Impact of glutamine and Oasis hatchling supplement on growth performance, small intestinal morphology, and immune response of broilers vaccinated and challenged with Eimeria maxima

Seven hundred and twenty hatchling broilers were allotted to 12 treatment groups. Groups 1 and 2 were fasted for 48 h posthatch; groups 3 and 4 were fasted for 48 h followed by ad libitum access to a 1% glutamine (Gln) diet; groups 5 and 6 had ad libitum access to a common diet; groups 7 and 8 had access to a 1% Gln diet posthatch; groups 9 and 10 were fed regular Oasis hatchling supplement; and groups 11 and 12 were fed Oasis sprayed with 1% Gln for the first 48 h posthatch. The birds in treatment groups 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, and 12 were vaccinated with Eimeria maxima posthatch, and all birds were orally challenged with high dose E. maxima on d 22. During the first 2 wk, birds in group 7 had the highest gain and feed efficiency among treatments (P0.01). Compared with birds in the nonGln groups, birds in the Gln group had higher gain, feed efficiency, and livability (P0.05). Among the Fast (groups 1 to 4), Feed (groups 5 to 8), and Oasis (groups 9 to 12) groups, birds in the Feed groups had the highest gain during d 0 to 21 (P0.01). During d 22 to 28, birds in the Fast groups had the lowest BW and livability (P0.01), and the nonvaccinated birds had lower gain and feed efficiency relative to vaccinated birds (P0.01). Birds in the Feed and Oasis groups had higher villus height (VH) of mid small intestine than Fast groups at d 2 and 7 (P0.05), and nonvaccinated birds had higher VH than vaccinated birds (P0.01) at d 7 after hatch. On d 14, there were differences in serum interferon-gamma (P0.05) levels among treatments. During d 22 to 28, vaccinated birds had lower lesion scores in the mid small intestine than nonvaccinated birds (P0.01), and birds in the Feed or Oasis groups had lower lesion scores compared with the Fast groups (P0.02). These results indicated the importance of immediate access to feed posthatch, the beneficial effects of feeding Oasis hatching supplement and Gln after hatch, as well as the necessity of the vaccination program against coccidiosis challenge.