Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis: Their Nutrient Contents and Bioactive Compounds for Improving Poultry Productivity

• Main Author: Sugiharto Sugiharto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pusat Penelitian dan Pengembangan Peternakan 2020-09-01
• Series: Wartazoa
• Subjects: chlorella vulgaris; spirulina platensis; alternative antibiotic; antioxidant; poultry
• Online Access: http://medpub.litbang.pertanian.go.id/index.php/wartazoa/article/view/2523
• ISSN: 0216-6461; 2354-6832

Poultry industry are facing many challenges and osbtacles especially on the supply of feed ingredients, medicines, feed supplements and additives. The high price of protein source-feed ingredients has encouraged nutritionists to explore and utilize alternative protein source-feed ingredients for poultry. This review provides an overview of their nutritional and bioactive contents and the use of microalgae,<em> Chlorella vulga</em>ris and <em>Spirulina platensis</em> in poultry feed based on recent literature studies and their potential development and utilization in Indonesia. The microalgae <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> dan <em>Spirulina platensis</em> have very high protein content that are potential as a protein source in poultry rations. In addition, <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> and <em>Spirulina platensis</em> also contain several bioactive compounds that can be used as alternatives to antibiotics growth promoter and synthetic antioxidants for poultry. Indonesia has a great potential for the production of <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> and <em>Spirulina platensis</em>, however massive cultivation and economies of scale have not yet been carried out. Such conditions make <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> and <em>Spirulina platensis</em> less profitable as protein sources, but more likely as growth-promoting additives or antioxidants for poultry in Indonesia.