Broiler Growth Performance Trial

A growth performance trial was conducted in broiler chickens (Vencobb-400) using a complete randomized design for a period of 35 D. The trial was conducted at the Kemin Research and Development Poultry Farm, Chennai, India, using deep litter system described in Broiler management guide (2012). Broiler chickens were purchased from Komarla Hatcheries, Coimbatore, India. A total of 288 one-day-old chicks were divided into 3 groups with 96 birds in each group. Each treatment group was divided into 8 replicates, and each replicate had 12 birds (6 male and 6 female birds). The 3 groups were control, treatment 1 (T1), and treatment 2 (T2) treated with titanium dioxide, HBZ, and CM at 1 kg/ton of feed, respectively. The trial was conducted to test the effect of HBZ and CM on performance of the broiler chickens. The feed was given in the mash form in 3 phases: pre-starter (0 to 14 D), starter (15 to 28 D), and finisher (29 to 35 D). Feed composition and nutritional value are shown in Table ​Table22 and Table ​Table3,3, respectively. The feed was analyzed for toxin content as described before, and the toxin levels were found to be between 1 and 2 ng/g of feed. All the experimental birds were provided with respective toxin free feed and water ad libitum throughout the experimental period. The prepared feed was analyzed for microbial counts (Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, and mould) as described by AOAC International and Latimer (2012). The feed had a satisfactory level of less than 100 cfu/mL. The temperature of the shed ranged between 24 and 35°C, and relative humidity ranged between 65 and 90% throughout the trial period. As per the standard practice, all the birds were vaccinated against the diseases (Broiler management guide, 2012). The growth performance parameters such as BW, feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured for all the groups (Yegani and Korver, 2013).

Nutritional value of the diets.¹