Effect of Zingerone on Growth Performance, Feed Intake and Utilisation Efficiency, Carcass Yield and Viscera Macromorphometry
Effect of Zingerone on Growth Performance, Feed Intake and Utilisation Efficiency, Carcass Yield and Viscera Macromorphometry
Bayanda Mdoda*, Faith Machabi, Busisani Wiseman Lembede, Eliton Chivandi
ABSTRACT
The potential of zingerone to replace zinc bacitracin as a growth promoter in broiler chicken feed was evaluated by determining its effects on growth performance, feed intake and utilisation efficiency, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) organ, and GIT accessory organ macromorphometry, visceral fat mass and carcass yield. One hundred and twenty unsexed 1-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks (10 chicks per replicate with 3 replicates per diet) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments where zingerone replaced zinc bacitracin (ZnBcn) at 0 mg/kg (control: 500 mg/kg of zinc bacitracin), 40 mg/kg; 80 mg/kg and 120 mg/kg in the starter, grower and finisher diets. The broiler chicks were fed ad libitum for 6 weeks: starter (days 1-14), grower (days 15-28), and finisher (days 29-42). Induction and weekly body mass, daily feed intake (FI), and terminal body mass (TBM) were measured. Body mass gain (BMG), average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were computed. On slaughter, GIT and accessory GIT viscera organs were extracted and small and large intestine lengths and mass were measured. Empty carcass mass was measured and the dressing percentage was computed. Across growth phases and overall, dietary zingerone had similar effects (p > 0.05) as ZnBcn on the chicken’s TBM, BMG, ADG, FI, and FCR. It also had similar effects (p > 0.05) on empty carcass mass, dressing percentage, and viscera macromorphometry as a control. Zingerone at 40, 80 and 120 mg/kg of feed can be used as a growth promoter in place of zinc bacitracin in broiler chicken diets without compromising growth performance, feed intake and utilisation efficiency, carcass yield, and viscera macromorphometry of broiler chicken.
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