Research
Yeast Culture (Saccharomyces Cerevisae) Supplementation: Effect on the Performance and Gut Morphology of Broiler Birds
A total of ninety six day-old broiler chicks were used for this study. The birds were allotted to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Each treatment had 3 replicates and there were eight birds per replicate. All birds were kept under the same managerial, environmental and hygienic conditions. The diets were formulated on isocaloric (3000.00kcal/kgME) and isonitrogenous (23.00% Crude Protein) levels. T1 (control), T2 (1g/kg yeast supplementation),T3 (1.25g/kg yeast supplementation), T4 (1.5g/kg yeast supplementation) were fed to the birds on each treatment. Data on performance (feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio) and gut morphology were collected. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure of SAS, 2010. No significant differences were observed in the weight gain of the birds in the treatments. However, birds fed T2 had the least significant feed conversion ratio (2.10kg) when compared with their counterparts on the T1 (2.34kg).
Effect of Inorganic Chromium Supplementation on the Intestinal Mucosa Development of Heat-Stressed Broilers
One Hundred and fifty (150) 7 day-old broilers under conditions of heat stress were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments of 3 replicates each. There were 10 birds in each replicate. The 3 diets were: Diet 1 – Control diet (without Chromium supplementation); Diet 2 - 0.15mg/kg Chromium supplementation and Diet 3 - 0.25mg/kg Chromium supplementation. The inorganic Chromium source was Chromium chloride. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect(s) of heat stress on the intestinal mucosa of broilers. The study lasted 7 weeks and data on performance (feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio) and intestinal morphology (villus height and crypt depth) were taken. Data taken were subjected to statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure of SAS 2010. Significant differences were observed in the weight gain with the birds fed diet 3 having the highest mean value of 45.00g/day and the least value of 40.00g/bird for birds the on control diet. However, birds fed diet 3 (0.25mg/kg) had the least significant feed conversion ratio 2.00 when compared with birds on control diet (2.25) and diet 2 (2.14). The villus height in the ileum of birds on Diet 3 was significantly (p < 0.05) taller than that of birds on the other diets while the villus height in the jejunum of birds on Diet 1 was significantly (p < 0.05) taller than that of birds on the other diets.
