Patel et al.

Sampling and Analytical Methods

Table 3. Carcass characteristics, organ weight (%) relative to

body weight and mortality rate of broilers fed different levels

Accurate body weight of the individual experimental

of probiotics

chicks were recorded in the morning hours before feeding

with the help of digital weighing balance at day old and

Treatments

thereafter at weekly interval till six weeks of age. Feed

Parameters

T

1

T 2

T 3

consumption was measured by weighed quantity of feed

offered to each group and at the end of week feed left over

1795.25 ±

1769.25 ±

1813.75 ±

Live body wt. (g)

50.72

56.01

38.70

was weighed and recorded. On the basis of that average

weekly feed intake and FCR was calculated. At the end of

Eviscerated carcass

1302.50±

1272.75±

1326.25±

experiment, four birds from each treatment were randomly

wt. (g)

44.84

48.24

39.28

selected and slaughtered. The dressed weight of each

Dressing

73.09 ±

72.52 ± 0.47 71.90 ±0.52

bird was obtained separately by complete bleeding and

percentage (%)

0.73

removal of feathers, head, neck, shanks and viscera. Heart,

Liver Wt. (% BW) 2.69 ± 0.03

2.66 ± 0.03 2.73 ± 0.04

liver, gizzard and spleen were also weighed individually

and their percentages in relation to body weight were

Heart Wt. (% BW) 0.54 ± 0.02

0.53 ± 0.02 0.55 ± 0.03

calculated. Mortality was recorded as and when occurred.

Gizzard Wt. (%

Mortality rate (%) was calculated from the records of dead

2.25 ± 0.02

2.28± 0.03 2.31 ± 0.01

BW)

birds up to end of the study against total number of birds.

Relative economics to predict effect of probiotics on the

Spleen Wt. (%

0.11 ± 0.01

0.11 ± 0.01 0.12 ± 0.01

performance of broiler chicks was calculated for raising

BW)

broilers up to 6 weeks of age under different treatments.

Total Mortality

4

3

1

Return over feed cost was calculated by subtracting the

Mortality (%)

5.00

3.75

1.25

cost of feeding from the output of bird sold at ` .65 per kg

live weight.

Average body weight gain (during different phases)

Statistical Analysis

The average total body weight gain (BWG) during starter

All the recorded and calculated data were subjected to

phase (0–3 wks), finisher phase (4-6 wk) and overall period

statistical analysis by applying “Factorial and Completely

(0-6 wks) are presented in Table 2. BWG during different

Randomized Design” (FCRD) employing one-way

phases i.e., starter phase, finisher phase and overall phase

analysis of variance as per Snedecor and Cochran (1994).

was significantly (P≤0.05) improved in group T ₃ compared

A p-value of < 0.05 was considered a significant difference

to T ₂ and T ₁ . Panda et al . (2005) observed significantly

among groups and the comparison of means was made

(P≤0.05) higher BWG in probiotics supplemented broilers

using Duncan multiple range test (Steel and Torrie,

(1508.0 g) compared to control broilers (1398.0 g) during

1984).

overall experimental period (0–6 wks). Anjum et al .

(2005) and Singh et al . (2009) also observed similar kind

of results.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Feed Intake

Average daily body weight gain

Daily feed intake and average total feed intake during

Average daily body weight gain (g) for T ₁ , T ₂ and T 3 was

starter phase (0–3 wks), finisher phase (4–6 wks)

39.48 ± 0.15, 39.99 ± 0.10 and 41.63 ± 0.25, respectively

and overall experimental period (0–6 wks) remained

and it was significantly (P≤0.01) higher in treatment group

statistically (P≥0.05) at par (Table 2). Anjum et al .

T ₃ compared to treatment groups T ₂ and T 1 (Table 2).

(2005) also observed non-significant effect of probiotics

supplementation on feed intake of broiler chicks.

158

Journal of Animal Research: v.5 n.1. April 2015