EFFECT OF GARLIC (ALLIUM SATIVUM), GINGER (ZINGIBER OFFICINALE), AND THEIR COMBINATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF BROILER BIRDS

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to determine the effect of garlic (Allium sativum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and their combination as immune booster on performance of broiler chickens. In a completely randomized design a total of one hundred and fifty (150) day old broiler chicks of Marshall Strain were randomly allotted into three replicates of 10 chicks/replicate (n = 30) used for the experiment. Four experimental diets were formulated in such a way that control diet (T1) contained neither ginger nor garlic. Birds in T2 were fed diet containing 2% garlic, while those in T3 were fed 2% ginger. Birds in T4 were fed combination of 1% of garlic and 1% ginger. Birds in T1 were administered vaccines (Lasota and Gumboro), while the rest treatments were not vaccinated. The experiment lasted eight weeks. Results showed that there were no significant differences in all the performance parameters measured except in feed conversion ratio (FCR). Birds fed in T4 had the best (1.82) feed conversion ratio, while the least (2.00) was recorded in birds fed garlic (T2). Birds fed combination of the test ingredients had the best (2003.21g) final body weight, followed by those fed control diet (T1) (1907.83g), while the least (1885.47g) was recorded in those fed garlic (T3). No mortality was recorded in birds fed combination of garlic and ginger while, those fed control diet had
the highest. It can be concluded that the test ingredients improved the immune system of the birds.