Abstract

There is a growing interest in plant feed additives as a consequence of the antibiotics growth promoters restriction in livestock farming all over the world. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of Dichrostachys glomerata fruit powder on the growth performances of broiler chickens. A group of chickens fed on a basal diet without any supplementation (negative control R0-) was compared to three other groups fed on diets supplemented by 0.1% of antibiotic (positive control R0+), 0.2% (R0.2) and 0.4% (R0.4) D. glomerata fruit powder respectively. The results revealed a significant decrease in feed intake as compared to the negative and the positive control. The lowest Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) was recorded with diet supplemented with antibiotic and 0.2% D. glomerata. The Body Weight (BW) and the Body Weight Gain (BWG) of chickens fed on diets supplemented with D. glomerata had an upward trend as compared to negative control diet. Apart from the relative weight of the head which tended to increase in coordination with increasing levels of D. glomerata in feed, this phytobiotic had no significant effect (P>0.05) on carcass characteristics. The increasing level of this phytobiotic tended to decrease serum content of creatinine as compared to the negative and positive control diets. The serum content in ASpartate AminoTransferase (ASAT) tended to increase with the increasing levels of this phytobiotic mean while no significant effect (P>0.05) was recorded on the serum contents of urea, total proteins and ALanine AminoTransferase (ALAT). In conclusion, 0.2% of D. glomerata fruit powder can be used to replace antibiotic, for a better growth performances and to produce antibiotics residues free chicken meat.