Study of the use of fermented Moringa leaves with probiotics to increase feed digestibility and reduce pathogenic bacteria in ducklings

Fermentation is an easy way to increase the nutritional value of feed and the results are palatable and act as probiotics. Fermentation products by probiotics and savonin compounds in herbal leaves can suppress pathogenic bacteria. This study aims to test the effect of giving fermented Moringa oleifera leaf flour (FML) by probiotics on the digestibility of nutrients and pathogenic bacteria in the digetive truct of duckling. Two hundred eighty eight healthy two-week-old male Bali ducklings with homogeneous average body weight were divided into four treatment groups, six replications and each replication used 72 ducklings. The four treatments, namely a group of ducks that were given rations without the addition of FML as control (A); ration with 2% FML (B); ration with 4% FML (C); and a ration with 6% FML (D), repectively. The results showed that the digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and crude fiber (CF) in duck groups B, C and D was higher (P<0.05) compared to Group A (control ). On the other hand, the number of Coliform and Eschericia coli bacteria in duck groups B, C, and D, was significantly (P<0.05) lower than duck group A. It was concluded that the administration of 2-6% fermented Moringa oleifera leaf flour in feed can increase the digestibility of nutrients and can suppress the population of pathogenic bacteria in the duckling's digestive tract.