in chicks coming from eggs injected with water. The same occurs with the jejunal and ileal villus size. However, at 4 and 7 days of age, villus width and size were similar among treatments. The findings of this study suggest that in ovo injection of glutamine and lysine (1g/100mL water) in the allantoic cavity do not improve broiler chickens performance (body weight) and intestinal development at the first week posthatch. KEY-WORDS: Amino acid. First week post hatch. Small intestine. In ovo feeding.