Guayabo (Psidium guajava L) como regulador de la flora microbiana cecal en pollos broilers.

Abstract

The study determined the effect of Psidium guajava L, as a prebiotic in the feeding of Broiler chickens, using 400 one-day old birds, weighing approximately 45g, assigned to a Complete Randomized Design (CRD), in four treatments, T0 (Control), T1 (0.25% Psidium guajava/ton of feed), T2 (0.50% Psidium guajava/ton of feed) and T3 (0.75% Psidium guajava/ton of feed), including four replicates for each treatment and 25 broiler chicken for each replicate. Zootechnical management was similar in all experimental units, with respect to bird density/m2, environmental variables, sanitary calendar, and nutritional program according to their physiological stage. The variables studied were production parameters (total live weight, weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion, carcass weight and mortality percentage), and the presence or absence of Salmonella spp at the cecal level. The results related to the production variables did not show significant statistical differences between treatments (p<0.05); however, a numerical difference was recorded, with the best cumulative feed conversion achieved by treatment T1 with 1.27; while the highest carcass weight and the lowest mortality percentage was achieved by treatment T3, with 3164.30g of weight and 2.5% mortality. Regarding the microbial population of Salmonella spp., no positive effect was observed. lt is concluded that the additions of crushed guava leaves do not exert beneficial activity on the productive parameters of the birds nor on the control of Salmonella spp. at the cecal level.

KEYWORDS: Broiler Chickens, Salmonella Spp., Productive Parameters, Psidium guajava L.