Pro and antibiotic in sequence perform well in broiler diet A lot is known about the use of antibiotics as growth
chicks were housed in an electric batterybrooder. Feed and water were provided ad
promoters in broiler feed, but how do they perform in
libitum throughout the experimental peri-od of seven weeks. The main ingredients of
comparison to probiotics, and can they be combined. Research
the feed is shown in Table 1. A premix sup-plied standard minerals and vitamins to the
at Bidhan Chandra Agricultural University in India lifts a
experimental birds at recommended levels. The test diets were prepared by mixing 100
kg of feed with different growth promotersas per doses recommended by the respective
By L.Mandal, S.K.Mandal, N.Baidya and S.K.Sarkar
manufactures. Thus, altogether there werefifteen diets, displayed in Table 2.
The birds were fed with starter ration (0-
The use of feed additives as growth the manufacturers claiming their product(s) 28 days) followed by finisher ration (29-49
as the best. Moreover, the effect of com-
days). At the end of experiment, four birds
bined feeding of antibiotics and probiotics
from each group were slaughtered to study
world. Antibiotics and probiotics have suc-
as also phase wise feeding of the same is
the dressing characteristic and some haema-
cessfully been used as feed additives in poul-
very much limited. The object of the pre-
tological parameters. Dressing percentage
try rations with encouraging results. The
sent investigation was, therefore, aimed at
were noted by excluding liver, heart and giz-
number of feed additives has increased so
exploring the possibilities of using antibi-
much so that the poultry farmers occasion-
otics and probiotics either singly or in com-
ally get confused by the advertisement of
bination or on alternate weeks on the growth
Statistical analysis of the data were done
Test layout
The body weight gain as also FCR (Table 3)
was found to be significantly better than
control in T2, T4, T5, T10, T13, and T14. It
tion that although certain antibiotics pro-
while other antibiotics like Aurofac (T1),
Table 1 - The basal portion of the reference diet ingredients (kg/100kg). Ingredients Starter feed Finisher feed An antibiotic in the starter diet of broilers and a probiotic in the finisher ration yields well and gives a good economic return. 18 FEED MIX Volume 8 Number 1 2000
Vetradox (T3) may not produce that goodresult. It became further clear that simulta-
Table 2 - Test diets and their differing additives.
neous use of Aurofac and Biospur (T10)brings forth significantly better weight gainand FCR than the control but the combined
Additive Active ingredient Dosage active (commercial name) ingredient/100kg
use was found to record only numericalimprovement than when either of them
duced significantly better results. Amongst
the antibiotic used, Flavomycin and Stafac
performed much better while Stafac record-
From the beneficial effects of antibiotics
reduces the intestinal bacterial load, gut
increase of intestinal alkaline phosphates
performance. Probiotics, like Bioboost Forte
(T7), Biospur (T8), G-Probiotic (T9) could not
register statistically significant body weight
tion of Biospur (T8) could not bring forth
In sequence performs best
The results further indicated that the use of
(T13) was the best performer in terms ofboth gain in body weight and FCR resultingin significant improvement in economicreturn per broiler. Conversely, the recipro-
Table 3 - Effect of feeding antibiotics and probiotics on the performance of
cal use of Biospur to start with and Aurofac
broilers (0-7 weeks)
in between (T14) could not bring forth thatgood result, although recording significantbody weight gain and FCR as compared to
Treatment Weight Feed Dressing
control. Since the use of antibiotic and pro-
gain (g)* intake (g) income/bird**
biotic (T13) on alternate week is difficult to
be enforced by the feed manufacturers, the
antibiotic Aurofac was tried in the starting
phase (0-4th week) and probiotic in the fin-
ishing stage (5-7th week T11) which also pro-
duced comparable results in terms of both
gain in body weight and FCR. However, the
converse use of Biospur in 0-4th week and
Aurofac in 5-7th week (T12) could not evince
any good result as compared to control.
Conclusively, it is noted that the use of an
antibiotic followed by a probiotic on alter-
nate week (T13) produced the best result in
terms of gain in body weight & FCR and
most economic return per broiler followedby use of antibiotic in starting phase and
probiotic in finishing phase (T11). This will
** Relative income after accounting for cost of feed and day old chicks.
Values bearing the same superscript within the same parameter do not differ significantly (P<0.05)
the antibiotic in the finishing phase fromhuman health point of view.
The data on dressing percentage (Table 3)
as well as blood parameters (not in table)
the most economic gain followed by use of
did not show significant differences (P<0.05)
Aurofac in the starting phase (0-4 week) and
Biospur in the finishing phase (5-7 week,
practical standpoint, however, the use of
use of antibiotics and probiotics have had
antibiotic in the starter ration and probiotic
in the finisher ration will be most useful
broilers. As for economic return per broiler,
it was observed that the use of Aurofac on
the use of antibiotic and probiotic on alter-
alternate week with Biospur (T13) produced
nate week starting with antibiotic in the
20 FEED MIX Volume 7 Number 1 2000
Express: Jay A. Cherner, M.D. Gastroenterology Consultants, P.C. MEDICAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SCREENING COLONOSCOPY Today’s Date:________________ Name:____________________________________ Age:_____ Date of Birth:________ Sex: M / F Occupation:__________________________ The reasons for the colonoscopy are (check all that apply): Screening (age over 50) __________ Family history of
Pro and antibiotic