Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 93 (6): 655–658, June 2023/Short communication

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijans.v93i6.129139

Effect of dietary supplementation of tannins, probiotics and antibiotic growth

promoters on growth performance of broiler chicken
PRAMOD RANJAN1, SANJAY KUMAR2*, KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR2, PANKAJ KUMAR SINGH2,
PRAMOD KUMAR2, R R K SINHA2 and RAJNI KUMARI3

Bihar Veterinary College, Bihar Animal Sciences University, Patna, Bihar 800 014 India

Received: 14 October 2022 ; Accepted: 21 April 2023

Keywords: Growth promotor, Performance index, Probiotic, Tannin, Virginiamycin

Antibiotics are used as growth promoters (AGPs) in in such a way that average body weight was approximately
agricultural animal production as a means to increase similar for all the treatment groups. Feed ingredients,
growth performance through maintained animal health supplements and feed additives in required quantities for
and improving feed efficiency of chicken. Extensive the formulation of experimental diets were procured from
research has been done over the last couple decades to the local market nearby Patna in Bihar. Standard basal diets
search for natural alternatives to in-feed antibiotics, and for pre-starter (0-7 days), starter (8-21 days) and finisher
plant compounds (or phytogenic compounds) have been (21-35 days) phases of growth of broiler chickens were
identified to have great potentials (Yang et al. 2015). prepared by mixing the different ingredients as shown in
Among the available alternatives to replace AGPs for Table 1, to meet the nutrient requirements of broiler chicken
poultry industry, phytogenic additives and probiotics as per the recommendation of BIS (2007). Proximate
appear as candidates due to their ability to emulate the composition, phosphorus (AOAC 2005) and calcium
bioactive properties of conventional AGPs. Probiotics (Talapatra et al. 1940) contents of the feed ingredients used
improve feed conversion efficiency including alteration in in the experiments were determined by following standard
intestinal flora, enhancement of growth of non-pathogenic techniques. The calculated value of metabolisable energy,
facultative anaerobic and gram positive bacteria forming lysine, and methionine were used to balance the ration to
lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, suppression of growth meet the nutrients by the broiler chickens. All the standard
of intestinal pathogens, and enhancement of digestion management practices were followed during experimental
and utilization of nutrients (Yeo and Kim 1997). Tannins period including vaccination schedule. All the broiler
are polyphenolic compounds widely distributed in the chicks were housed in deep litter system and provided
plant kingdom, where they play a protective role. Girard ad lib. feed and water throughout the feeding trial of
and Bee (2020) reported that ellagitannins isolated from 35 days. In this experiment, Group 1 (T0) served as control
Rosa rugosa petals have antibacterial activities against group and was fed with basal ration, Group 2 (T1) were
pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella sp, Bacillus cereus, fed basal ration mixed with 1 g tannin per kg of feed;
S. aureus and E. coli but they had no effect on beneficial Group 3 (T2) basal ration with virginiamycin at the rate
bacteria. Tannins added to the diet are being used for farm of 0.025 g per kg of feed; Group 4 (T3) were fed basal
animals to improve nutrition and control enteric diseases. ration with probiotics at the rate of 0.5 g per kg of feed. In
An experiment was carried out to study dietary all groups 102 day old chick were divided into replicates
supplementation of tannins, probiotics and antibiotic growth of five. The body weight of individual birds was recorded
promoters on growth performance of broiler chicken. at the start of the experiment and also at every week till
The experiment was conducted at Poultry Research and the end of experiment. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was
Training Centre, Bihar Animal Sciences University, Patna, calculated by dividing the feed consumed from the body
Bihar. For the experimental feeding, 408 broiler chicks weight gain. The performance index of broiler during
(Vencobb 400 Y strain) were procured locally. All the different periods of growth was calculated by using the
chicks were individually weighed and randomly allotted to formula given by Bird (1995). The cost of different rations
four treatment groups each with five replicates of 20 chicks used in the present study was calculated based on the actual
market price of feed ingredients which prevailed at the time
Present address: 1Animal Husbandry Department, Patna, Bihar. of experiment.
2
Bihar Veterinary College, Bihar Animal Sciences University, Six broiler chicks representing the average body weight
Patna, Bihar. 3DLFM, ICAR-RCER, Patna. *Corresponding of the group were randomly selected and kept in metabolic
author email: [email protected] cages and metabolism trial of five days was conducted to

