Dietary fiber, fat, and feed texture all influence the severity of enteric disorders by modifying gut motility. Feed
passage rate generally increases as dietary fiber content increases, and passage rate decreases as dietary fat content
increases. However, in young poultry with an enteric problem, these dietary components may help normalize gut
motility. Good gut motility is necessary for proper food digestion, nutrient absorption, and maintaining a healthy gut
environment. Dietary fiber and feed texture (particle size and integrity) are important for proper gizzard motility. The
gizzard is the "pace-maker" of normal gut motility (Duke, 1994). Unlike mammals, vigorous gut reflux (e.g. backward
flow or reverse peristalsis) are normal in birds as an adaptation to compensate for a short intestine.
The reflux serve to re-expose intestinal digesta to gastric secretions, vigorously mix digesta with enzymes to enhance
digestion, and discourage microbial prolifera-tion that may cause disease or compete for nutrients. Dietary fat
stimulates the reflux of digesta from the jejunum through duodenum into the gizzard, thus slowing food passage rate
and improving the utilization of dietary protein and energy.