Natural and synthetic oligosaccharides in broiler chicken diets

This review presents findings on the influence of natural raffinose series oligosaccharides and synthetic (industrial) products on the productivity of broiler chicken. There is evidence of negative effects on animal health and productivity from the use of raffinose series oligosaccharides, but beneficial effects from synthetic oligosaccharides. Part of this contradiction may be due to differences in the chemical nature of the supplements, the level of supple-mentation or the duration of feeding. The future for synthetic oligosaccharides is bright, but further adoption of natural sources requires a greater understanding of their chemistry to facilitate the production of beneficial compounds and the elimination of detrimental fractions. Most current literature favours the inclusion of various oligosaccharides in the diet. The cost of production could be minimised by the use of natural ingredients which contain oligosaccharides, or by cheap synthetic products, sources of which are highlighted in this review. © World's Poultry Science Association 1998