Reduction of Ammonia Emissions and Fecal pH in Chicken Housing Through Phytobiotic Supplementation in KUB-2 Chickens

Abstract

The increasing population of Balitbangtan superior native chickens (KUB-2) may cause ammonia emissions and unpleasant odors from feces, reducing the quality of the poultry house environment. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of herbal-based phytobiotic supplementation on ammonia levels, fecal pH, and odor intensity in KUB-2 chickens. The research was conducted using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatments: P0 (control), P1 (0.25 g phytobiotics), P2 (0.50 g), and P3 (0.75 g), each with four replications and a total of 80 chickens for two months. Observed parameters included ammonia concentration, fecal pH, and odor intensity. The results showed that phytobiotic supplementation significantly reduced ammonia concentration and fecal pH. The P3 treatment achieved the best results with the lowest ammonia level (1.32 ppm), the lowest fecal pH (5.65), and the lowest odor intensity (2.78). It can be concluded that a phytobiotic dosage of 0.75 g per bird is effective in reducing ammonia emissions and improving the environmental quality of KUB-2 chicken housing.