Administration of Bifidobacterium bifidum to Chicken Broilers Reduces the Number of Carcass Condemnations for Cellulitis at the Abattoir

Abstract

A trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of Bifidobacterium bifidum on fecal bacterial populations, incidence of cellulitis, and growth performance in broiler chickens. Two groups of 9,385 broiler chickens each were administered 0 or 107B. bifidum cells/mL of drinking water for 38 d. Ten chickens from each group were randomly selected and euthanized every week; cecal samples were taken and analyzed for enumeration of total aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, coliforms, clostridia, and bifidobacteria. Mortality was recorded as it occurred. On Day 38, the chickens were weighed and shipped to the abattoir where carcass condemnations due to cellulitis and other causes were enumerated. The administration of B. bifidum had no significant effect on growth performance; however, the chickens that received the treatment had significantly increased numbers of fecal bifidobacteria on Days 28 and 35 of the experiment. Throughout the experiment, there was a trend of reduction of total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and clostridia in the chickens that received B. bifidum. The number of condemnations for cellulitis and the total number of condemnations at slaughter were significantly reduced in the chickens that received B. bifidum. Results indicate that the administration of B. bifidum may provide a method of reducing cellulitis in broiler chickens.