Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Turkey Berry Powder (Solanum torvum Swartz.) on Productive Performance and Blood Cholesterol Levels of Broiler

Abstract

Using herbs in animal husbandry is one way to reduce the use of antibiotics. Turkey berry (Solanum torvum Swartz.) is a type of medicinal plants that has active ingredients in inhibiting pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate effects of Turkey berry powder supplementation in the diet on productivity and blood cholesterol levels of broiler. A total of ninety six,1-day-old arbor-acre, broilers were randomly selected for this trial. They were divided into 4 groups and 3 replications with 8 chickens each. There were 4 treatments, the chickens were fed with broiler feed mixed with Turkey berry powder at 0, 0.4, 0.7 and 1%. They were fully fed and watered. The results of a 42-day-trial revealed that the broilers in the treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4 had the average adequate feed intakes at 4478.20, 4476.66, 4447.73 and 4490.75 g/head (P>0.05), and had the average body weight gains at 1,952.30, 2,062.56, 2,108.94 and 2,084.75 g/head (P< 0.01), respectively. The average growth rates of the broilers in treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 46.48, 49,10, 50.21 and 49.63 g/body/day (P< 0.01), average feed conversion ratios were 2.29, 2.17, 2.11 and 2.15 (P< 0.01), average carcass percentages were 82,24, 83.90, 84.43 and 83.79 percent (P< 0.01), respectively. The average visceral fats of the chickens in treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 3.45, 2.20, 2.22 and 2.18 percent (P< 0.01), average food costs per kilogram body weight gain were 38.87, 37.37, 37.07 and 38.36 baht (P< 0.01), and the average cholesterol in the blood were 140.75, 129.25, 140.75 and 130.75 milligrams per deciliter (P>0.05), respectively. It was concluded that the addition of Turkey berry powder at the level of 0.4–1.0 percent had an effect on increasing the productivity of broiler and the carcass percentage improved.