Growth Performance, Caeca Microbial Population and Immune Response of Starter Broiler Chicks Fed Aqueous Extract of Balanites Aegyptiaca and Alchornea Cordifolia Stem Bark Mixture

Authors: Musa B*, John OA, Adegbite MB and OmokoreEA

DOI: 10.23880/izab-16000242

Volume 3, Issue 5

Abstract

A total of Two hundred and fifty (250), 1-day old (Cobb) broiler chicks with mixed sex were used to evaluate the the growth performance, caeca microbial population and immune response of starter broiler chicks fed aqueous extract of Balanites aegyptiaca and Alchornea cordifolia stem bark mixture (BACM). Birds were reared on a deep litter system and randomly divided into five treatment with five replicates consisting of 10 birds each in a completely randomized design. Treatment 1 (T1) were given basal diet + 0 % BACM, T2, T3, T4 and T5 were fed 20, 40, 60 and 80 ml/liter BACM respectively. The experiment lasted for 28 during which clean feed and water were offered ad libitum. The results obtained revealed that the average weight gain (AWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and mortality were influenced by the dietary treatments (P

Keywords: Broiler Chicks; Immune Response; Performance; Antibodies

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