Effect of Lactobacillus Species Probiotics on Growth Performance of Dual-Purpose Chicken

INTRODUCTION: In-feed probiotics are becoming attractive alternatives to antibiotics in the poultry industry due to the ever-growing strict prohibitions on antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in animal production. METHODS: The study was conducted to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus paracaseis sparacasei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus on the growth performance of 120 day-olds randomly selected Sasso dual-purpose chicken. They were divided into four groups with two replicates per group and 15 chicks per replicate. The treatments were T(1) (control), T(2) (supplement diet with 4g probiotic), T(3) (supplement diet with 2g probiotic), T(4) (supplement diet with 1g probiotic). The experimental feeding trials were conducted after two weeks adaptation period. RESULTS: The present findings revealed that the chickens supplemented with Lactobacillus species probiotics during the first week of age have shown higher body weight than control (p < 0.05). The feed intake of week one of T(2) and T(3) were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than the T(1) (control). However, there was no significant difference (p> 0.05) in feed intake in the 2(nd), 3(rd), 4(th), and 5(t)(h) weeks of all treatment groups. The present result showed that there was a significant body weight gain (p< 0.05) in all probiotic fed groups than the control group. The highest body weight gain was observed in chickens found in the T4 treatment group. Whereas the body weight gains significantly higher and improved the feed conversion (p<0.05) in the T(2) and T(4) than the T(1) (control). However, the feed conversion ratio was significantly influenced by probiotic inclusion in T(3) as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results suggest that Lactobacillus paracaseis sparacasei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus have a positive effect on the growth performance of broilers.