Body weight and carcass characteristics of broilers fed different mixtures of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and garlic (Allium sativum) in diets

Body weight and carcass characteristics of broilers was investigated in a feeding experiment using 135 broilers of Abor acre strain in a completely randomised design that lasted for eight weeks at the Teaching and Research farm, Department of Agricultural education, Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka Lagos Nigeria. The birds were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments of 45 chicks per treatment. Each treatment was replicated three times (15 chicks per replicate). Three isocaloric (2713.41 and 2918.76 Kcal/kg starter and finisher diets respectively) and isonitrogenous (Starter 24%CP and Finisher 20.37%) diets were formulated. The control diet was without mixture of ginger and garlic. The two other diets were T1:7.5g Ginger plus 7.5g Garlic mixture/25kg diet and T2: 15g Ginger plus 15g Garlic mixture/25kg diet. The experimental diets (starter and finisher diets) were offered to the respective bids with water ad libitum. The body weight gain (Kg) of birds fed control, T1 and T2:1.85, 1.90 and 1.74 respectively were not significantly different (p > 0.05).The feed intake (kg); 4.77, 4.22 and 4.02; and feed conversion ratio: 2.70; 2.22 and 2.31 for birds on control, T1 and T2 respectively were not different (p > 0.05) too. Birds on diet T2 recorded the highest liveability percentage (96%). Mixtures of ginger and garlic in ratio 1.1 up to 7.5g each in 25kg diets slightly increased final body weight gain and liveability; improved feed conversion ratio (FCR), reduced feed intake and dressed carcass percentage significantly (p<0.05) reduced weight of internal organs like liver, heart, kidney and gizzard. The increased final body weight gain and liveability as well as improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) of birds could possibly be due to improvement in feed digestion, additive advantage of nutrients and the anti-microbial property of the mixtures of ginger and garlic in the diets. While the reduced feed intake and dressed carcass percentage may be responsible for by the high fiber content, and some anti-nutritional factors in the ginger and garlic mixtures.Keywords: body weight, carcass characteristics, broiler chicken, Allium sativum, Zingiber officinal