Influence of peppermint and ginger supplemented diet on broiler performance and hematology

Abstract

Exploring the impact of natural resources on sustainable poultry production aims to enhance nutritional value, reduce reliance on synthetic additives, and benefit broiler chicks. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of varying levels of peppermint and ginger supplementation on broiler performance and blood parameters. Peppermint and ginger root powders were incorporated at 0.5% and 1% to evaluate their impact on growth performance, carcass traits, and blood parameters in broiler chicks. Conducted over 42 days, the experiment involved 225 one-day-old chicks, which were assigned to five treatment groups with three replications, organized in a completely randomized design (CRD). The treatment groups included control (T1), 0.5% peppermint (T2), 1% peppermint (T3), 0.5% ginger (T4), and 1% ginger (T5). Throughout the six-week experiment, all chicks had unrestricted availability of food and water. The findings showed that neither herbal supplement significantly affected live body weight, except in the initial, following, and third weeks. Similarly, feed intake (FI) and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) showed no significant changes, except in the third and fifth weeks. Carcass characteristics did not show meaningful differences, apart from dressing percentage and liver weight in male chicks. Blood parameters, especially cholesterol and total protein levels, were affected by both herbs. The highest dressing percentages were observed in the T4 and T5 groups. The significance of this investigation lies in its provision of natural prebiotics to enhance broiler quality, benefiting farmers, growers, and other stakeholders.