The effect of a fermented probiotic, the kefir, on intestinal flora of poultry domesticated geese (<i>Anser anser</i>)

Yaman H., Ulukanli Z., Elmali M., Unal Y.

REVUE DE MEDECINE VETERINAIRE, no.7, pp.379-386, 2006 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2006
  • Journal Name: REVUE DE MEDECINE VETERINAIRE
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.379-386
  • Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Affiliated: No

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of kefir as a probiotic on the microbiology of gosling faeces in comparison with a control diet for 5 weeks and the 30 day old birds were divided into 3 groups (10 geese by group) according to the kefir supplementation in the drinking water: 0% for the control group, 0.20% in the group 1 and 0.50% in the ? roup 2. Kefir significantly affected the faecal bacteria population by increasing Lactobacilli spp (p < 0.01 in the group 2), and total aerobic bacteria populations (p < 0.05 in the group 1 and p < 0.01 in the group 2) and by decreasing the populations of Enterobacteriaceae (p < 0.05 in the group 2), and coliforms (p < 0.05 in the group 1 and 2). The Enterococci, Staphylococci and the yeast populations were slightly but not significantly, diminished in faeces of supplemented birds. The results of this study provided preliminary information that kefir Lactobacilli spp.-yeast may be a useful candidate as a competitive exclusion (CE) preparation to improve intestinal microffora of poultry and lead to better carcass hygiene.