Efficacy of Red Silk Cotton (Bombax ceiba) Flower Powder on Growth Performance, Hematological, Biochemical and Fecal Microbial Load of Broiler
Abstract
The study aimed to assess the effects of food supplementation with Red Silk Cotton (RSC) flower powder on broiler chicken production performance, carcass characteristics, haemato-biochemical, faecal microbial load, and cost-effectiveness as an antibiotic replacement. A total of 120-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four experimental groups. Groups T0, T1, T2, and T3 received baseline feed supplemented with 1%, 2%, and 3% silk cotton (RSC) flower powder, respectively. In this study, the T0 and T1 groups consumed considerably less feed overall (P<0.05) than the T2 and T3 groups. The 3% RSC-treated group T3 had a considerably (P < 0.05) higher final live weight than the T1, T2, and T0 groups. The T3 group had a significantly (P<0.05) higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) than the T0, T1, and T2 groups. The weight of the broiler chicken's organs (breast, thigh, drumsticks, wings, head, liver, heart and gizzard) and carcass features varied significantly (P < 0.05) among all treatment groups. Dietary addition had a significant (P<0.05) impact on the lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, and LDL), faecal microbial load, drip loss, sensory test, cook loss, feather, skin, and cost-effective parameters. Higher body weight, better FCR, and more feed were observed in the 3% RSC-treated group of birds. Overall, 3% RSC addition was a more effective antibiotic substitute than 1% and 2% RSC.
