JAHP_14_2_678-686

INTRODUCTION

Broiler chickens are known for their rapid growth and high feed conversion ratio. However, during the production process, broilers face several challenges related to improving their production performance, which can affect meat quality and market value (Astuti et al., 2017). Proper management is crucial to ensure optimal production performance, enabling broiler meat to meet consumer demand for high-quality products. One of the most important factors to consider in broiler rearing is feed.

Feed is one of the main factors influencing the production performance of broiler chickens. One commonly used feed ingredient is rice bran. However, rice bran has several drawbacks, including high crude fibre content and the presence of antinutritional compounds such as phytic acid, which can inhibit the absorption of essential nutrients and reduce the feed’s nutritional value (Sukaryana et al., 2011). Additionally, the availability of rice bran decreases during the dry season, as farmers are unable to cultivate rice due to water shortages, resulting in a rise in rice bran prices (Novita et al., 2022).

Efforts to address this issue can be made by utilising alternative feed ingredients that are more affordable, nutritionally valuable, safe for livestock, readily available, and non-competitive with human food sources. One potential ingredient is the fermented low-sodium salt Turbinaria decurrens (FLSSTd) brown seaweed meal. T. decurrens is a marine macroalgae that grows attached to coral substrates on the seabed (Islami et al., 2014). In Indonesia, this species of seaweed can be found in several coastal areas, including the coastal region of West Sumatra Province, particularly along Sungai Nipah Beach in IV Jurai District, Pesisir Selatan Regency. This species of seaweed contains energy and crude protein similar to rice bran, except for calcium.

Yusra (2022) reported that T. decurrens brown seaweed meal with reduced salt content can be used in broiler diets at levels up to 6% while maintaining an optimal feed conversion ratio. According to Rizal et al. (2022a), the low utilization of low-sodium salt T. decurrens brown seaweed meal (LSSTd) was due to its high crude fiber content (16.68%). The high crude fibre content in LSSTd brown seaweed meal can be reduced through fermentation using local microorganisms (LMO) derived from rice.

Fermented low-sodium salt T. decurrens brown seaweed meal using LMO derived from rice contains 12.47% crude protein, 0.97% crude fat, 5.79% crude fibre (previously 16.68%), 1,970 kcal/kg metabolizable energy, 7.09% calcium, and 0.34% phosphorus (Rizal et al., 2022b). So, fermentation reduced crude fibre content upto 188% compared with low-sodium salt T. decurrens. Additionally, it contains 0.14% methionine and 0.22% lysine. Besides, FLSSTd brown seaweed meal also contains the bioactive compound alginate at a concentration of up to 18.82%. This alginate compound present in seaweed exhibits antimicrobial properties, which can reduce the population of pathogenic bacteria and promote the growth of beneficial intestinal microbes. According to Andri et al. (2020), alginate plays a role in improving broiler performance and enhancing intestinal morphology, thereby increasing nutrient absorption efficiency.

Fermented low-sodium salt T. decurrens brown seaweed meal had been included in the diet of laying hens. The results showed that this FLSSTd brown seaweed meal could be used up to 18% in the diet of these laying hens (Rizal et al., 2022b). However, there is no information about the utilisation of this FLSSTd brown seaweed meal in broilers’ diet.

Based on the above background, a study was performed to investigate the effect of feeding FLSSTd brown seaweed meal on the production performance of broiler chickens.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Materials

This study used 100 unsexed Lohmann MB-202 Platinum broiler chickens aged two weeks, with an average body weight of 369.25 g per bird. The broilers were obtained from CV. Mega Mulya, by-pass, Padang, West Sumatra.

The feed ingredients used in the formulation of the experimental diets included yellow corn, rice bran, fish meal, coconut oil, soybean meal, bone meal, methionine, and FLSSTd brown seaweed meal. The nutrient composition and metabolizable energy content of the feed ingredients used in the formulation are presented in Table 1.

Experimental design

This study employed an experimental method using a completely randomised design consisting of five treatments, representing different inclusion levels of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal in broiler diets. Each treatment was replicated four times. The treatments consisted of: 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16% FLSSTd brown seaweed meal.

Experimental diets

The composition, nutrient content (%), and metabolizable energy (Kcal/Kg) of the experimental diets were formulated to contain 20% crude protein and 3,100 Kcal/Kg metabolizable energy, following Leeson and Summers (2005). The details of diets’ composition, nutrient content and metabolizable energy are presented in Table 2.

