Effect of dietary supplementation of brown seaweed on performance of broiler chicken

Abstract

A bio-assay was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of brown seaweed (Sargassum wigetti) on the performance of broilers. Broilers (400) were divided into 5 treatment groups. Each treatment had 8 replicates with 10 birds per replicate. The chicks of control (Group A) were fed a basal diet. Group B was fed a basal diet with bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) at 0.005%. Treatment Groups C, D, and E received the basal diet with supplementation of 0.07, 0.1, and 0.13% brown seaweed, respectively. All the diets were made isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Standard management practices were followed in the rearing of birds. Parameters, viz. growth performance, immune response, total viable count (TVC) and carcass traits were studied for a period of six weeks. Group E exhibited higher weight gain and better feed conversion ratio compared to Groups D, C, and B. The feed consumption was similar for Groups C, D, and E. Mortality was lower (2.5%) in Groups B, C, D, and E compared to Group A (3.75%). The eviscerated, ready to cook, breast, thigh, and drumstick yields were greater in Group E whereas higher giblet weights were recorded in Groups D and E. The cell-mediated immune response was significantly better in Group E compared to Groups D, C, B, and A with higher weight of lymphoid organs (thymus and spleen). Groups D and E were associated with a lower TVC, followed by Group C compared to positive control (Group B) and negative control (Group A). It was concluded that supplementation of 0.13% brown seaweed in the diet of broilers improved growth performance, cell mediated immunity, total viable count and carcass traits.