Utilization of Marine Fungi as a Feed Additive on the Performance of Local Chickens’ Digestive Organs

¹ Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Jambi, Jalan Jambi Mura Bulian No. KM. 15, 36361 Jambi, Indonesia
² Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Jambi, Jalan Jambi Muara Bulian No. KM. 15, 36361 Jambi, Indonesia
³ Department of Aquatic Product Technology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University, Jalan Agatis, 16128 Bogor, Indonesia
⁴ Marine Biotechnology Division, Centre for Coastal and Marine Resources Studies, IPB University Jalan Raya, Pajajaran Raya No. 1 16680, Bogor, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: nurhayatiagus@unja.ac.id

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the utilization of marine fungi as feed additives on the performance of local chickens' digestive organs. This study used one hundred and eighty local chickens aged one day which were kept for 10 weeks and divided into five treatment groups and four replications. Chickens consumed treatment diets containing yellow maize, rice bran, soybean meal, fish meal, coconut meal, L-lysine, methionine, CaCO₃, and added marine fungi. Chickens were slaughtered at 10 weeks old and digestive organs (liver, ventriculus, and small intestine) were collected and weighed to measure digestive organs' performance. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance by a completely randomized design. An orthogonal contrast test analyzed the significant effects of treatment diets on the parameters. This study showed that marine fungi significantly decreased feed consumption (P<0.05) without any declining digestive organ performance. It is suggested to add marine fungi extract to the local chicken diet as much as a 2 ml/kg ration.