Effects of probiotics and organic acids on incubation and production parameters in broilers

Abstract

The effects of supplementing a blend of organic acids (OA) and a lactic acid bacteria based-probiotic on hatchery parameter correlated responses, were studied. Three independent trials were performed during 2013, 2014 and 2015. In each trial, broilers were divided into two groups: control and treated group, receiving regular water and OA with probiotic in the drinking water during 10 consecutive weeks, respectively. Treated group showed negative correlations between 35-weekold broiler body weight and chick body weight (r= -0.99; p= 0.01); body weight and total eggs per hen (r= -0.97; p= 0.03 body weight and total egg production (r= -0.96; p= 0.03); incubatable egg percentage and double yolk egg percentage (r= -0.96; p= 0.04). Control group showed negative correlations between broiler body weight and incubatable egg percentage (r= -0.99; p= 0.01), as well as peak egg production and chick body weight (r= -0.99; p= 0.04). A positive correlation was found between 35-week-broiler body weight and chick body weight (r= 0.99; p= 0.05), as well as body weight uniformity and eggs weight (r= 0.99; p= 0.03) in treated group. In control group there was a positive correlation between peak production and broken egg percentage (r =0.99; p= 0.01). There are correlations between productive and hatchery variables that show differences for treated group of broilers.