Interaction effects of dietary ginger Zingiber officinale and yeast Sacharomyces cerevisiae supplementation on performance, carcass yield and gut micro flora of broiler chickens

Consumer concern for drug residues in meat and eggs as well as ban imposed on the use of antibiotics in animal feed as growth promoter call for alternative search. A 56days feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of ginger inclusion with and without yeast supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics, gut micro flora of broiler chickens. A total of One hundred and eighty day, one old Arbor acre broiler chicks wereallotted on weight equalization basis to 6 dietary treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangements (3 levels of ginger (0%, 4% and 5%) with and without yeast (0%, 1% levels). The treatments were replicated thrice with ten birds per replicate. Feed and water were provided ad- libtum. Performance showed that birds on combination (5% ginger and 1% yeast) recorded highest weight (1527g) with better feed conversion while least weight (1202g) and least feed conversion were recorded with birds on ginger only. Highest eviscerated weight (1362.50g) and dressing percentage (72.79%) were recorded in broiler chicks on 1%Yeast + 5% Ginger while least values (1087.50g, 62.39%) were recorded with birds on yeast only. Total bacteria count increased from 1.20 x106cfu/ml (control) to 1.70 x106cfu/ml in diets supplemented 1% yeast and 5% ginger as well as Lactobacillus count increased with supplementation level Total anaerobic count decreased from1.10 x106cfu/ml in control diet to 0.68 x106cfu/ml in birds fed1% yeast and 5% ginger likewise coliform, clostridium and bacillus counts decreased with the additives (yeast and ginger) inclusion. It can be concluded that inclusion of ginger and yeast at 5% and 1% respectively in the diets improved performance and reduced pathogenic biota without detrimental effects in broiler chickens and might therefore serve as a natural substitute for synthetic growth promoters.