USE OF COMBINATION OF SELECTED BACTERIOPHAGES IN BROILER RATION: A SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TO ANTIBIOTIC GROWTH PROMOTERS

Abstract

Antibiotic growth promoter alternatives are urgently needed in the poultry industry to maintain or improve poultry health and performance. Bacteriophage (BP) therapy mainly utilizes lytic phage to kill their respective bacterial hosts and exhibit no activity against animal and plant cells. They can be considered novel alternative solution to combating the emergence of antibiotic resistance in poultry. A total of 600-day-old mix broiler chicks (Hubbard Classic Efficiency Plus) with the initial body weight of 41.9±1.0 g were reared for 35-days experimental period. Birds were randomly allotted into 1 of 5 treatments according to a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Dietary treatments consist T 0 Control (no antibiotics and no BP), T 1 xiv

(0.5 gm BP/kg of feed), T 2

(0.75 gm BP/kg of feed), T 3 (1.0 gm BP/kg of feed) and T 4 antibiotic control group (0.055 g antibiotic BMD/kg feed) (bacitracin methylene disalicylate). The group T 1 (P <0.05) showed higher body weight (2251.58± 15.10 g) compared to T 0 (2027.78± 6.11 g) and T 4 (2093.93± 20.28 g). Best FCR result was found in T 1 (P <0.05) (0.5g BP/kg) group (1.49) compared to the T 4 antibiotic treated group (1.54) and T 0 Control group (1.58). The group T 3 (P <0.05) showed higher feed consumption compared to T 0 and T 4 . Escherichia coli concentration in excreta is higher (6.84 log10CFU/g) in T 0 differ significantly (P<0.05) with other groups. Salmonella concentration is higher (4.28 log10 CFU/g) in T 0 and differ significantly (P<0.05) from other groups however not significantly different (P = 0766.) from T 4. The weight of the spleen in the control group T 0 is the highest and is differ significantly (P<0.05) with other groups. Similarly, the bursa of fabricus' weight is the highest in T 0 group and differs significantly (P<0.05) with other groups. Among the three-bacteriophage dietary treatment group T 1 showed better body weights and FCR than group T 2 and T 3 . In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 0.5 g/kg BP reduced FCR and increased body weight with inhibiting of pathogens. Therefore, the research recommended inclusion of 0.5 g BP/kg of feed as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in broiler diets.