| Abstrakt: |
This study was conducted at the Poultry Research Station of the Department of Agricultural Researches, Ministry of Agriculture for the period from 1 to 13 May 2018, which lasted 42 days, using 180 one day old Ross308 male chicks fed on added diets, Azolla was used at levels 5, 10, 20 and 30% for T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively and were compared with the control treatment T1, which is free of Azolla. Each treatment included three replicates each (12 birds for each replicates) in order to study the effect of using different levels of Azolla in the production and physiological performance and economic feasibility of male meat broilers. Significant increase (P ≤ 0.05) in average body weight, weight increase, food intake rate, improved food conversion ratio and production index for the birds of the treatment 5% Azolla compared with control treatment and other treatments. There were no significant differences between the control treatment and experimental treatments in all biochemical characteristics of blood plasma, which included the concentration of glucose, protein, albumin and globulin, the activity of the liver enzymes ALT and AST, uric acid, creatine and triglycerides and low density fatty proteins (VLDL). Significant decrease (P ≤ 00.05) in cholesterol level in blood plasma for the treatment of 5% Azolla compared to 10% and 20% Azolla treatments, respectively. Significant decrease (P ≤ 00.05) in economic feasibility characteristics (cost of initial feed and final feed and the cost of kilogram of the produced meat and low cost rate per 100 kg/feed) for all Azolla treatments compared to control treatment. The treatment of 30% Azolla had had the most significant decrease (P ≤ 00.05) in the percentage of feed cost compared to control treatment and other experimental treatments. We conclude from this study that it is possible to add Azolla to the diet by 5% feed to obtain a positive improvement in the production performance of broilers and achieve the best economic feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
