Effect Of Lactobacillus Cultures On Performance And Immune Characteristics Of Broilers

This three part study was on the effect of different dosing rates of lactobacillus cultures onbroiler performance,cecal microflora, blood biochemical parameters and immunologicalproperties.In this study,300one day old AA broiler chicks were assigned to five treatment dietsin a completely randomized experimental design. Each treatment had six replicates with10birdsper replicate. Feed intake was recorded daily. Birds were weighed weekly. On21d and42drespectively two broilers per replicate were randomly selected and slaughtered for bloodbiochemical test. The treatment diets were as follows: Control (basal diet without lactobacilluscultures); A:(basal diet+0.8‰lactobacillus cultures); B:(basal diet+1.6‰lactobacilluscultures); C:(basal diet+3.2‰lactobacillus cultures); D: basal diet+6.4‰lactobacilluscultures).Study One: This was on the effect of lactobacillus cultures on broiler performance and bloodbiochemical parameters. The results showed that adding1.6‰of Lactobacillus cultures to thebasal diet can significantly improve average daily gain of broilers days (P<0.05), andsignificantly lower feed conversion. Addition of1.6‰of cultures to the basal diet cansignificantly improve the42-day broiler serum albumin (P<0.05), serum total protein andglucose also improved. Urea nitrogen tended to decrease, but the difference was not significant(P>0.05).Study Two: This was on the effect of Lactobacillus cultures on the Digestive Function ofBroilers. The results showed that adding Lactobacillus to the basal diet can improve theabsorption capacity of nutrients, but it was not significant (P>0.05). Lactobacillus cultures cansignificantly increase the21-day-old broilers duodenal peptic index (P<0.05), and increase42-day glandular stomach, muscular stomach, duodenum and jejunum digestive Index (P<0.05).Both the numbers of E. coli and bifidobacteria were significantly increased in the Lactobacillusmetabolite added groups (P<0.05). There was a significant increase in duodenal villus height,and villus height/crypt depth ratio (P<0.05). Addition of1.6‰Lactobacillus cultures gave thebest results.Study Three: This study was undertaken on the same basis as study one and two. The effect ofLactobacillus cultures on immune function of broilers was investigated. The results showed thatthe inclusion of Lactobacillus cultures significantly increased (P<0.05) spleen index of 42-day-old broilers. Newcastle antibody titer levels were significantly increased on both21-dayand42-day-old broilers. The best result for immune function improvement was howeverachieved with6.4‰inclusion of Lactobacillus cultures.