RELATIVE ORGAN WEIGHT OF BROILER FINISHER FED GINGER, GARLIC AND MIXTURE OF GINGER AND GARLIC POWDER

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the relative organ weights of broiler finisher fed ginger root (GRP), garlic bulb (GBP) and mixture of ginger and garlic powder (MGGP). A total of 180 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to four experimental diets replicated 3 times with 15 chicks per replicate in a completely Randomized Design (CRD). Diet one (T1) served as control with no ginger or garlic bulb powder. Diet 2 (T2) had 2% GRP, diets 3 (T3) & 4 (T4) had 2% each GBP and MGGP respectively. At the end of the experiment, three (3) birds (one per replicate) were selected based on the average weight from each treatment group making a total of twelve birds. The birds were starved of feed overnight, but drinking water was provided. They were tagged, slaughtered, bled and defeathered. They were eviscerated and the eviscerated weights were recorded. The weight of the organs such as heart, kidney, lungs, liver, spleen, full gizzard and gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) were recorded and measured relative to the eviscerated weight. The result indicated that relative weights of heart, lungs, kidney, gizzard and GIT were significantly (p<0.05) highest in birds placed on T3 while relative weights of spleen and liver were highest in birds fed T2 and T4 respectively. The highest relative organ weights were recorded in broiler chickens on T3 and therefore garlic bulb powder could be used as additive to improve broiler chicken production.