To evaluate if microbiological quality of drinking water has an effect on intestinal morphology of broilers, the weekly water consumption by them was verified, and microbiological analysis of water samples, scanning electron microscopy and small intestine histology of broilers treated with filtered and not filtered water was conducted. Chickens that ingested filtered water had access to fewer fecal microorganisms (2.52±0.99 Most Probable Number MPN of fecal coliforms and 1.17±1.25 MPN of Escherichia coli) compared to those who drank no filtered water (3.62±0.67 and 2.53±1.13 MPN). At 14, 21 and 45 days old, the duodenum, jejunum and ileum of 96 birds were sampled. After laboratory routine, samples preserved in glutaraldehyde were eletronmicrographed and evaluated by villous density, and the material maintained in Bouin's solution was destinated to histological slides that were analyzed morphometrically. The duodenum of birds that ingested not filtered water had the highest density of villi in response to microbiological water quality. In intestinal morphometry, were observed that birds receiving not filtered water showed increase in intestinal crypts depth and presented larger villi compared with birds that ingested filtered water. It is cocluded that filtered water, offered to broilers in a life span of 45 days, favors the maintenance of intestinal integrity.
Water quality; filtered water; birds; broilers; intestinal integrity; scanning electron microscopy.
