Effect of dietary supplementation of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root powder on the performance of broilers
Abstract
A total of 300, one day-old commercial broiler chicks were procured and randomly distributed into 30 subgroups
means six dietary treatments with five replicates per treatment and each replicate had ten birds. Feeding trial was
conducted for 42 days. The control group (T1) was offered maize- soybean meal based diet which was formulated
as per BIS (2007) to fulfill the metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein requirements of broilers. The first
group was kept as a control (T1) and given the basal diet without antibiotic while in second group (T2) basal diet
with antibiotic, third (T3), fourth (T4), fifth (T5) and sixth (T6) groups were supplemented with Ashwagandha root
powder (ARP) @ 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1%, respectively in the diet. Feed intake (g/bird), body weight gain (g/bird),
FCR and carcass traits showed significant (P<0.05) increase as the level of ARP inclusion increased. Dietary
supplementation at the rate of 0.75% and 1% ARP resulted in significantly (P<0.05) higher DM metabolizability,
nitrogen metabolizability and gross energy metabolizability as compared to control group. Quality of the breast
and thigh muscles in terms of ether extract and crude protein got improved at 0.75% and 1% ARP
supplementation. Hematological parameters including RBC and WBC were found significantly higher in T5 and T6
groups, while decreased % of heterophils and increased % of lymphocytes thereby reducing heterophil:
lymphocyte ratio in T4, T5 and T6 groups compared to control. Significant reduction in serum cholesterol and
triglycerides levels was observed in Ashwagandha treated groups. Inclusion of 1% ARP resulted in significant
improvement in HDL and reduction in LDL as compared with control. A significant reduction in E.coli count and
higher value of Lactobacilli was recorded in the T5 and T6 group supplemented with 0.75% and 1% Ashwagandha
root powder and differed significantly from control. Villus height: depth of intestinal crypts of the experimental
birds ranged from 4.20 μm (T1) to 5.16 μm (T5) under different dietary treatments and highest effect was recorded
in 0.75% Ashwagandha supplemented group because of maximum villous height in this group. The relative mRNA
expression of TLR 2 was found to be enhanced (P<0.05) in T5 and T6, while, TLR 4 showed significant down
regulation as compared to control. A non-significant difference was observed on expression of relative mRNA
levels of TLR 7 in the blood of birds. Thus, the dietary supplementation of Ashwagandha root powder leads to
significant improvement in the growth performance, nutrient metabolizability, and hematological indices; possess
potent hypocholestrolemic, immunostimulatory and gut microbiota stabilizing effects, thereby help in achieving a
profitable and sustainable poultry production.
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