EFFECT OF DIETARY ORGANIC ALTERNATIVES TO ANTIBIOTIC GROWTH PROMOTERS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF FUNAAB ALPHA BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of the dietary inclusion of garlic, synbiotics, organic acidifiers and synthetic antibiotics on the growth performance of FUNAAB alpha broiler chickens. A total of 150 unsexed broiler strains of FUNAAB alpha chickens were divided into 5 treatments. Each treatment comprised of 30 birds sub-grouped into 3 replicates of 10 chicks each in a Completely Randomized Design. Birds on the Control Treatment (T₀) were fed broiler starter and finisher without any test ingredients. Treatments T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄ birds were fed broiler starter and finisher with Garlic (3g per 1kg), Synbiotic, Organic acidifier and synthetic antibiotics (according to manufactural directions), respectively. The data obtained were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance. The result revealed that the dietary inclusion of organic acidifier, synbiotic, and synthetic antibiotics had significant (P<0.05) effects on feed intake and feed conversion ratio at starter phase.  However, the test ingredients had no significant effect (P>0.05) on all the growth parameters at the finisher phase. It was concluded that organic acidifier gave the best feed conversion ratio.