The study was conducted to investigate the effect of delayed feeding with synbiotics on nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics and gut morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 108 commercial broiler chickens were divided into three groups, each with 4 replicates containing 9 birds. The control group received water with synbiotics and pre-starter feed upon arrival at the farm from the hatchery, continuing for the first 24 hours. In the Treatment D12 group, synbiotics-supplemented water and pre-starter feed were provided 12 hours after the chicks arrived at the farm and in D24 after 24 hours. For the treatment groups, synbiotics (1g/liter) were added to the drinking water for the first 24 hours. Early access to feed and synbiotics added water group (control) resulted in numerically higher dry matter retention compared to delayed synbiotics supplemented group. The positive N balance was found to be improved significantly (P<0.05) in D12 group as compared to Control and D24 groups. The carcass percentage, abdominal fat percentage, giblet percentage, small intestine weight and length and large intestine weight were found statistically similar in early and delay synbiotics supplementation groups. Gizzard weight was significantly higher (P<0.05) in D24 group. D24 groups observed significantly higher (P<0.05) villus height to crypt depth ratio in duodenal gut morphology compared to Control and D12 groups. Non-significant results in livability and other data carcass characteristics and gut morphology showed that there was no any adverse effect of early or delay feeding in broilers.

Delayed feeding, nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, gut morphology

It can be concluded from the study that delay feeding with synbiotics had no any adverse effect on nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, gut morphology and livability in broilers.

Minnat Patel, Safimahmad Vahora, Rajpura Rais, Prashant Dabhi, Dharmik Desai and Mohsin M. Pathan (2025). Effect of Delayed Feeding with synbiotics on Nutrient Digestibility, Carcass Characteristics and Gut Morphology of Broiler Chickens. Biological Forum, 17(10): 71-77.