• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.573-586
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• 2011

Along with the recent changes in animal feed supply circumstances, many enzyme and probiotic feed supplements have been introduced and applied to pigs and chicken diets. Therefore, both selection of the appropriate feed supplements and their proper supplementation becomes critical to justify the supplementation. Meta-analysis was proposed as an appropriate tool to assess the large amount of relevant information. In this review, reliable data from recent publications was compounded then analyzed to determine the best practice of effective enzyme supplementation from the perspectives of animal species, age, characteristics of feed, target substrates, optimum multi enzymes combination and intended objectives. The results of the analysis suggested pratical methods of probiotic supplementation regarding intestinal microbiota, physiological limitation of probiotics, maximization of the probiotic benefit and synergism with prebiotic supplements.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.159-162
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• 1995

Broilers were fed diets supplemented with various levels of a probiotic (mixture of the following direct-fed microorganisms: Lactobacillus, Bacillus, and Streptococcus). Growth performance, abdominal fat, excreta, and litter ammonia level were determined. The results showed that birds fed the probiotic-supplemented diets had better weight gain (p < 0.01) and feed conversion (gain:feed;p < 0.12) when compared to the birds fed the unsupplemented diet. No differences in feed intake and abdominal fat were observed among birds fed the different experimental diets. Excreta (p < 0.05) and litter (p < 0.01) ammonia levels were reduced by dietary probiotic supplementation. A dosage of 0.25 g of the probiotic/kg of diet is needed to maiximize growth performance during both the starter and finisher periods. A higher dosage (approximate 0.5 g/kg) is needed to minimize litter ammonia production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.198-205
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• 2017

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of single or/and double strains of probiotic supplement on feed efficiency, growth performance, and microbial population in distal gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of weaning rabbits. Methods: Sixty-four weaning (28 days old) New Zealand White rabbits were randomly distributed into four groups with treatments including: basal diet without probiotic supplement (control) or supplemented as follows: $1{\times}10^6cfu/g$ B. subtilis (BS group), $1{\times}10^7cfu/g$ L. acidophilus (LA group), or $0.5{\times}10^6cfu/g$ B. subtilis plus $0.5{\times}10^7cfu/g$ L. acidophilus (BL group). During the research, the male and female rabbits were fed separately. Body weight of the rabbits was recorded at 28, 42, and 70 d of age. Results: There was an increase (p<0.05) in body weight gain for the LA group at 42 d. Rabbits fed BL responsed with a greater growth (p<0.05) and better feed conversion ratio (p<0.05) than those fed with no probiotic. Digestibility coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and gross energy were higher (p<0.05) in LA and BL groups than those in the control group. Male rabbits had higher (p<0.05) Bacilli spp. and Coliformis spp. in the ileum than female rabbits. Rabbits supplemented with BS had greater (p<0.05) numbers of bacilli in all intestinal segments than those receiving no probiotic, whereas intestinal Lactobacilli populations were greater (p<0.001) in the LA and BL diets compared to control. Average intestinal coliform populations were lowest (p<0.05) in the rabbits supplemented with LA as compared to those fed the control and BS. Conclusion: Supplementation of L. acidophilus alone or in combination with B. subtilis at a half of dose could enhance number of gut beneficial bacteria populations, nutrient digestibility, cecal fermentation, feed efficiency, and growth performance, but rabbits receiving only B. subtilis alone were not different from the controls without probiotic.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1243-1251
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• 2007

This study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using L. reuteri Pg4, a strain isolated from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of healthy broilers, as a probiotic. In preliminary in vitro studies the Pg4 strain was proven capable of tolerating acid and bile salts, inhibiting pathogenic bacteria and can adhere to intestinal epithelial cells. The probiotic properties were then evaluated on the basis of the broiler's growth performance, intestinal microbial population and cecal volatile fatty acid and lactic acid concentrations under conventional feeding. Dietary supplementation of dried L. reuteri Pg4 decreased significantly feed intake in grower chickens and improved significantly the feed conversion by 5% in a 0-6 weeks feeding period compared with the control group. The Lactobacillus counts in the crop, ileum, and cecum of the probiotic group were higher than in the control group. The L. reuteri Pg4 strain was traceable in the GI tract of probiotic supplemented chicks and showed capability of survival in the intestine for a protracted period. The probiotic group had a higher lactic acid concentration and lower pH value in the cecum than the control chicks. Probiotic supplement also affected the histology of the intestinal mucosa of chicks. The present findings demonstrated that L. reuteri Pg4 possesses probiotic characteristics and it is suggested, therefore, that the organism could be a candidate for a new probiotic strain.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1153-1156
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• 2005