Research implementation

Collecting seaweed and reducing salt content

The T. decurrens seaweed was collected from Sungai Nipah Beach, Pesisir Selatan Regency, West Sumatra. The T. decurrens seaweed was transported from the collection site to the soaking location in the Gunung Nago irrigation area, Pauh District, Padang to reduce its salt content. The seaweed was placed in nylon mesh bags (1 cm mesh size) with a weight of 5 kg per bag and soaked in running river water for 15 hours at a water depth of 1.65 m and a flow rate of 0.0610 m3/s (Reski et al., 2024). After soaking, the T. decurrens seaweed was sun-dried until it reached a moisture content of 12%.

Table 1: Nutrient composition (%) and metabolizable energy (kcal/kg) of feed ingredients used in the diets (as fed basis).

Nutrients, metabolizable energy, and bioactive compounds#	Feed ingredients for ration formulation
Nutrients, metabolizable energy, and bioactive compounds#	Yellow Cornc	Rice Branc	Fish Mealc	Coconut Oilc	Soybean Mealc	Bone Meala	Methionine	FLSSTdb
CP (%)	8.39	9.80	60.34	-	44.55	-	-	12.47
EE (%)	3.27	4.78	3.78	100.00	1.49	-	-	0.97
CF (%)	5.85	7.68	3.94	-	1.49	-	-	5.79
Ca (%)	0.02	0.08	5.14	-	0.22	26.00	-	7.09
P (%)	0.14	0.60	1.85	-	0.29	13.00	-	0.34
Methionine (%)	0.20	0.29	1.82	-	0.72	-	99.00	0.14
Lysine (%)	0.20	0.51	5.28	-	3.22	-	-	0.22
Alginate (%)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	18.82
ME (kcal/kg)	3,300	1,900	2,750	8,600	2,550	-	-	1,970
Fucoidan (%)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1.28
Fucoxanthine (%)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8.69
Sodium (%)	0.05	0.10	0.47	-	0.05	0.04		0.30

#CP: crude protein; EE: ether extract; CF: crude fiber; Ca: Calcium; P: Phosphorus. a Leeson and Summers (2005); b Rizal et al. (2022b); c Rizal et al. (2024). FLSSTd: Fermented low-sodium salt T. decurrens.

Table 2: Composition, nutrient content (%), and metabolizable energy (Kcal/Kg) of experimental diets for broilers at the third week of age.1

Feed ingredients#	A	B	C	D	E
Yellow corn	60.00	59.80	59.60	59.15	55.55
Rice bran	9.40	5.60	1.80	0.00	0.00
Fish meal	14.00	14.00	14.00	14.00	14.00
Coconut oil	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.35
Soybean meal	13.00	13.00	13.00	11.75	11.00
Bone meal	0.50	0.50	0.50	0.00	0.00
FLSSTd	0.00	4.00	8.00	12.00	16.00
Methionine	0.10	0.10	0.10	0.10	0.10
Total	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
CP	20.19	20.30	20.41	20.14	20.00
EE	6.05	5.90	5.75	5.67	5.94
CF	4.98	4.91	4.83	4.88	4.89
Ca	0.90	1.18	1.46	1.61	1.89
P available	0.50	0.49	0.48	0.42	0.42
Methionine	0.60	0.59	0.58	0.57	0.57
Lysine	1.33	1.31	1.30	1.26	1.24
Alginate	0.00	0.75	1.51	2.26	3.01
ME	3,133.10	3,133.10	3,133.10	3,130.98	3,101.95
Fucoidan	0.00	0.05	0.10	0.15	0.20
Fucoxanthin	0.00	0.35	0.70	1.04	1.39
Sodium	0.11	0.12	0.13	0.14	0.15

1Formulated based on Table 1. # FLSSTd: Fermented low-sodium salt T. decurrens; CP: crude protein; EE: ether extract; CF: crude fiber; Ca: Calcium; P: Phosphorus; ME: metabolizable energy.

Fermentation of seaweed

The preparation of fermentation of LSSTd brown seaweed meal began with the production of rice-based local microorganisms (LMO). The LMO was made from mouldy rice that had been naturally inoculated with mould for five days. Greenish Trichoderma moulds (Sukmasari and Harti, 2023), orange Neurospora sp., and grey Rhizopus oligosporus (Sine and Soetarto, 2015) typically develop during this stage. The mouldy rice was mixed with rice-washing water and sugar in a 1:2 ratio (1 kg of rice: 2 litres of rice-washing water + 140 g of sugar) and left to ferment for seven days. After fermentation, the mixture was filtered to separate the liquid from the residue. The resulting liquid was used as rice-based LMO for seaweed fermentation.

