Abstract The target of present research was to determine how different doses of Azolla and probiotics affect cecal in intestinal microbiota, gene expression and immune competence traits of Indian River (IR) chicks. The study on 300 IR chicks, which was randomly divided into ten groups each with three replicates of 10 birds. The first (T1) were fed diet without Azolla while, Azolla 5% (T2), 10% (T3), 15% (T4), 20% (T5), however birds in group (T6) fed diet without Azolla and drink water with 108 Enterococcus faecalis, Azolla 5% with 108 Ent (T7), 10% with108 Ent (T8), 15% with108 Ent (T9) and 20% with108 Ent (T10). The experiment lasted for 35 days then all animals were slaughtered. Revealed data demonstrated that total count bacterial in pathogenic and probiotics bacteria that total clostridium and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and probiotics that lactic acid, bacillus subtilis and Enterocooi, gene expression that immunity from IL6 , IL4 and MUC2 and antioxidants from INOS , SOD1 and LXRA. As a result, in improve beneficial microflora and reduce pathogens in caecum, data in IL6 were found to be elevated in birds and significantly increased in Azolla 20% + Pro group compared to control. IL4 and MUC2 showed insignificant expression compared with control. Indeed, antioxidant with the INOS significantly in birds Azolla 20% group compared to control. SOD1 and LXRA insignificant compared with control. Based on the study, using Azolla as replacement level of 5% of soy protein and without probiotic (Enterococcus faecails) improve beneficial microflora and reduce pathogens in caecum. and suggest of Azolla and probiotics in the diets of broiler chicks has a varying effect on the gene expression of immunity-related genes and antioxidant-related genes in the cecal tissue.
Keywords Azolla pinnata, immune function, gene expression, caecal microbiome.