Effect of dietary inclusion of chitosan on growth performance and blood indices of broiler chickens.
- 1Department of Ecological Agriculture, Bolgatanga Technical University, Bolgatanga, Ghana.
- 2Department of Ecological Agriculture, Bolgatanga Technical University, Bolgatanga, Ghana. Electronic address: [email protected].
- 3Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of dietary low-molecular-weight chitosan (LMWCHT) on the growth performance, carcass traits, cecal microbial populations, and blood indices of broiler chickens. A completely randomised design was used to assign 96 unsexed day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks to four dietary treatment groups. Each treatment consisted of four replicate pens with six birds per pen (n = 4 pens per treatment). Following a 7-day commercial starter diet period, the birds were fed diets supplemented with LMWCHT at 0.00 (control), 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75 g/kg for a 35-day experimental period (Days 8 to 42). Growth performance metrics, averaged on a pen basis, showed that LMWCHT supplementation significantly altered average daily gain (ADG), final body weight, and average daily feed intake (P < 0.05). Broilers fed 0.50 g/kg LMWCHT exhibited the highest ADG and body weight, whereas those fed 0.75 g/kg optimised the feed conversion ratio. Cecal microbial analysis revealed that LMWCHT significantly reduced Escherichia coli counts compared to the control group (P < 0.05) without establishing a graded dose response among the inclusion levels, while lactic acid bacteria populations remained statistically unaffected (P = 0.212). Dietary LMWCHT significantly modified the haematological and serum biochemical profiles (P < 0.05), altering haemoglobin, neutrophils, monocytes, albumin, globulin, and total protein concentrations. Although the 0.50 g/kg inclusion level maintained serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) within the standard physiological range, ALT elevations observed at 0.25 and 0.75 g/kg suggest a narrow threshold for hepatic tolerance. These results indicate that while LMWCHT alters specific performance, blood, and cecal E. coli parameters, the inclusion levels must be carefully calibrated to balance growth efficiency with systemic physiological safety.
Related
- Growth performance, carcass traits, blood indices, and cecal bacterial load of Koekoek chickens fed diets containing neem leaf meal, bitter leaf meal, and garlic powder
- Effects of early dietary inclusion of untreated or extruded Chlorella vulgaris, with pancreatin supplementation of the extruded biomass, on broiler performance and meat quality
- Meta-analysis of dietary chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) modulation of the growth performance of broiler chickens
- Effects of Dietary Nigella Sativa Supplementation on Growth Performance, Lipid Profile, Carcass Traits, and Immune Response of Broiler Chickens During Summer and Winter Seasons
- Dietary Inclusion of Kappaphycus alvarezii Seaweed Processing Residue in Aquacultured Lebranche Mullet (Mugil liza): A Preliminary Study on Growth Performance, Physiological Responses and Fillet Composition
BibTeX
@article{onumah2026effect,
title = {{Effect of dietary inclusion of chitosan on growth performance and blood indices of broiler chickens.}},
author = {Jacqueline Onumah and Mamudu Halidu Agolisi and Peter Osei Boamah and Ebenezer Nartey and Frank Idan and Blessing Sulemana and Philomena Ayinsakya Akurubire},
journal = {Poultry science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.psj.2026.107898},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42854495},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effect of dietary inclusion of chitosan on growth performance and blood indices of broiler chickens.
AU - Jacqueline Onumah
AU - Mamudu Halidu Agolisi
AU - Peter Osei Boamah
AU - Ebenezer Nartey
AU - Frank Idan
AU - Blessing Sulemana
AU - Philomena Ayinsakya Akurubire
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
JO - Poultry science
DO - 10.1016/j.psj.2026.107898
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42854495
AB - This study evaluated the effect of dietary low-molecular-weight chitosan (LMWCHT) on the growth performance, carcass traits, cecal microbial populations, and blood indices of broiler chickens. A completely randomised design was used to assign 96 unsexed day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks to four dietary treatment groups. Each treatment consisted of four replicate pens with six birds per pen (n = 4 pens per treatment). Following a 7-day commercial starter diet period, the birds were fed diets supplemented with LMWCHT at 0.00 (control), 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75 g/kg for a 35-day experimental period (Days 8 to 42). Growth performance metrics, averaged on a pen basis, showed that LMWCHT supplementation significantly altered average daily gain (ADG), final body weight, and average daily feed intake (P < 0.05). Broilers fed 0.50 g/kg LMWCHT exhibited the highest ADG and body weight, whereas those fed 0.75 g/kg optimised the feed conversion ratio. Cecal microbial analysis revealed that LMWCHT significantly reduced Escherichia coli counts compared to the control group (P < 0.05) without establishing a graded dose response among the inclusion levels, while lactic acid bacteria populations remained statistically unaffected (P = 0.212). Dietary LMWCHT significantly modified the haematological and serum biochemical profiles (P < 0.05), altering haemoglobin, neutrophils, monocytes, albumin, globulin, and total protein concentrations. Although the 0.50 g/kg inclusion level maintained serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) within the standard physiological range, ALT elevations observed at 0.25 and 0.75 g/kg suggest a narrow threshold for hepatic tolerance. These results indicate that while LMWCHT alters specific performance, blood, and cecal E. coli parameters, the inclusion levels must be carefully calibrated to balance growth efficiency with systemic physiological safety.
SN - 0032-5791
SN - 1525-3171
ER -