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Effect of marjoram, bacitracin and active yeast as feed additives
on the performance and the microbial content of the broiler's
intestinal tract
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Abstract: Two hundred and fifty one week old unsexed Hubbard broiler chicks were used in this study to compare the effect of marjoram, bacitracin and active yeast as safe feed additives on the performance and the microbial content of the intestinal tract (GIT) and experimental diets. The chicks were distributed randomly and divided equally into five experimental groups. Two experimental diets were used in the two periods of this study (1-3 and 3-6 weeks of age). Basal diet contained 23% CP and 3100 Kcal ME anddiet contained ges of this study nditions 22% CP and 3000 Kcal ME/Kg for the first 7- days /Kg during the first period (1-3 week) and 20% CP and 3200 Kcal ME anddiet contained ges of this study nditions 22% CP and 3000 Kcal ME/Kg for the first 7- days /Kg during the second period (3-6 week). In each period, diet was fed without supplementation (control diet); or supplemented with active dried yeast (yeast) at 4 g / kg diet; bacitracin methyline disalicylate (BMD 10%) at 220 mg / kg diet (bacitracin), a combination of 4 g yeast+220 mg bacitracin / kg diet (Y+B) or marjoram at 1.5% of the diet.
The results of this study indicated that all additives improved, insignificantly (P?0.05), live body weight and weight gain at 3 weeks of age, while the combination of Y+B gave the best final body weight gain (at 6 weeks of age) followed by bacitracin and marjoram when compared to the control group. During the first 3 weeks of age, both marjoram and combination of Y+B enhanced the appetite of the birds, where feed intake values were significantly increased (P?0.05) in marjoram group (769 g) and insignificantly (P?0.05) in Y+B group (712 g) when compared to the control group (686 g). On other hand, the total feed intake value (from 1-6 weeks of age) was reduced due to addition of bacitracin (2966 g) compared to 3299 g for the control group. Therefore, the best feed conversion value was recorded for bacitracin group (1.87) followed by Y+B (1.9) and marjoram (1.96). Carcass characteristics results showed that only gizzard, bursa and thymus values were affected significantly (P?0.05) by the dietary treatment
The results of this study indicated that all additives improved, insignificantly (Pd?.05), live body weight and weight gain at 3 weeks of age, while the combination of Y+B gave the best final body weight gain (at 6 weeks of age) followed by bacitracin and marjoram when compared to the control group. During the first 3 weeks of age, both marjoram and combination of Y+B enhanced the appetite of the birds, where feed intake values were significantly increased (Pd?.05) in marjoram group (769 g) and insignificantly (Pd?.05) in Y+B group (712 g) when compared to the control group (686 g). On other hand, the total feed intake value (from 1-6 weeks of age) was reduced due to addition of bacitracin (2966 g) compared to 3299 g for the control group. Therefore, the best feed conversion value was recorded for bacitracin group (1.87) followed by Y+B (1.9) and marjoram (1.96). Carcass characteristics results showed that only gizzard, bursa and thymus values were affected significantly (Pd?.05) by the dietary treatments
s. However, all additives reduced gizzard values as compared to the control group. In general both bursa and thymus (lymphoid organs) values were increased, due to addition of bacitracin, Y+B or marjoram when compared to the control group. This may indicate high immune response
. Abdominal fat values were increased insignificantly (Pd?.05) due to addition of bacitracin or Y+B as compared to the control (1.49 and 1.36 vs. 0.97%, respectively).The results of the blood constituents showed a slight reduction in blood cholesterol due
to yeast supplementation. All additives had no deleterious effects on liver (as measured by GPT and GOT) or kidneys function (as measured by creatinine levels).
Both yeast and marjoram resulted in free Salmonella gastrointestinal tract (GIT), while bacitracin and the combination of Y+B did not. Marjoram had antimicrobial effect, where it decreased the total counts and the counts of total coliform and yeasts, in the experimental diets, by 10.9, 46.2 and 31.4% of the control diet, respectively.
Marjoram scored the least total feed cost/kg gain and the highest economic efficiency (EE) and relative EE% followed by bacitracin which gave close values to the control group, while yeast scored the least EE and relative EE.
Although, marjoram at 1.5% gave the best performance, highest income per chicken, increased birds immunity and decreased the counts of harmful microorganisms in both GIT and feed of the broiler chickens, both bacitracin and the combination of Y+B may be considered, because they gave better feed conversion values and net revenue/chick (LE), when compared to the control group.
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| Publication year |
2003
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| Pages |
445-467
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| Availability location |
معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى - الجيزة
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| Availability number |
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| Organization Name |
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| City |
الاسكندرية
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| serial title |
Egyptian Poultry Science
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| ISSN |
1110-5623
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| Author(s) from ARC |
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| External authors (outside ARC) |
عادل زكى سليمان
جامعة القاهرة
محمد عبد العليم على
جامعة القاهرة
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| Agris Categories |
Animal feeding
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AGROVOC
TERMS |
Bacitracin.
Broiler chickens.
Feed additives.
Origanum.
Performance testing.
Yeasts.
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| Publication Type |
Journal
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