Effect of microencapsulated Lactobacillus casei on intestinal health and on biochemical and productive parameters in broiler

Abstract

The poultry production has reduced antibiotics due to resistance problems, which has generated research interest in alternatives for sanitary management. Therefore, the effect of supplying microencapsulated Lactobacillus casei on the production parameters and intestinal health of broilers was evaluated. The research included 240 chickens in 4 treatments: food without antibiotics or anticoccidials (T0), food with commercial probiotic (T1), and T2 and T3 with inclusion of microencapsulated and nonmicroencapsulated L. casei, respectively. The efficiency and viability of the conservation of the bacterium by the microencapsulate was evaluated, in addition to its physical characteristics. The supply of lactic acid bacteria was evaluated in vivo by means of the productive, biochemical parameters in blood, intestinal morphology and the immune response. Viability and efficiency of 75.9 and 89.4% were observed for the microencapsulation. The microencapsulated probiotic treatment group had a significant increase in weight gain and food consumption (p 0.05). In blood biochemistry, an increase in cholesterol was only found with microencapsulation (p 0.05). The immune response was improved with the supply of microencapsulated L. casei (p 0.05). It is concluded that the use of microencapsulated L. casei can improve the productive and immunological parameters of broilers.