Table 3.

The effects of using kefir, yogurt, and probiotic on performance of broiler chickens.

Traits	Period	Treatment
		Control	Probiotic	2  %	4  %	2  %	4  %	SEM${}^{*}$	$P$ value
			PrimaLac	yogurt	yogurt	kefir	kefir
Body weight gain (g)
	1–10 d	177.91	182.15	175.29	184.05	174.86	180.09	5.65	0.8225
	11–24 d	564.22${}^{\mathrm{c}}$	592.24${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	564.75${}^{\mathrm{c}}$	586.79${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	574.00${}^{\mathrm{bc}}$	593.11${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	3.95	0.0001
	25–42 d	1617.47${}^{\mathrm{c}}$	1679.30${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	1606.47${}^{\mathrm{c}}$	1691.20${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	1628.88${}^{\mathrm{bc}}$	1690.16${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	12.93	0.0002
	1–42 d	2359.61${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	2453.69${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	2346.51${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	2462.04${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	2377.74${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	2463.36${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	14.55	0.0001
Feed intake (g)
	1–10 d	234.80	241.97	239.59	241.46	234.91	243.00	5.53	0.8255
	11–24 d	806.37${}^{\mathrm{c}}$	836.74${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	825.83${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	837.36${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	826.25${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	841.00${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	2.86	0.0001
	25–42 d	3139.72${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	3245.96${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	3157.51${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	3246.56${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	3140.19${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	3306.98${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	32.24	0.0063
	1–42 d	4180.89${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	4324.67${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	4222.94${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	4325.38${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	4201.36${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	4390.98${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	34.14	0.0018
Feed conversion ratio
	1–10 d	1.32	1.33	1.37	1.31	1.34	1.35	0.03	0.9297
	11–24 d	1.42${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	1.41${}^{\mathrm{b}}$	1.46${}^{\mathrm{a}}$	1.42${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	1.43${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	1.41${}^{\mathrm{ab}}$	0.02	0.0401
	25–42 d	1.94	1.93	1.96	1.91	1.92	1.95	0.02	0.8006
	1–42 d	1.77	1.76	1.80	1.75	1.76	1.78	0.01	0.6144
European broiler index
	1–42 d	283.30	302.66	297.04	311.80	299.79	300.65	12.52	0.7371

${}^{\mathrm{a},\mathrm{b},\mathrm{c}}$ Means in rows with same superscript do not differ significantly ($P\mathit{<}\mathrm{0.05}$). ${}^{*}$ SEM: standard error of means.