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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #370330
Research Project: Production and Processing Intervention Strategies for Poultry Associated Foodborne Pathogens

Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit

Title: Efficacy of probiotics in the broiler production environment for improved ammonia reduction and growth performance

Author
item TEJEDA, OSCAR - University Of Georgia
item RITZ, CASEY - University Of Georgia
item FOWLER, JUSTIN - University Of Georgia
item Harris, Caitlin
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff

Submitted to: International Poultry Scientific Forum
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2019
Publication Date: 1/27/2020
Citation: Tejeda, O.J., Ritz, C.W., Fowler, J., Harris, C.E., Buhr, R.J. 2020. Efficacy of probiotics in the broiler production environment for improved ammonia reduction and growth performance. International Poultry Scientific Forum. M128, p.40.

Interpretive Summary: n/a

Technical Abstract: Ammonia is a volatile compound in broiler production that when elevated has both production performance and environmental implications. Probiotics are a group of microorganisms that when provided in adequate amounts, have the ability to positively modulate the animal’s intestinal microflora and have been shown to have potential environmental benefits by the reduction of nitrogen-containing compounds such as ammonia. Our objective was to determine the efficacy of probiotics in the reduction of ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) and other environmental parameters associated with ammonia production in broiler chickens. The experiment consisted in four treatment groups with five replicate pens each in which the litter was treated (48 hours before chick placement) for the suppression of ammonia. The litter for the control group was treated with liquid alum as a positive industry control; the litter in the second group was once-treated with proprietary probiotics (LT). In addition to litter treatment with probiotics, birds for the third group received a daily supply of probiotics in the water (LT+P42). Finally, the fourth group, in addition to litter treatment with probiotics, received an every-other-week supply of probiotics in the water (LT+PBi). Measurements for litter pH, moisture, and NH4-N were taken twice a week for 6 weeks. Growth performance was measured on week 1, 2, 3, and 6 of age. Results of NH4-N collected from acid traps showed only differences (P < 0.05) on day 5 with the LT group significantly higher with 1747 ppm NH4-N compared to the rest with a range between 450-600 ppm NH4-N and with no difference in NH4-N between the treatments for the duration of the trial. No differences in the litter pH were observed overtime among treatments (P > 0.05). No significant differences in growth performance were observed when comparing the probiotic product with the liquid alum. All treatments had similar feed conversion ratio and body weight gain during the 6 weeks of the grow out period (P > 0.05). These data suggest that the use of probiotics in litter and water applications did not significantly improve performance nor serve as an effective litter amendment for the reduction of environmental ammonia production.