Effect of a bacillary probiotic supplementation in broilers.

Four different experiments involving 7,958 broiler chicks distributed in 209 replicates evaluated the efficacy of a bacillary probiotic feed additive (Calsporin, Calpis Co. Ltd, Japan) containing 1 x 10 CFU/g of Bacillus subtilis C-3102. A completely randomized design was applied in each study using two experimental treatments: 1) basal diet (control), and 2) basal diet with 100 mg/kg of probiotic, the recommended commercial dose (supplying 1 x 10 viable spores per gram feed). The experimental design was applied to male and female broilers in both the starter and the grower phases, from day-old to slaughter at 42 days of age. The experimental data were tested for homogeneity, pooled and combined in a meta-analysis. Parameters selected were body weight (g) at 21 and 42 days of age, mortality (%), weight gain (g/day), feed intake (g/day) and feed to gain ratio (g feed/g weight gain) at 1-21, 22-42 and 1-42 days of age. Probiotic supplementation, sex and experiment were considered as main effects. At 42 days of age, the broilers fed probiotic weighed 2.7% more than control birds (2372.1 vs 2435.7 g; P 0.10). In conclusion, the data from these studies provide evidence that bacillary probiotic supplementation improves performance in broilers.