Effect of Feed Additive Supplementation on Growth Performance, Intestinal Morphology, Intestinal Microflora and Nutrient Digestibility Study of Broiler Chicken

The present study evaluated the effect of various feed additive supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, intestinal microflora and nutrient digestibility study of starter broiler chicks. A day-old broiler chicks with total number of two hundred and four (204) (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to eight (8) dietary treatments with four (4) replicate pens per treatment (average of 6 birds per replicate pen). Chicks in each treatment were allowed ad libitum access to their diet and water for thirty five (35) days. Dietary supplement for the 35 days were: Corn-soyabean meal basal diet (control); control +0.01% antibiotics; control +0.1% probiotics; control +0.02% prebiotics; control +0.06% essential oil; control +0.6% organic acid; control +0.1% enzyme and control + all the additives in the treatment groups (mixture). Growth performance results showed that there was significant increase (p<0.05) in final weight, total weight gain, average daily, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed efficiency of broiler of broiler chicks fed diet of antibiotics and prebiotics compared to the control group. Studies on the Ileal morphology parameters from day 1 to day 35 of broiler chicks fed with antibiotics and prebiotics additives indicated that there was significant increase (p<0.05) in villus height, illus width and muscle thickness of the chicks when compared with the control group. Result for the cecal morphology revealed that there was significant increase (p<0.05) in mucosal thickness, muscularis thickness and the ratio of mucosal thickness to muscularis thickness of chicks fed antibiotics and prebiotics compared to the control group. Studies on the microbial ileal and cecal composition showed that there was significant decrease (p<0.05) in ileal and cecal pathogenic bacteria; E. coli and Salmonella sp. of fed supplement of antibiotics, probiotics and prebiotics compared to the control group. There was a significant decrease (p<0.05) in Lactobacillus sp. in ileal and cecal of broiler chicks with fed supplement of antibiotics, probiotics and prebiotics compared to the control group. The present study has shown the efficacy and wide utility of prebiotics especially for organic practicing poultry farming; it has also validated their usage(s) as good substitute for antibiotic and other adjourning anti-microbial growth promoter xenobiotics whose applications has been banned in poultry industries.