Effects of Bacillus coagulans and Clostridium butyricum on Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens in High Temperature Condition

PurposeTo study the effects of the dietary supplementation of feed probiotics Bacillus coagulans and Clostridium butyricum on the growth performance, digestive organ weight and immune organ index of broiler chickens in high temperature condition.

Method A total of 240 healthy 28-day broiler chickens were divided into four treatment groups, including basal diet group, antibiotics group (oxytetracycline), B. coagulans group and C. butyricum group, which were exposed to the 34 ℃ experimental room. On the 42-day, selected chickens were slaughtered, and growth performance and the main organ weight were determined.

ResultsThe growth performance, digestive organ weight and immune organ index between the antibiotics group and the basal diet group were no significant differences (P>0.05) except the ileum weight. Compared with basal diet group, the feed intake/gain of B. coagulans group decreased significantly (P<0.05), but the liver weight, thymus index and bursa of Fabricius index increased significantly (P<0.05); the thymus index of C. butyricum group was greater than the basal diet group (P<0.05), but the ratio of feed to weight tended to decrease (P>0.05).

ConclusionThe probiotics B. coagulans had advantage on C. butyricum and oxytetracycline for the improvement of broiler growth performance in high temperature condition.