Chemical Compositions of Brown and Green Seaweed, and Effects on Nutrient Digestibility in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Simple Summary This study aimed to analyse the nutritional properties and apparent ileal digestibility of brown and green seaweed on broiler chickens. Proximate content, mineral and amino acid contents were analysed. In addition, the gross energy value of brown and green seaweed was measured. A digestibility trial was conducted to determine the apparent ileal digestibility of seaweed in broiler chickens. Apparent metabolisable energy was determined as well in this study. Birds were fed with 90.30% seaweed-based diet with an indigestible marker. At the end of the feeding trial, birds were euthanised and ileal digesta was collected. Nutrient contents of experimental feed and digesta were analysed, and gross energy was measured. The results revealed that there was no significant difference in the apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude lipid and ash contents among the brown and green seaweed-based diets. The findings also demonstrated that the apparent ileal digestibility of crude protein and crude fibre was significantly higher in brown seaweed compared to green seaweed. Nevertheless, no significant difference was observed in the apparent digestibility of metabolisable energy between the types of seaweed. Abstract This study aimed to analyse the nutritional properties, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent metabolisable energy (AME) of broiler chickens fed with brown seaweed (BS) and green seaweed (GS). Proximate analysis was performed to determine the nutrient composition of seaweed. The amino acids were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine the minerals content. The gross energy (GE) was determined using a fully automatic bomb calorimeter, and the AME value was calculated. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was used as an indigestible marker to calculate the AID. A digestibility trial was conducted to investigate the effects of seaweeds on crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE), dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), amino acids (AA) and minerals digestibility, and AME on broiler chickens. Thirty-six broiler chickens were randomly distributed into two dietary treatment groups with six replicates and three birds per replicate. Results showed that brown and green seaweed was a source of macro and micronutrients. For the AME and AID of seaweed-based diets, the results showed that the AME value for BS and GS was 2894.13 and 2780.70 kcal/kg, respectively. The AID of BS and GS was 88.82% and 86.8% for EE, 82.03% and 80.6% for OM, 60.69% and 57.80% for CP, 48.56 and 44.02% for CF, and 17.97 and 19.40% for ash contents, respectively. Meanwhile, the AID of CP and CF was significantly higher for BS compared to the GS. Findings showed that the AID of various AA was 40.96 to 77.54%, and the AID of selected minerals (Ca, Na, K, Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe) for both BS and GS groups were above 90%.