Growth response of broilers given varying levels of bamboo-derived wood vinegar via drinking water

Abstract

Wood vinegar has been used as a feed supplement and antibiotic alternative in livestock. This study assessed the growth response and profitability of wood vinegar in broilers given varying levels of wood vinegar via drinking water. A total of 100 broilers were randomly assigned to four treatments: T₀: 0% wood vinegar (control), T₁: 2% wood vinegar, T₂: 3% wood vinegar, and T₃: 4% wood vinegar, replicated five times with five birds per replication laid out in a Completely Randomized Design. The results revealed that the weekly feed intake (WFI) in Days 9-15 was significantly different across the four treatments, and the lowest WFI was observed in T₀ and T₃. No significant difference was noted on cumulative weight gain (CWG), average daily weight gain (ADWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Cost analysis revealed that T₃ resulted in return above feed and wood vinegar and animal cost (RAFWVAC), net income (NI), and return on investment (ROI) of PhP36.10 (USD 0.75), PhP12.52 (USD 0.26) and 9.56%, per bird. Further studies can investigate treatments with higher or lower wood vinegar concentration, and analyze the organic components, anti-microbial property, bioactive compounds, and toxicity of wood vinegar to provide a clearer explanation of the findings.