Probiotics for Poultry

Probiotics, the live microbial food supplements, are proved to improve the health and performance of poultry and other animals. They are used in feed and water, on the skin, and in the digestive system to prevent and treat disease.

The intestinal tract of poultry is often challenged with pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses, fungi) that can cause disease in poultry. As a result, many antimicrobial compounds have been studied for use in poultry, which includes a variety of antibiotics and other antimicrobial substances such as bacteriocins and antivirals. However, using these substances raises issues of concern to animal welfare and public health due to their potential effects on poultry health and their accumulation in the environment.

Probiotics For Chicken and Poultry

Diets supplemented with probiotics are beneficial to the bird, as they improve its intestinal microbial balance through competition for attachment sites in the GI tract. In addition, probiotics provide competitive exclusion of pathogenic bacteria by producing antimicrobial compounds and competing with pathogens for nutrients and attachment sites in the GI tract. These live microbes can be used as an alternative or adjunct therapy and antibiotics to prevent or control specific diseases associated with specific pathogens. The benefits of probiotic use in poultry include:

• Improved nutrient absorption
• Support of normal immune function
• Production of antimicrobial compounds
• Enhanced intestinal barrier function
• Improved feed efficiency
• Reduced symptoms of coccidiosis infection

Probiotics for chickens and other avian species are commonly added to poultry feed and drinking water to support birds' health, performance, and growth. This is particularly important in young birds in which stable intestinal bacteria have not yet been established.

The most common probiotics for poultry include Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Streptococcus faecalis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus casei. These bacteria are chosen for their ability to survive the acidic environment of the stomach and their ability to adhere to the intestinal mucosa.

Some of the best probiotics for chicken also produce antimicrobial compounds in their normal metabolic processes. These compounds inhibit or kill harmful bacteria, reducing the risk of disease and increasing feed efficiency.