The Role of Synbiotic in Cobb-strain Broiler Performance Challenged with Campylobacter jejuni as a Substitute for Antibiotic Growth Promotor (AGP)

Abstract

One of the feed additives that have long been used is Antibiotic Growth Promoter (AGP). But nowadays, the use of AGP as a growth promoter has been banned because it has negative impacts such as antimicrobial resistance. Campylobacter jejuni is a pathogenic bacterium that often infects birds, especially broilers. This research aims to investigate the role of synbiotic composed of a prebiotic, and Saccharomyces sp. and Lactobacillus sp. as probiotics (commercial products) in performance of broilers challenged with C. jejuni as a substitute for AGP. Twenty-one Day Old Chicks (DOC) of Cobb-strain broilers were divided into three groups, each consisting of 7 chicks. Group I was given basal diets, group II was given basal diets and AGP (with 250 g/ton of enramycin), and group III was given basal diets and synbiotic (100 gram/100 kg). C. jejuni challenge test was carried out at the 3 week. The results suggested that at week 4, group III showed more and significantly different body weight from that of group I, but it did not differ significantly from that of group II. Similarly, at week 4 the weight gain of group III was higher and significantly different compared to that of group I, but did not differ significantly from that of group II. Also, the carcass percentage at week 5 did not differ significantly among the groups, but group III had a higher percentage of carcasses than groups I and II. The addition of synbiotic can replace AGP as a feed additive because it can improve the performance of broilers challenged by C. jejuni.