MVSc 2007

An experiment was conducted at the Department of Poultry Science, College
of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy to study the effect of dietary
supplementation of turmeric (Curcuma longa) on performance of broiler chicken. One
hundred and ninety two, day-old commercial broiler chicks (Vencob) were reared
under four dietary groups with four replicates of twelve birds each. The group Ti was
the control group and turmeric powder was supplemented in the basal diet at 0.2 per
cent (T2), 0.4 per cent (T3) and 0.6 per cent (T4). The chicks were reared under
standard managemental conditions up to six weeks of age. The broiler starter ration
was fed from zero to four weeks of age and finisher ration from five to six weeks of
age.
Results of the present study revealed that supplementation of turmeric at 0.6
per cent level significantly (P S 0.05) depressed the final body weight of broilers at 6
weeks of age. The cumulative feed intake and feed conversion ratio up to sixth week
of age did not reveal significant difference between the dietary groups. The ready to
cook yield, blood loss and total loss were not influenced by the dietary
supplementation of turmeric. The dressed yield in groups fed 0.2 and 0.4 per cent
turmeric were significantly higher (P S 0.05) than that of the control group. The giblet
yield in all the turmeric supplemented groups were significantly higher than the
control group (P S 0.05). The per cent weight of thymus and bursa were increased by
.
the supplementation of 0.6 per cent turmeric.
The dietary supplementation' of turmeric improved the haematological
parameters as haemoglobin, packed cell volume, total leucocyte and erythrocyte
counts. The dietary supplementation of turmeric at 0.4 and 0.6 per cent levels (T3 and
T4) resulted in a significant (PS 0.05) reduction in serum cholesterol level. The
supplementation of turmeric did not influence the level of serum total protein. The
supplementation of turmeric at 0.4 and 0.6 per cent levels (T3 and T4) significantly
(PS 0.05) reduced the serum total lipids in broilers. The level of liver enzymes ALT
and AST was significantly (PS 0.05) reduced by the supplementation of turmeric at
0.6 per cent level. The supplementation of turmeric at 0.4 per cent reduced the thigh


meat cholesterol in broilers (P~ 0.05). Livability of birds in all dietary groups was 100
per cent.
The results obtained in the present study showed that the supplementation of
turmeric at the levels 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 per cent employed in the study had no
deleterious effect in broilers .The net profit per kg body weight was reduced as a
result of inclusion of turmeric powder in broiler diet. However, the higher dressed and
giblet yields, lower meat cholesterol consequent to turmeric supplementation seems to
be advantageous.