EFFECT OF BLACK PEPPER (Piper nigrum) ON GROWTH PARAMETERS OF BROILERS

Abstract

The study was conducted to test the effect of black pepper (BP) on growth parameters of broilers. One hundred and sixty day-old chicks were randomly allotted into four (4) dietary treatments of 40 chickens per treatment in four replicates of 10 chicks. The treatment groups were designated as T1, T2, T3 and T4 subjected to the following experimental diets: 0.5g/kg, 0.75g/kg, 0.0g/kg and 1g/kg BP in feed respectively. Data was collected on initial body weight (g/bird), final body weight, gain (g/bird), total body weight gain (g/bird), average daily body weight gain (g/bird), daily feed intake (g/bird), total feed intake (g/bird) and feed conversion ratio. Data was analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) on the Statistical analysis software (SAS). The result revealed that birds exposed to the inclusion of BP as feed additive recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher body weight gain, high feed intake and positive feed conversion ratio than the birds fed the control diet free of the additive. It was thus concluded that BP at 1g/kg (0.1%) improved the growth performance of the broiler chickens and it was recommended to farmers and poultry feed producers as an additive in the diet of their birds.