Influence of synbiotics delivered in ovo on immune organs development and structure.

Prebiotics and probiotics applied alone or together (synbiotics) can influence the intestinal microbiota and modulate the immune response. We analyzed the impact of in ovo administration of synbiotics on immune system development in Ross (broiler) and Green-legged Partridgelike (GP, dual-purpose fowl) chickens. For in ovo delivery on the 12th day of the eggs incubation, two strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were used, i.e. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis IBB SL1 (S1) and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris IBB SC1 (S2), combined with raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO) prebiotic. Other treatments included in ovo delivery of commercial synbiotic (S3), RFO prebiotics alone (P) and physiological saline (C). Immune system development was analyzed by relative weight (indices) and histology of the lymphatic organs (bursa of Fabricius, thymus and spleen) at two time points (3rd and 6th week of life). The results indicate that the development of the lymphatic organs was significantly affected by in ovo treatment. The bursa and bursa to spleen index was higher in P and S2 groups of broilers (P < 0.05) when compared to S3. In GP at the 3rd week of age, the spleen index was significantly higher in S2 (P < 0.05). The histological image of the thymus displayed an increase of thymocytes in the cortex in all synbiotic-treated groups (S1, S2, S3). In ovo delivery of synbiotics is an efficient mode of immune system stimulation in chickens but its efficiency depends on chicken genotype.