Exploring the Combined Impact of Probiotics and Organic Acids as Alternatives to Antibiotics on Gut Microbiome Balance and Disease Resistance in Broilers: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract
The overutilization of antibiotic growth promoters in chicken production has contributed to the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance, necessitating the immediate development of sustainable and effective alternatives. Natural feed additives, including probiotics and organic acids, have attracted interest for their ability to improve intestinal health, immunity, and performance in broilers, without the negative consequences of antibiotics. This study examined the combined effects of probiotics and organic acids on the stability of the gut microbiome and disease resistance in broiler chickens under controlled experimental circumstances. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a combination of probiotics and organic acids as a potential substitute for antibiotics in enhancing the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers. A randomized controlled trial was performed University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan, with 600 Cobb 500 broiler chicks divided into five dietary groups: negative control, antibiotic control, probiotic-only group, organic acid-only group, and combined probiotic-organic acid group. Birds were observed over a 42-day period for performance measures (body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and average daily gain), microbiome diversity (via 16S rRNA sequencing), and illness resistance after a Salmonella enterica challenge on day 21. Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and PERMANOVA. The findings demonstrated…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.
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