TABLE 3.
Effects of Clostridium butyricum on the growth performance and feed utilization of broilers1.
| Items | CON | CB | ANT | p-value |
| Initial BW | 44.14 ± 0.17 | 44.82 ± 0.20 | 44.23 ± 0.30 | 0.107 |
| 1–21 days | ||||
| BW (g) | 739.24 ± 6.49b | 770.21 ± 7.63a | 785.35 ± 4.14a | <0.001 |
| ADG (g/day) | 33.07 ± 0.28b | 34.47 ± 0.35a | 35.27 ± 0.20a | <0.001 |
| ADFI (g/day) | 43.62 ± 0.49 | 43.08 ± 0.21 | 44.33 ± 0.80 | 0.307 |
| FCR (g/g) | 1.32 ± 0.02a | 1.25 ± 0.01b | 1.26 ± 0.02b | 0.010 |
| 1–42 days | ||||
| ADG (g/day) | 48.03 ± 1.86b | 51.06 ± 1.08a | 52.08 ± 0.43a | <0.001 |
| ADFI (g/day) | 84.90 ± 3.09 | 87.19 ± 1.33 | 87.35 ± 1.90 | 0.139 |
| FCR (g/g) | 1.83 ± 0.01a | 1.77 ± 0.01b | 1.74 ± 0.01b | <0.001 |
1Mean values within the same row without similar lowercase letters are significantly different (p < 0.05). Data are presented as the means ± SE of six replicates.
CON, no additives; CB, basal diet supplemented with 1 × 109 cfu C. butyricum/kg; ANT, basal diet supplemented with 10 mg/kg virginiamycin; BW, body weight; ADG, average daily gain; ADFI, average daily feed intake; FCR, feed conversion ratio.