The use of these components stretches in humans as well as animals especially poultry and dairy or meat animal which are used as food source for human consumption.
Probiotics
The use of probiotics starts early in 1970s and later FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and WHO (World Health Organization) formed its definition “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.” (Mack, 2005). Or simply we can say that Live microorganisms administered for health benefits to animals are regarded as probiotics.
1.1 Requirements
Regarding any substance as probiotic, it should fulfil the following three requirements.
- Non hydrolysable in small intestine or stomach
- beneficial for commensal bacteria in large intestine
- during fermentation should prove beneficial.
1.2 Effects
- Detoxification
- Immunomodulatory effect
- Intestinal epithelium development and permeability
- Gastrointestinal function improvement
- responsible for synthesizing certain metabolites and bacteriocins (antimicrobial peptides)
- Oxygen concentration reduction
1.3 Types
The probiotics we use for poultry is divided into two types.
- Sporulated probiotics.
- Clostridium genera
- Bacillus genera
- Lactic acid producing bacteria.
- Lactobacillus
- Enterococcus
- Pedicoccus
- Bifidobacterium
1.4 Uses
In poultry industry prebiotics are used in variety of functions like,
1.4.1 Sporulated probiotics
Controlling pathogens
The effect of Bacillus subtalis in broilers health was studied in research and results found were that when fed them with feed containing one strain of B. subtilis (DSM17299) showed a positive effect against the Newcastle and infectious bursal disease. Also, in the case of Salmonella enterica serotype enteritidis, which decreases the immunity against the ND and IBD probiotics supplemented feed proved useful. The studies showed that when the B. subtilis used before the onset of disease resulted in more immunity against the S. enteritidis and Clostridium perfringens as compared to without its supplementation.
Health and production improvements
In healthy birds fed with B. subtilis resulted feed cost reduction and significantly improvement in growth and health status. Also, another study showed Bacillus licheniformis its use in reduction of intestinal disease effects such as coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis, even this bacillus specie is used alongside coccidiosis vaccine to mitigate its side effects.
Egg weight/laying rate.
Layers fed prebiotic feed containing B. subtilis (strain DSM 17299) resulted in improvements in egg weight and laying rate.
Improvement in Turkey production
Prebiotics usage proved useful in not only hens but also in turkeys leading to improved health and performance.
Turkeys fed mixed diet containing B. licheniformis and B. subtilis showed great results in performance improvement.
1.4.2 Lactic acid bacteria
Controlling pathogens
Enterococcus faecium is getting quite a recognition for poultry industry usage. Studies showed that its addition to drinking water as well as in feed led to reduced number of E coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
Blood fat level
Its addition also proved useful in reducing blood fat level.
Antioxidant/Anti-inflammatory role
Antioxidant in birds (lower antioxidant status can lead to subclinical inflammation resulting in lower production)
Anti-inflammatory action in stressful times
Increasing chick viability
Also, E. faecium usage along with vaccines helped reducing vaccine stress thus helping in increasing chick viability (1week age).
Egg size
Usage of different lactic acid bacteria in layers improved egg size
PREBIOTICS
These are compounds responsible for the healthy growth of bacteria (inside the gut).
2.1 Effects
- Prebiotics have been seen increasing the Production performance.
- Weight gain
- Reducing pathogen spread
- Intestinal health
2.2 Uses
Weight gain
ADG (average daily weight gain) is improved when an adequate dose of Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) has been given.
Productivity improvements
Mixture of Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and Mannan-oligosaccharide resulted in productivity improvement in broiler (age 28days)
increased immunity
Fructo-oligosaccharides-inulin resulted in enhancing innate immunity against the Salmonella enteritidis.
Anti-inflammatory role
In chickens Fructo-oligosaccharides-inulin showed anti-inflammatory action.
Gut microflora
Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) at different concentration showed an increase of bifidobacteria in the intestine.
Controlling pathogens
In studies it showed that prebiotics were responsible for improving the colonies of bifidobacteria and lactobacillus while caused reduction in pathogenic bacteria
SYNBIOTICS
The mixture containing both the prebiotics and probiotics (in synergy)
Not much info is available online for Synbiotics, but studies showed that their use was comparable to antibiotics in poultry(broiler) i.e., improved performance.
3.1 Effects
- Improvement in ADG (Average daily weight gain)
- Improvement in FCR (Feed conversion ratio)
- broiler performance improvement
- Weight gain
- Improvement in intestinal health
- Reduction in pathogens
3.2 Uses
Improvement in FCR
Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and B. subtilis addition in diet (broiler diet) resulted in improvement in average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio.
Intestinal health improvement
Incidence of mortality and diarrhea reduced when the combination of Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and B. subtilis was used.
Weight gain
E. faecium and prebiotic from sea algae and chicory improved average daily weight gain (ADG), carcass yield, Feed conversion ratio (FCR) and live weight too.
Conclusion
Prebiotics, Probiotics and Synbiotics all three have different modes of action and show different results regarding intestinal health and function improvement prevention of gastrointestinal infections. In contrast to antibiotics these do not attack pathogens instead they improve gastrointestinal environment therefore elimination the risk of enteric disorders.
References
http://www.positiveaction.info/pdfs/articles/pp24_7p23.pdf
Application of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics in poultry (nutrinews.com)
Probiotics – PMC (nih.gov)
About Probiotics (internationalprobiotics.org)