Effect of Prebiotic and Probiotics on Growth Performance in Broiler Chickens

One day old commercial Cobb – 400 broiler chicks consisting of twenty unsexed birds in each group were administered from day one to 42 in drinking water with prebiotic (Lactose @ 2.5%, Group II), probiotic (Lactobacillus acidopholus @ 0.1%, Group III), their combination (Lactose @ 2.5% plus Lactobacillus acidophilus @ 0.1%, Group IV) and commercial product G-Probiotic Spl^® (containing five species of probiotic organisms, three digestive enzymes and liver extract, @ 0.05% in the fed, Group V) to evaluate growth performance on day 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42. The control group received only the basal diet (Group I). There was non-significant difference in body weight gain between different groups on day 7. On day 14, 21, 35 and 42, the gain in mean body weights in the prebiotic and probiotic supplemented groups increased significantly (P<0.05) compared to control group. The finishing body weights on 42^nd day of observation were 1814 ± 19.40, 2015 ± 43.54, 2073 ± 21.97, 2058 ± 29.46 and 2027 ± 33.12 grams in Group I, II, III, IV and V, respectively. There was significantly (P< 0.05) improved feed conversion ratio in all the treatment groups on day 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 compared to control. The significant improvements in body weight gain and feed conversion ratio could be possibly due to achievement of physiological well being which is attributed to various mechanisms of action of prebiotic and or probiotics such as competitive exclusion of pathogenic organisms, better absorption of minerals, secretion of digestive enzymes, enhanced nutrient digestion, improvement in immune status, source of nutrients, production of antibiotic substances and release of unidentified growth factors. It was concluded that the prebiotics and probiotics could be used as physiological growth promoters in broiler chickens.