Influence of microbiota inoculum as a substitute for antibiotic growth promoter during the initial laying phase on productivity performance, egg quality, and the morphology of reproductive organs in laying hens

Abstract

Background and Aim: Antibiotics that increase growth have long been employed as a component of chicken growth. Long-term, unchecked usage may lead to microbial imbalance, resistance, and immune system suppression. Probiotics are a suitable and secure feed additive that may be provided as a solution. The objective of this research was to ascertain the effects of dietary multistrain probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium spp., and Lactobacillus plantarum) on the morphology (length and weight) of reproductive organs and productivity performance of laying hens during the early stage of laying. Materials and Methods: One hundred ISA Brown commercial layer chicks of the same body weight (BW) that were 5 days old were divided into five treatments, each with four replicates and four chicks in each duplicate. There were five different dietary interventions: (T1) 100% base feed; (T2) base feed with 2.5 g of antibiotic growth promoter/kg feed; (T3) base feed plus probiotics; (T4) base feed at 1 mL/kg with probiotics; and (T5) base feed with probiotics, 3 mL/kg feed, 5 mL/kg of feed. The parameters observed were performance, internal and exterior egg quality, and the morphology (length and weight) of laying hens’ reproductive organs. Results: Probiotic supplementation (L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium, and L. plantarum) significantly affected the BW, feed intake, egg weight, yolk index, albumin index, Haugh unit, egg height, egg width, and morphology (length and weight) of laying hens’ reproductive organs compared to the control group (basic feed). In addition, there was no discernible difference between treatment groups in theeggshell weight and thickness variables across all treatment groups. Conclusion: When laying hens were between 17 and 21 weeks old, during the early laying period, microbiota inoculum supplements (L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium, and L. plantarum) increased growth, the quality of the internal and external layers’ eggs, and the morphology of the laying hens’ reproductive organs. Keywords: external quality eggs, good health, growth performance, internal quality eggs, probiotics, reproductive organs.