Prebiotics and probiotics as alternatives to usage of antibiotics and coccidiostat for broiler chickens

Abstract

This study evaluated growth performance and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens fed diets
supplemented with prebiotics and probiotics as alternatives to antibiotics and coccidiostats. Three hundred
and ninety-six (396), 7 days old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly distributed into 9 treatments
groups of 4 replicates each of 11 birds. Experimental diets were as follows: corn soybean meal-based diet
was the Basal Diet (BD) which served as the control. Control = BD + Medicated Water “MW” (0.4g
antibiotics plus 0.5g coccidiostat/L), T1 = BD + 0.5g probiotics/kg, T2 = BD + 2g prebiotics/kg, T3 = BD
+ 0.5g probiotics + 2g prebiotics/kg, T4 = BD + 1g probiotics + 4g prebiotics/kg, T5 = BD + 0.5g
probiotics/kg + MW, T6 = BD + 2g prebiotics/kg + MW, T7 = BD + 0.5g probiotics + 2g prebiotics/kg +
MW, T8 = BD + 1g probiotics + 4g prebiotics/kg + MW. All data collected were subjected to One Way and
2x2x2 factorial ANOVA at p≤0.050. The results showed that broiler starters in T3 (634.10, 25.17g), and
those in T6 (670.35, 27.18g) significantly produced higher final body weight (FBW, P=0.0002), average
daily weight gain (ADG, P=0.0003) than other groups. The best (P=0.002) FCR was noticed in starters in
T6 (1.73) or T2 (1.71). Broiler finishers in T3 had the heaviest FBW (2464.50g, P=0.016), ADG (54.44g,
P=0.010). Chickens in T2 had the highest (P<0.0001) digestibility in dry matter (96.27%), crude fibre
(96.27%), ash (93.99%) and nitrogen free extract (99.80% in T4) with ether extract (86.01% in T3). It is
concluded that supplementation of synbiotics of 0.5g probiotics and 2g/kg prebiotics as well as 2g prebiotics
produced maximum FBW, ADG and optimum nutrient digestibility. It is therefore recommended that these
two supplements at their dosage are best for optimum growth performance.