Response of Broiler Chicks to Diet Containing Live Yeast as Probiotic Natural Feed Additive

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of feeding broiler chicks on diets containing different levels of backer’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) as probiotic natural feed additive in productive performance, carcass dressing percentage and economical efficiency. The experimental design used in this experiment was the complete randomize design (CRD). Total number of 140, 7days- old unsexed, Habbard hybrid strain broiler chicks, of approximately similar initial weight were randomly divided in to 4 experimental groups with 5 replicates, each of 7 chicks. The first group (A), fed on basal diet without feed additive (control group), the other groups B,C and D were fed on basal diet supplemented with yeast (Sc) at levels 0.1 ,0.2 and 0.3 % respectively. The basal diet was formulated to meet the nutrients requirement of the broiler according to NRC, (1994). The experimental diet were fed for 6 weeks. Health of the stock and productive performance parameters were recorded. Dressing percentage and economical evaluation were calculated. 6 The results indicated that the yeast (Sc) supplemented groups had significantly (p>0.05) better body weight gain and feed conversion ratio than the control group, while the feed intake and carcass dressing percentage were not significantly affected by the dietary treatment. The result showed that the control group exhibit significantly (p>0.05) higher mortality rate compared to yeast supplemented groups Economically appraised value were profitability ratio (1.12) of group D (0.3% yeast) was the highest of the test groups.