The Effect of Skim Milk Fortified with Prebiotic on Rats Health.

Male rats (Albino rats) from college of veterinary-Basrah University were used in this study, randomly distributed depending on weight into five treatments (six rats per treatment), all treatmentsfed on a standard diet along the experiment period, treatment 2 was dosed skim milk (4 ml), while treatments 3, 4 and 5 were dosed(4 ml) skim milk fortified with 1.5g/kg of rat weightprebiotic (Fructooligosaccharide, Resistant starchand Xylooligosaccharides) respectively. Results at the end of experiment (90 days) showed that treatment 5 (XOS) was significantly higher in fecal content of Lactobacillus (log 9.41)and Bifidobacterium (log 8.48), while the least in coliform (log 5.23) significantly comparing with the other treatments. For Short chain fatty acid, treatment 5 was significantly higher in fecal content of acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid (92.97, 16.05 and 15.05) g/μmol comparing with the resttreatments. Treatment 5 was the lowest in pH (5.91), the highest in fecal moisture content (49.00), and the best in Villus length and Crypts depth (290.56 and 122.00) μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]