Supplementation of Chicken Feed with Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt) Extract and Lactobacillus Plantarum Improves Broiler Chicken Performance

This study aimed to assess the synbiotic effect of nutmeg flesh extract and Lactobacillus plantarum on the growth performance and serum enzyme concentrations of broiler chickens raised at high stocking density (HSD). A total of 410 broiler chickens with an average body weight of 142 ± 4.71 g were randomly divided into five treatments. Data on feed consumption, feed conversion ratio (FCR), body weight gain, and serum enzymes, e.g., aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, were collected. Body weight and weight gain were lower (P 0.05) than in CONT–, CONT+, and SNP0.5. The levels of total serum protein, albumin, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase in broiler chickens were not affected (P > 0.05) by HSD or synbiotic administration of nutmeg flesh extract and L. plantarum. In conclusion, the use of synbiotics from nutmeg flesh extract and L. plantarum as much as 1.5 ml/kg of feed can improve the performance of broiler chicken while not interfering with enzyme serum metabolites.