Journal Article

Mortality and growth performance of broilers given drinking water supplemented with chicken-specific probiotics

Veldman, A, Timmerman, H.M, Elsen, E. van den, Beynen, A.C, Rombouts, F.M

2006

Overview

For application in broiler production, we developed a multispecies (MSPB) and a chicken-specific (CSPB) probiotic preparation in fluid form. The MSPB contained different probiotic species of human origin, whereas the CSPB consisted of 7 Lactobacillus species isolated from the digestive tract of chickens. In a field trial with broilers, MSPB treatment resulted in a slight increase (by 1.84%) in broiler productivity based on an index taking into account daily weight gain, feed efficiency, and mortality. The CSPB treatment reduced mortality in 2 subsequent field trials and raised productivity by 2.94 and 8.70%. In a controlled trial with broilers showing a high index of productivity, probiotic treatment further raised productivity by 3.72%. Based on the present 4 studies in combination with 9 studies published earlier, it is suggested that with higher productivity rates of the broilers the effect of probiotics becomes smaller.

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Subject: acidophilus / administration & dosage / Animals / Antibiosis / broiler chickens / Chickens / Chickens - growth & development / Drinking water / drug effects / Energy Intake / Energy Intake - drug effects / exclusion / fed diets / Feed conversion / flora / growth & development / Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Lactobacillus / Lactobacillus - growth & development / Lactobacillus - physiology / lactobacillus-cultures / liveweight gain / Male / Mortality / oral administration / organs / physiology / Poultry Diseases / Poultry Diseases - prevention & control / Poultry production / prevention & control / Probiotics / Probiotics - administration & dosage / Productivity / Random Allocation / weight / Weight Gain / Weight Gain - drug effects