title: Evaluation of bacteriophage supplementation on growth performance, blood characteristics, relative organ weight, breast muscle characteristics and excreta microbial shedding in broilers.
abstract: A total of 720 1-d-old male broilers (Arbor Acres) with the initial BW = 45±2 g were used in a 32-d experiment. Birds were randomly allotted into 1 of 4 treatments according to a completely random block design. Dietary treatments included: i) CON (basal diet), ii) ANT (CON+0.5 g antibiotics/kg feed (bacitracin methylene disalicylate)), iii) BP1 (CON+0.25 bacteriophage/kg feed), and iv) BP2 (CON+0.5 g bacteriophage/kg feed). The BWG and FI were not affected by dietary treatments throughout the whole experiment, whereas BP2 treatment reduced (p<0.05) the feed conversion ratio compared with the CON treatment during 0 to 14 d. The birds fed bacteriophages at the level of 0.25 g/kg increased (p<0.05) the relative liver weight. The inclusion of antibiotic and bacteriophage significantly reduced (p<0.05) the Escherichia coli and Salmonella concentration in the excreta compared with the NC group. Broilers fed the BP2 treatment had higher (p<0.05) lactobacillus counts compared with those fed NC and PC treatments. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 0.5 g/kg bacteriophages increased feed efficiency and liver weight without effects on the breast muscle properties; also pathogens were inhibited by addition of bacteriophages.
authors: Department of Animal Resource and Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, Choongnam, 330-714, Korea.
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Animal Resource and Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, Choongnam, 330-714, Korea.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Yan
authors: Department of Animal Resource and Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, Choongnam, 330-714, Korea.
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Animal Resource and Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, Choongnam, 330-714, Korea.
authors: I H
authors: IH
authors: Kim
keywords: Bacteriophage; Broilers; Growth Performance; Microbiota; Organ Weight