The LSSTd brown seaweed meal was then thoroughly mixed with the rice-based LMO solution and fermented anaerobically for seven days in a 1:2 ratio (1 kg of LSSTd brown seaweed powder to 2 litres of rice-based LMO). After one week, the product of fermentation of LSSTd brown seaweed was harvested, sun-dried for 3–5 days, and then ground into powder form (Rizal et al., 2022b).

Measured variables

The parameters observed in this study included feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), live weight, abdominal fat percentage and carcass percentage. Feed intake (g/bird/day) was calculated by subtracting the remaining feed at the end of the week from the total feed provided at the beginning of the week, divided by the number of broilers per cage, and then divided by seven days. Body weight gain (g/bird/day) was obtained by calculating the difference between the final and initial body weights of broilers in each experimental unit, divided by the number of broilers per unit and by seven days. Measurements were taken over three weeks, and the data were averaged. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was determined by comparing feed intake to body weight gain. Live weight was obtained by weighing the broilers from each treatment group before slaughter, after a 12-hour fasting period, and expressed in g/bird at the end of the study (five weeks of age). Birds selected for weighing were those with body weights closest to the average within each experimental unit. Abdominal fat was measured by weighing the fat surrounding the gizzard and the layer of fat attached between the abdominal muscles and intestines (Salam et al., 2013). Carcass percentage was measured by comparing carcass weight to live weight, and then multiplying by 100%.

Statistical analysis

All data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) for a completely randomized design (CRD). When a significant treatment effect was detected, differences among treatment means were further analyzed using the Duncan Multiple Range Test (Steel and Torrie, 1991).

RESULTS

The effect of feeding FLSSTd brown seaweed meal on feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, live weight, abdominal fat percentage, and carcass percentage of broiler chickens is presented in Table 3.

The results of the analysis of variance showed that the inclusion of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal in the diet up to a level of 16% had a highly significant effect (P<0.01) on feed intake, protein intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, live weight, abdominal fat percentage, and carcass percentage of broiler chickens. Feed intake is higher in broilers supplemented with FLSSTd brown seaweed meal compared with the control (un-supplemented) treatment. The average daily weight gain is also higher in broilers supplemented with FLSSTd brown seaweed meal. On the other hand, the feed conversion ratio reduces in these broilers. Live weight of broilers increases in supplementation with FLSSTd brown seaweed meal, while the abdominal fat percentage decreases. The supplementation of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal to broilers increases their carcass percentages.

DISCUSSION

Feed intake

The increase in feed intake of broilers is associated with the supplementation of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal. Fermentation produces organic compounds that create a distinctive aroma, reduce high crude fibre content, enhance nutrient availability, and generate alginate bioactive compounds that can improve broiler palatability. This finding is consistent with Li et al. (2023), who reported that fermented feed tends to increase or maintain feed intake in broilers. The primary mechanism involves enhancing palatability due to the production of organic acids and microbial metabolites, as well as improved nutrient availability via enzymatic activity that breaks down complex substrates, making the feed more digestible.

The alginate content in FLSSTd also contributes to the increase in feed intake. A relatively high alginate concentration may reduce the efficiency of digestion and nutrient absorption. According to Dewi et al. (2018), excessive inclusion of alginate in poultry diets can affect nutrient digestibility. This is related to the ability of alginate to bind bile salts, which play an important role in fat emulsification and digestion. Consequently, the utilisation of dietary fat as an energy source becomes suboptimal, and the metabolisable energy derived from fat is lower than the calculated value based on nutrient composition. This reduction in available energy leads to an increase in feed intake.

The average feed intake of broilers aged 35 days in this study ranged from 90.27 to 105.77 g/bird/day. This intake was lower than that reported by Yusra (2022), who obtained feed intake ranging from 105.25 to 106.16 g/bird/day

Table 3: Means of feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, live weight, abdominal fat percentage, and carcass percentage of broiler chickens supplemented with fermented low-sodium salt T. decurrens.

