Effect of garlic rhizome (<i>Allium sativum</i>) powder supplemented diets on the haematology and serum biochemistry of broiler chickens at starter and finisher phases

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of garlic rhizome powder on blood profile of broiler at different growth phases (starter and finisher phase). One hundred and twenty Abor acre broiler chicks were used for the study and the chicks were randomly distributed into four treatment groups and the treatment groups were then divided into different replicates with each replicate having 10 chicks i.e. 30 chicks in each treatment group. The garlic powder was included at different inclusion levels and the treatments were designed as T1: basal diet with no garlic powder, T2: basal diet supplemented with 0.5% garlic powder T3: basal diet supplemented with 1.0% garlic powder and T4 having 1.5% garlic powder. Starter diet was offered to the birds for the first four weeks of the feeding trial and finisher diet was also provided for the birds within 5th to 8th week. Daily feed intake and weekly body measurement were taken. At the end of the starter phase, blood was collected for haematological and serum biochemistry analysis also blood was collected for blood profile analysis at the seventh (8th) week of the experiment. The blood samples collected were analyzed for haematological parameters which include haemoglobin, Packed cell volume, Red blood cells, White blood cells, Mean corpuscular haemoglobin, Mean corpuscular volume, Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, heterophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and serum biochemical parameters which include Aspartate aminotransferase, Alanine aminotransferase, Alkaline Phosphate, Cholesterol, Total protein, Albumin, Globulin, Uric acid and Creatinine. Results showed that the effect of feeding graded levels of garlic rhizome powder on the haematological and serum parameters were significant (P<0.05). The cholesterol levels of experimental birds dropped significantly with increasing levels of garlic in the diets. Inclusion of garlic powder on broiler feed had no significant difference (P>0.05) on the creatinine level. Therefore 1.5% inclusion of garlic should be added to broiler feed to enhance production of broiler lean meat with lowest cholesterol.

Keywords: Garlic rhizome, haematology, serum chemistry, broiler chickens