RESPONSE OF BROILER CHICKS TO DIETS CONTAINING GUM ARABIC AS A NATURAL PREBIOTIC

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of feed added Gum Arabic powder on the performance, carcass characteristics and serum chemistry of broiler chicks. Five experimental diet's were designated as A, B, C, D and E. Diet A as a control, B was supplemented with antibiotic growth powder (Neomycin), diets C, D and E were supplemented with 2, 4 and 6% of Gum Arabic respectively. 140 broiler chicks, 7 days old were randomly distributed into five treatments, each treatment with four replicates and each replicate with seven chicks. Average weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, mortality rate, dressing percentage, weight of different commercial cut's (breast, drumstick, thigh), giblets (liver, gizzard) abdominal fat, meat chemical composition and serum chemistry were used as a criteria of response. Economics for each group was calculated at the end of the experimental period. Results obtained showed no significant difference between treatment groups in performance parameters, dressing percentage, yield of commercial cuts, non carcass components, physical and chemical composition of meat values. The supplementation of control diet with Gum Arabic significantly (P> 0.05) decreased total cholesterol, uric acid and calcium crystals and at the same time increased the level of total protein in the blood serum compared to control group and that fed on diet supplemented with antibiotic. Supplementation of Gum Arabic apparently improved the general performance of broiler chicks, significantly decreased total cholesterol and uric acid of blood serum. Economically Gum Arabic can be safely included in broiler diets up to 6% without any adverse effect.