Effect of garlic, black pepper and hot red pepper on productive performances and blood lipid profile of broiler chickens

Abstract

© Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of various medicinal herbs such as garlic (Allium sativum L.), black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and hot red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in broiler chicken nutrition on productive performances and blood lipid profile. In total 1200 Hubbard broilers have been assigned to eight treatments with four replicates, each. In the control treatment (T1) the chickens were fed with a commercial compound feed based on corn flour and soybean meal. Experimental treatments were formed by supplementing the commercial feed with medicinal herbs as follows: garlic 0.5 (T2) and 1.0 g/100 g (T3), black pepper 0.5 (T4) and 1.0 g/100 g (T5), hot red pepper 0.5 (T6) and 1.0 g/100 g (T7) and mixture of garlic, black pepper and hot red pepper (1:1:1) in total of 0.5 g/100 g (T8). During the first two weeks chickens received a starter mixture without addition of medicinal herbs, thereafter, chickens were fed with grower and finisher mixtures according to the plan given. At the end of the experiment (day 42 of life) chickens in experimental treatments T6 and T7 achieved significantly (p < 0.05) higher final body masses (2461 and 2442 g) compared to the chickens in the control and other treatment groups. Feed conversion ratio for the entire fattening period ranged from 1.8 kg/kg (T2, T5) to 2.1 kg/kg (T1) with no significant differences (p > 0.05). European broiler index (EBI) was the lowest in treatment T1 (220) and highest in treatment T6 (299) with significant differences (p < 0.05). The highest amounts of triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and non high density lipoprotein (non HDL) was recorded in chicken blood in treatment T1 with significant (p < 0.05) differences compared to the treatments with addition of medicinal herbs. The significantly lowest level of high density lipoproteins (HDL) was determined in control treatment T1 (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that feeding diets with supplements of spice herbs results in better production level and much better lipid profile status compared to the control treatment.