Effects of fermented sunflower seed meal with Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on performance, nutrient digestibility, immune response, and some blood parameters in broiler chicks

This research was carried out to evaluate the effect of sunflower seed meal fermented with Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on performance, nutrient digestibility, immune response, some blood parameters in 200 male Ross 308 broiler chicks in a completely randomized design. with five treatments. Experimental treatments were: 1- Diet containing sunflower seed meal fermented by Aspergillus niger 2- Diet containing sunflower seed meal fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae 3- Diet containing sunflower seed meal fermented by both Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus niger 4- Diet containing sunflower seed meal without processing 5-Control diet based on corn and soybean meal. Feed intake in control and treatment 1 were higher than the other treatments in starter and finisher periods of the experiment (P<0.05). Daily Feed intake in control group was higher than the other treatments in whole period of the experiment (P<0.05). Daily weight gain in control and treatment 1 were higher than the other group in starter and grower periods of the experiment (P<0.05). Feed conversion ratio in treatment 1 was better in finisher phase. In whole period of the experiment, feed conversion ratio in control and treatment 1 was better than the other treatments (P<0.05). Dry matter, crude protein, crude fat digestibility in the control group was higher than the other treatments (P<0.05). In conclusion, inclusion of sunflower seed meal fermented with Aspergillus niger, in broiler diet showed similar feed conversion ratio in compared to control group in whole period of the experiment and also lowered abdominal fat percentage.