Food and Environment

  A recent study conducted by researchers from The University of Queensland led by Dr Yadav Bajagai and other institutions has shown that a novel probiotic strain, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens H57 (H57), can significantly improve the productivity of meat chickens. The study, which focused on finding alternatives to the sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal diets, also investigated the impact of H57 on the chickens' microbiome and metabolic potential. In the poultry industry, antibiotics have been commonly used to promote growth and control enteric pathogens. However, due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, many countries have banned or voluntarily phased out their use. Probiotics, such as H57, have emerged as promising alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. They have been shown to effectively improve meat production and combat enteric pathogens in various animal species. The researchers conducted an experiment with broiler chicken