Effects of Clostridium butyricum on growth performance, antioxidation, and immune function of broilers

Abstract To investigate the effects ofClostridium butyricum on growth performance, antioxidation, and immune function of broilers, 320 one-day-old Arbor Acres commercial male chicks were assigned to one of 5 treatments with 8 replicates in a completely randomized design for 42 d. The 5 treatments were basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with 2.5 × 108 cfuC. butyricum/kg (CB1), basal diet supplemented with 5 × 108 cfuC. butyricum/kg (CB2), basal diet supplemented with 1 × 109 cfuC. butyricum/kg (CB3), and basal diet supplemented with 150 mg aureomycin/kg (antibiotic). The results showed that allC. butyricum–supplemented groups during d 1 to 21 and the CB2 group during d 22 to 42 had higher ADG compared with the control (P