Beneficial effects of Enterococcus faecium EF9a administration in rabbit diet

Forty-eight rabbits aged five weeks (Hycole breed, both sexes) were divided into experimental (EG) and control (CG) groups, 24 animals in each, and fed a commercial diet with access to water ad libitum. Rabbits in EG had Enterococcus faecium EF9a probiotic strain added to their drinking water (1.0×109 colony forming units/mL 500 μL/d/animal) for 28 d (between 35 and 63 d). The experiment lasted for 42 d. The animals remained in good health condition throughout the experiment, and no morbidity and mortality was noted. There was a higher live weight at 63 d of age (+34 g; P