Response of broiler chickens fed diets containing single and combined levels of Mycofix® and Biotronic® SE

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the response of Ross broiler chicks fed diets containing single and combined levels of Mycofix® and Biotronic ® SE. A total of 396 Ross day old broiler chicks were allotted to six (6) dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Each treatment had three replicates of 22 chicks each. Treatment one was the positive control diet without Mycofix® and Biotronic® SE while treatments 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (negative control) consisted of 400g Mycofix®, 500g Biotronic® SE, 200gMycofix® + 200 Biotronic® SE, 400g Mycofix® + 400g Biotronic® SE and 100g Oxyteracycline / 100 kg feed respectively. Feed and water were given to the birds ad libitum for the seven weeks period of the trial. Performance parameters measured were final body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass evaluation, nutrient digestibility and villi morphometrics. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance, while significant differences among treatment means were compared using Duncan test of significance. The results of the starter phase showed no significant (P>0.05) differences in most of the parameters measured. Birds on the negative control diet showed a significantly (P< 0.05) higher feed intake (1920.44g) compared to the other treatment groups. At the finisher phase, birds in the negative control treatment group had significantly (P<0.05) higher final weight (2999.0g), weight gain (1811.20 g), average daily weight gain (64.89 g), better feed conversion ratio (1.63) and least feed cost per kilogram gain (₦142.91). Nutrient digestibility in birds on single and combined levels of Mycofix® and Biotronic® SE had a significant (P<0.05) effect on dry matter digestibility. Results of villi morphometrics of sections of the jejunum showed that birds on combined 400g Mycofix® + 500g Biotronic® SE had significantly (P< 0.05) higher villi crypt. Villi roundness in the positive or negative control group was significantly (P< 0.05) higher than the other treatment groups. It can be concluded that the use of Mycofix® and Biotronic® SE either singly or in combination had no adverse effect on the growth parameters measured as well as improved the growth of broiler chickens, The birds performed comparable to those on antibiotic treatment in most of the parameters measured. It is recommended that the combined use of Mycofix® and Biotronic® SE at 400g/ 100kg feed can be employed as a replacement for antibiotics as growth promoters.

Key words: Mycofix®, Biotronic® SE, growth performance, villi morphometrics