Rhaponticum carthamoides as a source feed phytodrugs for young poultry

Abstract

The study evaluated the effect of a phytosupplement based on Raponticum carthamoides at various doses on the productivity of broiler chickens, compared to a control group fed a traditional diet used at the enterprise. The aim of the experiment was to assess the effect of different doses of Raponticum carthamoides added to the main feed mixture on the balance of absorption of certain macronutrients in young poultry and on growth rates. The total number of birds in the experimental groups was 140, at the age of 14 days, with 35 birds in each group (n=35). The control group received the basic diet (BD), while the three experimental groups were fed as follows: the basic diet was supplemented with 1.60%, 2.10%, and 2.60% of the diet. The results of the study showed a positive nitrogen balance in the broiler chickens in the experimental groups. Feeding a phytosupplement based on Raponticum carthamoides improved the digestibility of feed protein, resulting in increased weight gain in young poultry. The addition of the tested phytosubstance to the compound feed did not have a negative effect on the mineral composition of the experimental birds. During the studies, the macronutrients that came from complex sources, including the phytosubstance based on Raponticum carthamoides, demonstrated better bioavailability, which was expressed in a more efficient use of nitrogen and calcium-phosphorus component of the feed. In broiler chickens that received Raponticum carthamoides in the basic diet, the absolute increase in live weight was 2.62-15.25% higher than in the control group. The effect on broiler productivity depended on the dosage, and the most effective result was achieved by adding Raponticum carthamoides at the maximum dose (5 g of powder per feed mixture).