Not all probiotics are equal: what to consider when selecting the right one for your flock
Broiler producers can boost the performance and health of their flocks by introducing probiotics into diets – provided the correct one is selected and used consistently.
This is the message from independent poultry nutritionist, Steve Pritchard, who recommends probiotic use as a preventative health management strategy.
“Probiotics aren’t a silver bullet, but if the correct ones are given consistently from day one, you will subtly shift the microbial population in the birds, and that will deliver benefits across the flock,” says Mr Pritchard.
“Fundamentally, a good probiotic increases the overall diversity of bacteria in the gut, and in general the greater the diversity of the gut flora, the better the impact on bird performance.”
With the transition to 30kg/m² stocking densities, maintaining optimal bird health and welfare is more critical than ever and a reliable probiotic can play a key role in helping producers achieve their commercial goals.
Steve Pritchard - independent nutritionist
Factors to consider when selecting a poultry probiotic
When selecting a probiotic for your flock, Mr Pritchard says producers should consider three key areas – mode of action, evidence of its effectiveness for gut health support, and heat stability.
He says product reliability – and evidence of its effectiveness through commercial trials – is essential, and producers should ensure they buy from a manufacturer that can demonstrate the consistency of its product.
In addition, evidence that the strain has heat stability and can survive being incorporated into feed in the manufacturing process is also vital.
Mr Pritchard explains: “Many of the bacteria used for probiotics form robust spores that should survive the pelleting process, however some probiotics aren’t spore-forming and will be destroyed in this process, so you need to get reassurance and evidence that it is definitely present in your feed.”
Lastly, he says mode of action matters, because no two probiotic strains are the same, and each delivers different benefits, which can ultimately support the reduction in antimicrobial use in broiler units.
“For example, some strains will very specifically improve the digestibility of things like protein and starch in the diet, some will help to develop a protective biofilm to protect the gut lining from attack by pathogenic bacteria, and others will specifically target pathogenic bacteria,” explains Mr Pritchard.
“This highlights why you need to understand mode of action to make sure the strains you’ve chosen are going to have the desired outcomes in your birds.”
He says a good example of a probiotic containing multiple strains with different modes of action is GALLIPRO® FIT – a heat stable probiotic, up to 95 ̊ C1, with a unique combination of three Bacillus strains: Bacillus subtilis DSM 32324, DSM 32325, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DSM 25840.
“Studies have shown the product can improve poultry feed conversion ratio (FCR) by up to 3 points2, increase average daily liveweight gain by up to 58g3, and deliver up to a 1% reduction in mortality3,” adds Mr Pritchard.
“This evidence of consistency is particularly valuable in both changing and challenging environments; maintaining optimal gut health is vital to help producers to continue achieving their commercial goals.”
Download our infographic on why strains matter to learn more:
- Elanco DOF Chr Hansen GALLIPRO FIT Heat stability 2024
- Chr. Hansen Laboratories Trial No. 80559
- Chr. Hansen Laboratories, '28 trials data'
