Response of broiler chickens to Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotic strains

The effects of two Lactobacillus and two Bifidobacterium probiotic strains (given daily in an amount of 109-1010 live cells per bird, in water) as well as an antibiotic, avilamycin (8 mg/kg of diet), were determined. The live body weight of chickens in groups receiving probiotics or avilamycin (2625-2665 g) was higher than in the control group (2564 g), however the differences were not significant. The feed conversion ratio was significantly better in most of the investigated groups in comparison with the control. Chemical, physicochemical and sensory evaluation of the meat did not show significant differences between groups. The relatively high population count of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in the control group (~108 cfu/g of caecal contents) was slightly lower in comparison with the investigated groups (108-109 cfu/g).