Dietary supplementation of dried and microbially fermented ginger improves feed efficiency, digestibility and cecal Lactobacillus in broiler

One hundred and twenty unsexed day-old Cobb 500™ commercial broiler chicks were randomly allocated into five dietary treatments, and each treatment had three replications with 8 birds per replication in a completely randomized design for a five-week trial. The five dietary groups were as follows: G 0 (control group), G 1 {basal diet+0.5% dried ginger ( DG )}, G 2 {basal diet+1% DG}, G 3 {basal diet+0.5% fermented ginger ( FG )} and G 4 {basal diet+1% FG}. The results demonstrated substantial ( p < 0.05) improved feed conversion ratio ( FCR ) at the G 1 birds, and average daily feed intake ( ADFI ) was significantly ( p < 0.05) higher in G3 group during the 3rd week of age. Throughout the experiment, dietary treatments had no significant effect on the average daily gain ( ADG ) of birds. Significantly higher ( p < 0.05) dressed weight, breast meat weight, and spleen weight were found in all the dietary supplemented birds compared with the control. Dietary treatments did not significantly affect p H , drip loss, and cooking loss percentage of breast meat. The G3 group showed significantly higher ( p < 0.05) dry matter (DM %) and ether extract ( EE %), as well as G1 group showed a substantial increase in DM% of the breast meat. Meat Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ( TBARS ) were significantly ( p < 0.05) suppressed in DG and FG supplemented birds than control during the 10th day of meat storage. Serum high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) levels were significantly ( p < 0.05) inclined in G 2 and G 4 groups but declined in G 3 group. Apparent ileal digestibility ( AID ) for DM, CP, EE and ash was significantly improved ( p < 0.05) in the G 3 group. The Lactobacilli populations in cecal contents were significantly higher ( p < 0.05), whereas lower levels of Escherichia.coli were found in DG and FG supplemented birds. Therefore, the study recommends supplementation of 0.5% DG, and both 0.5 and 1% FG have a beneficial effect on growth performance and serum lipid indices, nutrient digestibility with healthier gut environment of broiler.