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Main page > Research and Trials > Poultry > Private Research Farm, United Kingdom, 2004
The Response of broilers to Progut™ compared with a standard antibiotic growth promoter and a negative control group. Trial conducted at a private research farm in the UK 2004
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of Progut™ on the physical performance of broilers up to 42 days of age.
Material and methods
At the beginning of the trial commercial sexed Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly distributed into treatments. There were 8 replicates of 50 birds (25 males and 25 females) per treatment. Feeds were offered ad libitum and constant access to water was provided via one bell type drinker per pen. White wood shavings were used for litter. To provide the birds with disease challenge 50 % of the litter was provided by old litter obtained on site and the remaining 50 % by new litter.
The feeding program for all treatments was based on a four-base starter to withdrawal regime from 0-42 days. The starter diets were fed 0-13 days, grower diet up to 26 days, the finisher diet up to 36 days and the withdrawal diet up to 42 days. The starter diet was offered as a crumb and all other diets were fed as pellet. All starter diets contained Cycostat and all grower and finisher diets contained Biocox. Testing of Progut™ was part of a larger trial. The results from the following treatments are presented in this report.
1) ProgutTM H: 0,2 % of Progut™ was added in starter feed and 0,1% in other feeds 2) ProgutTM L: 0,1 % of Progut™ was added in starter feed and 0,05 % in other feeds 3) Negative control 4) Positive control: 10 ppm Avilamycin
All birds were weighed at day 0 and at each diet change. The quantity of feed supplied and daily mortality were recorded for the whole duration of the trial.
Results
No significant differences were seen between any of the treatment groups for live weight, weight gain or feed intake (P>0,05). Feed conversion ratios between 0 and 25 days in ProgutTM L and H treatment groups were significantly lower than the negative control (P<0,001). Feed conversion ratio in ProgutTM L group was also significantly lower than the positive control (P<0,001). Feed conversion ratios between 0 and 42 days in both ProgutTM groups were significantly lower than the negative control but there were no differences to the positive control (table 16). No significant differences were seen between any of the treatment groups for mortality during the period of the trial (P>0,05).
Values for carcass weight were significantly higher for males than females (P<0,001). There was an interaction between treatment group and sex with males heavier throughout the trial but by the greatest amount in ProgutTM L group (P<0,001). The same phenomenon was also seen with live weight, eviscerated weight, and wing yield.
THE MAIN PERFORMANCE RESULTS BY TREATMENTS
Discussion and conclusions
There were no effects of treatment group on weight from day 0 up to 42 days. The most significant treatment effects were seen in feed conversion ratios throughout the period of the trial. Feed conversion ratios of both ProgutTM groups were significantly better than the negative control throughout the trial, ProgutTM L group performing particularly well up to 25 days. After 26 days the feed conversion ratios obtained in ProgutTM L group increased and were higher than positive control. This may be due to too low inclusion rate of ProgutTM in this period. It can be concluded that addition of 0,1 % ProgutTM seemed to be enough for starter feed, but 0,05 % dose in grower - finisher feeds wasn't sufficient.
A treatment x sex interaction was seen for the parameters of live weight, eviscerated weight, carcass weight and wing yield. While males had higher values than females for all treatment groups, the difference was greatest in ProgutTM L treatment group indicating that it had a better effect on males than females with regard to processing yields. |
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