Evaluation of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis linné) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) as phytogenic supplements for broilers

MSCAGR (Animal Science)Department of Animal ScienceThe study investigated the potential of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis linné - AVE) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale - GNE) extracts as phytogenic supplements for broilers, as indicated by the growth, slaughter performance, visceral organ sizes, and meat quality broilers. A total of 480 Ross 308 broilers were housed in a deep litter open-sided house, stocked at 15 birds per 150 cm length × 144 cm width mesh-wire pen. During the starter period (days 1-22), the chicks were fed a diet containing 220 g kg-1 CP and 17.8 MJ ME kg-1. For the grower (days 23-36) and finisher (days 37-50) phases, the chicks were assigned to pens in a 2 (sex) × 4 (additive) factorial design, with two diets used for each phase: an antibiotic-free negative control (NC) diet and a positive control (PC) diet containing zinc bacitracin 15% granular at 500g/tonne plus 12% valinomycin sodium at 500g/tonne. Birds on the PC diet had access to clean drinking water only, while those on the NC diet received water without or with 2 mL/L of AVE or GNE. Birds on the GNE had small livers (33.5±1.37g), which suggested liver damage or a lower metabolic load. Birds on AVE had low (17.0±0.15g) abdominal fat, which indicated leaner growth. Males consumed more feed (145.5 ±2.74g) than the females (136.4±2.74g) during the finisher phase, and by slaughter (54.3±1.77 versus 52.6±1.77 g, respectively). The treatments affected the mean feed intake (132.7±2.27 - 149.5±2.27 g), weight gain (46.7±2.50 -77.7±2.50 g/bird/day), and FCR (3.4±0.14 - 2.1±0.14) across all growth phases, with the best performance recorded in birds on the PC. Females had higher percentage wings (4.8±0.18 versus 4.4±0.18 %) and breasts (33.9±0.96 versus 29.8 ±0.96 %) on the PC, compared to the NC treatment. In conclusion, the plant extracts did not improve broiler growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality parameters at the 2 ml/L dosage.National Research Foundation (NRF