Abstract
The research aimed to explore the potential use of a suspension of Chlorella vulgaris SKO A RKM-0870 strain as a feed supplement for raising Cobb 500 cross broiler chickens. The study involved two groups of 5500 heads, each made up from seven-day-old chicks according to the principle of analogue pairs. The chicks were kept in flat deck cages. The experiment duration was 33 days (until slaughter). During the experiment, the housing conditions and primary diet specified by the enterprise regulations were maintained. Chickens of the experimental group received suspension in the amount from 5 up to 30 ml/day. Daily rates of 5 and 10 ml/day were provided by automatic waterers in every box. As the suspension volume increased to 20 and 30 ml/day, the concentrated suspension was introduced into the reservoir of the nipple waterers. Flock viability and changes in live weight were monitored by group weighing (4-10 birds) every other day. Experiment results showed that the percentage of flock viability in the experimental group amounted to 98.2% vs 87.3% in the control group. Improvement was achieved by decrease of culling of young birds on the 4th day of using Chlorella suspension. The average value of live weight in the experimental group on the 37th day was 11.6% higher compared to the control group. Chlorella suspension as a feed additive increases the economic efficiency of production by reducing the period of growing chickens for 3 days and providing higher percentage of flock viability.