The impact of the standard diet, supplemented with glucans extracted from Claviceps purpurea, on some productive parameters in broiler chickens

Abstract

We have studied the impact of the standard diet, supplemented with glucans extracted from Claviceps purpurea, on some productive parameters. The experiment was performed on 30 broiler chickens, beginning at the age of 25 days. Chickens were bred under semi-intensive conditions, being randomly distributed in three equal groups, according to their body weight. They were fed with specific commercial food, balanced in nutrient principles; each day, the glucanic extracts were added at doses of 20 mg/kg body weight for the group E1 and 40 mg/kg body weight for the group E2. The extracts were mixed with food, after being diluted in 10% distilled water. At the end of the experiment, the control group has reached a weight gain of 644 g. The group E1 (with 20 mg glucanic extract/kg) has reached a weight gain of 696 g, which represented a significant difference in comparison with the control group (+ 52 g). The group E 2 (with 40 mg glucanic extract/kg) has reached a weight gain of 728 g, which was also a significant difference as compared to the control group (+ 84 g). The specific fodder consumption was of 2.11 kg fodder/kg body weight at the group E2, slightly higher at the group E1, representing 2.21 kg fodder/kg body weight, the fodder consumption for the control group being of 2.40 kg fodder / kg body weight, significantly higher than that for groups E1 and E2. The haematological, biochemical blood and histological exams of the internal organs have registered parameters within the physiological limits, without significant differences between the control group and the experimental ones.