Multistrain probiotics positively affect the growth performance, meat quality and alter the fecal microbiota in broiler chickens

The study aimed to explore the effectiveness of incorporating Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus licheniformis and Clostridium butyricum on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal toxic gas emission, fecal microbiota, and meat quality of broiler chickens. A total of 720 one-day-old Ross-308 broilers with an initial average BW of 42.73 ± 2.05 g were randomly allotted to 4 treatments (10 replicate pens/treatment and 18 broilers/pen). The experiment lasted 35 d. The broilers were fed a basal diet or a basal diet containing 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% multistrain probiotics. Experimental data were analyzed using GLM procedure of SAS (SAS Institute Inc.) with Duncan’s multiple range test. Probability level P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant and P < 0.10 as a trend. A linear increase in body weight gain was observed (P < 0.05) with the increasing levels of probiotics from d 1 to 7, d 8 to 21, and d 1 to 35 (P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a dose effect of probiotics on increased feed intake (P = 0.030) during d 1 to 35. There was no difference observed in the nutrient digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, and gross energy. However, dietary probiotics supplement increased (P < 0.05) the Lactobacillus and tended to reduce Escherichia coli counts in the broiler. The pH value and water holding capacity (P = 0.0694) tended to increase (0.05 < P < 0.1) as the probiotics dose increased. Taken together, multistrain probiotic plays vital roles in improving BWG and altering microbiota, and improving meat quality.

Key Words: multistrain probiotic, growth performance, meat quality, fecal microflora, broiler.

Published in the proceedings of the 10th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals 2022, St. Louis, USA.