Effects of the synergistic use of eubiotics on productive and allometric parameters in broilers of the Ross AP line

Abstract

Currently, eubiotics are postulated as a potential replacement alternative to antibiotics used as subtherapeutic, as growth promoters. Although multiple studies have shown the beneficial effect of eubiotics on the productive and allometric parameters of broilers, the combined use of these has been little evaluated, without knowing their synergistic effect. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the synergistic use of eubiotics on the productive and allometric parameters in broilers of the Ross AP line. The study was carried out during 2020 at the experimental farm in Piedecuesta, Santander at an altitude of 1005 meters above sea level. A total of 1400 animals were analyzed using a completely randomized design, evaluating seven treatments (T1 = base diet (BD), T2 = BD + growth-promoting antibiotic (GPA), T3 = BD + natural extract (NE) + probiotic (Pro) + prebiotic (Pre), T4 = BD + NE + Pro + medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA), T5 = BD + Pre + Pro + MCFA, T6 = BD + NE + Pre + MCFA and T7 = BD + Pre + Pro + MCFA), with eight repetitions of 25 animals for each treatment. The productive parameters were evaluated on days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35, while the allometric parameters were specifically evaluated on day 35. Additionally, an analysis of economic productivity was carried out considering the commercial values reported at the end of the year 2020. In general, significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in the following productive parameters: average weight per bird on days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35; total consumption per pen at days 14, 21, and 28; accumulated consumption per bird on days 21, 28 and 35; average consumption per bird at day 21, 28 and 35; conversion adjusted for mortality at day 21, 28 and 35; VPI at day 7, 21, and 28 and IEE, with the best values in treatments 3, 5, 6 and 7. Regarding the allometric parameters, significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in the following items: poultry weight with viscera and feathers, poultry weight without viscera and without feathers, breast weight, wings weight, rib weight, and hock weight. The highest economic productivity was obtained in treatments 6 and 7, compared to treatment 1, respectively. In conclusion, it was determined that the best productive and allometric parameters were presented in the animals that consumed the treatments that contained Mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) as prebiotics in their formulation, for this reason, the addition of these compounds should be considered as a safe nutritional alternative to improve the synergistic effect with other eubiotics and increase the efficiency of production systems.