Utilizing Indigofera for Chicken Feed, IPB University Students Adds These Enzymes
About 50% of protein contributors in poultry feed comes from imported soybean meal. Searching for a potential substitute is important. Three students of IPB University, Nutrition and Feed Technology Study Program, Faculty of Animal Science; Muhammad Agung Dwi Putra, Rina Sri Wulandari, and Ani Damayanti try to create a poultry feed using other means of protein.
The team received funding from the Ministry of Research and Higher Education (Kemenristekdikti) for its idea in the Student Creativity Program (PKM-PE) 2019. They utilize indigofera as the source of protein in chicken feed. Agung as the team leader explained that there are four criteria in making something a main ingredient for a feed; availability, nutritional value, price, and processing ease. “We found a potential ingredients; indigofera. It fulfils all four criteria. Beside its high protein content, this plant has been cultivated for a long time. It has a very low anti-nutrition content compared to other plants, the price is only Rp 4 thousands per kilogram. To process indigofera, we only need to dry it. For those reasons, we pick that as a substitute for soybean meal,” he said.
However, there are few shortcomings. Indigofera has high fibre content, making it hard to be digested by the birds. This becomes challenges for the team that is lead by Dr. Ir. Muhammad Ridla. To overcome that, Agung and team added several enzymes to increase its digestibility. “We tried to add three enzymes to the feed; protease, phytase, and Non-Starch Polysaccharide (NSP). After several trials, we found that it still had good digestibility. For the indigofera-based feed without enzymes, the digestibility decreased. One with enzymes has good digestibility. The three enzymes increase the digestibility in a different level since their activity is also different. From the three, NSP is the most effective”, he said.
Enzyme is given in the form of powder and added to the feed. Generally, the high-fibre feed makes the chicken eats less. The chicken get full fast but their nutritional needs are not fulfilled. “With the existence of these enzyme, it is proven that feed consumption can be increased. Enzymes can also retain the food in the body to be digested so it does not get wasted as faeces,” he explained. The team concluded that indigofera can substitute the soybean meal so it can reduce its usage. “We advise to add enzymes to improve its digestibility, because it can increase the efficiency of nutrients usage,” he concluded.
