THE EFFECT OF PROBIOTIC PREPARATIONS CONTAINING SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE AND ENTEROCOCCUS-FAECIUM IN DIETS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF B-VITAMINS ON CHICKEN BROILER PERFORMANCE

A two-factor feeding and comparative trial with broiler chickens of RO SS hybrid was conducted to study the effect of probiotic preparations containing Saccharomyces cerevisae and Enterococcus faecium applied to diets with full and reduced levels of B-vitamins, as exerted on chick en weight and feed consumption, lactic acid concentration and carboxym ethylcellulase activity in the cecum chyme of chickens. Factor A repre sented probiotic preparations a(0)-control, a(1)-Saccharomyces cerevis ae var. elipsoideus, a(2)-Saccharomyces cerevisae 1026, a(3)-Enterococ cus faecium C-68, a(4)-Saccharomyces cerevisae var. elipsoideus + Ente rococcus faecium C-68, a(5)-Saccharomyces cerevisae 1026 + Enterococcu s faecium C-68. Factor B represented diets with a full vitamin level ( b(0)) and a reduced vitamin level (b(1)). The trial lasted 42 days. Th e preparations highly significantly (P < 0.01) increased chicken weigh t at 21 days of age while higher weights were recorded in groups a(4) and a(5). Higher average values of experimental groups were also recor ded at 42 days of age, but they were not statistically significant. Co rresponding results were achieved in feed consumption per 1 kg of weig ht gain: the significantly (P < 0.05) lower consumption was recorded i n chickens receiving diets BR1 with probiotic preparations in groups a (4) and a(5). The reduced vitamin level in diets b(1) of group B resul ted in the significantly (P < 0.05) to highly significantly (P < 0.01) lower weight of chickens, and in the higher total feed consumption pe r 1 kg of weight gain on average. The effects of probiotic preparation s were significantly higher in the group of chickens receiving diets w ith the lower level of B-vitamins. The final weight of chickens receiv ing diets with probiotic preparations was higher by 3.4-6.3% and the t otal feed consumption was lower by 3.55-6.28% in comparison with the c ontrol (a(0)b(1)); the best results of weight were obtained in groups (a(4)b(1) and a(5)b(1)). The combinations of probiotic preparations co ntaining both Saccharomyces cerevisae var. elipsoidus + Enterococcus f aecium C 68 and Saccharomyces cerevisae 1026 + Enterococcus faecium C 68 significantly increased lactic acid concentrations and carboxymethy lcellulase activity in the cecum chyme of broilers.