Effect of dietary incorporation of aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome powder as feed additive on the performance of commercial broiler chickens
Loading...
Date
2018-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
A feeding trial was conducted to discern the effect of dietary incorporation of aniseed and ginger rhizome powder on growth performance, nutrient utilization, carcass traits, haemato-biochemical parameters and economics in commercial broiler chickens. A total of 120, day-old broiler chicks were divided randomly into 4 treatment groups with 3 replicates each i.e. 10 broiler chicks per replicate. Chicks of treatment T1 (control) were fed basal diet (starter and finisher diets), whereas in treatment groups T2, T3 and T4, basal starter and finisher diets were incorporated with 1.0 % aniseed powder, 1.0 % ginger rhizome powder and 0.5 % aniseed + 0.5 % ginger rhizome powder), respectively, as feed additive. The feeding trial lasted for 42 days viz., 0-21 days (starter phase) and 21-42 days (finisher phase). A metabolism trial was conducted during the 6th week of feeding trial to know the nutrient utilization. Blood samples were collected on 42nd day of feeding trial to study haemato-biochemical parameters. During the starter phase (0-21 days), maximum weight gain was recorded in broiler chicks of treatment group T3 (827.70g) fed diet incorporated with 1.0 % ginger rhizome powder followed by treatment groups T1 (807.07 g), T2 (787.43 g) and T4 (773.07 g), however, there was no significant difference in body weight gain amongst the different treatment groups. During finisher phase (21- 42 days), the average body weight gain was 1313.50, 1365.32, 1308.20 and 1291.36 g in broiler chicks of treatment groups T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively and did not differ significantly among different groups. Feed intake, feed conversion ratio and performance index were not significantly different in broiler chicks of various treatment groups. During entire feeding trial period (0-42 days), incorporation of aniseed and ginger rhizome powder in the basal diets non-significantly improved growth performance in terms of body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and performance index. The average cumulative body weight gain was 2120.57, 2152.75, 2135.90 and 2064.43 g in broiler chicks of treatment groups T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively and did not differ significantly among different groups. There was no significant difference in feed intake and nutrient utilization among different treatment groups of broiler chickens, however, there was improvement in nutrient utilization due to aniseed and ginger rhizome powder incorporation in the diet. Gizzard weight increased significantly due to inclusion of aniseed and ginger rhizome powder, however, there was no significant difference in other carcass traits among the different treatment groups. There was significant (P<0.05) increase in ether extract content of breast muscles due to inclusion of aniseed and ginger rhizome powder in the diet, whereas it was statistically similar in thigh muscles of broiler chicks. There was significant increase in protein content of thigh muscle, whereas it was statistically similar in breast muscles. No significant difference was observed in haematological parameters in broiler chicks of different treatment groups. There was significant (P<0.05) reduction in serum cholesterol in treatment groups T4 (149.59 mg/dl), T3 (143.75 mg/dl) and T2 (138.98 mg/dl) as compared to control T1 (166.03 mg/dl). Whereas, there was no significant difference in serum triglycerides, serum total protein, albumin, globulin and glucose concentrations and SGPT, SGOT and serum ALP activities among the different treatment groups, however, there was also considerable reduction in serum triglycerides content in broiler chicks fed diet containing aniseed and ginger rhizome powder. The feed cost/kg weight gain did no differ significantly amongst the different groups of broiler chicks. It is concluded that inclusion of 1.00 % aniseed or 1% ginger rhizome powder in the diet of broiler chicks improved nutrient utilization, increase in protein content in thigh muscles and fat content in breast muscles and reduced serum cholesterol and triglycerides content which in turn is beneficial in producing the designer meat in broiler chickens as growth performance, haematological parameters and carcass characteristics and also the economics of broiler production were statistically similar in all the treatment groups.
Description
Keywords
null