{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T22:52:09Z","timestamp":1790722329224,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]],"date-time":"2021-12-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1639612800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The experiment was conducted to study the effect of chicory root powder on the gut performance of broilers. For this purpose, two hundred commercial male broiler chicks were randomly divided into 5 treatment groups with 8 replications of 5 birds each and reared in battery brooders up to 42 days of age. The experimental design consisted of; T1 basal diet (BD) without antibiotic, T2: BD + antibiotic (BMD at 500 gm\/ton), T3: BD + chicory root powder (0.5%), T4: BD + chicory root powder (1.0%), T5: BD + chicory root powder (1.5%). The results revealed that supplementation of 1.0% chicory root powder recorded significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher body weight gain, feed intake and better feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to antibiotic, control and 0.5 &amp; 1.5% chicory powder at 42 days of age. Supplementation of various levels of chicory root powder significantly (P&lt;0.05) lowered (P&lt;0.05) the pH in duodenum, jejunum, ileum and caecum compared to control. Supplementation of chicory root powder (0.5, 1.0 &amp; 1.5%) significantly (P&lt;0.05) decreased the <jats:italic>E<\/jats:italic>. <jats:italic>coli<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Salmonella<\/jats:italic> counts and (P&lt;0.05) increased the <jats:italic>Lactobacilli<\/jats:italic> counts in ileum when compared to control and antibiotic groups. Supplementation of chicory (1.0% and 1.5%) groups significantly (P&lt;0.05) increased the villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD), VH:CD ratio and villus width (VW) in the duodenum, ileum and jejunum at 42 d of age. Supplementation of chicory 1.0% and 1.5% groups significantly (P&lt;0.05) increased the goblet cell number in duodenum, jejunum and ileum of broilers. Therefore, chicory root powder (1.0 and 1.5%) can be used as an alternative to antibiotic for improving gut performance of broiler chicken.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0260923","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]],"date-time":"2021-12-16T18:50:12Z","timestamp":1639680612000},"page":"e0260923","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Supplementation of chicory root powder as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoter on gut pH, gut microflora and gut histomorphometery of male broilers"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0745-8834","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Srinivas","family":"Gurram","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chinni Preetam.","family":"V.","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vijaya Lakshmi.","family":"K.","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5175-8784","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Raju.","family":"M. V. L. N.","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Venkateshwarlu.","family":"M.","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Swathi","family":"Bora","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0260923.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"634","DOI":"10.1093\/ps\/84.4.634","article-title":"Antibiotic growth promoters in agriculture: History and mode of action","volume":"84","author":"JJ Dibner","year":"2015","journal-title":"Poultry Science"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2010.03.003","article-title":"An update on alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters for broilers","volume":"187","author":"G Huyghebaert","year":"2011","journal-title":"Veterinary Journal"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1131","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2006.12.019","article-title":"Toxicological evaluation of a chicory root extract","volume":"45","author":"MS Barbara","year":"2007","journal-title":"Food and Chemical Toxicology"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0260923.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.3923\/ijp.2017.351.360","article-title":"Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Herb: Chemical composition, pharmacology, nutritional and healthical applications","volume":"13","author":"M Saeed","year":"2017","journal-title":"International Journal of Pharmacology"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"276","DOI":"10.3382\/ps.2009-00336","article-title":"Effects of inulin and enzyme complex, individually or in combination, on growth performance, intestinal microflora, cecal fermentation characteristics and jejunal histomorphology in broiler chickens fed wheat and barley-based diet","volume":"89","author":"ALT Rebole","year":"2010","journal-title":"Poultry Science"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref006","first-page":"1","article-title":"Effects of prebiotics on intestinal histo-morphometry and gut microflora status of broiler chickens","volume":"8","author":"A Biswas","year":"2018","journal-title":"Indian Journal of Animal Research"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0260923.ref007","first-page":"169","article-title":"Effects of chicory root powder on growth performance and histomorphometry of jejunum in broiler chicks","volume":"4","author":"H Izadi","year":"2013","journal-title":"Veterinary Research Forum"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0260923.ref008","first-page":"1","article-title":"Effects of dietary probiotic, prebiotic and enzyme mixture supplementation on performance, carcass, organ, ileal pH and viscosity of broilers","volume":"59","author":"F Kirkpinar","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Animal