• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.787-796
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of probiotic mixture on fecal ammonia, caecal microorganism, immune response, egg quality and production in layer under heat stress (HS).A total of four hundred 50 week olds Hy-Line Brown layers were randomly divided into four groups of 100 heads each: C (control, room temperature $25^{\circ}C$), HS (heat stress $33^{\circ}C$), PM (HS plus probiotic mixture 500, 750 mg/kg of diets). Egg production, egg quality, spleen weight, blood IgG and lymphocyte concentrations were increased in the PM group compared to the HS group, while mortality, the heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L) ratio, and corticosterone levelswere significantly decreased. Lactobacillus was increased in the PM group compared to the HS group, but E. coli, coliform bacteria and aerobic bacteria were significantly reduced. Fecal ammonia production was significantly increased in the HS group compared to the PM group. In conclusion, the results of this study that these mixed probiotics can reduce the heat damage of the summer laying hens and can be an effective nutritional strategy to reduce odor generation from feces, and to improve egg quality and laying production through immune response and caecal microbial balance.