COLUMN ▶▶▶
Ducks flourish with the right flora
BY ANTOINE LE CALVÉ, NUTRITION SPECIALIST GRIMAUD FRÈRES T
here are many areas you can address if you want to increase your day-old duck quality, from hatchery management, to vitamins and micro-elements in breeders as well as additives. Among the huge num-
ber of additives there are available, probiotics have a specific target which is to make the microbiota healthy. Many studies in several species have shown that this is possible and that a better microbiota means better health. One probiotic type is live micro-organisms (a single bacterium or a mixture). We sometimes refer to these as ‘new flora’. The idea is to provide good bacteria in the feed, water, on the eggshell or to the ducklings. These additives should reduce health challenges and result in less use of antibiotics. Introducing ‘new flora’ is most efficient when done as early as possible, while at the same time preventing contamination with undesirable bacteria. In feed and water we want to limit the development of undesirable bacteria as far as possible, as they will compete for nutrients, harm the gut wall and leave birds with less energy to fight bad bacteria. On the eggshell in the hatchery we want to avoid the transfer of harmful bacteria from unfertile eggs or eggs with a dead embryo or duckling. Timing is everything. By introducing favourable flora from the first sign of life, the ducklings will ingest the flora to provide a good first colonization of their gut. Of course, new flora can be introduced later but once a duck is adult, the gut is fully mature, and therefore to change the microbiota the ‘new flora’ would have to be provided all the time. Otherwise, the previ- ous flora will return in a short time. In our company we test and use additives at different levels to ensure optimum duckling quality throughout the production cycle. Currently, additives are used even in very good condi- tions. That said, it is imperative to understand that even the best ‘new flora’ cannot flourish alongside an antibiotic treat- ment which will kill it. However, live bacteria are very useful for creating a new microbiota after antibiotic treatment. The precise effect on young ducklings is difficult to predict as most new flora strains come from broilers. There is a positive effect but – as with all additives – you will have to test it in your local conditions to check whether it works well on your farm.
42 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 2, 2021
PHOTO: GRIMAUD FRERES
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
