Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
XVI European Poultry Conference, Valencia, İspanya, 24 - 28 Haziran 2024, ss.485
In Europe, there are only a handful of probiotics registered for use in laying hens during egg production. However, this application should not be neglected: high-producing laying hens also need to be as efficient as possible. This includes utilising their diet to the fullest, whilst withstanding health challenges. From that perspective the importance of a proper functioning gastro-intestinal tract cannot be doubted, indicating the value a probiotic can bring in a layer operation. A recent addition to EU-registered layer probiotics is B-Act®, a probiotic based on a single strain of spore-forming Bacillus licheniformis (DSMZ 28710). The probiotic already has a long and extensive history in animal production, supporting high-performing animals during all stages of production. Recent research has now showed the unique B. licheniformis strain’s benefits in layers. Lohmann Brown layers were supplemented between 25 and 45 weeks of age and compared to a control without any probiotics (25 replicates/group, 5 hens/pen). Per pen the body weights, feed conversion ratios, egg masses and the ratios of cracked and dirty eggs were recorded. Additional egg quality parameters were evaluated in 4-week intervals for each pen, using 4 representative eggs (shell weight, shell thickness, shell breaking strength). Protein levels in the dry manure were recorded at the start and at the end of the experiment as well, as an indication of how well the animal was using the supplemented diets. Adding B-Act® to the diet significantly improved FCR and egg mass (P<0.05) as well as shell percentages. The improvements in the latter parameter could offer an explanation why almost all other eggshell qualities improved numerically as well for the probiotic group. At the same time, significantly less protein was excreted in the dry manure by the B-Act® group compared to the control. This can be interpreted as a better functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, utilising the provided nutrients from the diet as much as possible. In turn, it explains the improved FCR and egg parameters. The above highlights that probiotics have a place in layer nutrition, as these high-performing animals should be supported from start to finish. With an attractive return on investment, the supporting research about its benefits in layers and the flexibility in terms of application options, B-Act® offers an interesting solution to do so - combining economics with health standards in the most rewarding way.
Keywords: B-Act; Bacillus licheniformis; DSMZ 28710; probiotics; laying hens;