PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED STRAINS OF LACTOBACILLUS-BULGARICUS, STREPTOCOCCUS-LACTIS AND SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE ALONE AND IN DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS IN BROILERS

Dietary supplementation of the selected strains of Lactobacillus bulga ricus (L4), Streptococcus lactis (Sl) and Saccharomyces cerevisae (Y3) alone and in different combinations on 'IBL-80' broilers revealed sig nificantly higher growth rates (+14.05% and 10.15%) and feed efficienc y ratio (+7.80 and 2.29%) coupled with zero mortality by the combinati on of the 3 microbes (L. bulgaricus + S. lactis + S. cerevisiae) and L 4 of L. bulgaricus as compared to control during the starter phase. Co ntrary to this, none of the treatments showed significantly better per formance than control during the finisher phase. The overall (1 to 6 w eeks) growth performance and feed efficiency ratios were significantly (P < 0.05) better under the treatments involving the combination of t he 3 microbes (+7.22 and +2.55%) as well as L. bulgaricus (+6.86 and 2 .55%) than that of control, and their performance map be correlated to significantly (P < 0.05) higher digestibilities of dry matter and cru de fibre. The differences for the dressing percentage, gut pH and duod enal thickness under different treatments were statistically non-signi ficant. On the basis of overall picture with respect to growth rate, f eed efficiency ratio, mortality per cent, the combination of the 3 mic robes (L. bulgaricus + S. lactis + S. cerevisiae)and L4 strain of L. b ulgaricus was the most promising probiotics.