Morphometric evaluation of “dysbacteriosis” in broilers

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Macroscopic dysbacteriosis score system parameters. 1A: Overall gut ballooning. 1B: Content of the intestinal tract: (B1) mucoid, orange intestinal content; and (B2) foamy intestinal content. 1C: Tonus of the intestinal tract: (C1) good tonus; and (C2) lack of tonus. 1D: Macroscopically visible thickness of the intestinal tract: (D1) macroscopically thin intestinal tract; and (D2) intestinal tract with normal thickness. 1E: Undigested particles in the colon (arrows). 1F: Inflammation of the gut: (F1) inflammation; and (F2) no inflammation.

Table 1.  Number of chickens analysed per age per macroscopic dysbacteriosis group.

	Macroscopic “dysbacteriosis” score
Age	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
18 days	–	1	4	4	3	–	–	–
21 days	–	3	4	13	4	8	5	1
28 days	1	3	–	3	13	6	6	4
42 days	1	1	1	2	4	6	1	2
Both the duodenum and caecum were analysed for each chicken. –, no birds of this age group were given this score.

Table 2.  Length of villi (µm) in duodenal sections in relation to the macroscopic score.

	Macroscopic “dysbacteriosis” score
Age	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
18 days	–	1988±153	1668±219	1627±188	1550±201	–	–	–
21 days	–	2125±260	1929±239	2006±292	1870±219	1694±54	1491±193	1495±126
28 days	2656±245	1866±152	–	2173±269	1878±290	1812±415	1762±336	1479±212
42 days	2439±151	2471±81	2847±222	2364±185	2049±208	2078±289	2527±190	1862±180
Random measurements of nine villi per three gut sections were performed by a computer-based analysis system. The given values ± standard deviations are the means of nine villi measured in the chickens from the same age and in the same macroscopic “dysbacteriosis” score category. –, no birds of this age group were given this score.

Table 3.  Thickness of the tunica muscularis (µm) in duodenal and caecal sections in relation to the macroscopic score.

	Macroscopic “dysbacteriosis” score
Age	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
18 days	–	197±22	152±28	143±25	119±16	–	–	–
21 days	–	233±40	186±30	178±39	174±33	144±16	144±27	127±23
28 days	293±76	306±105	–	253±62	211±52	185±37	170±26	151±23
42 days	327±61	329±91	277±45	246±77	205±29	193±45	195±21	165±30
Eight random measurements of the thickness of the tunica muscularis per three gut sections were performed by a computer-based analysis system. The given values ± standard deviations are the means of eight random measurements of both the duodenum and caecum of the chickens in the same age and in the same macroscopic “dysbacteriosis” score category. –, no birds of this age group were given this score.

Table 4.  T-lymphocyte infiltration (area percentage) for duodenal and caecal sections in relation to the macroscopic score.

	Macroscopic “dysbacteriosis” score
Age	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
18 days	–	4.72±1.70	5.64±2.36	5.54±2.14	6.52±3.31	–	–	–
21 days	–	4.06±1.70	5.05±2.01	5.56±2.64	5.10±2.35	6.30±3.10	6.80±3.05	8.20±1.95
28 days	5.59±1.80	7.93±3.88	–	7.70±3.19	7.48±2.83	10.24±3.19	8.74±3.66	11.00±3.06
42 days	7.82±2.35	6.97±1.47	8.44±2.20	5.57±1.72	7.24±2.58	8.61±2.71	7.69±1.33	9.50±2.01
Eight random measurements of the T-lymphocyte infiltration in the mucosa per three gut sections were performed by a computer-based analysis system. The given values ± standard deviations are the means of the eight random measurements of both the duodenum and caecum of the chickens in the same age and in the same macroscopic “dysbacteriosis” score category. –, no birds of this age group were given this score.