Effects of condiments on heat stressed broiler chicks : 1. growth performance and digestibility of nutrients

Abstract EN

The objective of this work was to study the effect of non-classical (natural) feed additives on growth performance and nutrient digestibilities of heat stressed broiler chicks during 7-20 d and 21-49 d of age.

The experiment was conducted during July-August where the temperature averaged 32?2?C, with an average relative humidity of 58 ?4%.

Experimental diets were supplemented; or not with either 2g/kg of black pepper, hot pepper, cinnamon, clove, cumin, cardamom, garlic, green tea or nigella seeds.

Therefore, there were ten isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets (Treatments).

Each treatment was replicated three times, each containing 7 Lohman broiler chicks which amounted up to 21- broiler chicks/treatment.

Results indicated that body weight gain during 7-20 d of age of broiler chicks fed hot pepper, cinnamon, clove, cumin, cardamom, or nigella seed supplemented diet were significantly higher by 13.5, 11.4, 15.6, 14.7, 17.3 and 17.1%, respectively than the control group.

Growth during 21-49 d of age of broilers fed diets supplemented with either black or hot pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and green tea was numerically better by 8.9, 8.9, 6.8, 9.2 and 8.5% respectively than that of the control group.

Body weight gain values for the whole experimental period of group fed diets supplemented with black or hot pepper, cinnamon, and green tea was numerically better by 8.4, 7.9, 9.7, and 8.8%, respectively than that of the control group.

Results indicated that either cinnamon or cumin significantly decreased feed intake by 16.8 and 17.3% as compared to nigella seed supplemented - group during the period from 7 to 20 d of age.

Feed conversion during 7-20d and 21-49d of age was not significantly affected by addition of different non-classical feed additives.

However, for the whole experimental period there was a clear trend for groups supplemented with black or hot pepper, cinnamon, clove, cumin, cardamom and garlic had better feed conversion values by 8.5, 9.7, 11.3, 7.7, 14.1, 8.8 and 5.6% than the control group.

Therefore, it seems that the best feed conversion was obtained from the group supplemented with 2kg cumin/ton feed.

Nutrients digestibility of excreta were not significantly affected by addition of different non-classical feed additives.

In conclusion the addition of either black or hot pepper, cinnamon, clove, cumin, cardamom and garlic resulted in increased body weight gain and improved feed conversion as compared to the control group.

This indicates that broilers raised under high environmental temperature of Saudi Arabia could benefit of such natural feed additives if added to their diets.