EFFECT OF BACTOFORT INCLUSION IN DIET AS PROBIOTIC ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND ABDOMINAL FAT PERCENTAGE OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

The effect of feeding broiler chicks on diets containing different levels of bactofort as probiotic on growth performance and abdominal fat percentage were studied. A total of 300-day old broilers of Ross strain were used for the study. The birds were randomly divided into five experimental groups. Each group was further subdivided into three replicates with twenty chicks per replicate in a complete randomized design. The chicks were fed on basal diets containing energy of 3008 ME and crude protein of 23.31%. The bactofort was added to the basal diets at levels of 0.0 which serves as the control group and others at 6.25, 8.75, 11.25 and 13.75g respectively. The growth performance parameters were recorded, the percentage of abdominal fat was also recorded. The result indicated that the control group had significantly (P<0.05) the highest body weight gain followed by group supplemented with 8.75g bactofort. Feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the control group compared to other treatment groups. The best feed conversion ratio was recorded in group fed 11.25g bactofort. The percentage of abdominal fat was higher in the control group compared to other treatment groups. It is concluded that inclusion of bactofort in the diet of broilers can improve the performance and meat quality. It is therefore, recommended that bactofort can be added as probiotic at 8.75g/100kg diet for better feed conversion ratio and lower abdominal fat