Effects of a probiotic and other feed additives on performance and immune response of broiler chicks

The effects of dietary supplementation of a probiotic, Toxiban, Formycine and probiotic-Toxiban mixture on performance and immune response of broiler chicks were investigated. In a completely randomized design, one hundred fifty 14-days-old broiler chicks were assigned to 5 treatments with 5 replicates and 6 chicks in experimental unit. The experimental treatments were added to basal (starter and finisher) diets as follow: T (1): control group (C) that received starter and finisher diets, T (2): C plus 0.15 percent probiotic, T (3): C plus 0.1 percent Toxiban, T (4): C plus 0.1 percent Formycine and T (5): C plus mixture of 0.15 percent probiotic with 0.1 percent Toxiban. Additives except Toxiban, significantly (p<0.05) increased blood Newcastle antibody titer compared with the control group. Regarding Influenza antibody titer, there was significant differences between treatments except Formycine feeding. Only probiotic caused a significant (p<0.05) increased in blood Bronchitis antibody titer. Consumption of Formycine and probiotic+Toxiban mixture resulted in a significant decrease in blood Gamboro antibody titer (p<0.05). Chicks fed diets supplemented with Toxiban significantly (p