A comparison between the effects of a probiotic and an antibiotic on the performance of desi chickens

Abstract

A study was conducted to compare probiotic with antibiotic, using drinking water supplemented with Biovet and TNF-60. The 8-days old Desi chicks were randomly divided into 9 separate floor pens each comprising 75 birds and three pens (replicates) per treatment group following completely randomized design. At the end of 6 weeks trial, body weight (BW) and feed to gain ratio (FCR) were determined. At the end of experiment, serum cholesterol was determined. The BW of birds given antibiotic and probiotic was significantly greater than control. Similarly, better FCR was observed in birds those given drinking water with antibiotic and probiotic. There was less mortality recorded with probiotic treatment. Cholesterol contents were reduced significantly in probiotic supplemented group as compared to antibiotic and control groups. It may be concluded that performance in Desi birds could be maintained when supplementing probiotic incorporated in broiler's drinking water. The supplementation of probiotic may lead to the development of low-cholesterol chicken meat as demanded by health-conscious consumers. Probiotic may be replaced with the antibiotic to avoid its residual effects on birds as well as human health.