Effects of probiotic Clostridium Butyrate on Performance and Immunocompetence and Digestive Function of poultry

The purpose of our research was to study the effects of dietary addition of Clostridium butyricum (CB) on performance, immunocompetence and digestive function of poultry. Using single factor experiment design, 720 one-day-old and healthy AA broilers were divided into 6 groups with 6 replicates in each group and 20 broilers in each replicate. Broilers in control group were fed a basal diet, while broilers of other experimental group were fed the basal diet supplemented with CB 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, 750 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg and 1250 mg/kg. The results showed as follows: The 1000mg/mg group had the best effect on immunity enhancement, with the thymus index, spleen index and bursa index increased by 18.38 % (P < 0.05), 16.00 % (P < 0.05) and 8.03 % (P > 0.05) in 1–21 days, and 6.45 % (P < 0.05), 12.92 % (P < 0.05) and 13.94 % (P < 0.05) in 22–49 days. The 1000 mg/kg group and 1250 mg/kg group had the best effect on improving the digestive function, with the VH/CD value increased by 27.56 % (P < 0.05) and 29.56 % (P < 0.05) in 1–21 days, and 29.48 % (P < 0.05) and 30.80 % (P < 0.05) in 22–49 days, with the number of harmful bacteria Escherichia coli and Salmonella decreased significantly (P < 0.05). These results indicated that the addition of CB in diets of broiler can improve the production performance, enhance immunity and improve digestive function, and the optimal dosage is 1000 mg/kg.