Assessment of probiotics supplementation via feed or water on the growth performance, intestinal morphology and microflora of chickens after experimental infection withEimeria acervulina,Eimeria maximaandEimeria tenella

Abstract

In this study, the effect of probiotic supplementation via drinking water or feed on the performance of broiler chickens experimentally infected with sporulated oocysts of Eimeria acervulina (5 × 10(4)), Eimeria maxima and Eimeria tenella (2 × 10(4) each one) at 14 days of age was evaluated. Two hundred and forty 1-day-old Ross 308 male chicks were separated into eight equal groups with three replicates. Two of the groups, one infected with mixed Eimeria oocysts and the other not, were given a basal diet and served as controls. The remaining groups were also challenged with mixed Eimeria species and received the basal diet and either water supplemented with probiotic (three groups) or probiotic via feed (two groups); the probiotic used consisted of Enterococcus faecium #589, Bifidobacterium animalis #503 and Lactobacillus salivarius #505 at a ratio of 6:3:1. Probiotic supplementation was applied either via drinking water in different inclusion rates (groups W1, W2 and W3) or via feed using uncoated (group FN) or coated strains (group FC). The last group was given the basal diet supplemented with the anticoccidial lasalocid at 75 mg/kg. Each experimental group was given the corresponding diet or drinking water from day 1 to day 42 of age. Throughout the experimental period of 42 days, body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly and feed conversion ratios were calculated. Seven days after infection, the infected control group presented the lowest weight gain values, while probiotics supplied via feed supported growth to a comparable level with that of the lasalocid group. Probiotic groups presented lesion score values and oocyst numbers that were lower than in control infected birds but higher than in the lasalocid group. In the duodenum, jejunum and ileum, the highest villous height values were presented by probiotic groups. In conclusion, a mixture of probiotic substances gave considerable improvement in both growth performance and intestinal health in comparison with infected control birds and fairly similar improvement to an approved anticoccidial during a mixed Eimeria infection.

Performance and intestinal microbiota of chickens receiving probiotic in the feed and submitted to antibiotic therapy

“…In addition, others studies have shown improvement in performance using probiotic in the diets when chickens were under challenge conditions, such as C. perfringens (Jayaraman et al, ), Escherichia coli (Zhang et al, ), Eimeria sp. (Giannenas et al, ) or simply injection of LPS (Jiang, Schatzmayr, Mohnl, & Applegate, ). However, taking together the results of many different trials, there is not always a beneficial effect of the probiotic to chickens (Huyghebaert et al, ; Willis, Isikhuemhen, & Ibrahim, ).…”

Probiyotiklerin Eimeria tenella İle Enfekte Broiler Piliçlerin Sağlık Durumu ve Verim Performansı Üzerine Etkileri

“…Weight gain of each separate bird and also feed consumption of each separate pen was recorded weekly. At 14 d of age, the birds were infected with sporulated E. tenella oocysts by administering them directly into the crop via an oral gavage of the oocysts suspension by a rubber tube adjusted to a plastic syringe [30] . So, except for Control group, four chickens from each pen that marked with the same colors (2 male and 2 female) were artificially infected with 9×10 4 Eimeria oocysts.…”

“…For micro morphometric examinations, the entire segments of the ceca were fixed in 10% formalin, embedded in paraffin wax, and sectioned to give 4-μm-thick serial paraffin sections. Then, sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin to measure the height of intestinal villi and the depth of intestinal crypts under a light microscopy [30] . Histological sections were examined with a Leica DM500 light-microscope coupled with a Leica Microsystem Framework integrated digital imaging analysis system (Leica ICCSO HD, Heerbrugg, Switzerland).…”

“…The villous height was estimated by measuring the vertical distance from the villous tip to the villous-crypt junction level for 30 villi per section. The crypt depth (the vertical distance from the villous-crypt junction to the lower limit of the crypt) was estimated for 30 corresponding crypts per section [30] .…”

Modulation of cytokine gene expression by selectedLactobacillusisolates in the ileum, caecal tonsils and spleen ofSalmonella-challenged broilers

“…There is an increased interest in using probiotics as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production (Giannenas et al, 2014). A full understanding of the role that probiotic bacteria play in modulating the host immune system is becoming important, and can guide practice in the development and application of novel probiotics (Matsuzaki & Chin, 2000).…”