Abstract
Objective:
The study aims to understand the effect of new antibiotic-substituting supplements in feeding chickens of the Hisex Brown cross in industrial conditions.
Materials and methods:
A total of 216 hatched chicks were randomly selected and distributed into Control, Test I, and Test II groups, with 3 replicates of 24 birds in three treatments.
Results:
At the end of the experiment, BW of T1/T2 birds was higher by 6.12% (p <0.01) and 10.29% (p <0.001) than CON. In comparison with the control hens, T1/T2 birds had a higher feed conversion rate and digestibility of nutrients. The blood indicators of T1/T2 hens exceeded those in control. Prebiotic supplementations were positively influenced in the immune indices of birds. IgA, IgG, IgM increased in groups T1/T2. Similar regularity was found in the natural resistance of chicks fed S1/S2. In the caecum, the Lactobacilli number was higher than in CON by 17.03% (p <0.01) in T1 and by 18.47% (p <0.01)-in T2; Bifidobacteria-by 17.94 (p <0.001) and 19.09% (p <0.01), respectively; at the same time, the number of E. coli decreased by 21.05% (p <0.01) and 24.21% (p <0.01). The concentration of emitted excreta noxious gases decreased: ammonia by 22.40%-24.95% (p <0.01); hydrogen sulfide by 10.67%-16.00% (p <0.01); and mercaptans by 12.90%-17.74% (p <0.05).
Conclusion:
These findings support the use of lactulose-based supplements as antibiotic alternatives to improve production in poultry farming and to reduce the toxic load on the environment.
Keywords:
Excreta noxious gas; gut microflora; lactulose; nutrition; poultry industry.