Treatments	Feed consumption (g/bird/day)	Protein intake (g/bird/day)	Daily weight gain (g/bird/day)	Feed conversion ratio	Live weight (g)	Abdominal fat percentage (%)	Carcass percentage (%)
A (0%)	90.27b	18.23c	45.64b	1.98a	1476.00b	1.41a	65.53b
B (4%)	99.36a	20.17ab	55.48a	1.79b	1541.75a	1.19b	71.54a
C (8%)	99.43a	20.29a	56.30a	1.77b	1561.00a	1.15b	71.21a
D (12%)	99.40a	20.02ab	56.21a	1.77b	1548.25a	1.15b	71.32a
E (16%)	97.51a	19.50b	53.30a	1.83b	1543.25a	1.14b	71.41a
SE	1.04	0.21	0.97	0.03	9.80	0.04	0.71

a,b Superscripts with different lowercase letters in the same column indicate highly significant differences (P<0.01). SE: Standard Error.

in broilers fed LSSTd brown seaweed meal at levels of 0 to 15% in the diet. The difference in feed intake between this study and that of Yusra (2022) is attributed to the reduction in sodium salt content in Yusra’s experiment, which increased the feed intake of broilers. In contrast, the fermentation process of T. decurrens with rice-based LMO, after salt reduction treatment in this study, decreased feed intake. It is presumed that nutrient digestibility improved in the desalted and fermented T. decurrens compared to desalted-only seaweed, resulting in slightly lower feed intake.

Protein intake

Protein intake in this experiment was significantly influenced by the diets. Protein intake in the C treatment was higher than in A and E, but it did not differ from B and D. The high protein intake in B, C and D was due to the high feed intake in those treatments. The high feed intake was influenced by the palatability of the diet, which resulted from fermentation. According to Li et al. (2023), the fermentation process improved the palatability of feeds. During fermentation, increased organic acid production and microbial metabolites, resulting from enzymatic activity, make nutrients more readily available.

Body weight gain

The body weight gain of broilers fed diets containing FLSSTd brown seaweed meal followed a similar pattern to their respective feed intake, showing no significant difference among treatments. This indicates that the higher feed intake observed in treatments B, C, D, and E compared to treatment A resulted in greater protein consumption, thereby enhancing body weight gain compared to broilers that received no FLSSTd brown seaweed meal in their diet (control treatment). Additionally, the fermentation of T. decurrens with rice-based LMO enhanced nutrient utilisation and increased the availability of bioactive compounds for broilers.

Nuri (2024) reported that crude fibre digestibility and nitrogen retention in laying hens fed FLSSTd brown seaweed meal reached 58.40% and 54.36%, respectively, which were higher than those in the control diet (47.37% and 38.91%). According to Bidura (2007), the advantage of microbial fermentation lies in its ability to break down protein macromolecules into smaller, more digestible forms. Besides increasing protein content, fermentation also enhances feed digestibility by breaking complex compounds into simpler, more easily absorbed forms.

The higher protein intake in the treatment diets compared to the control diet was also a major factor contributing to improved body weight gain. Usturoi et al. (2023) stated that dietary protein content plays a crucial role in determining the growth rate and meat quality of broilers. The protein intake levels for each treatment were 18.23 g/bird/day (A), 20.17 g/bird/day (B), 20.29 g/bird/day (C), 20.02 g/bird/day (D), and 19.50 g/bird/day (E). Protein intake in treatments B, C, D, and E was relatively similar, ranging from 19% to 20%, whereas treatment A had a lower value. This explains why broilers in treatments B, C, D, and E achieved higher body weight gains than those in treatment A. According to Li et al. (2023), an increase in feed intake is positively correlated with higher body weight gain.

The average daily body weight gain of broilers aged 35 days in this study ranged from 45.64 to 56.30 g/bird/day. These values were lower than those reported by Yusra (2022), who found gains ranging from 59.09 to 63.37 g/bird/day in broilers fed T. decurrens with reduced salt content. The difference in growth performance between the two studies can be attributed to variations in feed composition. Yusra (2022) study used not only conventional feed ingredients (corn, rice bran, soybean meal, coconut oil, fish meal, seaweed, and top mix) but also included a commercial broiler diet (Bravo 511) at 15% of the total ration, containing 21–23% crude protein and 2,900–3,000 kcal/kg metabolizable energy.

In contrast, the current study used only conventional feed ingredients: Corn, fine rice bran, palm oil, soybean meal, fish meal, FLSSTd, methionine, and bone meal without the addition of any commercial feed. Therefore, the relatively lower body weight gain of broilers in this study compared to Yusra (2022) is likely due to differences in feed formulation and nutrient density.

