INFLUENCE OF BAFASAL FEED ADDITIVE ON MORPHO-BIOCHEMICAL INDICES OF CHICKENS-BROILER’S BLOOD

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Recently, interest in the use of bacteriophage therapy in poultry has arisen in the context of the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, as the need to find alternative antibacterial agents is urgent. In addition, EU legislation prohibits the use of antibiotics in feed to stimulate the growth of animals and poultry. Bafasal – a new and innovative agent based on natural components of the ecosystem, has a high specificity to Salmonella serovars, in particular, S. enteritidis, S. typhimurium, S. mbandaka, S. gallinarum, S. іnfantis, which are most often diagnosed in poultry farming. This is the first bacteriophage product on the poultry market, which is recommended as a feed additive for broiler chickens.
 The article presents the results of studies on the safety of Bafasal under the application as a feed additive for the prevention of bacterial diseases in poultry breeding. Bafasal was used for chickens of the experimental group according to the following scheme: from 1 to 14 days of the experiment – per 10 chickens – 50 cm3 of feed additive dissolved to 0,5% concentration; and from 15 to 35 days – 100 cm3 of the drug dissolved to 0,25 % concentration. Feeding of poultry of the control and experimental groups was carried out with identical feeds in accordance with regulatory requirements, taking into account the age of the bird. The clinical condition of the bird’s body was monitored daily, on the 35th day of the experiment; ten chickens from each group were taken blood samples for further laboratory tests. The morphological and biochemical parameters of the broiler chicken’s blood under the application of Bafasal feed additive were studied.
 It was found that the hematological and biochemical parameters of broiler chickens in the experimental group were within the physiological norm for poultry of this age on fattening, and therefore corresponded to the status of a conditionally healthy organism without signs of pathophysiological abnormalities. There was a reliable increase, within the physiological norm, in the relative number of lymphocytes by 11, 9 % (p <0,05) and a tendency to increasing the number of leukocytes, which showed a sufficient immune potential of the birds and an increase in cellular factors of natural resistance, compared with control chickens. According to the parameters of mineral metabolism, the serum content of Calcium and Phosphorus within the physiological norm was noted, which indicated a sufficient level of mineral supply of the organism of the experimental birds as a whole. In addition, in chicken fed Bafasal throughout the fattening period, the serum enzyme’s ALT, AST and creatine kinase activities and the content of total cholesterol not differ significantly from the control group, indicating the absence of signs of hepatotoxic effects of the studied feed additive.