Effects of Multi-Species Lactobacillus and Sunflower Seed Meal on Nitrogen-Containing Compounds in Laying Hens' Manure and Biological Components in Blood Serum

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was 2-fold. First, it was important to investigate the effects of short-term feeding of Lactobacillus species (plantarum, paracasei, and rhamnosus) via water on nitrogen compounds in manure and blood serum. Second, the effects of sunflower seed meal (SFM) on the same compounds were investigated. Components measured were: ammonia (NH3) emissions from manure, and ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations in the manure. Biological components of serum included NH3, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, total protein, albumin, and creatine kinase. Probiotics were mixed in chlorinated drinking water at > 23.3 Mil cfu/g product or 3.64 × 106 cfu/L for each Lactobacillus species to produce approximately 70,000,000 cfu/g product or 1.092 × 107 cfu/L in total. Laying hens (65- to 74-wk-old) were randomly assigned to 4 treatments and fed for 4 wk. Diets were a corn-soy based Control, the Control + Probiotics, the Control + 20% SFM + probiotics or the control + 20% SFM. Major effects and interactions were determined for manure and serum measurements at P < 0.05. Probiotics did not significantly affect NH3 emissions, NH4-N, TKN, and TN in manure. SFM significantly reduced NH3 emissions (P < 0.0001), TKN (P < 0.0001), and TN (P < 0.0001) in manure. TKN in manure was significantly decreased across all treatments. All serum measurements remained statistically similar for the major effects of Probiotics and 20% SFM at P < 0.05.