Evaluation of the Effect of Bacillus Subtilis and Pediococcus Acidilactici Mix on Serum Biochemistry, Growth Promotation of Body and Visceral Organs in Lohmann Brown Chicks

ABSTRACT Recently the use of antibiotic growth promoter (AGPs) in poultry feed is banned in China, leading to the increasing demand for AGPs substitutes. Probiotics have been considered as a potential substitute. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of probiotic on serum biochemistry, and growth promotion of body weight and visceral organs and in Lohmann Brown chicks aged 0 to 9 weeks. Five hundred and forty 1-day-old male chicks were randomly divided into three groups, with six replicates and 30 chicks in each replicate. The experiment was carried out over 70 days. Dietary treatments were: (1) basal diet alone (control group); (2) basal diet containing 0.1% probiotics (probiotic group); and (3) basal diet containing 0.01% zinc bacitracin in the feed (antibiotic group). The body weight (BW) of probiotic group was significantly higher than that of the control group during the whole trial period (p