Studies on comparative efficacy of herbal methionine vis-à-vis synthetic dl-methionine supplementation on the performance of commercial broiler chicks during winter and summer season
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Date
2017-08
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Two feeding trials viz., during winter and summer seasons were conducted to discern the comparative effect of dietary supplementation of herbal methionine vis-à-vis synthetic DL-methionine on growth performance, nutrient utilization, carcass characteristics and serum biochemical parameters and economics (feed cost/ kg body weight gain) in commercial broiler chickens. In both the seasons 180, day-old broiler chicks were divided randomly into 6 treatment groups with 3 replicates each that is 10 broiler chicks per replicate. The broiler chicks of treatment group T1 (control) were fed basal diet (starter and finisher diet), whereas in treatment groups T2, T3, T4 and T5 basal diets were supplemented with 0.2 % DL-methionine, 0.15 % DL-methionine + 0.05 % herbal methionine, 0.1 % DL-methionine + 0.1 % herbal methionine, 0.05% DL-methionine + 0.15 % herbal methionine and 0.2 % herbal methionine by replacing the DL-methionine at 0,25, 50, 75 and 100 per cent levels respectively. In both winter and summer seasons, the feeding trial lasted for viz., 0-21 days (starter phase) and 21-42 days (finisher phase). A metabolism trial was conducted during 6th week of feeding trial. Blood samples were collected on 42nd day of feeding trial for the study of serum biochemical parameters. At the end of feeding trial on 42nd day, 3 chicks from each replicates were sacrificed for the study of carcass characteristics. The growth performance parameters obtained during winter and summer seasons were pooled and average values were recorded. During starter phase, there was significant difference in body weight gain amongst the different treatment groups of broiler chicks. The overall average body weight gain was 618.45, 637.73, 639.60, 649.40, 641.35 and 653.88 g, respectively, in broiler chicks of T1, T2, T3, T4 T5 and T6. The highest body weight gain was in treatment T6 and lowest in treatment T1. The feed intake, performance index, protein efficiency ratio and production efficiency factor did not differ significantly among different groups. The feed conversion ratio was significantly better in treatment T6 than other treatment groups. During 21-42 days (finisher phase) the overall average pooled body weight gains in broiler chicks were 1284.90, 1325.51, 1399.52, 1326.82, 1357.50 and 1354.42 g, respectively, in the treatment groups T1,T2, T3, T4 T5 and T6 and differed significantly amongst the groups. Body weight gain was maximum in treatment T1. The feed intake was also significantly higher in treatment T3, however, feed conversion ratio, performance index, protein efficiency ratio and production efficiency factor in broiler chicks of various groups were statistically similar. During the entire feeding trial (0-42 days) the overall cumulative average pooled values showed significant difference (0.01) in weight gain and feed intake amongst the different treatment groups of broiler chicks. The average body weight gain was 1903.29, 1963.24, 2039.11, 1976.22, 1998.85 ad 2009.75 g in broiler chicks of treatment groups T1,T2, T3, T4 T5 and T6, respectively. The feed intake was highest in treatment group T3 and lowest in treatment T1, whereas feed intake was statistically similar in treatment T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6. There was no significant difference in feed conversion ratio, performance index, protein efficiency ratio and production efficiency factor among the different treatment groups. There was significant difference in nutrient utilization in dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, and gross energy amongst the different the treatment groups. The nutrient utilization was highest in treatment T5 and T6 and lowest in treatment T1 and T2. The various carcass traits in broilers were not affected due to either sources of methionine supplementation but dressing percentage was significantly highest in treatment T6 than treatment T1. There was significant difference in dry matter, crude protein, ether extract content in breast and thigh muscles of broiler chicks. The serum biochemical parameters showed significant reduction in cholesterol and triglycerides contents in treatments T5 and T6 as compared to other treatment groups. The serum glucose, total protein, albumin and globulin concentration were significantly higher in broiler chicks of herbal supplemented groups. The activities of SGOT, SGPT and ALP differed significantly amongst the treatment groups. The SGPT and SGOT values were significantly higher in treatment groups T1 without any methionine supplementation than the broiler chicks fed diet supplemented with herbal methionine as well as synthetic DL-methionine. The feed cost/ kg weight gain differed significantly during starter and finisher phase of feeding trial and the overall pooled values of feed cost per kg body weight gain were considerably higher in treatment groups and supplemented with herbal and synthetic DL-methionine than broiler chicks of control groups. It was concluded that supplementation of herbal methionine in the diet of starter and finisher broiler chicks improved the growth performance and nutrient utilization coupled with reduction in serum cholesterol and triglyceride without affecting the carcass traits but the feed cost per kg weight gain was increased due to supplementation of herbal as well as synthetic DL-methionine
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