EFFECT OF DIETARY GINGER AND GARLIC SUPPLEMENTATION ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND BLOOD BIOCHEMICAL OF BROILER CHICKS

The present study was carried out to investigate the impact of garlic or ginger supplementation in the diets of broiler chicks and assessing growth efficiency, carcass characteristics, and blood biochemicals of broiler chicks. A total of 150 unsexed 7-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments; each with five replicates of six chicks per replicate (n=30). Five experimental diets were formulated so that the control diet contained neither ginger nor garlic. While, birds in the 2 nd and 3 rd groups were fed on diets containing 1 and 2% ginger powder while the 4 th and 5 th groups were fed on diets containing 1 and 2% garlic powder, respectively. Garlic and ginger inclusion had a strong impact on growth performance characteristics. The low level of ginger powder (1%) had significant effects on enhancing final body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) by 7.12 and 8.10%, respectively compared to the control group only. However, feed consumption was lower significantly (P≤0.05) in the chicks fed a high level of each ginger or garlic (2%) compared with control and chicks fed on a diet that contained ginger (1%). The supplementation of ginger or garlic in the diet of birds significantly (p≤0.05) improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) and European Production Efficiency Factor group. Arbor Acres chicks fed garlic 2% supplementation had a significantly higher total protein compared to the control group, diets supplemented with 2% ginger significantly increased globulin compared with the control and garlic levels at 1% and 2%. Ginger supplementation at 1% signi ficantly enhanced α globulin concentrations compared with the control group and 1% garlic diet. Chicks fed the basal diet containing 2% ginger or 2% garlic showed a lower triglyceride than those in the other groups. The total cholesterol level decreased significantly in 2% garlic diet compared with the control and 1% ginger diets. The lowest ALT was observed in 1% garlic, 1% and 2% ginger, respectively. Each of low levels of ginger or garlic significantly decreased AST compared with the control and 2% ginger groups. Chicks fed the basal diet supplemented with the each levels of ginger or garlic at 2% had a significantly lower uric acid and uric acid to creatinine ratio than the control and low level of garlic (1%) groups. It was concluded from the present study that ginger and garlic could be used as good natural alternatives for growth promoters.