Differences in morphometric characterization of female BSA hybrid chickens fed on wet fermented diet containing a combination of maggot flour (Hermetia illucens) and active digestive enzymes in ration

Abstract The present study was aimed to examine the effect of feeding fermented diet containing a combination of maggot flour and active digestive enzymes in the ration on feed consumption, weight gain and exterior appearance or morphometric parameters of female BSA hybrid chickens (BSA-HC). The present study was carried out at Field Laboratory of Animal Sciences, Department of Animal Science, University of Syiah Kuala-Banda Aceh for 90 days, starting from December 1, 2021 to March 1, 2022. The study used a completely randomized design consisting of 4 treatments which were: P0 (control: chicken fed on commercial diet), P1 (chicken fed on a wet fermented diet, 9% maggot flour and 0.5% enzyme), P2 (chicken fed on a wet fermented diet, 12% maggot flour and 1 % enzyme), and P3 (chicken fed on a wet fermented diet without maggot flour and without digestive enzymes). Each treatment was repeated 4 times and total number of chickens used in the study was 80 female hybrid chickens. The data obtained were analyzed by Analysis of Variance and it was continued with Duncan’s Multiple Test by SPSS program. The results showed that difference in a combination of maggot flour and active digestive enzymes percentage in wet fermented diet had an effect on the increased in morphometric parameters such us: thigh circumference, height, and head width of chicken until 9 weeks of chicken age. However, feeding of wet fermented diet containing maggot flour and digestive enzymes resulted the same effect on morphometric parameters as commercial diet on BSA-HC hens resulted a high efficiency feed. It was presumably due to the nutritional value contained in wet fermented diet was absorbed by part of chicken body which was supported by the development of body and digestive organs. Although a combination of maggot flour and active digestive enzymes percentage in wet fermented diet does not significantly affect the morphometric parameters, the nutritional content such as protein and energy contained in the feed increased the process of performance and growth process of female hybrid chicken which was comparable to commercial diet.