Poultry Nutrition

Development of Chemical-Free Supplemental Feed for Native Chickens

Formulation of supplemental feeds that will help maintain and provide its nutrient requirements is needed because of considering the demand for native chicken. Commercially available feeds to native chicken as supplemental ration is an expensive.

Native chickens are efficient converters of locally-available feed resources. While they can survive even with minimal management, supplemental feeding is still needed. The availability of these resources is affected by season, flock size, and number of households in rearing areas, among others.

For the free-range native chickens, the Central Philippine University (CPU)-College of Agriculture and Resources and Environmental Sciences (CARES) developed a chemical-free supplemental feed. It is one of the components of the research program, Development of Sustainable Production System for the Darag Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Western Visayas.

The project is funded by The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD). To totally understand the need for the development of chemical-free supplemental, affordable feeds for free-range native chickens, the studies were conducted.

These supplemental feeds has added natural feed stuffs that are natural antioxidants and have anti-bacterial properties, so it is free from chemicals. They are scientifically formulated to provide the nutrient requirements of native chicken. Corn bran grits, rice bran, soybean meal, crab shell meal, and fish meal are the raw materials used in these feeds.

For free-range native chickens, the premixes can be used to replace the synthetic chemicals in compounding the supplemental feeds. Feed additives using both garlic powder (0.20%), onion powder (0.20%), moringa leaf powder (1.25%), and combination had produced chicken with live weight gain, feed efficiency, and survival rate comparable with those that used common antibiotic.

In the development category of the 2016 National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (NSAARRD), the chemical-free supplemental feed is one of the finalists.

Initiated by the DOST-PCAARRD, NSAARRD recognizes the outstanding contributions of individuals and institutions in improving the state of agri-aqua research and development in the country.

Source: http://www.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph/