The Comparative Effects of the Feed Additives of Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and Enterococcus faecium on the Criteria of Intestinal Microflora, Egg Quality and Performance in Laying Hens

This study was conducted to determine the comparative effects of the additives of yeast and Enterococcus faecium on the criteria of intestinal microflora, egg quality and performance in laying hens. Treatment groups employed were as follows: Group 1- Control (C, n=36): the criteria of intestinal microflora, egg quality and performance were compared, Group 2 (n=36): C + 1 g/kg Enterococcus faecium (EF) (Cylactin ME 10 1x1010 cfu/g), and Group 3 (n=36): C + 1 g/kg yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SC). The experiment was carried out on 108 Lohman Brown strains of hens, aged 45 weeks old, allocated into 3 groups of 12 replications, each containing 3 hens. Trial groups contained 36 hens each. The feed intake, egg production, egg weight and feed conversion ratio did not differ statistically between the groups (P 0.05). Similary, the egg quality criteria also did not differ statistically between the groups. The number of total bacteria increased in the Enteroccocus faecium group as compared to those of control and yeast-added groups. The number of yeast-fungus increased in the gastrointestinal tract of the yeast group, but it decreased in the control and Enterococcus faecium-added groups. The Serum Red Blood Cells (SRBC) showed no difference between the groups. As a result, the additions of Enterococcus faecium and yeast had no effect on the laying performance, but the numbers of total bacteria and and total yeast-fungus increased in the Enterococcus faecium- and yeast-added groups, respectively. The SRBC was not affected statistically by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and enterococcus.