[Ureolytic activity in the intestinal tract of layers, effects of bacitracin and flavomycin (author's transl)].

Counting of bacteria, detection of urease-positive bacteria and estimation of bacterial ureolysis influenced by Bacitracin and Flavomycin was done on intestinal contents from different segments of the digestive tract of laying hens. It was concluded that: - the intestinal flora was numerically most important in the caecum and was composed principally of lactobacilli in the crop, gizzard, duodenum, jejunum and ileum, and of lactobacilli and anaerobes in the caecum and colon. - 17% of the total number of intestinal bacteria were urease-positive. - the ureolytic activity was most important in the caecum: 24 mg of urea hydrolysed/g of contents during 4 hours of incubation. The range is between 2 and 4 mg in the other segments. - until the level of 500 ppm, Bacitracin and Flavomycin did not influence the in vitro ureolytic activity of fecal and cecal material.