EFFECT OF EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISM (EM) SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL BROILERS AT SHOMPANGKHA BLOCK IN SARPANG DISTRICT

Abstract

The study evaluated the effect of Effective Microorganisms (EM) solution supplementation on the production performance of commercial broiler chickens. A total of 408 unsexed broiler chicks were randomly assigned into two groups: control and treatment, with three replications each (n = 68 per replicate). The treatment group received EM via drinking water and bedding spray as a 2% solution for 56 days, while the control group did not receive EM supplementation. The trial aimed to assess the effects of EM on average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality. Body weight and feed intake were recorded daily and then consolidated into a weekly data set to calculate ADG and FCR. At the end of six weeks, the ADG was 60.89 ± 34.07 g in the treatment group and 55.96 ± 32.51 g in the control group. However, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.803). Similarly, at eight weeks, the ADG was 55.75 ± 35.09 g (treatment) and 53.91 ± 29.19 g (control), with no significant difference (p = 0.0803). In contrast, the FCR values demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = .006). The treatment group consistently exhibited a lower FCR, starting from 0.96 at day 7 to 2.55 at day 56 as compared to the control group, which ranged from 1.43 to 2.64 over the same period. This indicates improved feed efficiency due to EM supplementation. Mortality was higher in the treatment group (7.35%) compared to the control group (3.92%) resulting from heat stress and western-end location of treatment group pens that had direct exposure to sunlight for a longer duration during the trial. The findings suggest that EM supplementation did contribute to better feed efficiency in commercial broilers.