Bridgette N. D. Tagoe
University of Ghana, Ghana
Title: Assessment of some performance characteristics in broiler finisher chickens fed rations with or without a probiotic (RE3)
Biography
Biography: Bridgette N. D. Tagoe
Abstract
Probiotics are live microbial feed supplements which beneficially affect host animal by improving microbial intestinal balance. The field study assessed effects of a probiotic (RE3) on growth performance of broiler finisher chickens. 80 day-old Ross breed broiler chickens were brooded together for four weeks and assigned randomly thereafter to ten floor pens, representing two treatments: A broiler finisher control diet i.e. without RE3 (T2) and the same diet with RE3 incorporated at a rate of 68 ml per 45 kg of feed (T1). Birds were finished on the experimental diets for four weeks on deep litter; treatments had five replicates, each with eight birds. Birds were offered feed and water and consumption of each measured daily for each pen. Weekly body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency on the feed additive were not significantly (P>0.05) improved compared with the control. Similarly, birds in both treatments did not show significant (P>0.05) improvements in feed and water intake, as well as in dressing percentage. It was concluded that inclusion of the probiotic RE3 in the diet of broilers at the finisher stage, under conditions of this study, did not have any significant (P>0.05) effect on the performance characteristics assessed, as claimed by the manufacturers. These results were contrary to several other studies that appeared to show positive effects of inclusion of the additive on performance. Based on results from this trial, it is recommended that small-scale poultry producers, particularly fresh graduates trying to earn a living, should exercise caution before deciding to take on the extra cost of using the additive, as profit margins are already quite small and effects of additive are reported to vary depending on sanitary conditions on farms. It might be necessary to also test samples of the RE3 on sale for their efficacy under local storage conditions.