Probiotics
Truly Species Specific Probiotics for Birds

 What is a probiotic?

Probiotics are defined by FAO/WHO as "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host."

What’s so important about being species specific?

Four decades of research in normal avian bacterial flora and probiotics has resulted in a list of desirable, even essential, characteristics of an avian probiotic. First and foremost is the ability to attach to the lining cells of the intestinal tract. Research has shown that certain bacteria isolated from the intestinal lining cells of a bird will attach in other birds of that species but not in other species of birds. Other companies advertise species specific probiotics but then suggest their use in all species of birds. There are hundreds of species of birds kept as companions. For example, a blue and gold macaw is a different species than a scarlet macaw. If a probiotic was species specific and appropriate for all species of birds it would have to contain hundreds of different strains of bacteria. Our probiotic bacteria originate from the species of bird we recommend them for, so they are truly species specific.

Other important probiotic characteristics

Colonization: able to reproduce and populate the intestinal lining, surviving in the intestinal tract.

Competitive: able to become the predominant bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Stability: able to withstand processing and storage.

Our probiotic bacteria are chosen for these desirable traits. 
For more information about probiotics in birds, click on “Probiotic Information” above. 

When should probiotics be used?

• After antibiotic treatment
• During and after stresses
• In parent birds feeding chicks in the nest
• In handfed chicks
• Yearly to replenish normal flora