EFFECT OF BILE ACID SUPPLEMENTATION ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKEN

Abstract

A trial was conducted to determine the effect of bile acid supplementation on the growth performance indices of broiler chickens. Two hundred and Forty day-old chicks were randomly allocated to three experimental treatments of 0g (T1), 100g (T2), and 200g (T3) of powdered synthetic bile acid per tonne of commercial broiler rations at both starter and finisher phases. Necessary prophylactic and vaccination procedures were observed, while water and feed were provided ad libitum for the eight-week duration of the experiment. Results obtained at the starter phase showed the highest feed intake per bird in T3 followed by T2, both being significantly higher (P<0.05) than in T1. The average weight gain per bird followed a similar trend, while T2 gave the best feed conversion ratio. However, at the finisher phase, the feed intake followed the same trend as that in the starter phase, but without commensurate improvement in weight gain. Also, the feed conversion ratio did not favour any supplementation with bile acid. It can therefore be concluded that bile acid supplementation was favourable to growth performance indices of the birds at starter phase only, but not further. It is recommended that synthetic bile acid should be utilized only at the starter phase in broiler chicken production