Effect of probiotics supplementation through drinking water on performance, haemoimmunobiochemical profile and intestinal microflora of broilers
A study was conducted for six weeks to assess the effect of various drinking water treatments on performance, haemoimmunobiochemical profile and intestinal microflora of broilers. Three hundred and six day old broiler chicks were randomly divided into six groups of three replications each. The control group (T1) was fed with basal diet formulated as per BIS specifications. The five dietary treatments comprised of T2, basal diet plus composite week protocol comprised of (a) clean drinking water for 1 day, (b) jaggery water @ 2 g/l for 2 days, (c) acidified water, of acetic acid @ 5 ml/l for 2 days, (d) curd water, curd @ 2 ml/l containing probiotic Lactobacillus sporogens 60 million spores/ml for 2 days, T3 basal diet plus composite week protocol alternate week, T4 basal diet plus jaggery in drinking water @ 2 g/l daily, T5 basal diet plus acidified drinking water @ 5 ml/l daily and T6 basal diet plus curd in drinking water @ 2 ml/l daily. The body weight gain was significantly (P<0.01) higher in broilers fed with curd water; similarly FCE was also better on supplementation of curd water. The nitrogen retention was significantly (P<0.01) more in curd water supplemented group. The haemobiochemical profile indicated significantly (P<0.01) higher TEC, PCV, blood glucose, total serum protein and lower total lipids and cholesterol in curd water supplemented group. The immunological studies revealed significantly higher HI titre on curd water supplementation. The curd water treatment was also found to be effective in increasing the length of intestine, thinning out of intestinal wall and to lower the weight of intestine resulted into increase in the nutrient absorption from intestine. The Lactobacillus count was found to be increased on jaggery water treatment and curd water treatment. The illeal Enterobactereaece count was significantly (P<0.01) lowest on curd water supplementation, however the count was highest on jaggery water supplementation indicating the restrictions of jaggery water to provide medium for natural establishment of microflora. The economics of broiler production reveals that curd water containing Lactobacillus sporogens supplementation was most profitable in terms of net profit gain from broilers. It was concluded that the supplementation of curd water through drinking water proved to be effective and most economical in terms of net profit gain per bird. Hence, curd @ 2ml/l containing 60 million spores/g of Lactobacillus sporogens could be supplemented for profitable broiler rearing.