Production"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0260923.ref009","first-page":"292","article-title":"Effect of prebiotic and immunowall\u00ae as feed additive in enzyme activity, intestinal characteristic, and broiler performance","volume":"3","author":"S Osfar","year":"2019","journal-title":"International Journal of Food Science and Agriculture"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref010","first-page":"163","article-title":"Effects of dietary postbiotic and inulin on growth performance, IGF1 and GHR mRNA expression, faecal microbiota and volatile fatty acids in broilers","volume":"12","author":"YK Karwan","year":"2016","journal-title":"Bio Medical Central Veterinary Research"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"617","DOI":"10.2307\/1591254","article-title":"1990. Effect of dietary lactose on cecal pH, bacteriostatic volatile fatty acids, and Salmonella typhimurium colonization of broiler chicks","author":"DE Corrier","year":"1990","journal-title":"Avian Diseases"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0260923.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.3923\/ijps.2006.149.155","article-title":"The effect of antibiotic growth promoter, probiotic or organic acid supplementation on performance, intestinal microflora and tissue of broilers","volume":"5","author":"M Gunal","year":"2006","journal-title":"International Journal of Poultry Science"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref013","author":"GW Snedecor","year":"1989"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.2307\/3001478","article-title":"Multiple range and F tests","volume":"11","author":"DB Duncan","year":"1955","journal-title":"Biometrics"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0260923.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"188","DOI":"10.3923\/ijps.2003.188.194","article-title":"Effect of adding chicory fructans in feed on faecal and intestinal microflora and excretory volatile ammonia","volume":"2","author":"Chen TC Yusrizal","year":"2003","journal-title":"International Journal of Poultry Science"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0260923.ref016","first-page":"185","article-title":"Effect of chicory extract and probiotic on performance, caracas characteristics, blood parameters, intestinal microflora and immune response of broiler chickens","author":"Z Yousfi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Iranian Journal of Animal Science Research"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0260923.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1470","DOI":"10.20546\/ijcmas.2017.609.179","article-title":"Indresh HC and Jayanaik. Effect of supplementation of various levels of inulin on growth performance, carcass characteristics and survivability in raja II broilers","volume":"6","author":"T Praveen","year":"2017","journal-title":"International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"725","DOI":"10.22358\/jafs\/66144\/2012","article-title":"The effect of inulin on broiler chicken intestinal microflora, gut morphology, and performance","volume":"21","author":"A. Nabizadeh","year":"2012","journal-title":"Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0260923.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"815","DOI":"10.3382\/ps.2010-01181","article-title":"Growth performance, digestibility and gut development of broiler chicken on diet with inclusion of chicory (Chicorium intybus).","volume":"90","author":"HY Liu","year":"2011","journal-title":"Poultry Science"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0260923.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114500006024","article-title":"Prebiotics and synbiotics: concepts and nutritional properties","volume":"80","author":"MB Roberfroid","year":"1998","journal-title":"British Journal of Nutrition"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0260923.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"791","DOI":"10.1080\/00071668.2010.531005","article-title":"2010. Effects of inulin on performance, egg quality, gut microflora and serum and yolk cholesterol in laying hens","volume":"51","author":"HM Shang","year":"2010","journal-title":"British Poultry Science"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref022","first-page":"1","article-title":"Effects of microencapsulated probiotics and prebiotics on growth performance, antioxidative abilities, immune functions, and caecal microflora in broiler chickens","author":"Y Wang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Food and Agricultural Immunology"},{"key":"pone.0260923.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1030","DOI":"10.1093\/ps\/82.6.1030","article-title":"Effects of dietary fructo oligosaccharides on digestive enzyme activities, intestinal microflora and morphology of male broilers","volume":"82","author":"ZR Xu","year":"2003","journal-title":"Poultry Science"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0260923.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"325","DOI":"10.1080\/00071660902806962","article-title":"Effect of inulin on growth performance, intestinal tract sizes, mineral retention and tibial bone mineralization in broiler chickens","volume":"50","author":"LT Ortiz","year":"2009","journal-title":"British Poultry Science"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0260923","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]],"date-time":"2021-12-16T18:50:43Z","timestamp":1639680643000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0260923"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Arda","family":"Yildirim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]]},"references-count":24,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0260923","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]]}}}