Effect of dietary supplementation of marigold flower powder on the productive performance of broiler chickens
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Date
2022-09
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College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara Campus
Abstract
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of feeding Marigold
flower (Tagetes erecta) powder as a natural feed additive on the performance parameters,
economics, carcass characteristics, relative organ weights, cut-up parts weights,
subjective meat qualities, objective meat qualities, gut histomorphometry and humoral
immunity of commercial broiler chickens.
From a single hatch, 120-day-old commercial broiler chicks (Cobb-430y) were
obtained. The chicks were weighed, their wings were banded and were then randomly
separated into 4 groups: C (control), T1, T2, and T3, each of which contained 30 chicks.
Each group was divided into three replicates, each with ten chicks. The chicks were
raised using a deep litter management method during the course for a time period of 6
weeks while adhering to hygienic, standard and uniform managemental protocols.
The birds under C group were offered basal diet using common feed ingredients
(ICAR,2013) with no marigold flower powder (MFP). The birds underT1, T2 and T3
groups were offered basal diet with supplementation of MFP at the level of 0.3%, 0.6%
and 0.9% in the feed, respectively.
For preparation of MFP, local variety of the same was procured from the flower
market of Fancy Bazaar of Guwahati city of Assam. The marigold flowers were first
cleaned thoroughly with water to make it free from dirt, dust and foreign bodies and then
dried in hot air oven at 50°C for 6-8 hours till crisp and warm, and then ground to a fine
uniform powder in a kitchen grade mixer-grinder, and then stored hermetically in a cool,
dark and dry place till use. Throughout the course of the trial, all birds in the Control and
treatment groups received unlimited access to food and fresh water.
The following parameters were examined throughout the six-week trial:
Performance parameters which included weekly body weight change and body weight
gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio (FCR), economics of production and
livability; carcass characteristics like pre-slaughter live body weight, de-feathered
weight, de-feathering loss, dressed weight, dressing percentage, abdominal fat weight
and abdominal fat percentage; relative organ weights such as that of liver, heart, gizzard,
head and shank; relative yield of cut-up parts like breast, back, drumsticks, wings, thighs
and neck; sensory evaluation on the basis of subjective parameters like colour, flavour,
juiciness, texture and overall acceptability; meat quality analysis on the basis of objective
parameters such as texture and shear force; gut histomorphometric characteristics,
hematological parameters like hemoglobin, packed cell volume, RBC, WBC, MCV,
MCH, MCHC counts; and HI antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus.
The final body weight per broiler was highest in T2group (2410.83±22.06g)
followed byT1 (2367.23±39.48g), T3 (2127.73±23.18g) and C (2008.73±31.24g) groups.
The T1, T2 and T3 groups had achieved 17.84%, 20.01% and 5.92% more live body
weight than the control group, respectively. There was significant (P<0.01) difference
between the control and MFP fed groups. And amongst the latter, T1 and T2did not differ
significantly (P>0.05)but there was significant difference between T1, T2and T3 group.
The total feed consumption per broiler was highest in T2 group (4016.14g),
followed by T1 (3984.17), T3 (3638.69 g) and lowest in C group (3475.98g). The overallFCR for the entire period of the experimental groups was found best in T2 group (1.70)
followed by T1 (1.72), T3 (1.75) and C (1.77) groups.
The cost of production per broiler was found to be highest in T2 (₹ 284.50) group,
followed by T1 (₹ 282.60), T3 (₹ 261.86) and C (₹ 252.00) groups. However, the highest
gross profit per broiler was found in T2 (₹ 28.91) group, followed by T1 (₹ 25.14), T3
(₹ 14.74) and C (₹ 9.13) groups.
All the experimental groups had 100% livability.
Among the carcass quality traits, the pre-slaughter live weight (PSLW)of T2 was
found to be the highest (2315.62 ±27.35g) followed by T1 (2247.62±36.23g) T3 (2000.09
±24.35g)and C (1865.46 ±24.50g) groups. Similarly, the T2 group had the highest
dressed weight (1667.26 ±17.79 g) followed by T1 (1617.5 ±37.10g) T3 (1441.45
±15.35g) and C (1328.64 ±16.85g) groups. T2, T1andT3 groups had 25.48%, 21.74% and
8.49% higher dressed weights than the Control group, respectively. The T2group had the
highest abdominal fat weight (89.95 ±1.58 g) followed by T1 (87.38 ±1.73g), T3 (73.73
±0.45g) and C (62.48 ±1.96g) groups. In all these three parameters, there was significant
difference (P<0.01) between the treatment and control groups, however, among the
treatment groups, T1 and T2 did not differ significantly (P>0.05).
