Egg production performance, egg quality, nutrient digestibility, and microbial composition as affected by dietary inulin supplementation were evaluated in laying hens. A total of 300 laying hens were divided into 5 groups and fed diets containing inulin at levels of 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 and 20 g/kg, respectively. The results showed that the 15 g/kg inulin supplementation level improved average egg weight by 2.54%, egg mass by 5.76%, and laying rate by 3.09%, and decreased the feed conversion ratio by 3.61% compared to those of the control during feeding weeks 1 to 8. Dietary inulin supplementation improved eggshell thickness, nutrient digestibility and cecum Bacteroidales_S24-7_ group abundance in the laying hens. In conclusion, dietary inulin supplementation, particularly at the level of 15 g/kg, improved the egg production performance and eggshell thickness of laying hens, mainly due to increased nutrient digestibility and selective modulations of the cecum microbial communities.
Keywords: Intestinal microbiota; Inulin; Laying hens.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.