Medicinal mushrooms and Bacillus probiotics as an alternative to antibiotics and their effect on broiler productivity

Antibiotics as feed additives still have been used in Georgian poultry farms with the purpose of disease prevention and growth stimulation. Taking global trends and local resources into account, this research has set a goal of elaboration of alternative means to antibiotics with the use of mycelial biomass of medicinal mushrooms. Under laboratory conditions, we have obtained mycelial biomass of Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus on the local agro-industrial substrates. The obtained biomass after drying and milling has been added to broiler feed as a functional additive. In the course of the fourth and final trial conducted at the table (meat-type) poultry broiler production, probiotics Bacillus have been also added in addition to medicinal mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus) in a feed ration as a feed additive.   

Broilers’ live weight gain, feed conversion rate (FCR), survival rate and common health parameters have been assessed during all four trials. 

The results showed that application of medicinal mushrooms and probiotics has had a beneficial effect on broilers’ growth and productivity indices. Based on the carried-out tests, it can be said that the elaborated additive is a safe and effective alternative to antibiotics.