Investigation of the Effects of Native Probiotics on the Performance, Immune Response, Morphology, and Intestinal Lactobacillus Population in Broiler Chicks

پژوهشهای علوم دامی ایران

Article 6, Volume 17, Issue 1 - Serial Number 61, March 2025, Pages 77-92   

Document Type: Research Articles

DOI: 10.22067/ijasr.2024.88990.1209

Authors

Ramin Seighalani^{* 1}; Maryam Royan²; Majid Mottaghitalab³; fatemeh zare¹

¹Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), North Region Branch, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO)

²Assistant Professor , Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Rasht, Iran

³Dept. of Animal Science, Faculty of agri., Uni, of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Various factors have been reported to influence broiler chicken performance, including environmental conditions, nutrition, management practices, and genetics. One of the priorities in poultry production is the availability of effective alternatives to antibiotics, and the native strains of this type of alternative have various advantages. Probiotics as live microbial supplements in feed improve the microbial balance of the gastrointestinal tract and then improve animal health. Probiotics can enhance growth performance, support the immune system, aid nutrient digestion, and positively influence the microbial population of the gastrointestinal tract. Commercial probiotics are the most commonly used; however, screening the natural flora of the gastrointestinal tract has become a valuable approach in identifying effective probiotic strains. Selecting the optimal species for use in probiotic supplements is largely experimental and depends on their proven impact on the performance of living organisms. This project aimed to investigate the effects of indigenous probiotics on broiler chickens.
Materials and Methods: The probiotics included strains of Lactobacillus reuteri isolated from native chickens in Oshnavieh, Shush, Shaft, and Masal, as well as Lactobacillus salivarius isolated from native ducks in Mazandaran. The study aimed to assess the impact of these probiotics on the performance, immune response, morphology, and gut lactobacillus population in broiler chickens. The single strain (Plr2) and combination strains (Plr9, Plr10, Plr11, and Plr12) were evaluated in a completely randomized design. There were seven treatments, each with four replicates, and 16 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens per replicate. Treatments include 1) control: basic diet without any additive, 2) Positive control 2: basic diet + commercial probiotic, 3) Basic ration + 1.36×10⁹ CFU/g L. Reuteri isolated from Oshnavieh native hen (Plr₂), 4) Basic ration + 1.36×10⁹ CFU/g L. Reuteri isolated from Oshnavieh native hen and L. salivarius isolated from Mazandaran native duck (Plr₉), 5) Basic ration + 1.36×10⁹ CFU/g L. Reuteri isolated from Oshnavieh native hen and L. salivarius isolated from Mazandaran native duck and L. Reuteri isolated from Shush native hen (Plr₁₀), 6) Basic ration + 1.36×10⁹ CFU/g L. Reuteri isolated from Oshnavieh native hen and L. salivarius isolated from Mazandaran native duck and L. Reuteri isolated from Shush native hen and L. Reuteri isolated from Shaft native hen (Plr₁₁) and 7) Basic ration + 1.36×10⁹ CFU/g L. Reuteri isolated from Oshnavieh native hen and L. salivarius isolated from Mazandaran native duck and L. Reuteri isolated from Shush native hen and L. Reuteri isolated from Shaft native hen and L. Reuteri isolated from Masal native hen (Plr₁₂).
Results and Discussion: There were no significant differences in feed intake, daily weight gain, or feed conversion ratio among the probiotic treatment groups. However, evaluation of antibody production against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) injected during the first 30 days of rearing showed that the Plr12 probiotic combination significantly increased IgG levels compared to the control group (without additives). The secondary immune response, measured 42 days after SRBC injection, showed an even greater increase in antibody levels. Additionally, all probiotic combinations significantly enhanced antibody levels compared to the control. It appears that as the chicks mature, their immune system continues to develop, and the memory cells generated during the initial immune response led to an increased production of antibodies during the subsequent response. Results derived from the broilers jejunum morphology study in the first experiment showed that the addition of the native probiotic combination Plr9, Plr11, and Plr12 to the diet resulted in a significant increase in the length of the intestinal villi of jejunum in chickens from the experimental groups when compared to chickens from the control group. Also, investigation of villus length/crypt depth and surface villus area indicated a significant increase in these traits in all probiotic treatments used compared to control treatments and commercial probiotic. The examination of the lactobacillus population in the cecal contents of broiler chickens showed that the combination of strains Plr9, Plr11, and Plr12 significantly increased the population of these beneficial bacteria compared to the control and commercial probiotic treatments. Each strain had specific probiotic properties. When these strains were combined and administered to broiler chickens, there was a significant increase in beneficial bacteria and a reduction in harmful bacteria.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that probiotic bacteria, isolated from the microbial population of the digestive system of native birds, have the potential to serve as valuable dietary supplements in poultry nutrition. Each probiotic strain confers varying levels of optimal efficacy; as a result, these probiotics can be used individually or in combination, and they can replace antibiotics and commercial probiotics.

Keywords

Broiler chicken; Immnune response; Intestinal morphology; Microbial population; Probiotic

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