Veterinaria

Research Artice

Comparative efficacy of various medicinal plants suspension on broilers chicks growth performance

Sajid ur Rehman a, Fawad ur Rehman c*, Sarzamin Khan a, Ikramullah Khan b, Muhammad Aftab b, Hafiz Abdul Majid b, Naila Chand a

a Department of Poultry Science, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan.

b Department of Livestock Management& Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan.

c State key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Sipailou 2 Nanjing 210096 P. R. China.

Abstract

The present research study was undertaken to investigate the effect of medicinal plants (berbery, garlic, ginger and aloe vera) water based infusion with different schedule of administration on overall production performance of broilers. A total of 240, day old broiler chicks, obtained from the same parent flock were divided in to four groups. Groups were further sub-divided in to sub groups having 10 chicks per replicate and reared in separate pens for 35 days in an open sided house. The schedule designated as the group one receiving infusion on alternate day, group second alternate two days and third group alternate three days. The infusion was provided at the rate of 10 ml/lit to each group according to the schedule. Water based infusion significantly (p < 0.05) influenced feed consumption, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) feed consumption, higher weight gain, dressing percentage, breast, leg and thigh weight were found in group receiving the infusion on alternate days. Better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was also found in the same group. Weight of spleen, thymus and bursa were also significantly high (p < 0.05) in the group received treatment on alternate day. These results indicate that the water based infusion provided at alternate day schedule gave better results compared to other schedules.

Keywords: Broilers, feed intake, medicinal plants, production, water-based-infusion.

Received: July 24, 2013; Revised: Nov 8, 2013; Accepted: 20 Nov, 2013

*Corresponding author: Fawad ur Rehman Email: dawarvet@hotmail.com