Katoch, ShivaniShambhavi2018-06-212018-06-212017-07-14http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810054870Abstract The study was conducted to evaluate feeding of dried Azolla (Azolla piñnata) alone and in combination with direct fed microbial (Probiotic) in commercial broiler poultry birds under complete randomized design. For this purpose, day old broiler chicks (n=120) were divided into 3 main groups T0, T1, and T2. Each group was further divided in 4 sub-groups or replicates with 10 chicks in each. Group T1 was given ration containing 2.5 per cent dried azolla without direct fed microbial whereas group T2 was given ration containing 2.5 per cent dried azolla along with direct fed microbial viz. L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus added in daily quota of feed at the rate of 13.4×10 8 cfu and 1.52×10 8 cfu respectively. T0 served as standard control diet. The substitution with dry azolla was done in a way that the crude protein and metabolisable energy values were similar in all treatments. Substitution of dried azolla for soyflake with (T2) and without (T1) probiotics did not affect growth performance of birds during pre-starter and starter phase however, significantly (P<0.05) lower weight gain in both the treatments T1 and T2 compared to control T0 was observed during finisher phase. No significant variation in weekly weight gain was observed among different treatments throughout the trial. Significantly (P<0.05) better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in control T0 compared to treatments T1 and T2 during finisher phase. Supplementation of dried azolla with probiotics did not show any variation in blood plasma calcium, phosphorous and triglycerides content compared to control and other treatment however, cholesterol was numerically lower in group supplemented with probiotics. Supplementation of dried azolla with probiotics improved the digestibility of calcium by 8.42 and 16.06 per cent compared to control and T1 respectively, which was revealed in tibial calcium content. Supplementation of dried azolla with probiotics led to significantly (P<0.05) lower pH, higher gizzard weight, total breast muscle yield and pectoralis minor muscle yield. Further T2 exhibited numerically higher carcass weight, dressed weight, dressing percentage, giblet weight (liver, heart and gizzard), wing weight and skin weight.ennullThesis