Feed conversion ratio

In this study, the highest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in treatment A (0% FLSSTd), while lower FCR values were recorded in treatments B (4% FLSSTd), C (8% FLSSTd), D (12% FLSSTd), and E (16% FLSSTd). The lower FCR values in treatments B through E indicate that the feed consumed by broilers in these groups was utilised more efficiently for muscle growth, as reflected by the higher body weight gain compared to treatment A (0% FLSSTd). This trend also aligns with the higher feed intake observed in the same treatments compared with the control group.

These findings suggest that the inclusion of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal in the diet improved the efficiency of feed utilisation, allowing broilers to convert feed into muscle tissue more effectively than those fed a diet without FLSSTd brown seaweed meal. Consequently, broilers receiving FLSSTd brown seaweed meal showed enhanced growth performance. This result is consistent with the findings of Reski et al. (2021), who reported that supplementation of Turbinaria murayana up to 10% in broiler diets can improve growth performance.

The FCR values obtained in this study ranged from 1.77 to 1.98, which were slightly higher than those reported by Yusra (2022), who found values between 1.55 and 1.81 in broilers fed FLSSTd brown seaweed meal diets. The differences in FCR values may be attributed to variations in the feed ingredients used in the formulation of the diet. Yusra (2022) reported that one of the feed components used in their treatments was a commercial broiler feed (Bravo 511) at a 15% inclusion rate in each diet, whereas the present study used only conventional feed ingredients without any commercial feed additions.

Furthermore, Yusra’s (2022) study formulated diets with a protein and energy balance of 21–22% crude protein and 2,900–3,200 kcal/kg metabolizable energy. In contrast, the diets in this study contained 20% crude protein and 3,100 kcal/kg metabolizable energy. These differences in nutrient balance and ingredient composition may have contributed to the variation in feed conversion efficiency between the two studies.

Live weight

The results of this study showed that the inclusion of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal in broiler diets increased the live weight of broilers. This improvement is supported by the fermentation process of T. decurrens, which enhances the nutritional quality of the feed ingredient by reducing the crude fibre content, improving nutrient digestibility, and producing bioactive alginate compounds that enhance feed palatability. This finding is consistent with Choi et al. (2014), who reported that fermentation of seaweed can improve feed quality by generating secondary metabolites and organic acids that enhance aroma, thereby increasing palatability and feed intake in broilers.

The increase in live weight was also influenced by the bioactive compounds present in FLSSTd brown seaweed meal, such as alginate, fucoidan, fucoxanthin, and flavonoids. These compounds are classified as secondary metabolites that possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and natural anti-cholesterol properties (Zhu and Yin, 2015). Alginate, a soluble fibre, offers various health benefits by reducing the toxicity of harmful intestinal microbial colonies, absorbing toxins in the colon, and modulating intestinal microflora (Brownlee et al., 2005). Harimuti and Rahayu (2009) further explained that a balanced intestinal microflora enhances the body’s defence against pathogenic bacterial infections, thereby positively influencing animal growth. Additionally, flavonoids help protect the intestinal mucosa, improving nutrient absorption efficiency (Setiawan et al., 2018).

A healthy digestive tract, particularly the small intestine, is characterised by well-developed villi that optimise digestion and nutrient absorption, ultimately supporting higher feed intake and growth performance. The higher live weight observed in broilers fed FLSSTd brown seaweed meal diets is also linked to their greater feed intake compared to the control group. According to Novitskaya et al. (2025), an increase in feed intake is generally followed by an increase in live body weight. This is associated with higher dietary protein levels in the treatment diets compared with the control, which supports tissue growth and weight gain.

In this study, broilers fed FLSSTd brown seaweed meal up to a 16% inclusion level achieved an average live weight of 1,543.25 g/bird at 35 days of age. This value was lower than that reported by Meitya (2022), who recorded a live weight of 1,872.50 g/bird at the same age in broilers fed T. decurrens with reduced salt content. The difference is likely due to the use of 15% commercial feed in Meitya’s (2022) study, whereas only conventional feed ingredients were used in the present research.

Abdominal fat percentage

The inclusion of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal up to a 16% level in broiler diets was found effective to reduce the percentage of abdominal fat. This reduction is associated with the use of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal feed. Fermentation breaks down complex polysaccharides into simpler, more digestible forms, thereby improving nutrient digestibility. The available nutrients can then be more efficiently directed toward muscle tissue growth rather than being deposited as fat. According to Xu et al. (2023), fermentation enhances nutrient digestibility and reduces antinutritional factors, allowing nutrients to be utilised more effectively for muscle development.

