Effects of two different probiotics on microflora, morphology, and morphometry of gut in organic laying hens

The current study investigated the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis, used as probiotics, on the microflora, morphology, and morphometry of the gut in organic laying hens. The birds (180 Hy-Line laying hens) were divided into 3 homogenous groups and received a pre-deposition...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Poultry science 2016-11, Vol.95 (11), p.2528-2535
Main Authors: Forte, C., Acuti, G., Manuali, E., Casagrande Proietti, P., Pavone, S., Trabalza-Marinucci, M., Moscati, L., Onofri, A., Lorenzetti, C., Franciosini, M. P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Feed - analysis
Animal Husbandry
Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Animals
Bacillus subtilis
Chickens - anatomy & histology
Chickens - microbiology
Chickens - physiology
Diet - veterinary
Female
Intestines - anatomy & histology
Intestines - microbiology
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Probiotics
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Summary:The current study investigated the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis, used as probiotics, on the microflora, morphology, and morphometry of the gut in organic laying hens. The birds (180 Hy-Line laying hens) were divided into 3 homogenous groups and received a pre-deposition diet from 16 to 20 wk of age and a deposition diet for the remaining 7 months of the experiment. The control group (CTR) was fed a corn-soybean cake-based diet, the second group (L) received the same diet supplemented with 0.1% of L. acidophilus while in the third group (B) the basal diet was supplemented with 0.05% of B. subtilis. At 18 wk of age (T1) and at 5 (T2) and 7 months (T3) from the beginning of deposition, 9 subjects per group were humanely killed for microbiological, morphological and morphometric analyses of the intestinal tract. The 2 probiotic-supplemented diets increased Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. counts compared with the CTR diet. The lowest viable counts of E. coli, coliforms and staphylococci were observed in the L group (P
ISSN:0032-5791
1525-3171
DOI:10.3382/ps/pew164