¹Department of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, Near East University, Nicosia, CYPRUS
²Department of Histology and Embriology, Veterinary Faculty, Near East University, Nicosia, CYPRUS
³Department of Virology, Veterinary Faculty, Near East University, Nicosia, CYPRUS
⁴Asilçağ Trading Ltd. 7th St. No 14. Industrial Zone, Nicosia, CYPRUS DOI : 10.9775/kvfd.2018.20889 A probiotic containing Pediococcus acidilactici and Bacillus subtilis (Smart ProLive) at a 1x107 CFU/mL dose in drinking water were given continuously from the d 14 to the end of the treatment (d 35) in broiler chickens. Experimental infection was produced by oral gavage of sporulated E. tenella oocysts at 14th d of age. Feed consumption (FC), live body weight (LBW) and feed consumption rate (FCR) were measured at weekly basis. Villus height and crypt depth in cecum and ileum, and antibody titers in the blood were performed at 28-day-old. Probiotics appeared to be superior to salinomycin on the villus height and crypt depth of cecum and ileum (P<0.05). A numerical, but not significant (P>0.05) improvement on the LBW was determined at the groups of probiotic and salinomycin+probiotic than that of control and salinomycin groups. Nevertheless, FC and FCR results of the probiotic and salinomycin+probiotic groups were good than that of control and salinomycin groups. Probiotics were effective on the villus heights and crypt depths than that of salinomycin alone. Salinomycin appeared to be good only than control group in all the parameters. Not a significant difference from antibody titers was existed among the groups. Based on these results it can be concluded that a good source of probiotics can be used as natural antimicrobial growth promoters in replacement with forbidden anticoccidials in broiler rearing. Keywords : Broiler, Coccidiosis, Probiotics, Salinomycin, Histology, Antibody