Effect of poly-herbal feed supplement on production performance and nutrient utilization in broiler chicks

Present study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of a polyherbal formulation on production performance and nutrient utilization in three groups of 7 day old broiler chicks, 30 in each group. Chicks of treatment groups were given the experimental feeds supplemented with Herbiotic-FS or zinc bacitracin @250 g/ton of feed while the chicks of control group received the basal feed only. Weekly body weights and the weekly weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion efficiency and nutrient utilization data were recorded and subjected to statistical analysis. Results revealed about eight per cent higher body weights of the chicks of treatment groups (Herbiotic-1679±52.77 g; Bacitracin-1680±51.54g) compared to those of control group (1554.17±97.56 g). The body weight gain was 16.52 fold in treatment groups while 15.26 fold in control group but these data did not differ significantly from each other. Similarly, the feed consumption data also did not differ significantly between the different groups though numerically, it was slightly more (3327.53 g/chick) in Herbiotic-FS group compared to control group (3194.45 g/chick). It was interesting to note that the feed conversion efficiency from day 28 to 49 was markedly better (1.86) in the Herbiotic group compared to that of 2.03 in bacitracin treated or control groups. However, the nutrient utilization data did not differ significantly between the different treatment groups. Therefore, from the results of present study it may be inferred that zinc bacitracin can be easily replaced with Herbiotic-FS as feed supplement as it provides almost comparable or slightly better production results as compared to the control group, the net profit from Herbiotic-Fs group as Rs.6.11 per bird while Rs.5.38 from zinc bacitracin group. Above all, the meat will be more healthy as it is free from any drug residues; and thus will have better market value and acceptance.