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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #208934
Title: Effect of Lactose as a Prebiotic on Turkey Body Weight Under Commercial Conditions

Author
item TORRES-RODRIGUEZ, ALBERTO - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item HIGGINS, STACY - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item VINCENTE, JOSE - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item WOLFENDEN, AMANDA - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item GAONA-RAMIREZ, GUILLERMO - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item BARTON, JAMES - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item TELLEZ, GUILLERMO - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item Donoghue, Ann - Annie
item HARGIS, BILLY - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Poultry Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2007
Publication Date: 12/1/2007
Citation: Torres-Rodriguez, A., Higgins, S., Vincente, J., Wolfenden, A., Gaona-Ramirez, G., Barton, J.T., Tellez, G., Donoghue, A.M., Hargis, B.M. 2007. Effect of Lactose as a Prebiotic on Turkey Body Weight Under Commercial Conditions. Journal of Applied Poultry Research. 16(4):625-641.

Interpretive Summary: The effect of a commercially available lactic acid bacteria (LAB) probiotic alone and supplemented with lactose as prebiotic, was evaluated for effects on turkey body weight during the brooding and grow out phases under commercial conditions in two experiments. Turkey poults were given the probiotic in either drinking water (DW) or feed, and lactose in feed while maintained in wire pens (four per treatment) within the brooding house. Groups treated with the combination of probiotic and lactose, and lactose alone were heavier (p<0.05) by 15.5 to 17.5% in Expt 1 and 2, respectively, as compared to the control groups. Market body weight of turkeys from Experiment 1 was higher with the combination of probiotic and lactose than the control group by 436 g. Turkeys only on the probiotic tended to be heavier than the controls. The administration of this LAB-based probiotic, supplemented with lactose as prebiotic to turkey poults during the brooding phase, increased body weight and this advantage was further maintained or augmented during the grow out phase.

Technical Abstract: The effect of a commercially available lactic acid bacteria (LAB) probiotic alone and supplemented with lactose as prebiotic, was evaluated for effects on turkey body weight during the brooding and grow out phases under commercial conditions in two experiments. Turkey poults were given the probiotic in either drinking water (DW) or feed, and lactose in feed while maintained in wire pens (four per treatment) within the brooding house. Groups treated with the combination of probiotic and lactose, and lactose alone were heavier (p<0.05) by 15.5 to 17.5% in Expt 1 and 2, respectively, as compared to the control groups. Market body weight of turkeys from Experiment 1 was higher with the combination of probiotic and lactose than the control group by 436 g. Turkeys only on the probiotic tended to be heavier than the controls. The administration of this LAB-based probiotic, supplemented with lactose as prebiotic to turkey poults during the brooding phase, increased body weight and this advantage was further maintained or augmented during the grow out phase.