Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of dietary supplementation of probiotic (Lactobacillus sporogenes) on growth performance, immune response and carcass characteristics of broiler rhicks during 0 to 6 weeks of age. 120, day-old commercial broiler chicks were distributed into 3 equal groups (replicated into 4 groups of 10 each). The chicks were fed either control diet, control diet supplemented with 100 or 150 mg probiotic per kg diet. The body weight gain increased (P<0.01) and feed conversion ratio improved (P<0.05) by supplementation of probiotics during 0 to 6 weeks of age. However, no difference could be observed between 100 or 150 mg supplemented groups. Dietary supplementation of probiotics had no influence on cell mediated immune response but the humoral immune response increased (P<0.01) due to probiotic supplementation. The inclusion of probiotic at either 100 or 150 mg per kg diet did not have any influence on carcass characteristics like dressing percent or weight of liver, heart, gizzard, giblet and abdominal fat. It was concluded that dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus sporogenes at 100 mg per kg diet increased body weight gain, improved feed conversion ratio and humoral immune response in broiler chicks during 0 to 6 weeks of age.