Dietary Nucleotides: A Key to Healthier and Faster-Growing Male Broiler Chickens

This study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of dietary nucleotide supplementation (Zymos-N®) on the growth performance, gut histomorphometry, and immune response of broiler chickens. A total of 600 one-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four groups, each consisting of 150 birds. Group 1 served as the blank control (BC), while Groups 2-4 were designated as test groups (T1, T2, and T3). The BC group received a standard diet without supplementation, whereas the test groups were provided with nucleotide-supplemented diets as follows: T1 during the starter phase, T2 during the starter and grower phases, and T3 throughout the starter, grower, and finisher phases. Results indicated that nucleotide supplementation significantly improved body weight and growth rate, with the most pronounced effects observed in T3, which received supplementation throughout the entire trial. Intestinal morphology was positively influenced, with T3 showing increased intestinal diameter and reduced intestine weight percentage. Jejunal villous height was significantly increased in T2 and T3, while crypt depth was reduced, indicating enhanced nutrient absorption. Immune response analysis revealed a significant increase in haemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers across all test groups, while the Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity (DTH) response was notably elevated in T1. Although histopathological lesions varied among groups, T2 exhibited the lowest duodenal lesion score, suggesting a protective effect. Lymphocytic depletion was highest in T1, whereas BC and T2 had the lowest depletion scores. In conclusion supplementing the diet with nucleotides for the entire 35-day experimental period yielded the most favorable outcomes.