EFFECT OF PROBIOTICS INSTEAD OF ANTIBIOTICS AS GROWTH PROMOTERS IN BROILER PRODUCTION

Abstract

A study was conducted on "Cobb-500" broiler chicks to evaluate the effects of probiotics as the growth promoter‟s supplementation on their growth performance, hematological parameter, microbiological load and meat composition. A total of 320, seventh days old broiler chicks were divided randomly into four groups. Each treatment group had four replications; each replication had twenty broiler chicks. Treatment Group 1 designated as the control group received standard broiler diet without any antibiotics or probiotics. Treatment group 2 received antibiotics at the rate of 14 mg Oxytetracycline®/ L of water), Treatment Group 3 received probiotics (only bacteria) at the rate of 1 x 10 8 CFU/ ml / Lwaterand Treatment Group 4 had probiotics with bacteria and yeast 1 x 10 8 CFU/ ml / Lof water 7 th to 28 th days of the study. It was observed that probiotics supplementation enhanced the body growth rate. Final body weight was significantly increased (P<0.05) in the treated groups in comparison with that of control group. The daily body weight gain at Treatment Group 4 was observed significantly (P<0.05) higher than others. The FCR were very much satisfactory at the probiotics providing groups.Total Erythrocyte Count (TEC), Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, Packed Cell Volume (PCV) were significantly increased (p<0.05) in treated groups than the control group.Moreover, Inclusion of probiotics with water to broiler chicks found relative weight of liver, heart, gizzard and intestine weight which had no significant (P>0.05) differences among the treatments. Though the trends of weights were higher in probiotics supplementing group compared to the others. In addition supplementations to broiler water showed significant (p<0.05) difference in bacterial colony count among the groups. It is suggesting that the poultry farming may be benefited using probiotics.