Growth performance and haematological characteristics of starter broilers fed diets supplemented with tumeric (Curcuma longa) meal

Abstract

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is an extensively used spice, food preservative and coloring material that has biological actions and medicinal applications. Tumeric, when used as an additive could enhance the performance of broiler chickens in Nigeria. The aim of the present study was to assess the growth performance and haematological characteristics of starter broiler chicken fed diets supplemented with processed turmeric) meal (TM). Ninetysix, two weeks old unsexed “Agri-tech” broiler birds were randomly distributed in a completely randomized design (CRD) into four treatments, comprising of twenty four birds each, with three replicates per treatment (having 8 birds per replicate). The processed turmeric was included at the rate of 0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% respectively. Feed and water were given without restriction. Supplementation of processed turmeric meal in the diet of starter broilers significantly (p<0.05) influenced the final body weight, average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The treatment groups containing processed turmeric meal had poor performance in all parameters studied when compared to that of the control. Mean values of all haematological parameters evaluated namely; packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) differed significantly (p<0.05) between the control and the turmeric treated groups, however all the values obtained were within the recommended standard range of values for broiler. It was concluded that processed turmeric meal can be added to the diets of starter broilers up to the level of 1.5% and also can be safely used as a phyto-additive in starter broiler chickens, preferably in their feed.