Effect of Garlic as Feed Additive on Performance and Economy of Production of Cockerel Chicks

The growth performance, feed digestibility, economy of production and blood parameter of cockerel
chicks fed diets with Garlic as feed addictive (0, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5%) was evaluated in a trial that lasted
8 weeks. Two hundred and forty (240) day old cockerel chicks of the black strain were used; they
were randomly allotted to four treatments each representing the level of Garlic addition, with 60 chicks
per treatment of three replicates each. The four diets were almost isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Feed
and water were offered to the birds daily and data were collated on feed intake, weight gain
digestibility of nutrients, serum metabolites and haematological parameters. All data were subjected to
ANOVA. The treatments had comparable levels of initial body weight (90.0 g), daily weight gain per
bird (6.02 ± 0.39 g) and feed conversion ratio (5.43 ± 0.5 g), while the daily feed intake per bird was
significantly (P<0.05) varied and least at 4.5% inclusion level, with corresponding highest (#25,489)
profitability and best (P<0.05) digestibility of crude protein, NFE and ether extract. Highest (P<0.05)
PCV, Hb, RBC, WBC and lymphocyte was obtained at 4.5% level of inclusion, with corresponding
high level of plateles and significantly (P<0.05) depressed urea (3.13 g/dl). The use of garlic in
cockerel chicks’ nutrition up to 4.5% is beneficial, for the enhancement of growth, digestibility
wellbeing and profitability.