Effects Of Graded Levels Of Raw And Cooked Turmeric Rhizome On Performance Of Broiler Chickens

ABSTRACT

Feeding trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of graded levels of raw and cooked turmeric rhizome meal on the performance of broiler birds. Turmeric rhizome was washed with water and divided into two batches of 40kg each. The first batch was crushed, sundried for 3 days, ground to produce raw turmeric rhizome meal and bagged. The second batch was cooked for an hour, crushed with a roller and sun-dried for 3 days. Both the raw and cooked sundried turmeric rhizomes were then ground using a hammer mill to produce raw and cooked turmeric rhizome meal respectively. Seven (7) broiler starter diets were formulated to contain raw or cooked turmeric rhizome meal at 0% (common control diet), 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% levels, respectively. In the finisher phase, seven (7) finisher diets were formulated to contain raw or cooked turmeric rhizome meal at 0% (common control diet), 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% levels, respectively. Both diets were offered ad libitum during their respective phases to 189 Cobb broilers divided into 7 dietary treatment groups, each containing 3 replicates of 9 birds per replicate. At the end of the finisher phase, 5 birds from each dietary treatment group were selected, sacrificed and analysed for dressing percentage, organ weights, haematological profile and serum biochemical composition. The results showed that diet-related differences in final liveweigth, liveweight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not significant (P>0.05) both at the starter and finisher phases. Similarly, dietary effects were not significant (P>0.05) for nutrient digestibility, dressing percentage, carcass and organ weights, most blood parameters and serum biochemical constituents. Significant differences (P