RESPONSE OF COBB500 BROILER CHICKEN (Gallus gallus domesticus) TREATED WITH DIFFERENT BIO-BASED WATER ADDITIVES

Synthetic feed additives have been used for many decades, especially in the poultry industry, to enhance production and promote growth. However, continuous utilization of these products potentially compromises animal health and ultimately the health of consumers. This paper, therefore, aims to evaluate the response of Cobb500 chickens supplemented with different bio-based products used as water additives. Methods: The experiment was laid out using the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments: T1 (Fermented Fruit Juice) T2 (Oriental Herbal Nutrient), T3 (Lactic Acid Bacteria Serum), T4 (Pure Water), and T5 (HumicVet) replicated thrice. Treatments were evaluated in terms of growth performance, carcass characteristics, and economic return. Findings: The supplementation of bio-based products in the water significantly enhanced the body weight, total weight gain, and daily weight gain of Cobb500 broiler chickens after 21-days of feeding which are considered important parameters since these are used in the economics analysis. Regarding return on investment (ROI), all treatments exhibited positive returns. The study offers an interesting alternative to synthetic feed additives that could be used in improving the growth of Cobb500 broiler chicken.