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Effect of phytobiotics (mixture of garlic, ginger and Chaya leaf) on growth performance, haematological and biochemical indices of pullet chicks
| Slovak Journal of Animal Science
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mixture of garlic, ginger and Chaya leaf (hereafter termed "Phytomix") at graded levels on the growth performance, haematological indices and serum biochemistry of pullet chicks fed corn-soybean-based diets. Six hundred, 1-day-old females of ISA Brown pullet chicks were assigned to five treatment groups, each group was replicated six times (20 birds in each). Birds were fed basal diet supplemented with Phytomix at different levels: 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 g.kg-1 throughout the experimental period, which lasted for 56 days. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, polyphenols, terpenes, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides in garlic, ginger and Chaya leaf, while the cyanides were found only in Chaya leaf. Highest quantities of bioactive substances were found in Chaya leaf followed by ginger and garlic. Pullet chicks, fed the diets supplemented with phytomix, had higher (P < 0.05) weight gain, reduced feed intake, better FCR and improved liveability when compared to the control diet. In addition, phytomix supplementation showed a linear improvement in growth performance of pullet chicks. Dietary phytomix inclusion significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the RBC and WBC of pullet chicks with highest values obtained in birds fed the diets containing 5.0 and 10.0 g.kg-1, respectively. Inclusion of phytomix in the diets of pullet chicks produced significant (P < 0.05) effect on all serum chemistry parameters measured, except creatinine and AST (P > 0.05). It was concluded that dietary phytomix supplementation up to 10.0 g.kg-1 had positive effect on growth performance and health status of pullet chicks.
