FFECT OF GARLIC (Allium sativum) SUPPLEMENT ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND COST OF FEEDING OF BROILER CHICKENS.

ABSTRACT

The experiment was conducted at the Poultry Production Unit, of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State to investigate the growth performance and economics of production of broiler chickens fed with different levels of garlic powder inclusion. Four experimental diets were formulated. The treatments were diets with garlic supplement   at 0g (control), 10g(T2), 15g (T3), and 20g (T4) coded as diets 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively for both starter (23%CP) and finisher (20%CP) rations. One- hundred and twenty (120) day old broiler unsexed ‘Marshal’ chicks were randomly allotted to the dietary treatments with three replications of 30 birds per treatment each in a completely randomized design (CRD). Feed and water were supplied ad libitum and experiment lasted for a period of eight weeks. Data collected was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) according to the procedures of Steel and Torrie (1980).Results showed that daily feed intake (0.53,0.49,0.45,0.45g);weekly weight gain (0.12. 0.13, 0.13,0.13g),final body weight gain (0.90 1.02, 1.03, 1.06kg,) and  feed conversion ratio (0.24, 0.27, 0.29, 0.30) were not significantly affected by the dietary level of garlic. With respect to daily feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio were not significantly different across the treatments. Based on the result obtained from this trial, broiler birds that were fed with 20g/kg of garlic supplemented diet had the best performance in terms of final body weight gain (1060.00g/kg) and percentage mortality (3.33 %). However, it is not economical because of the high cost of garlic. Therefore, the formulation could be recommended for further evaluation in the dietary of broiler chickens.

Keywords: Garlic, Broiler Chickens, Supplement, Performance, Cost