Effect of Probiotic Supplementation on Feed Consumption and Nutrient Retention in CARIBRO CROSS Broilers

Abstract

Three hundred (300) unsexed day old ‘CARIBRO CROSS’ broiler chicks were distributed randomly into three treatment groups T1(control), T2 (probiotic supplemented in the feed) and probiotic supplemented in the water (T3) having 6 replicates in each treatment. Two replicates of each group contain 16 birds each and the rest four of each group contain 17 birds each. The probiotic contained Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus faecium, Bifidobacterium bifidus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The probiotic was incorporated at the rate of 100 g/tonne of feed during starter phase (0–4 weeks) and 50 g/tonne of feed during finisher phase (5–7 weeks) in feed probiotic group. However, the probiotic was given at the rate of 1 g/L of water during first week of age and thereafter 1 g/4L of water up to 7 weeks of age in water probiotic group. The basal diet was formulated for starter (23.46% CP, 2800 ME Kcal/Kg) and finisher phase (20.07% CP, 2900 ME Kcal/kg) separately. The chicks consumed significantly (p 0.05). It was concluded that probiotic supplementation reduce the feed consumption of CARIBRO CROSS chicks.