Prebiotic effect of Ulva rigida meal on the intestinal integrity and serum cholesterol and triglyceride content in broilers

Marine algae contain large amounts of bioactive compounds and dietary fiber; thus, when used as feed for poultry, they could be an alternative to improve intestinal integrity and reduce lipid serum concentrations. Few studies have assessed the prebiotic properties of this marine resource. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prebiotic effects of different concentrations of the green alga Ulva rigida as feed additive to enhance the morphology of intestinal villi and reduce total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in chickens. One hundred and forty-one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomized to one of four treatments: 0, 2, 4, and 6% Ulva meal, respectively, including seven replicates of five broilers each, in a completely randomized design. The assay was run for 6 weeks. Body weight gain and carcass percentage were not affected by the treatment, but feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality showed significant differences (p < 0.05). Width, height, and contour length of intestinal villi were higher (p < 0.05) in all U. rigida meal treatments compared to the control group. The highest (p < 0.05) intestinal villus height and contour length were recorded with 2% Ulva. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower in Ulva treatments vs. control (p < 0.05). The addition of U. rigida to broilers meal improved the growth of intestinal villi and reduced serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thus confirming that it could be considered as a prebiotic that can enhance the broiler health.