Effect of a performance enhancer mixture as replacement for antibiotic growth promoters on production performance, excreta quality and carcass characteristics of broilers

The objective of the study was to test the effectiveness of a proprietary performance enhancer mixture (PEM) as replacement for antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in broilers. A total of 500 day-old, straight-run Cobb 500 broilers were randomly allotted to 5 treatments using a randomized complete block design with 10 replicates and 10 birds per replicate. The experimental treatments were: 1) corn-soybean meal diet (negative control, NC), 2) NC+6 ppm avilamycin (positive control, PC), 3) NC+0.05% PEM, 4) PC+0.05% PEM, and 5) PC+0.05% performance enhancer solution (PES) added to the drinking water. Production performance, excreta quality, carcass characteristics and economics were evaluated. Overall (d 0 to 34), no significant differences were observed in BW and ADG; however, AGP, PEM or PES reduced (P<0.04) ADFI and improved (P<0.003) ME efficiency compared to those without supplementation. Excreta quality score and carcass characteristics were not significantly different among treatments. The AGP, PEM or PES resulted in improved (P<0.02) feed cost efficiency and greater (P<0.05) margin over feed cost compared with those without supplementation. Therefore, the performance enhancer mixture supplemented either in the diet or the drinking water may be used as an effective replacement for antibiotic growth promoters in broilers.