An experiment was conducted with three hundred and twenty broiler chickens to evaluate the influence of supplementation of probiotic on growth, microbiological status and carcass quality of chickens. The probiotic contained similar proportions of six strains of variable organisms namely Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Aspergillus oryzae, Streptococcus faecium and Torulopsis sps and was fed at 100 mg/kg diet. The body weight and feed conversion of probiotic fed groups were superior (p<0.05) compared to the control group in the 4th, 5th and 6th weeks. The chickens fed the diet with probiotic had lower (p<0.05) numbers of coliforms and Campylobacter than chickens fed the control diet. All chickens' carcasses on the control diet were positive for Salmonella while only 16 of the 40 carcasses were positive from chickens fed diets containing probiotic. The leg and breast meat of probiotic fed chickens were higher (p<0.05) in moisture, protein and ash, and lower in fat as compared to the leg and breast meat of control chickens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1312-1317
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• 2008

The objective of the present trial was to determine the effect of a thermostable probiotic containing Bacillus licheniformis and B. subtilis on health and production parameters of fattening rabbits from weaning until slaughter. In a rabbitry with average post-weaning mortality of 5-9%, 1,680 rabbits were supplied with: a) a basic feed, or b) the same basic feed supplemented with probiotic from the 4th day postweaning (41st day of age) up to 88th day of age. Clinical signs, microbiological status and growth performance were recorded for two distinct fattening periods, growing and finishing. A significant decrease in mortality of probiotic-treated rabbits when compared to the controls was observed during the growing and entire fattening periods. Within these periods, E. coli and C. perfringens - but not P. multocida - were isolated at a lower frequency from probiotic-treated rabbits (p<0.05). Compared to the control animals, probiotic-treated rabbits were 54 g and 123 g heavier at the end of the growing and finishing phases, respectively, and had significantly higher average daily gain and better feed conversion ratio (p<0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1163-1170
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• 2015

Two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus johnsonii x-1d-2 and Lactobacillus mucosae x-4w-1, originally isolated from piglet feces, have been demonstrated to possess antimicrobial activities, antibiotic resistances and interleukin-6 induction ability in RAW 267.4 macrophages in our previous study. These characteristics make L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1 good candidates for application in feed probiotics. In this study, soybeal meal, molasses and sodium acetate were selected to optimize the growth medium for cultivation of L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1. These two strains were then freeze-dried and mixed into the basal diet to feed the weaned piglets. The effects of L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1 on the growth performance and fecal microflora of weaned piglets were investigated. The results showed that the bacterial numbers of L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1 reached a maximum of 8.90 and 9.30 log CFU/mL, respectively, when growing in optimal medium consisting of 5.5% (wt/vol) soybean meal, 1.0% (wt/vol) molasses and 1.0% (wt/vol) sodium acetate. The medium cost was 96% lower than the commercial de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe medium. In a further feeding study, the weaned piglets fed basal diet supplemented with freeze-dried probiotic cultures exhibited higher (p<0.05) body weight gain, feed intake, and gain/feed ratio than weaned piglets fed basal diet. Probiotic feeding also increased the numbers of lactobacilli and decreased the numbers of E. coli in the feces of weaned piglets. This study demonstrates that L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1 have high potential to be used as feed additives in the pig industry.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.341-351
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• 1991

