Evaluasi Performans dan Efisiensi Suplementasi Bacillus sp. dan Asam Propionat dalam Ransum sebagai Alternatif Antibiotik pada Ayam Broiler

Abstract

Broilers are a poultry commodity intensively farmed for meat production due to their rapid growth and high feed conversion efficiency. However, the use of antibiotics as Antibiotic Growth Promoters (AGP) in animal feed has been restricted to reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Bacillus sp. and propionic acid supplementation in the diet on broiler performance and economic efficiency, focusing on body weight gain, feed consumption, Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), Income Over Feed Cost (IOFC). The study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and four replications The results showed that supplementation with Bacillus sp., propionic acid, and their combination had no significant effect on feed consumption (P>0.05). However, there was a significant effect on increased body weight gain, reduced FCR (P<0.01). The combination of Bacillus sp. at 500 ppm and propionic acid at 3000 ppm produced the lowest FCR (1.48 ± 0.08), the highest body weight gain (271.17 ± 7.22g/bird/week), Income Over Feed Cost (Rp7666,7± 586,9) all better than the control group. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the combination of Bacillus sp. and propionic acid can improve feed efficiency and has potential as a safe, effective, and sustainable alternative to AGPs in the broiler chicken industry.