Effect of Dried and Processed Yoghurt Addition on the Sites of Protein Digestibility along Gastro-Intestinal Tracts of Broiler Chickens

The digestion of dietary proteins provides essential amino acids which are involved not only in the metabolism of body proteins, but also in other metabolic pathways in different organs. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of natural feed additives comprising probiotic (yoghurt powder), phytobiotic (Cinnamon) and B-vitamins loaded with different feed materials, e.g., lentil, yellow corn, and wheat bran on protein digestibility in various sections of the gastrointestinal tract and total acidity of intestinal fluid. A total of 240 day-old broiler (Ross- 308) hatching chicks were randomly distributed on eight treatments with three replicates per treatment (10 chicks per replicate) according to the Complete Random Design., viz., (T1): basal diet (BD) as a control, (T2): BD mixed with yoghurt powder (3g/ kg YP) containing cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and lentil (carrier), (T3): BD mixed with YP containing vitamin B-complex and yellow corn (carrier), (T4): BD mixed with YP containing cinnamon and yellow corn (carrier), (T5): BD mixed with YP containing vitamin B-complex and wheat bran (carrier), BD supplemented with 0.5g/kg feed of imported probiotic Labzyme, Biolac and Interzyme in treatments T6, T7 and T8 respectively, in terms of protein digestibility of broilers at 35 days of age. The results showed a significant improvement (p˂0.05) in protein digestibility of the dried yoghurt probiotic treatments (T2-T5) in the crops, gizzard, jejunum, ileum and in feces as compared with control and imported probiotic treatments (T6- T8). A significant improvement in lactic acid percentages of dried yoghurt probiotic (T2 to T5) and T6 (Labzyme) as compared with control and imported probiotic (Biolac and Interzyme in treatments T7 and T8) respectively. It is concluded that the diet complemented with yoghurt powder probiotic with cinnamon and B-vitamins was the best natural feed additive for protein digestibility enhancement of different sites of gastrointestinal tract and better lactic acid percent’s of intestinal fluid of broiler chicks.