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Table 1. Ingredient and chemical composition (% DM basis) of Excreta was pooled and dried in hot air oven at 70°C for
basal diets of broiler chickens used during experiment 48 hrs for dry matter estimation and thereafter stored for
Ingredient Pre-starter Starter Finisher further analysis. The samples of the experimental diets
Maize 57.90 56.00 59.20 and the dropping were analyzed for proximate principles,
Soybean meal 26.50 29.00 25.50 phosphorus (AOAC 2003), calcium (Talapatra et al. 1940)
Groundnut cake 6.00 4.00 3.00 and gross energy (Adiabatic bomb calorimeter, Sanyo
Meat cum bone meal 5.00 4.00 3.70
gallen kemp). All the data were analyzed statistically using
Vegetable oil 1.82 3.89 5.32
statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) software
version 20.00 as per Snedecor and Cochran (1994).
Limestone power 0.80 0.90 0.90
A marginal fluctuation was observed in feed intake in
Dicalcium phosphate 0.70 0.85 1.00
among different group (Table 2). Abdul Rahim et al. (1999)
Common salt 0.30 0.30 0.30
conducted a study to know the effect of Lactobacillus
Trace mineral premix1 0.15 0.15 0.15
acidophilus and zinc bacitracin alone, or in combination,
Vitamin Premix2 0.10 0.10 0.10
on the growth performance of broiler. They observed feed
L-lysine 0.25 0.15 0.050
intake was significantly (P<0.05) higher in bacitracin
DL-Methionine 0.12 0.10 0.130
alone diet than probiotic and its combination. A good
Choline chloride 0.06 0.06 0.150
fluctuation was observed in the feed intake in every
Toxin binder 0.10 0.10 0.10
week among the different treatment groups. Average
Coccidiostat 0.05 0.05 0.05
weight gain during the experiment varied from 1692.93
Sodium bicarbonate 0.150 0.150 0.150
in T2 to 1725.07 g in T1 group, respectively. Parks et al.
Total 100 100 100 (2005) conducted an experiment to determine the effects
Chemical composition (% DM basis) of Virginiamycin and their combination on the growth
Crude protein (%) 23.09 22.13 20.21 performance of large white female turkeys and concluded
Ether extract (%) 8.11 8.23 8.23 that supplementation of virginiamycin significantly
Crude fibre (%) 3.81 3.90 3.90 (P<0.05) improved body weight gain during the 0 to 3,
Total ash (%) 6.26 6.34 6.34 3 to 6, and 6 to 9 week periods compared with control
Calcium (%) 1.00 1.00 1.00 birds and its combination with mannan oligosaccharide.
Total phosphorus (%) 0.71 0.73 0.73 Miles et al. (2006) reported that addition of Bacitracin
Available phosphorus (%) 0.41 0.44 0.44 methylene disalicylate or Virginiamycin in broiler diets
ME (kcal/kg) * 3012.96 3125.36 3219.87 significantly (P<0.05) improved weight gain at 7 weeks of
Lysine (%) * 1.01 1.00 1.00 age. A study was conducted (Swain et al. 2007) to know
Methionine (%) * 0.45 0.44 0.44 the effect of probiotic and antibiotic feeding either alone or
*Calculated values. 1Trace mineral premix supplied (per kg in combination in the broiler ration up to six weeks of age.
diets): Magnesium-300 mg, Manganese-55 mg, Iodine-0.4 mg, It was observed that body weight gain was significantly
Iron-56 mg; Zinc-30 mg and Copper-4 mg.2Vitamin premix (P<0.05) higher in probiotic and/or antibiotic supplemented
supplied (per kg diet): vitamin A-8250 IU, vitamin D3-1200 groups than the control. Schiavone et al. 2008 evaluated
ICU; vitamin K-1 mg; vitamin B1-2 mg, vitamin B2-4 mg; that inclusion up to 0.20% of chestnut tannin increased
niacin-60 mg, pantothenic acid- 10 mg, cyanocobalamin-10 and
daily feed intake and average daily gain. The average
choline-500 mg.
FCR of fifth week of experiment varied from 1.65 in T1
investigate the apparent total tract nutrient retention at the to 1.78 in T0 group. Analysis of variance for the effect of
end of 5th week of feeding trial. The experimental feed and treatment on FCR in broiler chicken showed significant
fresh drinking water were provided ad lib. initially, 2 days (P<0.05) effect on change in FCR between the groups. The
adaptation period was observed followed by 5 days excreta overall FCR for T1 group was found to be significantly
collection period. During the collection period, weighed (P<0.01) high than all other treatment group followed by
amount of feed was offered to all broilers in the morning T3, T2 group in comparison with control. Manoj Singh
at 9 am and residue left was weighed next morning at et al. (2008) stated that supplementation of Virginiamycin
the same time. Simultaneously, faecal trays covered with (500 g/MT) significantly (P<0.01) improved feed
polythene sheets were placed for the collection of excreta. efficiency compared to control and Bacitracin methylene di
Table 2. Effect of dietary supplementation of tannin, antibiotics and probiotics on growth performance (0-35 days) of broiler chicken
Parameter T0 T1 T2 T3 SEM P-value
Average feed intake (g) 2963.52b 2845.38a 2822.85a 2831.90a 17.989 0.001
Average body weight(g) 1694.53 1725.07 1692.93 1710.53 31.822 0.723
Body weight gain(g) 1694.53 1725.07 1692.93 1710.53 31.82 0.723
FCR 1.75b 1.65a 1.67a 1.66a 0.032 0.047
Performance index 969.19±20.82 1046.35±34.26 1015.34±10.95 1033.95±35.83 14.66 0.282
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Values with different superscripts in a row differ significantly (P<0.05; P<0.01).

