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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #318589
Title: Growth promoting effects of prebiotic yeast cell wall products in starter broilers under an immune stress and Clostridium perfringens challenge

Author
item FOWLER, JUSTIN - Texas A&M University
item KAKANI, RADHIKA - Texas A&M University
item HAQ, A - Texas A&M University
item Byrd Ii, James - Allen
item BAILEY, CHRISTOPHER - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Poultry Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2015
Publication Date: 3/1/2015
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61141
Citation: Fowler, J., Kakani, R., Haq, A.U., Byrd II, J.A., Bailey, C.A. 2015. Growth promoting effects of prebiotic yeast cell wall products in starter broilers under an immune stress and Clostridium perfringens challenge. Journal of Applied Poultry Research. 24:66-72.

Interpretive Summary: This study investigated the growth promoting effects of supplementing different sources and concentrations of yeast cell wall (YCW) products in the feed for meat-type chickens under an immune stress and provided a chicken-disease causing bacteria, Clostridium perfringens. Through a series of six individual studies newly hatched chicks were randomly distributed to specific dietary treatments. Products from different sources of yeast produced an improvement in growth rate compared to birds not fed YCW. However, a blend of two YCW products showed 15% improvement in growth rate. Yeast cell wall additives increased body weight and improved feed conversion and may be considered as alternative growth promoters for chickens.

Technical Abstract: This study was designed to investigate the growth promoting effects of supplementing different sources and concentrations of prebiotic yeast cell wall (YCW) products containing mannanoligosaccharides in starter broilers under an immune stress and Clostridium perfringens challenge. Through a series of 6 individual studies, either 240 or 288 newly hatched chicks were randomly distributed to specific dietary treatments. All birds received a commercial infectious bursa disease vaccine at 10 or 15 days of age, followed by an orally administered Clostridium perfringens challenge on d 15, 16, and 17; or 18, 19, and 20. Weekly BW, feed consumption, and daily mortality were recorded per pen. Each study was terminated after 21 d. Pooled data analysis of all studies revealed no effect between different product sources of YCW. Products from both sources produced a significant improvement in growth rate compared to control birds fed no YCW. However, a blend of two YCW products showed an approximate 15% improvement in growth rate and a 10% reduction in FCR. The optimum dose of any YCW product among those tested was determined to be approximately 250 ppm. Prebiotic YCW additives increased BW and improved feed conversion and may be considered as alternative growth promoters for starting broilers.