Effects of Probiotics Bacillus coagulans Combined with Antibiotics on the Young Broiler Production

PurposeThis study was investigated the effects of the combination of probiotics Bacillus coagulans combined with feed antibiotics on the young broiler production.

MethodsNinety eight AA broilers at the age of 1 d were randomly allocated two experimental groups according to the different feed additives, including on the control group (50 mg/kg chlortetracycline and 60 mg/kg salinomycin sodium) and the experimental group (50 mg/kg chlortetracycline, 60 mg/kg salinomycin sodium, and 3×10⁶ cfu/g B. coagulans). The growth performance, blood biochemistry, and immune organ indexes of two groups were studied during the 21 days of experiment.

ResultsCompared with the control chickens, the experimental group with 3×10⁶ cfu/g B. coagulans in diets improved the final body weight about 4.54% and average daily gain about 4.84% there was no significant difference between the control and the experimental groups (P>0.05). However, the 8.2% diarrhea of the treatment group was lower than 14.3% of the control. For the blood chemistry at 21 days of age, the contents of blood glucose, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and alanine aminotransferase activities of the experimental broilers were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the control. In addition, there were no significant differences (P>0.05) between two groups for the spleen indexes, thymus indexes and bursa of fabricius indexes.

ConclusionsThe supplement of 3×10⁶ cfu/g B. coagulans in young broiler diet with feed antibiotics decreased the chick diarrhea and increased the average daily gain, which was related to improve digestion and absorption of dietary carbohydrates and fats by the analysis of blood chemistry. These findings have scientific value and production guidance for promoting the application of probiotics B. coagulans products in broiler feed formula and practical breeding.