Effects of Dietary Bamboo Charcoal Powder Including Bamboo Vinegar Liquid Supplementation on Growth Performance, Fecal Microflora Population and Intestinal Morphology in Betong Chickens

Abstract

This study investigates the combined effect of bamboo charcoal powder and bamboo vinegar liquid (BCV) on the growth, fecal microflora population and intestinal morphology in Betong chickens. A total of 128 4-week-old Betong chickens were fed a basal diet supplemented with BCV at 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5% level ad libitum for 16 weeks. The 1% inclusion of BCV gave the best growth performance. Carcass traits (yield) and visceral organs were not significantly affected by BCV. Jejunal villus height and jejunal villus area were also the highest in the 1% BCV group. At 140 days of age, colony counts of fecal Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. were comparatively low with 1 and 1.5% BCV. The present results suggest that BCV could be used at a level of 1% in Betong chicken diets.

Keywords

• bamboo charcoal
• bamboo vinegar
• chicken
• fecal microflora
• intestine