Article Effect of Lawsonia inermis as a Growth Promoter in Broiler Chicks

Abstract

In the European Union, the utilization of antibiotics in livestock farming as growth promoters have been banned to avoid bacterial resistance. However, antibiotics suppression can originate certain animal diseases as well as increased feed conversion rates. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate Lawsonia inermis in broiler chicks and its effects on feed intake, growth gain, feed conversion ratio, carcasses quality, clinical biochemistry, immunity and intestinal flora during a 42-day trial. Five experimental groups with 3 replicates each were used: commercial diet (CD), CD + flavophospholipol (a conventional antimicrobial growth promoter), CD + Lawsonia inermis (LI) at 0.15%, CD + LI at 0.20% and CD + LI at 0.25%. Lawsonia inermis added to the diet of broilers did not cause an apparent adverse effect on palatability, carcasses’ traits, biochemical profiles, or mortality. When it was added at 0.15 and 0.20%, the body weight was higher than broilers fed the control diet and that broilers fed the control diet + flavophospholipol. The immune response, total aerobic count and Lactobacilli count gave better results on broilers fed L. inermis than broilers fed the CD plus flavophospholipol (AGPs).