EFFECT OF DIFFERENT INCLUSION LEVELS OF GINGER (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) MEAL ON THE PERFORMANCE OF STARTER BROILER CHICKENS

F. C. Egenuka; H. N. Obi; J. C. Achi; P. C. Okere; O. E. Kadurumba; T. C. Iwuji

doi:10.51791/njap.vi.5417

Authors

F. C. Egenuka Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
H. N. Obi Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
J. C. Achi Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
P. C. Okere Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
O. E. Kadurumba Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
T. C. Iwuji Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51791/njap.vi.5417

Keywords:

Ginger meal, starter broiler chickens, performance

Abstract

One hundred and thirty-two (132) day old broiler chicks of Abor-acre strain were used in this study to investigate the effect of different inclusion levels of ginger meal on the performance of starter broilers. The birds were randomly divided into four treatment groups, each comprising of 33 broilers. Each group was further sub-divided into 3 replicates of 11 birds each, in a completely randomized design. Four dietary treatments were formulated. The control diet contained no ginger (0.0 % ginger diet). Diet 2 contained 0.5 % ginger; diet 3 contained 1.0 % ginger and diet 4 contained 1.5 % ginger. The experiment lasted for 30 days. Results from the experiment showed that differences in ginger levels did not affect weight gain and feed conversion ratio but feed intake of the ginger groups were similar but significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the control group. Cost of feed and cost/kg weight gain was higher in the ginger groups with diet 4 recording the highest values, though the differences were not significant. 0.5 % inclusion level of ginger meal in broiler starter diets could have positive effects on the birds since birds on this diet exhibited lower feed conversion ratio with minimal feed intake.