A comparison between the effects of a probiotic and an antibiotic on the performance of Desi chickens.

A study was conducted to compare probiotic with antibiotic, using drinking water supplemented with Biovet and TNF-60. The 8-days old Desi chicks were randomly divided into 9 separate floor pens each comprising 75 birds and three pens (replicates) per treatment group following completely randomized design. At the end of 6 weeks trial, body weight (BW) and feed to gain ratio (FCR) were determined. At the end of experiment, serum cholesterol was determined. The BW of birds given antibiotic and probiotic was significantly greater than control. Similarly, better FCR was observed in birds those given drinking water with antibiotic and probiotic. There was less mortality recorded with probiotic treatment. Cholesterol contents were reduced significantly in probiotic supplemented group as compared to antibiotic and control groups. It may be concluded that performance in Desi birds could be maintained when supplementing probiotic incorporated in broiler's drinking water. The supplementation of probiotic may lead to the development of low-cholesterol chicken meat as demanded by health-conscious consumers. Probiotic may be replaced with the antibiotic to avoid its residual effects on birds as well as human health.


Introduction
microflora regulation may serve to improve feed conversion, weight gain and also improve the In view of the severe restriction or total ban intestinal health and immune competence of the on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in chickens (Panda et al., 2000).However, results poultry production, probiotics have been under field conditions have generally been suggested as an alternative to antibiotics.The inconsistent (Stavric et al., 1992).Results from gastrointestinal tract in chicks is sterile at trials conducted with broiler fed various hatching, and immediately bacteria from the probiotics were inconsistent.Some researchers environment or the diet colonize it.After this first reported positive responses of weight gain and colonization, new bacterial species have more feed conversion ratio in chickens due to difficulties to establish themselves.A wide range consumption of probiotics (Kumprecht and of dietary factors affect the composition of the Zobac, 1998; Fritts et al., 2000), while others microflora.This leads to new micro-ecological reported no beneficial effects (Panda et al., 1999; conditions that allow a better colonization of Kahraman et al., 2000).The most common routes some species due to improved adhesion or of administrating probiotic preparations are in growth rate.Ingested bacterial species could feed and drinking water (Tortuero, 1973; Watkins colonize the gastrointestinal tract, and this is the and Kratzer, 1984).case when probiotic micro-organisms are Biovet (as effective microorganisms) is a administered to the chickens (Fuller, 1989).
probiotic has recently been introduced in market.Using probiotic microorganisms shorten the It consists of lactic acid bacteria, yeast, period needed to stabilize the microflora.This actinomycetes, fermenting fungi and antioxidants antibiotic product which was manufactured by extracted from fruits and vegetables.It is added to Bermer-Germany and marketed by Vety-Care in the drinking water for poultry and claims to Pakistan.Each kilogram powder of antibiotic enhance the growth, remarkable improvement in (TNF-60) used in this study contained health and quality of meat in poultry.However, oxytetracycline (250g), Neomycine (100g), there is lacking of information regarding the Furaltadone (250g) and Sodium Sulphate (60g).efficacy and beneficial effects of biovet in the start of experiment.The experiment was Biovet as probiotic was mixed in drinking planned with the permission of Animal Ethics -1 Committee of the institute.The duration of water at the rate of 2 ml as recommended by Asad et al. (2006).Biovet is a commercial probiotic in experiment was 6 weeks.liquid form which is imported from Light Matrix Birds diet: A basal diet was formulated to meet or Organics CO. Ltd. Switzerland and marketed in exceed NRC (1994) recommendations for Pakistan by Nature Farming Research & essential amino acids in feeding periods.A diet Development Foundation.An analysis of the was analyzed as described methods in AOAC culture mix observed a minimum presence of 1.5 9 (2000) for proximate composition at feed testing x 10 cfu per mL (Lactobacillus Acidophilus, laboratory of Poultry Research Institute, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Rawalpindi.All analyses and determinations Aspergillus oryzae).The birds of control group were done in triplicate.The composition and were given drinking water without any calculated nutrient contents of a basal diet for desi supplementation.chickens were given in Table 1.
Parameter measured: Pen body weights were Antibiotic and Probiotic: TNF-60 as antibiotic obtained at weekly basis of experimental period.
was mixed in drinking water at the rate of 1g 4.5L Feed consumption was determined for the same 1 time periods.Birds were checked twice daily; as recommended by company (considered as weight of dead birds was used to adjust for feed positive control group).TNF-60 is a commercial consumption.At the end of experiment, blood supplemented group (1.0%) than control group samples were collected from the bronchial vein of (3.30%) at the end of experiment.3 chicks from each replicate to determine serum The effect of antibiotic and probiotics on cholesterol.The blood was collected in a test tube serum cholesterol of Desi chickens is also to obtain serum.The collected blood samples presented in Tables 2. Serum cholesterol were centrifuged at 3000×g for 10 min and the concentration decreased (p<0.05) with probiotic serum was decanted into aseptically treated vials treatment.However, there was non-significant and stored at -20ºC for total cholesterol.Serum (p>0.05)difference between antibiotic and cholesterol was measured by using diagnostic control groups.kits (RANDOX Diagnostics, Catalog No. CH Discussions 207, RANDOX Laboratories Ltd. Ardmore, It is clear from this study that the adminis-Diamond Road, Crumlin, Co. Antrim, United tration of antibiotic and probiotic via the drinking Kingdom BT29 4QY) and spectrophotometer water had beneficial effects on Desi performance.apparatus.
The improvement in live weight in chickens of Statistical analysis: All data were determined by antibiotic group than control is attributable to using the SPSS version 9.5 (SPSS, Cary, NC, better feed conversion due to antibiotic.An USA) statistical analysis program.A p-value of antibiotic (Avilamycin) has been reported to <0.05 was considered a significant difference improve live weight by 3% and feed conversion among groups and the comparison of means was efficiency by 2% in broiler chickens when given made using Duncan's Multiple Range Test (Steel during first 3 weeks of life (Jamroz et al., 1995;and Torrie, 1984).Loddi et al., 2000).In the present study, live

