Study into the Effect of a Combination of Biocoordination Compounds and a Water-Based Probiotic on the Performance of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a combined probiotic, which included microbial mass of a mixture of live bacteria L. acidophilum, B. adolescentis, and chelate complex of amino acids with chromium on the dynamics of growth performance, feed intake and digestibility, slaughter quality, and morphological and biochemical blood parameters in the organism of broiler chickens of Arbor Acres cross (ZAO Poultry Farm Orenburgskaya). Up to 2 weeks of age, the birds were in the preparatory period and received the basic diet (n = 60). Starting from the age of 15 days, broilers of the experimental group additionally received a combined probiotic at a dose of 0.2 g/kg with water and a chelate complex of amino acids with chromium at a dose of 200 mg/kg with feed. The duration of the study period was 28 days. The body weight of broiler chickens of the experimental group was statistically significantly higher by 28 and 42 days of age than in the control by 18 (p = 0.03) and 14% (p = 0.01), respectively. The weight of gutted carcass in the experimental group was higher than in the control group by 24% (p = 0.05). Addition of the studied additive to the diet of birds contributed to the reduction of feed costs per 1 kg of gain by 0.3 kg (14%). Digestibility of crude protein in the experimental group was significantly higher by 2.7% (p = 0.03). The level of protein in meat of the experimental group was higher than in the control by 2.76% (p = 0.03). The introduction of probiotic in the diet had a stimulating effect on antioxidant enzymes. In broiler chickens of the experimental group, the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in blood serum was significantly higher than in the control by 13 (p = 0.02) and 7.5% (p = 0.03), respectively. Probiotics, together with the complex of amino acids with chrome, due to its multipurpose action can have a positive effect on the organism of farm poultry and increase the efficiency of poultry farming.