EFFECT OF ADDING YEAST (S. CEREVISIAE) TO THE DIET ON SOME PRODUCTION INDICATORS AND BLOOD BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF BROILERS

This study explored the effect of adding S. cerevisiae yeast to broiler diets on some of their production indicators and blood biochemical parameters. Ninety day-old chicks of broiler chickens (Ross-308) weighing 42 g on average were used in this study. The birds were randomly divided into three experimental groups of three replicates each (10 birds per replicate). The T1 group were fed a diet without any additives while the T2 and T3 groups received diets supplemented with 0.1% and 0.2% S. cerevisiae yeast, respectively. The T3 group performed the best with heavier body weights that increased at a rate of 4%. Its feed intake and feed conversion rates declined by 2% and 6%, respectively,  and no dead birds were recorded in the group at p ≤ 0.05. The results indicate that the concentrations of total protein, albumin, and globulin in blood serum increased by 13%, 17%, and 4%, respectively, while glucose and cholesterol levels decreased by 18% and 27%, respectively in the T3 group (p ≤ 0.05).