Dietary Effects of Garlic (Allium sativum) Powder on Growth Performance of Commercial Broiler

Abstract

The study was conducted during summer (April-May) to investigate the growth performance of 120-day-old mixed-sex commercial broiler chicks (Cobb-400) by examining the dietary effects of different levels of garlic (Allium sativum) powder supplementation. In a 28-day experiment, four distinct diets (T₁, T₂, T₃, and T₄) were utilized, each containing varying amounts of dried garlic powder (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%). The effectiveness of garlic powder on feeding was evaluated by measuring weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, dressing yield, and survivability. The results showed that there were no significant differences in body weight gain among the treatment groups in the first seven days. However, significant differences were observed in broiler diets containing 0.5%, 1%, and 2% garlic powder during the 8-14, 15-21, and 22-28 day periods, with the highest body weight gain observed in birds fed a diet containing 1% garlic powder. Furthermore, significant enhancements (P<0.05) in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) were observed by increasing the inclusion of garlic powder compared to the control group during specific age periods (1-7, 15-21, and 22-28 days), with the treatment group fed with 1% garlic powder exhibiting the most favorable FCR at the trial’s conclusion. Regarding feed intake and survivability, the study showed no significant differences (P>0.05) in broilers with different dietary treatments. The inclusion of garlic powder in broiler feed led to a notable decrease in fat content and an increase in dressing yield, with the highest yield achieved at a 1% supplementation level. Therefore, the study suggests that 1% garlic powder could be a potential feed additive to enhance the overall performance of the broiler.