김치의 주종 유산균의 하나인 Weissella koreensis(Wk)의 육계 사료용 probiotics로서 활용 가능성을 평가하기 위하여 육계 성장능력, 영양소 이용률, 면역능력, 장내 미생물, 계육품질에 미치는 영향을 평가하였다. 무첨가 육계사료를 대조구(Control)로 설정하고, 처리구로 생균 형태의 Wk를 0.1%(LWk 0.1), 0.5%(LWk 0.5) 첨가한 구와 사균 형태의 Wk 0.5%를 첨가한 구(KWk 0.5) 등 총 4처리를 두었다. 본 연구결과, 생균 형태의 LWk 첨가는 대조구와 사균 형태의 첨가구(KWk 0.5)에 비하여 증체율과 사료 효율을 유의적으로 개선시켰다. 영양소 이용률은 처리구 간에 차이가 없었으나, 조단백질 이용률이 사균(KWk 0.5) 첨가구에서 유의적으로 낮았다. 혈청 IgG 수준과 F낭의 상대적 크기는 KWk 0.5 첨가구가 가장 높았다. 생균 형태의 Wk 첨가로 맹장 내 총 혐기성 유산균의 수가 유의적으로 높아졌으나, 대장균의 수에는 변화가 없었다. 사료 내 김치유산균의 첨가는 생균이나 사균 모두 계육 지방산 조성, 계육의 산패 지연에는 영향을 나타내지 못하였다. 그러나 생균이나 사균, 첨가수준 모두가 전자코를 통한 육향에서는 차이를 나타내었다. 본 연구는 생균 형태 Wk가 육계 사료용 생균제로 활용 가능함을 보여주었다.
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary Weissella koreensis (Wk), a prominent kimchi lactic acid bacteria supplementation on growth performance, nutrients utilization, gut microbiota and meat characteristics in broiler chicken. Both live and killed Wk was compared to know which could be more efficacious as a feed probiotics. Three Wk supplemented groups and no Wk supplemented group were designated according to supplementation levels and cell status. Those were; Control (no Wk), 0.1 % live Wk (LWk 0.1), 0.5% live Wk (LWk 0.5) and 0.5% killed Wk (KWk 0.5). Body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency were improved (P<0.05) by dietary LWk supplementation. KWk did not exert any benefit on growth performance. Crude protein utilizability of KWk supplemented diet was lower (P<0.05) than that of other diets. However, there were no differences among treatments in other nutrients utilization. Serum IgG concentration and relative weight of bursa of Fabricius was highest (P<0.05) in broiler chicken fed KWk 0.5 diet. Cecal anaerobic lactic acid bacteria count of LWk groups were higher (P<0.05) than those of control and KWk 0.5 groups. Dietary Wk supplementation failed to lower the count of cecal and fecal E. coli. There was no effect of dietary Wk on TBARS values and fatty acids profile of broiler leg meat. However, the dietary supplementation of Wk exerted characteristic difference on electronic nose flavor of broiler meat. This study showed that dietary supplementation of LWk was able to improve body weight gain, feed conversion efficiency and cecal lactic acid bacterial count in broiler chicken. Further, the result of this study implemented that a live kimchi lactic acid bacteria, LWk, but not killed Wk, could be used as a probiotic feed supplement for broiler.
