Performance and Gastrointestinal Tract Metabolism of Turkeys Fed Diets with Different Contents of Fructooligosaccharides

Different levels of dietary fructooligosaccharide (FOS) administered for 8 wk to commercial male turkeys were evaluated for their efficacy on performance and physiological response in the digestive tract. Special attention was paid to cecal metabolism. The following levels of FOS were used in a diet: 0.5, 1, and 2%. After 8 wk of experimental feeding, the diet intake, body weight, and feed efficiency ratio were similar in all groups examined. The pH of ileal and cecal contents were reduced by dietary treatments, especially when 2% of dietary FOS was used. The highest ammonia and Lowry's protein concentrations were associated with elevated amounts of FOS preparation in a diet (1 and 2%). Bacterial enzyme activity remained statistically unaffected by experimental treatments; however, a slight beneficial decrease in the activity of beta-glucosidase and beta-glucuronidase was observed after ingestion of the FOS preparation. The addition of FOS to a diet did not affect short-chain fatty acid concentration but gave greater short-chain fatty acid pool in the ceca of turkeys, especially in the case of the highest dose of FOS.