GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND COCCIDIA OCCURRENCE IN PHILIPPINE NATIVE CHICKEN GIVEN DIETS ADDED WITH ORGANIC SELENIUM, PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS

Abstract

Coccidiosis must be controlled due to its detrimental effect on weight gain and feed conversion of chicken. Routine anticoccidials, however, are unacceptable for organic farming. With the increasing demand for natural and safer food, Philippine native chicken were used to evaluate growth and coccidian incidence when given traditional or alternative anticoccidials. One hundred dayold chicks were brooded for three weeks then ranged until week 12 for the study. Birds were distributed randomly to five treatments (four replicates per treatment, five birds per replicate): Sel: 0.2% organic selenium, Prob: 2% probiotics [Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium and Bifidobacterium spp.], Preb: 0.4% prebiotics [mannan-oligosaccharide], Mad: 0.5% maduramicin (positive control) and Cont: diet without anticoccidia. Feed intake, body weight and average oocysts per gram per bird were recorded between the 0-3, 4-8 and 9-12 weeks. Average daily gain was improved (p<0.05) only in Mad between 9-12 weeks. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was improved (p<0.01) by Mad, Sel, Prob and Preb while feed cost per kg were better (p<0.01) in Mad, Sel and Preb during the same period compared to Cont. Differences in OPG counts were insignificant but indicate subclinical infection. The study suggests organic selenium- and prebiotic-fed birds can have similar FCR as those given maduramicin at the same feed cost.