Sixteen Holstein heifer calves were used in an 112-day trial to study the effects of probiotic supplementation on growth performance and rumen metabolism. Calves were divided into four groups of four calves each, with two groups receiving the probiotic supplement and two groups serving as controls. Calves were limited to 1.6 kg dry matter of a corn-barley based grain mix per day. Long-stem bromegrass hay was fed as forage the first 56 days and bromegrass silage the last 56 days of the trial. Probiotic (28 g/d/calf) was fed along with the grain mix twice daily. Data were analyzed for the entire trial and also for the separate hay and silage feeding periods. Total weight gain and average daily gain were not affected (p>.05) by probiotic supplementation. Dry matter intake was lower (p<.05) and feed efficiency (kg feed/kg weight gain) was improved slightly during the hay feeding period for the probiotic-supplemented calves. Wither height gain was greater (p<.05) during the hay period and lower (p<.05) during the silage period for probiotic-supplemented calves. Heart girth gain was improved (p<.07) by probiotic supplementation, particularly during the hay feeding period (p<.05). Total rumen volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration was higher (p<.05) with the probiotic-supplemented calves. Molar proportions of individual VFA were not affected (p>.05). Rumen ammonia-N and plasma urea-N concentration were lower (p<.05) for probiotic-supplemented calves during the hay feeding period. Total tract nutrient digestibility was not affected (p>.05). Some improvements in animal performance and changes in rumen and blood metabolites were observed when calves were supplemented with probiotic. Effects due to probiotic supplementation were most pronounced during the hay feeding period.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.1018-1025
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• 2016

Probiotics are considered as the best effective alternatives to antibiotics. The aim of this study was to characterize the probiotic potential of lactobacilli for use in swine farming by using in vitro evaluation methods. A total of 106 lactic acid bacterial isolates, originating from porcine feces, were first screened for the capacity to survive stresses considered important for putative probiotic strains. Sixteen isolates showed notable acid and bile resistance, antibacterial activity, and adherence to intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-1). One isolate, LR1, identified as Lactobacillus reuteri, was selected for extensive study of its probiotic and functional properties in IPEC-1 cell models. L. reuteri LR1 exhibited good adhesion to IPEC-1 cells and could inhibit the adhesion of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) to IPEC-1 cells. L. reuteri LR1 could also modulate transcript and protein expression of cytokines involved in inflammation in IPEC-1 cells; the Lactobacillus strain inhibited the ETEC-induced expression of proinflammatory transcripts (IL-6 and TNF-α) and protein (IL-6), and increased the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10). Measurement of the permeation of FD-4 showed that L. reuteri LR1 could maintain barrier integrity in monolayer IPEC-1 cells exposed to ETEC. Immunolocalization experiments showed L. reuteri LR1 could also prevent ETEC-induced tight junction ZO-1 disruption. Together, these results indicate that L. reuteri LR1 exhibits desirable probiotic properties and could be a potential probiotic for use in swine production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.672-682
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• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic with and without feed restriction on broilers performance, blood parameters, carcass characteristics, and feed cost of production from 1 to 56 days of age. Methods: Two hundred and forty unsexed one day-old chicks of Arbor Acres breed were used. Two trials, I and II, were conducted, with 120 birds in both. Each trial was divided into 4 equal groups. The birds in trial I were fed ad libitum throughout the experiment, while the chicks in trial II were fed ad libitum during the first week of age, then subjected to 5 hours/d of feed restriction from the beginning of the second week up to the end of the experiment. In both trials, the birds in group 1 were fed on a control diet while the other groups were given the same control diet supplemented either with a probiotic in group 2, prebiotic in group 3, or synbiotic in group 4. Results: It was found that chicks fed diets supplemented with probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic (with and without feed restriction) exhibited higher body weight and feed efficiency than chicks fed the control diets. The feed additives in both trials did not affect hemoglobin, serum total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, and total cholesterol, except the packed cell volume which was increased in the additive treatments with restriction at the end of the experiment. Moreover, the dietary treatments did not influence the carcass yield. However, the relative weights of liver, gizzard and proventriculus, small intestine and bursa of fabricius were found to be increased. The additives decreased the visible fat in the carcass, with more decreasing effect in the additive groups with restriction. The lowest feed cost per kg of weight gain was observed in the birds fed diets supplemented with synbiotic, probiotic and prebiotic. Feed restriction improved the feed conversion ratio, economic return, but decreased the feed intake, serum total cholesterol and visible fat in comparison with non-restricted groups. Conclusion: The biological feed additives could be routinely added to broiler diets, especially when a feed restriction program is followed. Finally, it can be recommended to restrict feed, and add probiotic or synbiotic to increase weight, improve feed conversion rate and reduce feed cost of production.