Use of probiotics as an alternative to formaldehyde fumigation in commercial broiler chicken hatch cabinets

Abstract

SUMMARY Two experiments were conducted in a commercial broiler hatchery to evaluate the use of a spray probiotic formulation as an alternative method to control the bacterial bloom within a broiler hatch cabinet vs. formaldehyde fumigation. In Exp 1, 2 independent trials were conducted to compare hatchery sanitation between the current formaldehyde drip method vs. spray application of the probiotic. Hatchery sanitation was evaluated using the open-plate method at approximately 20% pip; 30% hatch; and 85% hatch for enumeration of total recovered non-selective aerobic bacteria (TAB); presumptive lactic acid bacteria (LAB); and total recovered Gram-negative bacteria (TGB). In Exp 2, 3 independent trials were conducted to evaluate the gastrointestinal (GIT) microbiota of neonatal chicks from hatch cabinets treated as in Exp 1. In Exp 1, in both trials, the application of the probiotic increased the number TAB and LAB present in the hatching environment (P