Abstract:
Four strains of Lactobacillus spp. Including L.acidophilus TISTR 1338, L.bulgaricus TISTR 1889, L. casei subsp. Tolerans TISTR 1341 and L.jensenii TISTR 1342 selected as probionts in this study were preserved by lyophilization. Their survival were more than 97% after storage for one year at -20 C. A 1:1:1:1 ratio of probiotics mixture was added to both chicken diet and drinking water at a concentration of 1 in 1000 (weight/weight and weight/volume) which gave about 10[superscript 6] CFU g[superscript -1] and 10[superscript 6] CFU ml[superscript -1] respectively. Survival of Lactobacillus spp. Mixed in drinking water was higher than those in chicken diet. When feeding broilers with probionts in water and diet every three days, the average highest weight was observed from chicken fed with probiotic-water. After challenged by Salmonella Typhimurium the most efficient reduction of this infection in gut were detected in chickens fed with probiotic-water. The results were reproducible when the experiment was repeatedly conducted on Thai local chicken strain. Challenged by S.Typhimurium 10[superscript 8] CFU ml[superscript -1] after Thai local chicken strain fed with lyophilized-probionts for 10 days showed the most reduction of S.Typhimurium in gut and feces in the group fed with probiotic-regular diet, later in the group with regular diet and probiotic-water. Also, their average weight after 30 days of growth in both treated groups were higher than those of control group with regular diet.