Determination of The Growth Performances and Meat Quality of Broilers Fed Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Probiotic in Two Different Feeding Intervals

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This study was conducted to determine the effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) as a dietary probiotic and evaluated the most suitable feeding interval for this probiotic on growth performance, carcass yield, and meat quality parameters in broiler chickens. In total, 1,050 one-day-old Cobb 500 chicks were randomly assigned to one of seven dietary treatment groups, in a <TEX>$2{\times}3$</TEX> factorial arrangement with 3 SC dosages (0.6%, 1%, and 1.4%) and two feeding intervals [long term (LT) for 35 days and short term (ST) for 28 days after hatching], with a negative control diet (NC; 0% SC). Triplicate experiments were performed with 50 birds per cage. Broilers fed a diet including SC showed increased (p<0.01) daily gain and feed efficiency compared to the control. Further, broilers fed the 1.4% SC supplemented diet showed a significantly increased (p<0.01) average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to broilers fed the 0.6% and 1% SC incorporated diets. Similarly, broilers fed an LT SC diet showed a greater (p<0.01) increase in ADG and FCR compared to broilers fed an ST SC diet. Moreover, broilers fed an LT SC diet displayed a reduced (p<0.05) meat pH, gizzard weight, and increased (p<0.05) meat water-holding capacity compared to broilers fed an ST SC diet. Broilers fed the 1.4% SC supplemented diet showed increased (p<0.05) thigh muscle weight compared to broilers fed the 0.6% and 1% SC supplemented diets. In conclusion, broilers fed LT SC diets showed improved growth performance and carcass quality parameters compared to broilers fed ST SC diets, and the NC diet, from hatching to day 35.