Influence of dry microbial composition based on lactobacilli strains on the physiological and microbiological status of Romanian pheasants

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Abstract
This study presents the results of evaluating the effects of a dry microbial composition based on lactobacilli strains (Loigolactobacillus coryniformis and Lactobacillus johnsonii), isolated from the intestinal tract of pheasants, on productivity, physiological status, and gut microbiocenosis of Romanian pheasants. The experiment was conducted on 140 birds divided into four groups: one control group and three experimental groups receiving the microbial composition at inclusion levels of 0.5–1.5% of the feed mixture. The trial duration was 91 days. Survival rate, body weight dynamics, feed intake, hematological and biochemical blood parameters were assessed, along with bacteriological analysis of the cecal contents. The results demonstrated that supplementation with the microbial composition at a dose of 1.0% yielded the most pronounced effects, including an increase in survival rate up to 100%, a statistically significant increase in body weight by 7.2%, and a reduction in feed conversion ratio by 4.2% compared to the control group. Hematological and biochemical analyses revealed no signs of toxicity or adverse effects of the microbial additive on the experimental birds. Microbiological analysis of the cecal chyme showed that administration of the microbial composition induced a restructuring of the gut microbiome, characterized by an increase in beneficial microbiota, namely Lactobacillus spp. (1.1–2.9-fold) and Bifidobacterium spp. (1.4–3.6-fold), accompanied by a reduction in opportunistic microorganisms. The study shows the efficacy of the developed dry microbial composition in Romanian pheasant production, with the optimal effect, at a dosage of 1.0% of the compound feed.