<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec>
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>The broiler chicken digestive tract microbiome maintains the bird’s immunity. Its composition has been shown to be important not only for the immune system but also for the gastrointestinal function and productivity of broiler chickens. If the microbiome is populated by supplementation with <italic>Lactobacillus, Pediococcus</italic> and <italic>Saccharomyces</italic> spp. – microorganisms with probiotic properties and alternatives to antibiotics – the immune system is stimulated. The use of probiotic supplements in the broiler production cycle can boost bird immunity and prevent adenovirus infection. The resilience of broiler chickens in different feeding schemes including supplementation with these microorganisms was assessed.</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>Four groups of Ross 308 chickens vaccinated on the standard scheme were investigated over 42 days. Group P received probiotics, prebiotics and vitamins; group AO received antibiotics; group P&amp;AO received probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins and antibiotics; and the control group C received none of these. The birds’ immunocompetence against common viral poultry pathogens and their immune response to an experimental challenge with a field strain of infectious bronchitis was evaluated by ELISA and production parameters were recorded.</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Mortality was only observed in the control group and was 10%. All birds from the P, P&amp;AO and AO groups responded to the challenge as would be expected of appropriately immunised chickens.</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The obtained results indicated that supplementation with synbiotic products and vitamins can enhance broiler chicken immunity and result in better production parameters.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
The broiler chicken digestive tract microbiome maintains the bird’s immunity. Its composition has been shown to be important not only for the immune system but also for the gastrointestinal function and productivity of broiler chickens. If the microbiome is populated by supplementation with Lactobacillus, Pediococcus and Saccharomyces spp. – microorganisms with probiotic properties and alternatives to antibiotics – the immune system is stimulated. The use of probiotic supplements in the broiler production cycle can boost bird immunity and prevent adenovirus infection. The resilience of broiler chickens in different feeding schemes including supplementation with these microorganisms was assessed.


Material and Methods
Four groups of Ross 308 chickens vaccinated on the standard scheme were investigated over 42 days. Group P received probiotics, prebiotics and vitamins; group AO received antibiotics; group P&AO received probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins and antibiotics; and the control group C received none of these. The birds’ immunocompetence against common viral poultry pathogens and their immune response to an experimental challenge with a field strain of infectious bronchitis was evaluated by ELISA and production parameters were recorded.


Results
Mortality was only observed in the control group and was 10%. All birds from the P, P&AO and AO groups responded to the challenge as would be expected of appropriately immunised chickens.


Conclusion
The obtained results indicated that supplementation with synbiotic products and vitamins can enhance broiler chicken immunity and result in better production parameters.

Probiotic supplementation as an alternative to antibiotics in broiler chickens

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Probiotic supplementation as an alternative to antibiotics in broiler chickens"}

Introduction
The broiler chicken digestive tract microbiome maintains the bird’s immunity. Its composition has been shown to be important not only for the...

Probiotic supplementation as an alternative to antibiotics in broiler chickens

Publié en ligne: 23 mars 2024

Pages: 147 - 154

Reçu: 31 août 2023

Accepté: 15 févr. 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2024-0009

Mots clés
antibiotic, chicken immunity, IB challenge, probiotics

© 2024 Grzegorz Tomczyk et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Probiotic supplementation as an alternative to antibiotics in broiler chickens

Publié en ligne: 23 mars 2024

Pages: 147 - 154

Reçu: 31 août 2023

Accepté: 15 févr. 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2024-0009

Mots clésantibiotic, chicken immunity, IB challenge, probiotics

© 2024 Grzegorz Tomczyk et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
antibiotic, chicken immunity, IB challenge, probiotics