Results
weight improved by 5% and feed conversion efficiency by 6% in Desi chickens when Supplementation of antibiotic and probiotic antibiotic (TNF-60) given for 6 weeks.Similarly, indicated significantly increased (p< 0.05) the Avoparcin increased live weight in broilers when body weight gain of Desi chickens after 6 weeks given at 7.5, 10 and 15 mg/kg diet fed for 70 days of experiment (Table 2).The feed to gain ratios (Krinke and Jamroz, 1996).Administration of were decreased by 0. 20 and 0.24 units (p< 0.05) antibiotics from hatching to 53 days age has been for the birds with antibiotic and probiotic reported to increase body weight, lower feed treatments, respectively (Table 2) compared to intake and improved feed conversion index control.However, body weight gain and feed efficiency of birds within probiotic treatments (Fabris et al., 1997).
Overall, the beneficial effects of probiotic was similar.There was significant (p< 0.05) effect on mortality during the study (Table 2).The treatment on performance parameters are in line mortality rate was lower for probioticwith some number of other research studies using  et al., 2003).However, it is intestinal pathogens, and enhancement of difficult to directly assess different studies using digestion and utilization of nutrients (Yeo and probiotics, because the efficacy of a probiotic Kim, 1997).application depends on many factors (Patterson The mortality losses in chickens attributable and Burkholder, 2003) such as species to various known and unknown factors accounted composition and viability, administration level, for a great loss annually.In this study, 1.0% application method (e.g., spraying, feed, or mortality was recorded in probiotic-supplemented water), frequency of application (e.g., once, group but 3.30% mortality was recorded in birds intermittent, or continuous), overall diet, bird on control group throughout the experiment.age, overall farm hygiene, and environmental There were no disease or pathological lesions stress factors (e.g., temperature, stocking density).
recorded in the organs of slaughtered birds.Studies on the beneficial impact on Desi Furthermore, no medication was required for the chickens performance have indicated that Desi chickens during the experimental period.probiotic supplementation can have positive This may be due to the fact that continuous effects.It is clearly evident from the result of feeding of probiotic might have suppressed the Kabir et al.(2004) that the live weight gains were undesirable microorganisms that lead to significantly (P<0.01)higher in experimental improved health status (build-up resistance) and birds as compared to control ones during the ultimately improved growth and overall period of 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th weeks of age, both performance.Patterson and Burkholder (2003) in vaccinated and non-vaccinated birds.In explained the mechanism of probiotics to addition, Torres-Rodriguez et al. (2007) reported pathogen inhibition by competition for nutrients, that administration of the selected probiotic (FMproduction of toxic condition and compounds B11) to turkeys increased the average daily gain (volatile fatty acids, low pH, and bacteriocins), and market body weight (BW), representing an competition for binding sites on the intestinal economic alternative to improve turkey production.
epithelium and stimulation of the immune The improvements in BW and feed to gain system.ratio of broilers fed probiotic supplement in the Desi chickens given water supplemented current study were probably due to the with probiotic had lower levels of serum Lactobacillus spp., Saccharomyces cerevisiae cholesterol than the control.These results lend /Aspergillus oryzae and other bacterial spp.used support to the finding of the previous experiments in the supplements.It has been suggested that to (Yusrizal and Chen, 2003;Kannan et al., 2005).obtain the best effects from Lactobacillus as a They suggested that the cholesterol-lowering growth promoting, the bacteria used must be able effect of probiotics could be obtained through to survive and later colonize the gastrointestinal retarded cholesterol synthesis and increased tract so that their beneficial functions could be degradation of cholesterol.performed.The Lactobacillus spp. in the

Conclusion
probiotics have a strong ability to attach to the intestinal epithelium of chicken (Jin et al., Based on the results, it may be concluded 1996a), are resistant to the bile and acidic that performance could be maintained when conditions and are able to antagonize and supplementing probiotic incorporated in bird's drinking water.The supplementation of probiotic competitively exclude some pathogenic bacteria in vitro (Jin et al., 1996b).Mechanisms by which may lead to the development of low-cholesterol probiotics improve feed conversion efficiency chicken meat as demanded by health-conscious consumers.Probiotic may also be replaced with include alteration in intestinal flora, enhancement

Table - 1:Major ingredients and nutrients (%) of poultry. There is a paucity of literature concerning diets fed to Desi chickens during experimental period the
effects of probiotic on the performance of Desi chickens and need to explore the benefits of