The Effect of Multi-Strain Probiotics, Zinc and Copper on the Performance of Broiler Chickens Challenged With Clostridium perfringens.

BACKGROUND: Clostridium perfringens infection is a major cause of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens, leading to impaired growth performance and intestinal health. Nutritional strategies, such as probiotics and chelated trace minerals, may help mitigate these adverse effects. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effects of multi-strain probiotics and chelated forms of zinc and copper on the performance, gut health and physiological responses of broiler chickens challenged with C. perfringens. METHODS: A completely randomized design with six treatments involving 390 male broiler chickens was used. Treatments included (1) control, (2) control + challenge with C. perfringens, (3) challenge + selected probiotic strains, (4) challenge + chelated zinc, (5) challenge + chelated copper and (6) challenge + a combination of probiotics, zinc and copper. Growth performance, carcass characteristics, gut histomorphology, ileal pH, microbial populations, blood biochemical parameters and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were evaluated. RESULTS: C. perfringens infection significantly (p < 0.05) impaired growth performance and gut health, as evidenced by reduced body weight gain, poorer feed conversion ratio and alterations in intestinal morphology. Probiotic supplementation significantly improved growth performance, indicated by higher body weight at Days 1-10 (p = 0.048) and 1-21 (p = 0.020). It also enhanced intestinal morphology, including increased villus height and villus width (p < 0.05), and modulated gut microbial balance in the ileum by increasing Bacillus counts (p = 0.004) and decreasing C. perfringens populations (p < 0.001). Furthermore, dietary supplementation with probiotics, chelated zinc and chelated copper, individually or in combination, mitigated the adverse effects of infection by improving growth performance, supporting gut integrity and enhancing antioxidant status, as indicated by reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with probiotics and chelated zinc during necrotic enteritis challenge can serve as an effective nutritional strategy to alleviate the detrimental effects of C. perfringens infection and improve intestinal health in broiler chickens.