Effects Of Biochar On Growth Performance And Quality Of Broilers And Finishing Pigs

The main problems such as the low production performance, tetracycline antibiotics residues, heavy metal residues happened in livestock and poultry raising as well as manufacture in our country. Researches have shown that biochar supplement to basal diet can improve animal production performance, promote animal growth and adsorption toxic substances and so on.Therefore, the purpose of this experiment was to study the wheat straw biochar supplement to basal diet on growth performance and quality of broilers and finishing pigs, which will provide a scientific basis for its widely used in animal husbandry.Effects of Biochar on Growth, Slaughter Performance and Lipid Metabolism of Broilers. The results showed:(1) There were no changes in overall daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, relative proportion of viscera, net carcass rate and leg muscle rate with wheat straw biochar supplement, while a 5% biochar supplement significantly increased the daily weight gain by 10.12%(P< 0.05) and the breast muscle rate by 23.42%(P< 0.05). And broiler abdominal fat was reduced by 31.44%(P< 0.05) and 23.02%(P< 0.05) respectively with 5% and 10% wheat straw biochar supplement.(2) There were no significant differences in contents of serum glucose, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol between the supplement treatment and the control, but significantly reduced the contents of serum triglyceride. Compared with the control group, a 5% biochar supplement significantly reduced total cholesterol contents of serum by 9.17%(P< 0.05) and the contents of serum triglyceride by 39.13%(P< 0.05).(3) Finally, feed costs with the increase of biochar supplement is reduced, the cost of feed per kilogram of poultry production was seen significantly reduced by 9.28%, 10.58% and 11.23% respectively with 1%,5% and 10% biochar supplement. Therefore, a 5% biochar supplement can reduce broiler abdominal fat, total cholesterol and contents of serum triglyceride, to some extent improve health breeding of broiler.Effects of Biochar on Growth and Quality of Finishing Pigs. The results showed:(1) Compared with the control group, a 3% biochar supplement significantly increased finial weight by 26.20%(P< 0.05) and average daily weight gain by 39.75%(P< 0.05), while feed conversion ratio was decreased by 24.55%(P< 0.05); carcass weight, carcass length and carcass slanting length was increased by 25.01% (P< 0.05),7.98%(P< 0.05) and 7.70%(P< 0.05) respectively, there were no differences in other slaughter indicators and digestive organs between the treatments.(2) Compared with the control group, a 3% biochar supplement significantly decreased contents of tetracycline, oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline in pork by 28.13%(P< 0.05),62.41%(P< 0.05) and 12.05%(P< 0.05) respectively.(3) Compared with the control group, a 3% biochar supplement significantly increased the contents of the Fe and Zn in pork (P< 0.05), contents of Cu in the liver by 35.73%(P< 0.05), the contents of Mn in pig kidney by 21.22%(P< 0.05) and Pb contents in pig kidney was reduced by 17.14%(P< 0.05).(4) Compared with the control group, a 3% biochar supplement significantly increased pork of crude protein and crude fat content by 32.33%(P<0.05) and 32.33%(P< 0.05) respectively, the serum urea nitrogen contents was reduced by 18.44%(P< 0.05), the activity of alkaline phosphatase was increased by 35.90%(P< 0.05), but it had no effects on dry matter and crude ash contents of pork and other blood indicators.Therefore, wheat straw biochar supplement to daily diet by up to 3% could promote pig growth and health as well as feed conversion. From the point of overall study, the wheat straw biochar supplement to basal diet can promote broilers and finishing pigs growth and health.