GROWTH AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF STARTER BROILER CHICKENS FED DIETS CONTAINING PHYTOGENIC BLEND AS FEED ADDITIVE

The quest for antibiotic free poultry products has necessitated the need for organic antimicrobial sources that will not be detrimental to animal and human health. A 21 days study was conducted to examine the economics and growth performance of starter broiler chickens fed diets containing phytogenic blend (PB). 240-day old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatments, which was replicated 5 times. A basal diet (T1), Oxytetracycline + basal diet (T2), PB was added to basal diet at 5g/kg (T3), 10g/kg (T4), 15g/kg (T5), 20g/kg (T6). Data on body weight, feed intake were taken and weight gain, feed conversion ratio were calculated. The prevailing market price of ingredients and selling rate per kilogram live broiler chicken were used for the economic analysis. Data obtained were subjected to one-way analysis of variance in a completely randomized design. Final weight and weight gain of birds in T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 were higher and statistically similar (P <0.05). Feed intake was higher (P <0.05) for birds in T3. Feed conversion ratio was statistically similar for T1, T2, T3 and T4. Feed cost/kilogram, Feed cost/bird, feed cost/weight gain and feed cost differential increased (P <0.05) as the levels of the PB increased in the diets. Revenue was statistically similar for T1, T3, T4 and T5. Gross margin was (P <0.05) best for T1 and worst for T6. It was concluded that supplementing starter broiler chicken diets with this PB should not exceed 15g/kg for improved weight gain.