117 P akis tanV e terinaryJ ournal ISSN: 0253-8318 (PRINT), 2074-7764 (ONLINE) Accessible at: www.pvj.com.pk Efficacy of Protein, Symbiotic and Probiotic Supplementation on Body Performance and Organs Weight in Molted Layers H. Anwar, Z.U. Rahman*, I. Javed and F. Muhammad Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad- 38040, Pakistan *Corresponding author: drziar@yahoo.com ARTICLE HISTORY ABSTRACT Received: Revised: Accepted: December 22, 2011 June 10, 2012 July 20, 2012 Two hundred White Leg Horn Layers (70 week age) were arranged and brought to the poultry research station, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Four groups were made (n=50 each) into keeping G1 as control (CP 16%, No other supplement), G2 (CP 18% diet), G3 (CP16% diet; symbiotic @ 85 mg L -1 /day) and G4 (CP 16% diet; probiotic @ 85 mg L -1 /day). The body and organs (heart, liver, spleen, kidney, brain and pituitary) weight from fifteen birds in each group at 5% (5P), peak (PP) and end (EP) of post molt production stage were determined. The overall mean heart weight in G2 and pituitary weight in G2 and G3 reduced (P≤0.05) as compared to G1. The mean kidney weight found increased (P≤0.05) in G3 and G4 as compared to G1. The results show metabolic relation of protein and probiotics with body organs. ©2012 PVJ. All rights reserved Key words: Body Performance Molted layers Probiotic Protein To Cite This Article: Anwar H, ZU Rahman, I Javed and F Muhammad, 2013. Efficacy of protein, symbiotic and probiotic supplementation on body performance and organs weight in molted layers. Pak Vet J, 33(1): 117-119. INTRODUCTION Molting program in poultry is based on the natural molting process as the wild birds undergo annually. Induced molting is used in the poultry industry to increase the reproductive lifespan of layers leading to new laying cycles (Laurentiz et al., 2005). The supplementation of molted birds with additional protein and probiotics is an innovative approach in this regard. Togun et al. (2004) studied the positive effects of crude protein addition and follicle stimulation on the recovery and performance of one hundred post molted, aged, Nera Black Hens. Johnson and Lohman (2003) suggest that as a result of breeding specialized hens, which lay more frequently, the protein requirements of laying hens has increased. Traditional diets are no longer good enough on their own. Improved digestion and nutrient utilization is also a contributing factor for this. In a study by Yoruk et al. (2004), the use of probiotic in the late laying period of hens shows the improvement in feed conversion with reduction in the mortality. In this process, the fat was actually mobilized from the muscles and different tissues of the body including body organs. The current study was thus planned to seek the dynamics of body and different body organs weight in molted laying hens in response to protein, symbiotic and probiotic supplementation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Spent commercial White Leg Horn hens (n=200) of 70 week old with similar weight range were procured from the commercial layer farm. The birds were induced to molt through high dietary zinc @ 3g/kg of feed (100g, CP 16%, 2795 Kcal energy)/day/bird. The birds were equally distributed to four groups (n=50 each) and allocated with their respective treatments keeping G1 as a control (CP 16%; no other supplement), G2 (CP 18% diet, no other treatment), G3 (CP 16%; Symbiotic (Perfectin®) in water @ 85mg L -1 of drinking water daily), G4 (CP 16%; Probiotic (Protexin®) @ 85mg L -1 of drinking water daily) for the whole experiment period. The feed, Perfectin and Protexin formulation has been presented in the Table 1. The temperature of the poultry house was maintained at 27±2ºC throughout the experiment. The record of body weight was maintained throughout the experiment by randomly selecting 15 birds from each group. Fifteen birds were slaughtered at 5% production level (5P), peak of production (PP) and end of the production (EP) to collect the organs, including heart, liver, spleen, kidney, brain and pituitary for determining their weight. The data were subjected to two-way analysis of variance technique using two factorial completely randomized designs. Duncan multiple range test was applied to seek difference between means. SHORT COMMUNICATION