Effect of feeding pelleted ration with or without herbal feed additives on the performance of broiler chickens
Loading...
Date
2023-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
LUVAS Hisar
Abstract
This research was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding pelleted ration with or without herbal feed
additives on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, carcass traits, hematological, serological parameters and to
economise the feeding of broiler chickens. Study was conducted on two hundred and forty, day-old broiler chicks which
were randomly divided into eight dietary treatment groups with three replicates of each treatment. Each treatment had
different feeding regimen: T1 received a basal diet with antibiotics in mash form; T2: basal diet with antibiotics in pellet
form; T3: basal diet with 1% aloe vera in mash, T4: basal diet with 0.5% aloe vera in pellet form, T5: basal diet with 1%
aloe vera in pellet form, T6: basal diet with 1% amla in mash form, T7: basal diet with 0.5% amla in pellet form and T8:
basal diet with 1% amla in pellet form. In the 42-day feeding trial, Feed intake and body weight were recorded at every
week and residual feed and faecal samples were collected and analyzed during a five-day metabolic trial during the end
of growth trial.
The results showed that the average overall body weight differ significantly (p<0.05) in amla and aloe vera
supplemented groups in comparison to control groups (T1 and T2
), with the highest average body weight was recorded in
the group supplemented with 1% amla in pellet form, followed by 1% amla in mash form. Better feed conversion ratio
was observed in 1% aloe- vera supplemented group in pellet form (T5
) followed by T8
, T4
, and T3
. Significantly (p<0.05)
higher nutrient metabolizability was observed in 1% aloe vera supplemented group followed by 1% amla supplemented
groups. Significantly (p<0.05) higher percentage of carcass traits were observed in 1% amla supplemented groups in
pellet and mash form as compared to the control groups. Hematological parameters (Hb, TEC, TLC and lymphocyte)
were significantly (p<0.05) improved, while heterophils were significantly (p<0.05) decreased in the 1% amla
supplemented groups compared to the control group.
The herbal feed supplemented groups also showed a significant reduction in serum cholesterol, LDL, and
triglyceride levels, as well as an increase in HDL levels, compared to the antibiotic-added groups. But better results were
obtained in 1% aloe vera supplemented groups. The groups supplemented with 1% aloe vera in pellet and mash form had
a significant decrease in E. coli count and an increase in Lactobacilli count compared to the T1 and T2 groups. The
antioxidant activity of SOD and catalase enzyme were significantly (p<0.05) increased in all herbal feed supplemented
groups with the highest improvement observed in T8
followed by T6
, T5
, and T3
. The villus height and intestinal crypts
depth of the experimental birds ranged from 898.41µm (T1
) to 1035.40 µm (T5
) and 3.15 µm (T1
) to 4.24 µm (T5
) under
different dietary treatments, and herbal feed supplemented group had significantly better effect on gut morphometry
higher villus height was observed in the groups with inclusion of 1% aloe-vera in pellet as well in mash form. Better
economics was found in 1% amla supplemented group in pellet form as compared to that of other herbal feed
supplemented and control groups. In conclusion, the study suggested that inclusion of amla and aloe-vera
supplementation at 1% level improved the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass traits, hematological and
serological parameters of broiler chickens.