Effect of Antibiotic, Phytobiotic and Probiotic Supplementation on Growth, Blood Indices and Intestine Health in Broiler Chicks Challenged with Clostridium perfringens

Elsayed O S Hussein; Shamseldein H Ahmed; Alaeldein M Abudabos; Mashael R Aljumaah; Manal M Alkhlulaifi; Mohamed A Nassan; Gamaleldin M Suliman; Mohammed A E Naiel; Ayman A Swelum

doi:10.3390/ani10030507

Effect of Antibiotic, Phytobiotic and Probiotic Supplementation on Growth, Blood Indices and Intestine Health in Broiler Chicks Challenged with Clostridium perfringens

Animals (Basel). 2020 Mar 18;10(3):507. doi: 10.3390/ani10030507.

Authors

Elsayed O S Hussein¹, Shamseldein H Ahmed², Alaeldein M Abudabos¹, Mashael R Aljumaah³, Manal M Alkhlulaifi³, Mohamed A Nassan⁴, Gamaleldin M Suliman¹, Mohammed A E Naiel⁵, Ayman A Swelum^{1

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sudan University of Science and Technology, P. O. Box: 7121, Khartoum 11123, Sudan.
³ Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
⁵ Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
⁶ Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of feed additives on the growth, blood biochemistry and intestinal health of broiler chicks. A total of 378 of broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to seven groups. Chicks were fed a basal diet with 0.0 (control negative), 0.0 (control positive), 0.1, 0.5, 0.12, 0.5 + 0.12 and 0.2 g Kg^-¹ of Maxus, CloStat, Sangrovit Extra, CloStat + Sangrovit Extra and Gallipro Tech, respectively for 35 days. After 15 days, the chicks were inoculated with Clostridium perfringens. All feed additives were found to enhance growth performance and feed efficiency. The best feed conversion ratio was found in the Negative Control, CloStat + Sangrovit Extra and Gallipro Tect groups, respectively. A notable increase in villus length, total villus area, small intestine weight, ilium weight and total lesion score was found in chicks supplemented with Bacillus subtilis. Besides, the dietary inclusion of phytobiotic compounds showed potential in reducing the serum Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentration and increasing the glucose levels. All intestine and liver histopathological signs were reduced in chicks fed a probiotic-supplemented diet. Our findings indicate that supplementation with probiotics and phytobiotics alone or in combined form can be used to enhance performance, intestine health and blood constituents against C. perfringens infection in broiler chicks.

Keywords: C. perfringens; broiler; histopathological; intestinal health; phytobiotic; probiotic.