Study reveals why probiotics deserve a place in turkey diets

The benefits of including probiotics in turkey diets – and their role in promoting bird health and productivity – have been highlighted in a new meta-analysis study. 

Poultry sales manager, Antonia Chittock, says the study is welcomed due to the notable differences between turkeys and other avian species. 

“Genetics, diet, and rearing environment are just three factors that differ between turkeys and chickens, but there are many more that highlight the importance of turkey-specific data on the benefits of probiotics,” she explains.  

Turkeys are highly sensitive to gut microbiota imbalance and dysbiosis, which can lead to inflammation and subsequent health issues.  

“This means careful thought is needed when selecting the most appropriate probiotics to improve health and performance,” says Mrs Chittock.

More than 30 years of research 

The meta-analysis outlines data from a combination of 16 trials, carried out over three decades across multiple countries. 

The trials show the positive impacts on turkey health and production when diets are supplemented with the following probiotics:  

How do Bactocell and Levucell SB work? 

“Bactocell consumes indigestible sugars to produce high levels of L+ lactic acid, which is an important energy source for the birds,” Mrs Chittock explains.  

“L+ lactic acid can be absorbed directly by the gut and locally decreases pH. It also supports other beneficial gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, which also benefits the birds’ health and performance.”  

Explaining how Levucell SB works, she says: “The live yeast improves gut health in turkeys by promoting an anaerobic environment, reducing harmful pathogens like Salmonella, and enhancing nutrient absorption for better growth and feed efficiency.”  

Trials have assessed the positive effects of both these probiotics on body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and gut histology.  

“For those rearing turkeys, body weight, FCR, and mortality are often the most important metrics,” adds Mrs Chittock. 

Key findings from the meta-analysis  

“The meta-analysis results showed that turkeys fed probiotics outperformed the control group, with significant improvements in body weight and FCR overall,” says Mrs Chittock.  

On average, the supplemented birds were 52g heavier compared to birds not supplemented with a probiotic.  

“This improvement was more pronounced in birds supplemented with Bactocell, which showed a larger body weight increase of 71g,” she adds.  

During the trials, the birds’ digestion and feed efficiency were also assessed, with improvements noted in the reduction of FCR.  

“An average FCR reduction of 3.9 points was recorded across the supplemented birds, with Levucell SB showing a greater FCR reduction of up to 8 points,” Mrs Chittock explains.  

Benefits of probiotics 

Probiotics help improve nutrient absorption and support healthier gut structures, which essentially leads to a positive impact on performance.  

“The data shows probiotics can increase the height of the gut villi as well as improve crypt depth, which helps with nutrient absorption and fostering a beneficial microbiota,” explains Mrs Chittock.  

Bactocell has also been shown to significantly benefit turkey breeders, with an average increase of 0.4% in laying rate, alongside a 1.7% reduction in feed consumption and a decrease in mortality rate from 5.29% to 4.22%.  

“The data presented in the meta-analysis demonstrates the efficacy of including probiotics in turkey diets to support growth and performance, with significant improvements in feed efficiency and the potential to support overall bird health.”