Vol. 8, Issue 1 (2019)

Author(s):
Rakesh Kumar, NS Maan, Saurabh Baloda, Ravinder Dahiya and Sajjan Sihag

Abstract:
Present experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of supplementing different levels of garlic and holy basil leaf powder in the broilers diet on their growth performance and nutrient metabolizablity during a period of 6 weeks. A total of 280-day-old commercial broiler chicks (Vencobb-400) were procured and randomly distributed into seven treatments, each treatment had four replicates with ten chicks in each replicate. Growth trial was conducted in a complete randomized design comprising seven dietary treatments. T₁ was served as control and fed a basal diet formulated as per BIS (2007) standards. T₂ and T₃ were fed with garlic powder @ 0.5, 1% feed, respectively. T₄ and T₅ were given with holy basil leaf powder @ 0.5, 1% feed, respectively. T₆ was fed with garlic powder and holy basil leaf powder @ 0.5% each. T₇ was treated with garlic powder and holy basil leaf powder @1.0% each. The body weight gain was significantly (P<0.05) higher in combination of garlic powder and holy basil leaf powder @ 0.5% each and 1.0% each supplemented groups as compared to rest of the treatment groups. Feed intake was not affected significantly. While, feed conversion ratio (P<0.05) improved in T₆ (1.70) & T₇ (1.73) as compared to T₁ (2.09), T₃ (1.96) and T₅ (1.95). The dry matter metabolizablity (%) was (P<0.05) higher in T₅, T₆ and T₇ as compared to T₁ (control). The nitrogen retention per cent was significantly higher in T₆ as compared to control group. The gross energy metabolizablity was significantly higher in T₆ and T₇ as compared to T₁, T₃ and T₅. Thus, the present study revealed that supplementation of garlic powder and holy basil leaf powder @ 0.5% each or 1.0% each in the broilers diet significantly improved body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and nutrient metabolizablity without affecting feed intake.