Impact of Bacillus subtilis Probiotic on Growth
Performance, Bone Health, Intestinal Morphology, and Cecal
Microbiota in Cobb Broiler Chicks
Hairui Yu1*, Abdur Rahman2*,
Muhammad Asad Sadique2, Tahira Batool2,
Beenish Imtiaz3, Muhammad Arfan Zaman2, Tuba
Riaz2, Muhammad Zeeshan Anwar4 and Muhammad
Waqas2,5
1Key
Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Universities of
Shandong (Weifang University), Weifang Key laboratory of Coho Salmon
Culturing Facility Engineering, Institute of Modern Facility
Fisheries, College of Biology and Oceanography, Weifang University,
Weifang 261061, China, 2University of Veterinary and
Animal Sciences, Lahore (Jhang Campus), Pakistan, 3Department
of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Disease, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Türkiye, 4Department
of livestock Production, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University,
Rawalpindi, Pakistan, 5Department of Animal Nutrition and
Nutritional Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs
University, Samsun, Türkiye *Corresponding author:yhr6003@hotmail.com
(H.Y.); abdurrehman@uvas.edu.pk (A.R.)
Abstract
Alternatives to antibiotics have attracted widespread
attention in poultry farming, particularly after the ban on antibiotic growth
promoters. Probiotics, in particular, have shown promising results in enhancing
poultry health and productivity when used as a feed additive. The study aimed to
evaluate the effects of probiotics (Bacillus subtilis) on growth performance,
bone health, cecal microbiota, and gut morphology in broilers. Day-old Cobb
broiler chicks (n=900) were randomly divided into three experimental groups for
35 days, with each group comprising four replicates and n=75 chicks per
replicate by following a completely randomized design.Group A served as the control group fed on the basal diet, while the
Group B and Group C groups were given flavomycin (10 g/ per ton of feed) and
Bacillus subtilis (500 g/ton of feed) along with the basal diet, respectively.
Growth parameters, such as body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion
ratio, were measured weekly, whereas bone strength, cecal microbiota, and gut
morphology were recorded at 35 days after randomly selecting three birds from
each replicate. The probiotic-supplemented diet (PSD) significantly (P<0.05)
improved the growth performance of birds throughout the trial period, increased
villus length and crypt depth compared with other groups, and reduced
Clostridium perfringes, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus populations
in the cecum compared to the control group (p<0.05). Moreover, the PSD improved
calcium and phosphorus deposition, as well as tibia strength and ash percentage
(P<0.010). In conclusion, Bacillus subtilis based probiotics may be a better
alternative to antibiotic growth promoters.
To Cite This Article:
Yu H, Rahman A, Sadique MA, Batool T, Imtiaz B,
Zaman MA, Riaz T, Anwar MZ, and Waqas M, 2024. Impact of bacillus subtilis
probiotic on growth performance, bone health, intestinal morphology, and cecal
microbiota in cobb broiler chicks. Pak Vet J. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2024.254