EFFECT OF VARYING LEVELS OF DIETARYGARLIC (Allium sativum L.) SUPPLEMENTATION ON SERUM ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of diets containing varying levels of garlic on serum antioxidant activity and economic benefit of broiler chickens. One hundred and twenty (120) broiler finisher chickens were randomly distributed into four treatment groups each replicated thrice with 10 chicks per replicate in a completely randomized design. Garlic was supplemented at different levels designated as follow: T1: control diet (0.0% garlic), T2: diet supplemented with 1.0% garlic, T3: diet supplemented with 1.5% garlic and T4 diet supplemented with 2.0% garlic. Serum antioxidant activity and economic benefit were determined post finisher phase. Final weights and weight gains increased by 16.64 and 28.46 % respectively at 2.0 % level of garlic supplementation. Chickens fed 2.0 % garlic-based diet had the highest feed intake 4.95kg which was higher than others by 9.09 % while feed cost per gain increased by ₦250.75 (16.67%) in chickens fed 1.0% garlic-based diet. Lipid peroxidation declined while antioxidant enzymes significantly (P<0.05) increased with higher levels of garlic supplementation in the diets. Cost benefit analysis showed that feeding broiler chickens with garlic-based diets increased total feed intake and total weight gain by 7.07 and 17.23% respectively. The varied levels of garlic supplementation did not remarkably improve performance parameters in broiler chickens but it showed anti-oxidative potentials up to the highest level of garlic supplementation. The study concluded that garlic can be supplemented in broiler diets at 2.0% level for its beneficial potentials to animal and human health.