PERFORMANCE AND NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY OF LAYING HENS FED DIETARY TURMERIC AND CLOVE

Abstract

Eighty (80) 18 weeks old, grower birds of ISA Brown strain were used to evaluate performance and nutrient digestibility of hens fed dietary turmeric and clove. The birds were randomly divided into 5 groups of 4 replicates per group. Each replicate contained 4 birds. Five experimental diets were formulated for the study namely: Basal diet without test ingredients (control). Diet T1 was basal diet supplemented with 0.1% Clove Bud Powder (CBP) and 0.25% Turmeric Rhizome Powder (TRP). The T2 was basal diet that contained 0.2% CBP and 0.25% TRP. Basal diet containing 0.1% CBP and 0.5% TRP was tagged T3. Diet T4 was basal diet supplemented with 0.2% CLP and 0.5% TRP. The results showed that dietary treatment significantly (P>0.05) influence performance and nutrient digestibility of laying hens. The highest average daily feed intake (ADFI) was observed in hens fed diet T2. The heaviest egg mass (45.24 g/egg) was recorded for laying hens fed 0.1% CBP and 0.25% TRP diet (T1). The main effect of CBP at 0.1% impacted higher Hen Day Production (HDP) (P= 0.048) and egg mass (P = 0.021) than those fed 0.2% CBP. Dietary treatment significantly influenced nutrient digestibility for crude protein (P=0.002), ash (P=0.0001), ether extract (P=0.048), crude fibre (P=0.0002) and nitrogen Free Extract, NFE, (P=0.0003). The highest digestibility for ash (74.22%), ether extract (92.67%) and NFE (76.99%) was observed in laying hens fed diet supplemented with 0.1% CBP and 0.5% TRP (T3).