A recent study conducted by researchers from The University of Queensland led by Dr Yadav Bajagai and other institutions has shown that a novel probiotic strain, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens H57 (H57), can significantly improve the productivity of meat chickens. The study, which focused on finding alternatives to the sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal diets, also investigated the impact of H57 on the chickens' microbiome and metabolic potential. In the poultry industry, antibiotics have been commonly used to promote growth and control enteric pathogens. However, due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, many countries have banned or voluntarily phased out their use. Probiotics, such as H57, have emerged as promising alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. They have been shown to effectively improve meat production and combat enteric pathogens in various animal species. The researchers conducted an experiment with broiler chicken
Microorganisms in the intestine can have multifaceted effects on the health and productivity of animals and birds. The advancement in DNA sequencing technology has enabled scientists to study these microorganisms and their effects on unprecedented depth and scale. This resulted in thousands of studies about intestinal microbiota (term to describe all microorganisms in an environment) and their role. This led to hundreds of commercial animal supplements with claims to positively modify intestinal microbiota to improve health and productivity. However, a depth of knowledge and skills is required to correctly analyse and interpret the sequencing data. There are several limitations and complexities in analysing such data and misrepresentation and misinterpretation of such data is common. Scientists from the Institute for Future Farming System , Central Queensland University Australia have recently published a review entitled “ the role of microbiota in animal health and productivity: mis