|
PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
A feeding trial was conducted to discern the effect of dietary incorporation of dried fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum) leaf powder on growth performance and nutrient utilization in commercial broilers. A total of 120, day-old commercial broiler chicks were divided randomly into four treatment groups with three replicates each i.e. 10 chicks per replicate. Chicks of treatment T1 (control) were fed basal diet whereas in treatment group T2, T3 and T4, the basal diet was supplemented with dried fenugreek leaf powder @ 0.5%, 1% and 1.5%, respectively. The feeding trial lasted for 42 days viz., 0-21 days (starter phase) and 22-42 days (finisher phase). Feed intake and body weight changes in broiler chicks were recorded at weakly intervals and a metabolism trial of 4 days collection period was conducted during the 6th week of feeding trial. In the starter phase, the body weight gain of broiler chicks of group T3 ( 685.20g) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than other groups i.e. T1 (636.40 g), T2 (673.58g) and T4 (675.43 g) where as in finisher phase, the body weight gain of broiler chicks fed diet supplemented with fenugreek leaf powder @ 1% i.e. T3 (1587.30g) and 1.5% i.e. T4 (1522.20 g) was significantly higher in T2 (1489.70g) and control group T1 (1477.60g). Feed conversion ratio and performance index were also improved in broiler chicks of groups T3 and T4. During whole experimental period (0-42 days), supplementation of fenugreek leaf powder improved broiler performance in terms of feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and performance index. Final body weight was recorded as maximum in group fed diet supplementing with 1% fenugreek leaf powder (2321.70 g) followed by T4 (2246.70 g), T2 (2231.70 g) and minimum in T1 (2162.80 g). Nutrient utilization in terms of dry matter, crude protein and ether extract was significantly (P<0.05) improved in broilers fed diet supplemented with 1% fenugreek leaf powder (T3).