ADMINISTRATION OF A MULTISPECIES PROBIOTIC SIVOY® TO IMPROVE THE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN RESCUED LITTLE OWLS (ATHENE NOCTUA)

Many studies demonstrate the ability of probiotic bacteria to modulate immune responses. Oral administration of some species of Lactobacilli are able to enhance innate immunity by stimulating the activity of NK cells1,2. Until now, many studies have been conducted on the auxinic and immunostimulatory action of probiotics in chicken3,4,5, but literature concerning the action of probiotics in wild birds is almost absent. Our experience refers to the evaluation of probiotic activity in Little Owls (Athene noctua). Several unweaned A. noctua are rescued each year in the Wildlife Rescue Centre for Water and Sea Birds CRUMA-LIPU, located in Livorno, Italy. Wild raptor chicks can develop bacterial and parasitic intestinal infections when hand-reared in captivity, due to manipulation stress or the poor conditions before admission. We tested the multispecies probiotic SIVOY® (containing 5 strains of lactobacilli, 2 strains of bifidobacteria, and 1 strain of Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus), administrating per OS, SID, for 35 days, in hand reared Little Owls, divided in two groups, (treated and control) each consisting of 15 birds. During hand raising, weight gain and total antibodies production were evaluated. On day 35, birds fed probiotics had greater body weight increase, better BCS and greater concentration of IgA and IgY in serum and pharyngeal swabs, than control birds. These results suggest that multispecies probiotic integration can promote growth and IgA/IgY mucosal/serological levels in challenged Little Owls.