Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXV, Issue 2
Written by Mihaela DUMITRU, Georgeta CIURESCU
Over the last few decades, the use of probiotics as source of feed additives in animal nutrition has increased considerably. As you know, sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics were used as growth promoters (AGP) in the animal field, with extensive use in poultry industries, but due to their multivarious side effects, it was necessary to find some alternatives in order to satisfy the consumer’s demands. Probiotics are considered one of the options as a significant alternative to antibiotics for improving health, growth, and poultry production. In our day, among the extensive number of probiotic products in use are bacterial spore formers, mostly of the genus Bacillus. The current review presents the benefits of probiotic utilization based on Bacillus spp. in poultry feed highlighting their potential to form spores that can withstand harsh environmental stress and transition during poultry gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, Bacillus spores involve more than 80% survivability during the probiotic in vitro tests, remaining stable in a fairly high concentration. Based on the information found from published articles, this review summarizes stronger information about the properties of Bacillus spp. obtained from in vitro and in vivo screening, which can provide researchers with a better understanding of the use of this species in poultry nutrition.
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