Effects of three probiotics and their interactions on the growth performance of and nutrient absorption in broilers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of three probiotics and their interactions on growth performance, intestinal digestion and absorption, and nutrient transporters in broilers. A total of 350 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into seven groups: the control group (broilers receiving normal drinking water), groups P1, P2 and P3 (broilers receiving drinking water with 1% Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis , respectively) and groups CP1, CP2 and CP3 (broilers receiving drinking water with a 1% compound probiotic mixture in 2:1:1, 1:2:1, 1:1:2 ratios, respectively). The feeding period was divided into two experimental periods: 1∼21 days and 22∼42 days. Compared to those in the control group, the broiler slaughter indexes and average daily feed intakes in the probiotics groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05), but the villus height in the small intestine increased significantly, and the crypt depth decreased significantly (P < 0.05). In the 1- to 21-day, experimental period, the broiler average daily gains in groups CP2 and CP3 were significantly greater than that in the control group. Amylase, lipase, and trypsin activities in the jejunum in groups CP and P3 increased significantly. GLUT2 mRNA expression in the probiotics group was significantly incresaed compared with that in the control group (P < 0.05). In the 22- to 42-day period, the average daily gain in the CP group was significantly greater than that in the control group. Amylase activity in the CP2 group, and lipase and trypsin activities in the CP, P1 and P3 groups increased significantly. The GLUT2 mRNA expression in the CP group increased significantly (P < 0.05). In summary, three probiotics and their interactions improved the digestibility and absorption of nutrients by increasing the activities of digestive enzymes, improving the morphology of the digestive tract, and upregulating the expression of GLUT2 mRNA in the intestinalcell membrane to improve the production performance in broilers.