Hematological Parameters in Broiler Chickens using Feather Meal as Part of Compound Feed

Abstract

Modern technology of industrial poultry farming causes a significant functional load on the poultry organism. In intensive poultry farming, biologically complete feeding is a decisive factor in obtaining high productivity. The production of feed for poultry is constrained by the lack of protein feed of plant and animal origin. In the researches, the protein feather concentrate was tested on the Cobb 500 cross hybrid. The poultry feather-based feed additive used in the experiment was made according to the special technology of the Terafix company. As a result of the experiment on the use of feather protein concentrate in different concentrations to broiler chickens and the study of its effect on the health of chickens, of their clinical-hematological, physiological metabolic status and productivity indicators, it was found out that for the chickens of all experimental groups average indicators for the level of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit and lymphocytes were within the physiological norm. The indicators of leukocytes are lower in the experimental groups than in the control group, which confirms the positive effect of feather concentrate on hematopoietic functions, as well as on their nonspecific resistance. The obtained results of the use of protein feather concentrate in determining the total protein in the experimental groups showed a slight increase in comparison with the control group, which confirms a positive effect on protein metabolism and nonspecific resistance of broiler chickens. According to experimental data, under production conditions, the optimal concentration of feather meal in the diet of broiler chickens was 1.5%.