The relative per cent liver weight of T2(3.15 ±0.0%) was found to be the highest
followed by T1 (3.12 ±0.05%) T3 (2.92 ±0.05%) and C (2.57 ±0.08%) groups. Among
the marigold fed groups, T2, T1, and T3 had 22.56%, 21.40%, and 13.61% higher liver
weights, respectively than their Control counterpart. The MFP supplemented groups had
significantly (P<0.01) higher liver weights than their control counter parts, but amongst
the former, T1 and T2 did not differ significantly (P>0.05).On the other hand, relative
intestinal weight of T2 (5.12±0.05%) was found to be the highest followed by T1 (4.89
±0.05%), T3 (4.72 ±0.05%) and C (4.68±0.06%) groups. In comparison to their Control
counterpart, the marigold fed groups i.e., T2, T1, and T3 had 9.40%, 4.48%, and 4.00%
higher intestinal weights. The treatment groups had significantly (P<0.01) higher
intestinal weights over the control group and amongst them they differed significantly
(P<0.05) as well.
The mean per cent yield of breast was found to be the highest in T2(24.35
±0.08%) followed by T1 (23.23 ±0.18%) T3 (22.52 ±0.05%) and C (20.25 ±0.21%)
groups. The mean per cent yield of drumsticks were found to be the highest in T2(12.75
±0.04 %) followed by T1 (11.38 ±0.10%) T3 (10.81 ±0.05%) and C (9.63 ±0.12%)
groups. The mean per cent yield of thighs were found to be the highest in T2(13.45 ±0.04
%) followed by T1 (12.28 ±0.11%) T3 (11.71 ±0.03%) and C (10.46 ±0.12%) groups.
The marigold fed groups differed significantly from the control (P<0.01) as well as
amongst them (P<0.05).
The organoleptic qualities of breast and drumstick meats were studied in terms of
colour, flavour, juiciness, texture and overall acceptance by utilizing semi trained taste
panelists employing Hedonic scale of 1(least) to 7(best).The mean overall acceptance
scores of broiler breast and drumstick meats for different treatment groups was found to
be the highest in T3 (5.89±0.21 and 6.19±0.21)followed byT2 (5.66±0.16 and 5.97±0.16),
T1 (5.58±0.21 and 5.59±0.17) and C (5.00± 0.23 and 5.05±0.25) groups. The MFP
supplemented groups had significantly (P<0.01) higher scores of overall acceptance over
the control group but did not differ significantly among them (P>0.05).The objective meat quality of breast meat was done using Texture Meter as well
as Warner-Bratzler shear force apparatus. The hardness values (kg) of breast meat was
found to be the lowest in T2 group (2910.738), preceded by T1 (3060.325), T3 (3085.681)
and C (4981.010) groups. Chewiness (g) and Resilience (ratio) were found to be lowest
in T3 group (589.094 and 0.111), preceded by T2 (591.11 and 0.127), T1 (868.333 and
0.137) and C (875.273 and 0.142) groups. The mean shear force values (kg) of broiler
breast meat was recorded to be the highest in C group (2.50±0.10) followed by T3
(2.02±0.09), T1(2.00±0.07) and T2 (1.80±0.07) groups.
In the gut histomorphometric study, it was found that the overall duodenal villi
height (μm)along with the number of villi was found to be highest in T2 group, followed
by T1, T3 and C. The jejunal villi height was also recorded highest in T2 group followed
by T1, T3 and C. Duodenal and jejunal villi crypt ratio was recorded to be the highest in
T2 group (4.07 and 12.39), followed by T1 (2.93 and 10.57), T3 (2.12 and 9.84) and C
(1.02 and 8.49) groups.
All the hematological results are found to be within the standard range, indicating
that feeding MFP did not evoke adverse effects in the broilers.
In the HI antibody titers study against Newcastle disease virus, there was
significant increase (P<0.001) in antibody titer progressively at different days post
immunization in all the groups. However, no significant difference was observed
between control and any of the three MFP supplemented treatment groups in the 35 days
study period, which indicated that the dietary MFP had no significant role in modulation
of antibody titer in broiler chickens.
According to the findings of the current study, MFP may be utilized costeffectively
as a natural feed additive in the diet of broiler chickens at a level of 0.60 % to
enhance their general performance as well as meat quality.