YEAST (SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE) AS PROBIOTICS OF CHOICE FOR LAYING CHICKENS I.P. Ogbuewu and C.A. Mbajiorgu Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa Corresponding author’s e-mail: [email protected] Abstract Antibiotics is included in minute level in chicken ration to promote productivity and physiological well-being. But studies have revealed that incorporation of antibiotics in feed to increase chicken performance causes the emergence of resistant bacteria. Their use in poultry feed lead to accumulation of significant amount of residues in animal products. These normally have led to the stoppage on the use of antibiotics in animal feed by the European Union (EU) in several parts of the world.
This stoppage has elicited interest on the use of Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a replacement for antibiotics in chicken nutrition. Yeast is abundant in protein (44%) and moderate in other essential nutrients. Information exist that yeast supplementation enhance gut health and feed efficiency in chickens. This paper is an attempt to document all the information on the effect of yeast supplementation on health status, egg production and egg quality in laying chickens as to identify knowledge gap for future research. Keywords: Probiotics, yeast supplementation, chickens, laying performance, egg quality
