Fig. 6

Effects of ABX treatment on the gut microbiota of broiler chickens with cages and ground litter floor pens. The beta diversity (A, B) of ileum microbiota of broiler chickens was analyzed by non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). The alpha diversity of ileum microbiota of broiler chickens was analyzed by Chao1 index (C) and Shannon index (D). Differential microbes in ileum of broiler chickens by T-test (E-J). The numbers of aerobes (K) and anaerobes (L) in cecum were detected by culture count method. All graphs are presented as mean, with the standard deviation (SD) shown via the whiskers. The main effect and interaction effects were analyzed using the general linear model (GLM) procedure, with the P values for the main effects written out below each plot. The one-way ANOVA and multiple comparisons were performed when interactive effects differed significantly. The lowercase letters on the bar charts indicate significant differences (P < 0.05). CC/Cage: cage control group; CK/Cage + ABX: cage with ABX group; GC/Litter: ground litter control group; GK/Litter + ABX: ground litter with ABX group