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June 2023] EFFECT OF TANNINS, PROBIOTICS AND AGPS IN BROILERS 657

Table 3. Effect of dietary supplementation of tannin, antibiotics and probiotics on nutrient retention (%)
Week T0 T1 T2 T3 SEM P-value
DM 74.29±2.41 70.62±1.16 72.73±1.61 73.60±1.33 2.396 0.489
Nitrogen 64.77±1.84 63.55±1 64.78±1.74 65.60±0.88 2.197 0.828
EE 76.33±1.20 73.55±1.98 75.11±1.76 76.67±0.93 2.163 0.505
Ca 17.07ab±0.58 18.03b±0.48 16.77ab±0.18 15.40a±0.67 0.722 0.039
P 14.40±0.80 14.30±0.61 13.03±1.24 13.53±1.31 1.460 0.759
Values with different superscripts in a row differ significantly (P<0.05; P<0.01).
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salicylate (150 g/MT and 200 g/MT) at 6 weeks of age. It body weight, weekly body weight gain, feed conversion
was also observed that supplementation of antibiotics did ratio, nutrient utilization, performance index and nutrient
not have significant effect (P>0.01) on feed consumption retention in broiler chickens during 35 days feeding trial.
but highest feed consumption was noticed in antibiotic Growth performance of broilers in terms of feed intake,
supplemented groups. The result of performance index (PI) weekly body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and
at weekly intervals and at the end of fifth week in broiler performance index was found significant and higher in T1
birds is presented in Table 2. The average PI of 1-5th week (Tannin group) and T3 (Probiotics group) in comparison to
of experiment varied from 969.19 in T0 to 1046.35 in T1 T2 (Antibiotics group) and control group. Supplementation
group. of tannins and probiotics enhanced growth performance of
The result of DM retention in broiler birds at 5th week broiler chicken compared to antibiotics and control group.
of age is given in Table 3. DM retention percentage ranged There was no significant effect on dry matter, ether extract
from 70.62 in T1 to 74.29 in T0 group, followed by 73.60 and phosphorus retention in broiler chickens fed tannin,
in T3 and 72.73 in T0 group, respectively. Analysis of probiotics and antibiotic except calcium. Thus, it may be
variance for the effect of treatment on DM retention concluded that supplementation of broiler diet with tannin,
in broiler chicken was non-significant (P<0.05) and probiotics and antibiotics may prove a promising approach
found comparable among the groups. Nitrogen retention in enhancing the growth performance, body weight gain,
percentage ranged from 63.55 in T1 to 65.60 in T3 group, feed conversion ratio and performance index.
followed by 64.78 in T2 and 64.77 in T0 group respectively.
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