Individual and Combined Effects of a Direct-Fed Microbial and Calcium Butyrate on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histology and Gut Microbiota of Broiler Chickens

This study evaluated the effects of a Bacillus direct-fed microbial and microencapsulated calcium butyrate fed individually in combination, as compared to an antibiotic growth promoter, on performance, processing characteristics, intestinal morphology, microbiota Ross 708 broilers reared from 0 47 d post-hatch. Dietary treatments included: (1) negative control with no antimicrobial (NC), (2) positive diet containing bacitracin methylene disalicylate (PC), (3) (CS), (4) (BP), (5) both CS BP. Treatments were replicated 10 pens 20 birds each. From 15 post-hatch, FCR PC, CS, BP, + BP diets lower (p < 0.05) than those NC diet, but treatment > not observed subsequent performance. supplementation improved total breast meat weight yield at processing. Intestinal histology was influenced by treatment. Analysis jejunal collected post-hatch revealed that genus SMB53 significantly for group, Sporanaerobacter groups 0.05). The group had higher alpha beta diversities diets. results reflected synergistic between modulating may have been related enhanced feed efficiency (i.e., FCR) during this period.