Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2017) 6(8): 3622-3627 3622 Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2017.608.436 Azolla - A Low Cost and Effective Feed Supplement to Poultry Birds A. Lakshmanan 1* , K. Kumar 2 and P. Latha 1 1 Department of Rice, 2 Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641 003, Tamil Nadu, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Introduction Azolla is a free floating water fern that floats in water and fixes atmospheric nitrogen in association with the nitrogen fixing blue green alga, Anabaena azollae. Azolla is considered to be a potential biofertilizer in terms of nitrogen contribution to rice crop (Kannaiyan, 1992). Long before its cultivation as a green manure, Azolla was used as a fodder for domesticated animals such as pigs and ducks. In recent days, Azolla is very much used as a sustainable feed substitute for livestock especially dairy cattle, poultry, piggery and fish. Azolla contains 25-35% protein on dry weight basis and rich in essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins and carotenoids including the antioxidant  carotene (Ivan et al., 1989). Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids are also present in Azolla, while the cyanobiont Anabaena azollae contains chlorophyll a, phycobiliproteins and carotenoids (Tyagi et al., 1980). Azolla is used as a fodder in North Vietnam, Asia, Africa and China (Anonymous, 1985) and the rare combination of high nutritive value and rapid biomass production make Azolla a potential and effective feed substitute for livestock, particularly poultry birds. Hence, a study was conducted to evaluate the utility of Azolla as a feed supplement to poultry birds. A study was conducted to evaluate the utility of Azolla as a feed supplement to poultry birds. Two species of azolla viz., A. microphylla and A. filiculoides and two Azolla hybrids viz., Rong ping and TNAU1 were initially analyzed for their nutritional parameters so as to select the suitable Azolla species to feed the poultry birds. Azolla hybrids Rong ping and TNAU1 recorded higher biomass production than wild Azolla cultures. A maximum protein content of 318.20 μg/mg dry weight was recorded by the Azolla hybrid Rong ping. The Azolla hybrid Rong ping also showed maximum carotenoid (2.01 μg/mg) and  carotene (0.64 μg/mg) content. The layer birds fed with Azolla hybrid Rong ping registered an overall egg productivity of 89.0% as against 84.0% recorded by the birds fed with only concentrated feed. The average daily intake of concentrated feed in the birds fed with Azolla was considerably low (106 g) due to nutrient supplementation by Azolla. The total protein content of the eggs laid by the Azolla fed birds was high (14.0 g/100g of edible portion) and the total carotene content of these eggs (440 μg/ 100 g of edible portion) was also higher than the control. The increase in egg productivity, nutritional value and savings in the concentrated feed clearly indicated the suitability of Azolla as a potential feed supplement for poultry birds. Keywords Azolla hybrids, Nutrient supplementation, Productivity, Poultry birds. Accepted: 27 June 2017 Available Online: 10 August 2017 Article Info International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 6 Number 8 (2017) pp. 3622-3627 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com