Isolation of Lactobacillus sp. from Indigenous poultry (Gallus gallus) and their antagonistic activity against bacterial pathogens

Probiotics are extensively utilized in the poultry and livestock industry due to their advantageous properties, including their ability to enhance growth performance.These probiotics have a positive impact on the physiology of the host animals by modulating their immune system, averting pathogens, and regulating micro-ecological imbalances.The effectiveness of Lactobacillus sp. as an antibacterial agent in anaerobic conditions, specifically within the gut, was the focus of this study.In this study, fifteen samples were collected from the caecum of indigenous poultry, and Lactobacillus strains were isolated using selective agar.The isolates (n=10) were confirmed as L. brevis (2), L. coleohominis (1), L. mucosae (1), L. reuteri (4), and L. vaginalis (2) using both genotypic and phenotypic methods.All isolates were mesophilic in nature except two which were able to grow at 15C.Lactobacillus isolates demonstrated a remarkable ability to suppress the growth of seven distinct bacterial communities, indicating their potential as antagonistic agents.This suggests that specific strains of Lactobacillus, such as those identified in the study, could be beneficial as probiotics.