Effect of in ovo feeding of xylobiose and xylotriose on plasma immunoglobulin, cecal metabolites production, microbial ecology, and metabolic pathways in broiler chickens.

In ovo XOS2 and XOS3 feeding promoted beneficial bacterial growth and reduced harmful bacteria at the family and genus levels. The metagenomic-based microbial metabolic pathway profiling predicted a favorable change in the availability of cecal metabolites in the XOS2 and XOS3 groups. The modulation of microbiota and metabolic pathways suggests that in ovo XOS2 and XOS3 feeding improved gut health during the post-hatch period of broilers.