The study was conducted to analyze alterations in the microbiological profile of the ileal digesta of broilers fed different levels of energy and additives. A standard diet based on corn-soybean meal and a low energy diet based on corn, soybean and wheat bran were prepared. Either Enterococus faecium probiotic or xylanase, amylase plus β-glucanase enzymes or the mix of probiotic and exzymes were added or not to each energy level, resulting in eight treatments. Birds were distributed in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design, and each treatment had 5 replications of 12 birds. One bird of each repetition was slaughtered at 19 days of age and the ileal contents were collected and stored at -24 ºC until analysis. DNA was extracted from the microorganism probiotic and ileal content using the QIAamp DNA Stool kit following the recommendations of the manufacturer. The extracted samples were amplified by PCR and the ileal microbiota and probiotic profiles were characterized using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The results show that all treatments resulted in different profiles of amplicons, except for enzymes alone or mix with probiotic in the standard energy diet. The probiotic microorganism profile was absent in all diets. The use of additives changed the digestive microbiota in the ileum, although the probiotic was not capable of colonizing the ileum of the birds.
DGGE; DNA; enzymes; probiotic; wheat
