Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) and Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum L.) on Carcass Characteristics of Heat Stressed Broilers in Arid Zone

Abstract

A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf powder and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed powder as herbal feed additives on carcass characteristics of heat stressed broilers at poultry farm, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Bikaner. A total of two hundred and ten day-old broiler chicks of Cobb-400 strain were used in the experimental study of six weeks duration. They were divided into seven treatment groups with three replicates of ten chicks in each replicate. The control group (C) was fed on basal diet without any supplementation and other six treatment groups were supplemented with 0.5% tulsi leaf powder, 1% tulsi leaf powder, 0.5%fenugreek seed powder, 1% fenugreek seed powder, 0.25% tulsi leaf powder + 0.25% fenugreek seed powder and 0.5% tulsi leaf powder + 0.5% fenugreek seed powder and designated as T_1, T2_, F_1, F_2, T₁F₁ and T₂F₂ groups, respectively. Statistical analysis of data revealed highly significant (P<0.01) effect of tulsi and fenugreek supplementation alone or in combination on dressing  percent and non-significant effect on eviscerated  percent, and on per cent liver weight, heart weight, gizzard weight and giblet weight. The highest dressing percent was found in T₁ followed by F₁, T₁F₁, F₂, T₂, T₂F₂, and Control.