Effect of dietary Aspergillus meal prebiotic on growth performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, and serum lipid profile in broiler chick low-protein diets

Abstract

The effects of 3 levels of commercial Aspergillus meal prebiotic (Fermacto®) in broiler diets with 2 levels of dietary crude protein (CP) on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, apparent ileal digestibility of CP and organic matter (OM), and serum lipid profile were evaluated using 240-day-old broiler chickens as a factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. From the grower period, 3 groups received normal diets formulated to meet Ross-308 CP and other nutrient requirements with 3 levels of Fermacto®. The other 3 groups received experimental diets with 2% less CP, with the same levels of Fermacto®. None of the growth performance parameters were affected by the supplementation of Fermacto® from 11 to 49 days of age. Supplementation of diet with 1.5 g/kg Fermacto® significantly (P < 0.05) increased the apparent ileal digestibility of the OM and decreased the abdominal fat pad percentage and serum total cholesterol. It was concluded that the use of Fermacto® at a level of 1.5 g/kg improved the apparent OM digestibility and decreased serum total cholesterol and abdominal fat percentage; however, the growth performance parameters were not affected by the Fermacto® levels. There was no profit when Fermacto® was used in the low-protein diets.