Determining the Relationship Between Varying Inclusions of Bacillus Lichenformis and Tribasic Copper Chloride on 42-Day-old Ross 708 Male Broiler Performance

Probiotics, such as Bacillus licheniformis (BL), and some trace minerals, such as copper (supplied via tribasic copper chloride; [TBCC]), have been explored singularly in the literature for use in antibiotic-free poultry production. However, these additives are often applied in combination, without much peer-reviewed research conducted on their interactive effects. Therefore, the objective was to examine the individual and interactive effects of supplementing commercially available BL (yes or no) and TBCC (0, 125, or 250 ppm) within an all-vegetable diet on day 0-42 male broiler performance. Interactions between BL x TBCC were established for day 18-30 BW gain (BWG) and day 0-30 feed intake (FI)/bird. For BWG, 125-ppm TBCC maximized gain, whereas including BL 1 TBCC decreased gain. For day 0-30 FI, feeding TBCC alone increased the FI, whereas inclusions of BL 1 TBCC decreased the FI; from day 0 to 30, regardless of the FI, the feed conversion ratio was not affected. For day 30-42 BWG, broilers receiving 250-ppm TBCC had the highest BWG, whereas broilers fed all other TBCC inclusions performed similarly. On day 42, 5 birds/treatment were randomly selected for cecal tonsil sampling to determine the presence of Salmonella or Escherichia coli. Although Salmonella was not detected, birds fed diets containing TBCC had less E. coli as compared with birds fed diets without TBCC; BL had no effect on E. coli. Overall, no significant overall performance differences were found. However, the observed intermittent BL 3 TBCC interactions demonstrate their combined use may negatively affect performance, warranting further research to ensure they and other combined antibiotic alternatives do not have antagonistic effects.