The effect of Lactobacillus reuteri probiotic strains on productivity and basic physiological parameters of laying hens

Abstract

Probiotic microorganisms can replace feed antibiotics in poultry farming. Probiotics have a positive effect on a digestive tract, immune system, and metabolic processes in poultry organisms. In addition to the positive effects on animal health, when using probiotic additives, an increase in the feed conversion rate is observed, which is reflected in an increase in animal productivity and final yield. Probiotics have a pronounced antagonistic effect against the opportunistic pathogenic flora of the gastrointestinal tract. The purpose of this work was to study the effect of probiotic lactobacilli on egg producing ability of laying hens, on indicators of nonspecific resistance and the composition of the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract. Two strains of L. reuteri isolated in the laboratory of immunobiotechnology and microbiology of VNIIFBiP were used in the diet of laying hens of the Hysex-Brown cross from the age of 120 days. The duration of the experiment was 180 days, as a result, an increase in poultry egg production by 6.6% relative to the control group was found, and the yield of egg mass in the experimental group was 21.2 kg higher than in the control. There was a significant increase in phagocytic and bactericidal activity of blood serum by 7.2% and 10.4%, respectively, the content of lysozyme in the serum of poultry in the experimental group was 1.2% higher than the control. The use of probiotic lactobacilli in the diet of laying hens led to an increase in the number of bifidobacteria by an order of magnitude and a decrease in the number of escherichia, salmonella and clostridium in the intestinal contents birds.