Controle de Campylobacter sp.em frangos de corte pelo uso de probióticos e simbióticos como alternativa aos antibióticos

Abstract

Bacteria of the genus Campylobacter are recognized as common cause of gastroenteritis in humans around the world, surpassing salmonellosis. Products of animal origin, especially poultry, are considered the main vehicle of campylobacteriosis in humans. With the ban on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed in several countries due to possible induction of bacterial resistance, and consumer pressure for quality products, alternatives have been sought for its replacement. As an alternative to the use of antibiotics the use of probiotics, prebiotics and symbiotics has been strongly emphasized in animal feed. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of probiotics, symbiotics and antibiotics on the control of Campylobacter spp. colonization and on growth performance (body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, feed intake and carcass yield and cuts) in broilers. A total of 720 day-old female Cobb broilers, reared at a population density of 10 birds / m2 for 42 days of age, were used in a completely randomized design consisting of 4 treatments: control (without additives), antibiotic, probiotic and symbiotic, and 6 replicates. . At the end of the 42 days of life cloacal swabs were collected to detect and identify Campylobacter spp. using conventional culture methods and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). There was no significant influence of treatments for any of the parameters evaluated at 7 days of age. At 21 days of age the feed intake was significantly lower in the control group. At 42 days there was a statistical difference in body weight and weight gain, and the groups treated with symbiotic and probiotic had the lowest values, respectively. Carcass yield, cuts and viscera were not affected by treatments. The colonization of Campylobacter spp. was not affected by any treatment. Only two species were identified, with predominance of C. coli (60%) versus 40% of C. jejuni. There was a 100% correlation between the species identified by the conventional culture methodology and the direct PCR analysis. The use of probiotics and symbiotics resulted in the zootechnical performance and control of the colonization of Campylobacter spp. comparable to antibiotics. Under the conditions of the experiment, no significant effects of any of the performance enhancers tested were observed