Overview of the Use of Probiotics in Poultry Production

Abstract

In recent years, probiotics have become more popular in the world of dietary supplements and feed additives within the poultry industry, acting as antibiotic substitutes. Above all, probiotics are universal feed additives that can be used in conjunction with other additives to promote improved performance and health. Their positive effects can be observed directly in the gastrointestinal tract and indirectly in immunomodulation of the poultry immune system. Nutritional effects seen in flocks given probiotics include increased laying and egg quality, increased daily increments, and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR). There has also been an improvement in the quality of meat. This suggests producers can improve production results through the use of probiotics. In addition to these production effects, bird immunity is improved by allowing the organism to better protect itself against pathogens and stress. The lack of accuracy in the formulation of non-European preparations needs to be further developed due to unknown interactions between probiotic bacteria strains as well as their metabolites. The versatility of probiotics and the fact that the bacteria used in their production are an integral part of animal digestive tracts make them a safe feed additives. Despite restrictions from the European Union, probiotics have potential to improve production and health within the poultry industry and beyond. The following article will review the use of probiotics in poultry production.

Uso de probióticos y sus efectos en el bienestar de la gallina ponedora

“…Sabendo que as aves sob condições comerciais criadas em gaiolas ou em alta densidade podem apresentar comportamento anormal, como agressividade, bicagem e até canibalismo, resultante de estresse (Hedlund & Jensen, 2022;Jiang et al, 2022), a manutenção do equilíbrio da microbiota é crucial para a homeostase fisiológica e comportamental, saúde, bem-estar (Jiang et al, 2022) e qualidade dos ovos produzidos (Hedlund & Jensen, 2022). Assim, a suplementação com probióticos torna-se uma ótima opção, pois promove efeitos benéficos à saúde em resposta ao estresse das aves, além de melhorar o processo de adaptação ao ambiente de produção (Jha et al, 2020;Krysiak et al, 2021).…”

The Impact of Probiotic Bacillus subtilis on Injurious Behavior in Laying Hens

“…Probiotics are commensal bacteria (“direct-fed microbials”, DFM) that offer potential health beneficial effects to the host’s stress response (acute, chronic or both). Several commercial probiotics have been used in poultry production [ 150 , 151 ], and numerous studies have shown that probiotics aid chickens in adapting to their environment and improving their health and welfare by: (1) altering the microbiota profile with beneficial bacteria to prevent the growth of pathogens and to compete with enteric pathogens for the limited availability of nutrient and attachment sites; (2) producing bacteriocins (such as bacteriostatic and bactericidal substances) with antimicrobial function and short chain fatty acids to regulate the activity of intestinal digestive enzymes and energy homeostasis; (3) modulating gut and systemic immunity; (4) restoring the intestinal barrier integrity preventing pathogens from crossing the mucosal epithelium; (5) stimulating the endocrine system and attenuating stress-induced disorders of the HPA and/or sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SMA) axes via the gut–brain axis; (6) inducing epithelial heat shock proteins to protect cells from oxidative damage; and (7) synthesis and secretion of neurotransmitters such as 5-HT and tryptophan [ 104 , 107 , 113 , 115 , 152 ] ( Figure 3 ).…”

Probiotics: Symbiotic Relationship with the Animal Host

“…Probiotics are nutritional supplements made up of live microorganisms that colonize and modify the GIT microbiota [13], and in adequate amounts [14], they confer a benefit for the health and physiology of the host [15]. Many benefits of the use of probiotics have been described, such as protection against physiological stress, modulation of the intestinal microbiota, improvement of the epithelial barrier in the intestine and stimulation of the antioxidant capacity and immune system [16,17]. However, as disadvantages of the application of probiotics in animals, low repeatability of the benefits of some probiotic strains in different individuals, animal species and productive categories has been found, and in addition, some strains have a low tolerance to the temperature of feed manufacturing and chlorine in drinking water.…”

“…Beyond this, the benefits of some probiotics are mediated by the type of substrate they receive in the gastrointestinal tract of the host. Hence, more conclusive studies on the benefits of probiotics in animals are still needed [17].…”

“…There are a great variety of microorganisms with probiotic characteristics-mainly these are lactic acid bacteria (LAB)-which actively participate in fermentation processes and several metabolic activities [18]. Those most often used are Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, Pediococcus pentosaceus, L. helveticus, L. lactis, L. salivarius, L. plantarum, Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis [17,19].…”