Enhancing growth performance and health of coloured-broiler chickens with signal grass meal (Brachiaria decumbens) supplementation under tropical conditions

• Published in: Livestock science 2024-11, Vol.289, p.105585, Article 105585
• Main Authors: Ong, Yee Lyn, Chung, Eric Lim Teik, Nayan, Nazri, Aziz, Muhamad Faris Ab, Jesse, Faez Firdaus Abdullah, Sazili, Awis Qurni, Dunshea, Frank R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibiotic resistance; biomarkers; blood; blood chemistry; body weight changes; Brachiaria decumbens; coliform bacteria; digestibility; digestive tract; feed additives; feed conversion; feed intake; gizzard; grasses; growth performance; health status; ileum; inflammation; meat quality; nutrient uptake; oxytetracycline; Phytobiotics; phytonutrients; poultry; Production performances; saponins; Sasso broiler; Urochloa decumbens
• ISSN: 1871-1413
• DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2024.105585

•Supplementing Sasso broilers with 5.00 g kg-1 of Brachiaria decumbens resulted in improved growth and feed efficiency when compared to both antibiotic and non-antibiotic control groups.•Brachiaria decumbens notably improved health parameters, such as nutrient digestibility and gut health, while also reducing stress markers.•The inclusion of 5.00 g kg-1 of Brachiaria decumbens in the diet enhanced meat quality and lipid profiles, highlighting its potential as an alternative to antibiotics in poultry feed. This study examines the impact of signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens) as a phytobiotic supplement on the production performance and health of coloured-broiler chickens reared in tropical environments. A total of 216 day-old Sasso broiler chicks were randomly assigned to six treatment groups with six replications each. All six treatments received the same commercial diets with some adjustments: Treatment 1 (negative control) with only commercial feed, Treatment 2 (positive control) with 100 mg kg-1g kg-1 oxytetracycline, Treatment 3, 4, 5, and 6 with 1.25, 2.50, 3.75, and 5.00 g kg-1 of B. decumbens grass meal, respectively, without antibiotic. Throughout the eight-week study, body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly for each replicate to calculate body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Additional evaluations included nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, cecal microflora population, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Blood biomarkers and biochemistry were also analysed to evaluate the chickens' health status. Results indicated that broilers supplemented with B. decumbens grass meal, particularly T6 showed significantly (p