PEREZ, M et al. Evaluation of a probiotic mixture on laying hens feeding in a commercial farm. []. , 35, 3, pp. 311-320. ISSN 0864-0394.

In order to evaluate the effect of including, in the diet of laying hens, a probiotic mixture (biopreparation) based on the strains Lactobacillus salivarius C65 and Bacillus subtilis E44, a study was conducted at the "Baró Chiquito" laying hen farm of the Limonar municipality, Matanzas, between June and July, 2011. The design was completely randomized and two treatments were evaluated: T1) basal diet (control) and T2) basal diet plus the mixture of biopreparations, in a 1:1 ratio. A total of 2 078 L33 laying hens were used, with an age between 40 and 48 weeks (1 039 fowls per treatment), which were housed in metallic cages and received water and feed based on corn-soybean. The eggs were collected every day and the total number of egg-layings and eggs per hen per week, feed intake and conversion into eggs per kilogram of feed consumed were determined. The animals that received the probiotic mixture had higher production throughout the period, except in week 40, in which no differences were shown among treatments. There were differences (P<0,05) in the laying percentage, favoring the treatment with the probiotic mixture, and also regarding the variation of the egg number per hen per week (P<0,01). It is concluded that it is possible to use this biopreparation for feeding laying hens, because 10% more laying occurred than in the control, and also positive indicators of conversion into egg per kilogram of feed were obtained.

: laying hen; probiotic.

        · |     · |     · ( pdf )