In addition to fermentation, the bioactive compounds in FLSSTd brown seaweed meal also contribute to reducing abdominal fat. The alginate compound, in particular, is indigestible in poultry because chickens lack the enzyme alginate lyase required to hydrolyse alginate (Surbayono, 2016). Alginate can reduce abdominal fat content in broilers by binding bile salts, which play a key role in fat emulsification within the digestive tract. As a result, fat absorption is reduced. Wikanta et al. (2003) reported that alginate is not digested in the body, and the body compensates by actively resynthesizing bile salts from cholesterol, thereby decreasing overall fat levels.

Furthermore, fucoxanthin a bioactive pigment found in brown seaweed exhibits antioxidant and anti-obesity effects. It can significantly lower plasma and liver triglyceride concentrations, positively influence cholesterol-regulating enzymes, and suppress the expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis (Sunarti et al., 2021).

In this study, the inclusion of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal up to 16% resulted in an abdominal fat percentage of 1.14%. This finding is nearly identical to that reported by Meitya (2022), who found that feeding LSSTd brown seaweed meal up to 15% in broiler diets produced an abdominal fat percentage of 1.09% at five weeks of age.

Carcass percentage

The inclusion of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal in broiler diets had a highly significant effect on carcass percentage. This result aligns with the observed effects of FLSSTd brown seaweed meal on feed intake, as the increased palatability and appetite led to greater feed consumption in broilers. With higher feed intake, the availability of energy and nutrients for tissue growth also increased, ultimately improving live weight and overall production performance. This finding supports the statement of Mlambo et al. (2022), who reported that the inclusion of seaweed in poultry diets can enhance digestive efficiency and nutrient utilisation, leading to improved feed intake and optimal growth performance.

Furthermore, Choi et al. (2014) reported that the use of brown seaweed, such as Turbinari sp., in broiler diets improved carcass quality and significantly reduced abdominal fat content, supporting the present findings regarding the differences in carcass percentage with and without skin. Therefore, the appropriate inclusion level of brown seaweed has the potential to enhance broiler carcass performance through an effective fat-reducing mechanism.

The average carcass percentage obtained in this study was 70.41%. This value was similar to that reported by Meitya (2022), who found a carcass percentage of 70.63% in broilers fed LSSTd brown seaweed meal at levels up to 15%, even though the feed formulation offered was different.

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that fermented low-sodium salt Turbinaria decurrens brown seaweed meal can be included up to 16% in broiler diets. At this level, the broilers achieved a feed intake of 97.51 g/bird/day, an average daily gain of 53.30 g/bird/day, a feed conversion ratio of 1.83, a live weight of 1,543.25 g/bird, an abdominal fat percentage of 1.14%, and a carcass percentage of 70.41%.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Faculty of Animal Science, Andalas University, for providing research grant funding under the Applied Research Scheme for the year 2025, with contract number 09/SPK/BBPT/RT/RKAT-UNAND/2025.

Novelty Statement

The use of fermented low-sodium salt Turbinaria decurrens brown seaweed meal as an alternative feed ingredient in broiler diets has not been previously reported. Earlier studies documented the use of non-fermented low-sodium salt T. decurrens in broiler rations at inclusion levels up to 6%. In contrast, its fermented form has been reported only in laying hens. This study demonstrates that fermented low-sodium salt Turbinaria decurrens brown seaweed meal can be included at up to 16% in broiler diets as a substitute for rice bran, and that its use can improve broiler production performance.

AUTHOR’S CONTRIBUTION

All authors contributed significantly to this research. Yose Rizal, Sepri Reski, Maria Endo Mahata, Linda Suhartati, El Latifa Sri Suharto, Iqbal Aritama and Jihan Nabila jointly participated in the research preparation and conceptualisation, as well as in data collection and analysis. All authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript and agreed to submit this article to the Journal of Animal Health and Production.

Ethical statements

This experiment was performed in accordance with the Guideline for Ethics in the Study of Experimental Animals issued by the Republic of Indonesia, No. 18 of 2009, regarding Animal Husbandry and Animal Health.

Generative AI and AI assisted technology statement

The authors declare that no generative AI and AI assisted technology was used in the creation of this manuscript.

Statement of conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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