Comparison of broiler performance, carcass yields and intestinal microflora when fed diets containing transgenic (Mon-40-3-2) and conventional soybean meal

This study was conducted to analyze the effects of transgenic glyphosate-tolerant soybeans on the performance, carcass yields and intestinal microflora of broiler chickens. Three hundred and sixty one-day-old Abor Aerec broilers were randomly divided into two dietary treatments, adding genetically modified (GM) glyphosate-tolerant soybean meal or conventional soybean meal, respectively. Broiler body weight and feed intake were recorded at regular intervals (day 0, 21 and 42). Chickens were slaughtered at day 42 for carcass yield measurement and sampling. Diversity of the ileum and cecum microflora was determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) technique and DNA sequencing. No treatment differences (P > 0.05) were detected among dietary treatments for any measured performance and carcass parameters. The microbial population in ileum and cecum also had no significant difference between the two treatments (P>0.05). The similarity of the total ileum and cecum microflora between the two treatments was about 62 and 58%, respectively. The DNA-DGGE electrophoresis pattern bands of intestine microbe were divided into two groups because of the different diet. Fifteen DGGE DNA bands were identified, of which five of them were identified as known bacteria. The current study showed that there were no adverse effects of the transgenic soybean meal on the intestinal microflora of broilers.