Assessment of yeast cell wall as replacements for antibiotic growth promoters in broiler diets: effects on performance, intestinal histo-morphology and humoral immune responses

The study compared the effects of an antibiotic growth promoter (AGP), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and yeast cell wall (YCW) on performance, microbiology and histo-morphology of the small intestine and humoral immune responses in Ross 308 broilers. The treatments (eight replicates/treatment, n = 12/replicate) were negative control (NC, without AGP), positive control (PC, supplemented with bacitracin methylene disalicylate, 400 mg/kg), Y and YCW (supplemented with yeast and YCW, respectively, 1000 mg/kg). Live weight at 42 days improved (p = 0.086) in the PC, Y and YCW groups. Feed conversion ratio was better (p = 0.039) in the YCW group compared with the other groups. Antibiotic growth promoter in the PC group shortened the villi in duodenum (p = 0.044). Mucosal Escherichia coli number was higher in the PC group (p < 0.001), whereas in the digesta E.similar to coli number was lower (p = 0.001) in the PC, Y and YCW groups in relation to the NC. Mucosal Salmonella populations increased (p = 0.0001) in the PC group, whereas in the digesta, all treatments reduced the Salmonella (p = 0.0001). Following oral challenge with Salmonella pullorum, YCW increased E.similar to coli numbers on the mucosa (p < 0.001) whereas in the digesta the Y group had lower (p < 0.0001) number of E.similar to coli. In the digesta, Salmonella count was lower in the YCW group compared with the other treatments (p < 0.01). Yeast cell wall -treated birds exhibited better (p < 0.05) humoral immune response against Newcastle disease which was far more persistent over time than in any other treatments. It was concluded that the yeast and the yeast cell wall may have effects identical to BMD on performance of broilers and thus may constitute an effective replacement strategy in the dietary regimens for broiler chickens.