Effects of Herbal Supplements on Broiler Growth and Meat Quality

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on the open farm at Lampang Rajabhat University in 2014 to
investigate the effects of herbal supplement (2% by weight) on broiler growth performance, meat quality
and sensational preference of the meat tenderness. One hundred and eighty, one-day old chicks (Arbor
Acre strain) were allotted into 5 groups fed with basal feed supplemented without (control, T0) or with
Momordica charantia (T1),Senna siamea Lam. (T2), Aegle marmelos L. (T3) and Tinospora crispa L.(T4).
The 5 treated groups (treatments) were assigned in a randomized complete block design with 6
replications (6 chicks/replication). All broilers were fed ad libitum from 1 day-5 weeks old. Results showed
that during the 1st-5th weeks of age, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio in each week, survival
and final body weight of broilers were not statistically different among the treatments. However, some meat
quality traits were affected significantly (P≤0.05). The adhesiveness of the fresh drumstick meat increased
significantly with the T2 and T4 supplements. Whereas slight but significant increase in springiness was

obtained with T3 supplement as compared to the control (T0). For the cooked meat, it was found that
the supplements of T3 and T4 significantly increased the cohesiveness of the drumstick meat. In addition,
theT4 supplement considerably increased the cooked thigh meat cohesiveness. In effect, the sensational
preference of the thigh meat tenderness was decreased accordingly.