Effects of Lactobacillus probiotics supplemented with concentrate feed on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and caecal microflora of RIR chickens

Abstract

Probiotic use is suggested as an alternative to antibiotics when the treatment of poultry gastrointestinal tract microbiota through antibiotic use has been banned in some countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of previously isolated Lactobacillus salivarius CEL1 and Lactobacillus reuteri CEC3 probiotics on the growth performance, caecal microbial population, and carcass weight of Rhode Island Red (RIR) male chickens. A total of 72, day-old RIR male chicks were randomly assigned into three experimental treatment groups in triplicate. The treatment groups were the control, L. salivarius CEL1 and L. reuteri CEC3. The control group was fed basal chicken feed, and 1 × 10⁸ cfu of L. salivarius CEL1 and L. reuteri CEC3 cultures were added to the feed for the L. salivarius CEL1 and L. reuteri CEC3 groups, respectively. The Lactobacillus, total aerobic bacteria, and Escherichia coli populations in the ceca were also determined. Compared to the control group, supplementation of L. salivarius CEL1 and L. reuteri CEC3 significantly (p < 0.05) increased body weight and body weight gain and the number of E. coli and total aerobic bacteria in the cecum of chickens were reduced. In addition, L. salivarius CEL1 and L. reuteri CEC3 supplementation resulted in significantly high dressing and internal organ weights. However, there were no statistically significant differences in feed intake and feed conversion efficiency between treatments at 42 days of rearing. This study revealed that L. salivarius CEL1 and L. reuteri CEC3 could be considered good potential probiotics for chickens.

Keywords:

• Chicken
• Lactobacillus reuteri
• Lactobacillus salivarius
• probiotics
• carcass characteristics, and caecal microflora growth performance

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Pedro González-Redondo, University of Seville, Seville, Spain

SUBJECTS:

• Microbiology
• Nutrition
• Biotechnology

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to give special thanks to Pan African University for the sponsorship of this research work. We are also grateful to the University of Gondar, Ethiopia, for this research laboratory work.

Ethical approval

Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethical Committee of the University of Gondar (Ref. No IOB/486/07/2019).

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Author contributions

KTS, KJM, and NBT conceived and designed the experiments; KTS and SAM performed the experiments and carcass analysis, analyzed and interpreted the data; KTS contributed reagents, materials, analysis tools or data; KTS, KJM, NBT, and SAM wrote the paper. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data included in article/supplementary material/referenced in the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology, and Innovation (PAUSTI) with reference number PAU/ADM/PAUSTI/004/17.

Notes on contributors

Kibrnesh Tegenaw Tsega

Kibrnesh Tegenaw Tsega (MSc) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Gondar. She studied Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Currently, she works at the University of Gondar, Institute of Biotechnology, Ethiopia. She has published more than four articles in reputable journals. Her research interests include the production of food and feed supplements (either probiotics or prebiotics), microbial conversion of biomass to valuable products, genomics and proteomics, metabolic pathway analysis, immunological response mechanisms to microbes, and plant/animal interaction with microorganisms.

J. Maina Kagira

J. Maina Kagira BVM, MSc, PhD working at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), his research interest mainly I. Development of diagnostic tools and novel drugs for the treatment of tropical human and livestock diseases II. Development of animal models for neglected tropical diseases III. Research on epidemiology, economic importance, and control of tropical human and livestock diseases IV. Research on the ‘One Health’ approach in the management and control of diseases.

Nega Berhane Tessema

Nega Berhane Tessema BSc, MSc, PhD working at the University of Gondar and director of the Institute of Biotechnology. He is a Medical Biotechnologist.

Shewangzaw Addisu Mekuria

Shewangzaw Addisu Mekuria BSc, MSc, PhD working at the University of Gondar College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences. He is an assistant professor in Animal Nutrition and PhD in Food Science and Nutrition.