Effect of dietary supplementation of turmeric (Curcuma Longa), ginger (Zingiber Officinale) and their combination as feed additives on feed intake, growth performance and economics of broiler

Objective: The present study was carried out to assess the consequence of supplementation of turmeric, ginger and their combination in the diets of broiler chickens and assessment in terms of feed intake, growth performance and economics of feeding. Materials and Methods: A total of 360 day old Cobb-500 chicks were randomly allocated to six dietary treatments each with three replicates of 20 chicks/replicate (n = 60). Six experimental diets were formulated in such a way that control diet (T0) contained neither turmeric nor ginger. Birds in group T1and T2were fed diets containing 0.50 and 0.75% turmeric, whereas birds in group T3and T4fed diet contained 0.50 and 0.75% ginger, respectively. Birds in group T5fed diets containing a combination of 0.50% ginger and 0.50% turmeric with commercial feed. The feeding experiment was carried out for 32 days and different parameters measured included: feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, dressing percentage and blood parameters. Results: Feed intake of experimental birds in T4group was higher compared to other groups, i.e., (T0, T1, T2, T3and T5) without a significant level. A body weight gain (g/bird) was found to be significantly (p<0.05) higher in ginger (T3group) and turmeric (T2group) supplemented group as compare to T4, T1, T5and T0group. Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the T3group as compare to other groups. The dressing percentage, thigh weight, back, neck, wing percentages and blood parameters (Hb, PCV and ESR) were not statistically different among control and other treatment groups. However, the relative weight of breast, wing, gizzard and proventriculus were significantly increased (p<0.05). The cost of production and return of birds was highly economical in treatment T2as compared to other treatment groups. Conclusion: On the basis of the results of the study, it is concluded that supplementation of turmeric (Curcuma longa) improves the growth performance of broilers when added at the rate of 0.75% level as feed additives in broiler ration.