Indian Journal of Poultry Science
Year : 2000, Volume : 35, Issue : 1
First page : ( 102) Last page : ( 104)
Print ISSN : 0019-5529.

Effect of dietary supplementation of probiotic on performance and immune response of layers in the decline phase of production

Panda A.K., Reddy M.R., Ramarao S.V., Praharaj N.K.

Project Directorate on Poultry, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad - 30.

Received:  20  September,  1999; Accepted:  15  November,  1999.

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of probiotic supplementation on performance and immune response of White Leghorn layers from 48 to 64 weeks of age. WLH layers at the age of 48 weeks were randomly distributed in three groups of 36 in each with three replicates in each group. The birds in each group were supplied with one of the three diets. The three diets were basal diet, basal diet with 100 mg of probiotic and basal diet with 200 mg of probiotic per kg diet. Production performance viz. hen day egg production, egg weight, shellthickness, shell weight and concentration of albumin and egg yolk were recorded. At 56 and 64 weeks of age, twelve birds per group were immunized with 0.1 ml of 0.5% sheep red blood cells and blood samples were collected after 5 days to measure the antibody production. Supplementation of probiotic at rate of 100 mg/kg of diet significantly (P<0.05) improved in hen day egg production. Probiotic supplementation had no effect on daily feed intake, feed conversion, egg weight or on concentration of albumin and yolk. However, there was significant improvement (p<0.05) in shell thickness by supplementation of 100 mg of probiotic per kg of diet. The antibody production in response to SRBC was also significant (P<0.05) higher in the 100 mg probiotic supplemented group, both at 56 and 64 weeks of age.

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Key words

Performance, immune response, probiotic, hens.

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