The Impact of Lactobacillus Plantarum Probiotics and Postbiotics on the Performance and Immunological Responses of Ross Broiler Chicken

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum RS5 in both probiotic and postbiotic forms on growth performance, intestinal health, and immune responses in Ross 308 broiler chickens. A total of 1,000 day-old chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments: (1) Control (no supplementation), (2) Control + L. plantarum RS5 probiotic, (3) Control + L. plantarum RS5 postbiotic incubated for 10 hours, and (4) Control + L. plantarum RS5 postbiotic incubated for 20 hours. Probiotics and postbiotics were incorporated into feed at predetermined concentrations, and birds were monitored over a 35-day period for performance parameters, intestinal scores, blood values, and immune organ development.

The results revealed that feed conversion ratio (FCR), body weight gain, intestinal health markers, and immune parameters did not differ significantly among treatment groups (p > 0.05). However, the Postbiotic 20h group demonstrated the highest live body weight at day 25, a difference that was statistically significant (p < 0.05) compared to the probiotic group and numerically higher than the control and Postbiotic 10h groups. This performance advantage was retained numerically through day 34. Intestinal scoring showed no significant treatment effects, though the Postbiotic 20h group exhibited the lowest incidence of thick intestinal walls (5%) and reduced gizzard erosion, suggesting a trend toward improved gut integrity.

Immune assessments, including hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers, lymphoid organ indices, and blood parameters, showed no significant differences among treatments, though the Postbiotic 20h group recorded the highest thymus and spleen values. All blood parameters remained within normal physiological ranges, indicating that L. plantarum RS5 supplementation is well tolerated.

In conclusion, while most parameters did not show statistically significant improvements, the consistent numerical advantages observed with Postbiotic 20h highlight its potential as a functional feed additive. Further research is recommended to explore its application in long-term and large-scale production settings.