Growth response, ammonia emission and rectal temperature of finisher broilers fed varying levels of maize stover biochar (MSB)

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the dietary effects of maize stover biochar (MSB) on the growth response, ammonia emissions, and rectal temperature of finisher broilers. A total of 120 broilers were randomly distributed into four treatments (T1, T2, T3, and T4) using a completely randomized design. Each treatment consisted of 30 broilers and was replicated three times, with 10 broilers per replicate. The birds in T1 received no MSB, while T2, T3, and T4 received MSB at inclusion levels of 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%, respectively. Data collected on body weight gain, daily feed intake, rectal temperature, and fecal ammonia content were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) in a completely randomized design (CRD) using SPSS version 21. Significantly different means were separated using Duncan’s New multiple range test. Significant differences (p<0.05) in body weight gain, fecal ammonia content, and feed intake were observed among the treatments. The highest body weight gain of 2.94±0.01 kg was reported in T4, with the lowest value of 2.43±0.02 kg recorded in T1. Significant differences (p<0.05) were evident in average daily weight gain, total feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. T4 displayed the highest average weight gain (52.64±0.27g), significantly surpassing T3 (46.09±0.62g), while T2 and T1 exhibited the lowest values (44.30±0.68 and 43.41±0.51, respectively), which were comparable. Regarding feed conversion ratio (FCR), T1 had the highest value (3.25±0.00), significantly higher than T2 (2.72±0.00) and T3 (2.69±0.01), whereas T4 recorded the lowest value (2.35±0.03). In ammonia emission, T1 had the highest content (4.09 ± 0.19), while T2 and T3 had the values of 1.19 ± 0.03 and 1.32 ± 0.08, respectively. However, T4 had the lowest value of (0.90 ± 0.01) which was statistically (p < 0.05) different from other treatment groups. In rectal temperature, significant variations were observed over the weeks, with T1 consistently recording the highest values and T4 consistently displaying the lowest values. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that MSB positively impacted growth response, reduced ammonia emission, and mitigated rectal temperature in finisher broilers.