Dietary supplementation of dried and microbially fermented ginger improves feed efficiency, digestibility and cecal Lactobacillus in broiler

Abstract

One hundred and twenty unsexed day-old Cobb 500™ commercial broiler chicks were randomly allocated into five dietary treatments, and each treatment had three replications with 8 birds per replication in a completely randomized design for a five-week trial. The five dietary groups were as follows: G₀ (control group), G₁ {basal diet+0.5% dried ginger (DG)}, G₂ {basal diet+1% DG}, G₃ {basal diet+0.5% fermented ginger (FG)} and G₄ {basal diet+1% FG}. The results demonstrated substantial (p < 0.05) improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) at the G₁ birds, and average daily feed intake (ADFI) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in G3 group during the 3rd week of age. Throughout the experiment, dietary treatments had no significant effect on the average daily gain (ADG) of birds. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) dressed weight, breast meat weight, and spleen weight were found in all the dietary supplemented birds compared with the control. Dietary treatments did not significantly affect p^H, drip loss, and cooking loss percentage of breast meat. The G3 group showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) dry matter (DM%) and ether extract (EE%), as well as G1 group showed a substantial increase in DM% of the breast meat. Meat Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) were significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed in DG and FG supplemented birds than control during the 10th day of meat storage. Serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were significantly (p < 0.05) inclined in G₂ and G₄ groups but declined in G₃ group. Apparent ileal digestibility (AID) for DM, CP, EE and ash was significantly improved (p < 0.05) in the G₃ group. The Lactobacilli populations in cecal contents were significantly higher (p < 0.05), whereas lower levels of Escherichia.coli were found in DG and FG supplemented birds. Therefore, the study recommends supplementation of 0.5% DG, and both 0.5 and 1% FG have a beneficial effect on growth performance and serum lipid indices, nutrient digestibility with healthier gut environment of broiler.