Evaluation of using multi-strain probiotics in fermented coffee husks as a potential growth promoter in poultry diets

Antibiotics as growth promoters have adverse effects due to antibiotic resistance and residues in poultry products. Probiotics, as a natural alternative to antibiotics, improve animal health and growth. The growth of probiotic colonies is carried out through a fermentation process that uses a medium as a nutrient source. The study aims to validate the potential of coffee husks as a growth medium using single-strain and multi-strain probiotics, using a completely randomized design. Differences were tested using Duncan's test: T0 (control): coffee husks without probiotics; T1: coffee husks + single-strain Bacillus sp.; T2: coffee husks + single-strain Lactobacillus sp.; and T3: coffee husks + multi-strain Bacillus sp. and Lactobacillus sp. The fermentation method involved culturing the samples for 21 days and then analyzing the lactic acid content, acidity (pH), total dry matter, and total plate count (TPC). The results showed highest lactic acid (7.08 ± 0.46 log cfu/g) and TPC (9.61 ± 0.39 log cfu/g), as well as the lowest pH of 5.84 ± 0.152, were obtained in the multi-strain of Bacillus sp. and Lactobacillus sp. The total dry matter did not differ among the treatments. Fermented coffee husks have the potential as a medium for multistrain probiotics, as growth promoters.