• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.165-171
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• 2014

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of copper-soy proteinate (Cu-SP) and herbal mixture (HBM) on growth performance, intestinal microflora, and immune response in broiler. A total 1,000 1-d old ROSS 308 (initial $BW=41{\pm}0.38g$) were randomly allotted to 1 of 5 dietary treatments with 4 replicates during d 35 of the feeding trial. Dietary included: (1) Control : control diet, (2) Antibiotics : control diet + Avilamycin 6 ppm, (3) Cu-SP : control diet + 100 ppm Cu-soy proteinate, (4) HBM : control diet + 0.15% herbal mixture, (5) Cu-SP+HBM : control diet + 100 ppm Cu-soy proteinate + 0.2% herbal mixture. Two-phase feeding program with a starter diet from d 0 to 21, and a finisher diet from d 22 to 35 was used in the experiment. Within each phase, a diet was formulated to meet or exceed NRC requirements of broilers for macro- and micronutrients. The diet and water were available ad libitum. Result indicated that during d 22 to 35 and over all periods of the experiment, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were greater (P<0.05) for other treatment than control. Significant differences were found in lymphocyte (LY), and stress indicator (HE:LY ratio). Lymphocyte was greater (P<0.05) for Cu-SP + HBM treatment than control. However, stress indicator (HE:LY ratio) were greater (P<0.05) for control than Cu-SP + HBM treatment. The plasma IgG was higher (P<0.05) in the antibiotics, HBM, and Cu-SP+HBM treatments groups compared with control. The population of Clostridium perfringens in the antibiotics, Cu-SP, HBM, Cu-SP + HBM treatment groups were lower (P<0.05) than those control. These result suggested that dietary copper-soy proteinate or herbal mixture may be used as an alternative to antibiotics to improve growth performance, and intestinal health of birds.