INFLUENCE OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF GINGER (Zingiber officinale) ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARSASS CHARACTERISTCS AND ECONOMIC OF PRODUCTION OF BROILER BIRDS

The study was conducted using one hundred-day old Marshal Strain broiler chicks to investigate the influence of ginger aqueous extract on growth performance, carcass quality and economic of production of broiler birds. The birds were randomly assigned to five treatments and replicated twice in a Completely Randomized Design. Each treatment consisted 20 birds with 10 birds per replicate. The birds were subjected to five experimental treatments designated as T1 (control, 0ml/L ginger aqueous extract), T2 (15mls/L ginger aqueous extract), T3 (30mls/L ginger aqueous extract), T4 (45mls/L ginger aqueous extract) and T5 (60mls/L ginger aqueous extract) respectively. Water, extract and feed were served ad libitum. The birds were offered the same diet throughout the experimental periods. Routine management practices were strictly followed. Data collected on final body weights, body weight gain, feed intake, feed gain ratio, different carcass parts and economics of production were subjected to one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results showed significant (P<0.05) difference for weight gain, feed intake, feed gain ratio and feed efficiency. Total, weekly and daily weight gains were significantly higher in birds on ginger aqueous extract when compared with the control. Ginger aqueous extract had significant effect (P<0.05) on the price/kg feed consumed and price/kg bird. Price/kg feed consumed and price/kg bird increased with increased levels of ginger in broilers water. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in all the parameters under organ characteristics measured. It all implies that GAE had no deleterious effect on any of the organs and therefore did not negatively affect their growth. It was therefore concluded that GAE in drinking water of broiler chickens could be a good phytobiotic up to 60mls/L without compromising the performance, meat quality of birds.