Abstract
The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of an antimicrobial growth promoter (AGP), probiotic, prebiotic and their combination (symbiotic effect) on blood biochemistry of broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens. Two hundred and forty, 1-d-old Ross 308 broilers were distributed into six groups - the negative control (basal diet), positive control (C. perfringens infection), AGP + challenge, probiotic + challenge, prebiotic + challenge and synbiotic + challenge. The results showed significant differences in total protein, albumin, globulin and glucose in AGP with no significant difference between negative and positive control. Triglyceride and total cholesterol decreased significantly among all groups compared with positive control. Heterophils and heterophils-to-lymphocytes ratio (H/L) were significantly (P < .001) lower, and lymphocytes were significantly (P < .001) higher in all groups compared with positive control. It can be concluded from this study that the synergistic effect of Bacillus subtilis and Technomos was superior to that of the AGP in improving the blood biochemical profile of broiler challenged with C. perfringens.