Weight Test of Broiler Chicks Placed on Probioticfortified Composite Feed, Standard Commercial Starter Mash and Cornmeal

Ihuoma Q Onu-Okpara,Department Of Biological Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria ,Hilary I Okagbue,Solomon U Oranusi,Department Of Mathematics, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

doi:10.35940/ijeat.b2668.029320

Ihuoma Q Onu-Okpara, Department Of Biological Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.35940/ijeat.b2668.029320

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Abstract

The study was carried out to compare growth performance results among broiler chicks placed on probioticfortified animal feed (G3), Feed Mill of Nigeria starter mash (G1) (conventional feed) and cornmeal (G2) diets. A total of thirty 1-day-old mixed-sex Agricol broiler chicks were randomized into three groups of 10 chicks each and placed on 600g (300g morning, 300g evening) of the respective diets. Feeding test was carried out for the duration of four weeks. The chicks were weighed weekly and data collected was statistically analyzed using a one-way Analysis of variance to check for significant differences in weight among groups. From data analyzed, chicks in groups G3 – probiotic-fortified feed and G1 – Feed Mill of Nigeria starter mash, showed no significant difference in parameters (weight) analyzed (p<0.05) and performed better in comparison to chicks placed on cornmeal diet (G2). This study shows that probiotic-fortified feed can be used as a substitute to conventionally-produced feed and yield similar growth performance without the use of feed additives which have adverse effects on animals being fed.

Highlights

It is common knowledge that conventionally-produced feed, even while yielding good growth performance results in poultry, has been implicated in the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes [1,2] and in the bioaccumulation [3] and biomagnification of toxic feed additives included as feed additives
Composite feed was formulated from food and agricultural waste material sourced from Cafeteria 2, Covenant University, Ogun State
Proximate analysis test was carried out on waste materials and feed was formulated using the Pearson’s square. 1.5 x 105 CFU/g live culture of the probiotic organism Lactobacillus fermentum was inoculated into composite feed and incubated at 37°C for 24hrs to acidify to the pH of 4.2

Summary

Introduction

It is common knowledge that conventionally-produced feed, even while yielding good growth performance results in poultry, has been implicated in the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes [1,2] and in the bioaccumulation [3] and biomagnification of toxic feed additives included as feed additives. Because of these consequences, it has become necessary for a shift from conventional feed to safer, environmentally friendly options, which would yield similar, if not better results in terms of animal productivity. Details on the effects of alternative feeds on broilers such as the use of fennel extract additions can be sourced from [8]

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