Growth Performance of Commercial Broiler Chicken Fed Dried Azolla

A study was undertaken to explore the nutritive value of Azolla pinnat a as a non-conventional feed ingredient in broiler chicken feeding. The study was conducted for a period of 42 days with 150-day old unsexed Vencobb chicks divided into 5 groups (1 control + 4 treatments) with 3 replicates having 10 chicks in each replicate. The groups were designated as T0, T1, T2, T3 and T4where in T0 served as standard control group. Group T1, T2, T3 and T4 were fed with dried Azolla at 2, 3, 4 and 5 per cent substitution level, respectively. During the starter phase, results of growth trial revealed significantly higher weight gain and feed conversion ratio in as compared to control and other treatments group. Finisher phase T4 group had 4.7% higher weight gain as compared to control. Overall growth performance (0-42 days) of broiler birds exhibited significantly highest weight gain in T4. Results for the feed intake, feed conversion ratio, proximate analysis of broiler meat, digestibility coefficients of different nutrients and serum mineral analysis exhibited non-significant (P>0.05) difference. Economics of broiler production by substitution of 5% Azolla exhibited higher gain as compared to control. It is thus concluded that 5% substitution of dried Azolla replacing soybean meal in broiler chicken commercial feed positively affects the growth performance and feed conversion. Dried Azolla as an unconventional feed ingredient can be included in the broiler ration at 5 per cent level increasing the gross profits by 10.60%.