Abstract:
This experiment was conducted to evaluate the response of broiler chicks fed on graded levels of cardamom essential oil as natural growth promoter alternative to antibiotic. Experimental parameters covered growth performance, carcass dressing percentage, subjective meat quality and economical appraisal. The experimental design used the complete randomized design (CRD). A total number of (140), 7 days old, 170 gm initial weight unsexed (Ros 308) strain of broiler chicks were randomly divided into four experimental groups with five replicates, each of seven chicks. The first group ( A ) fed on basal diet without feed additives ( control group ) , the other groups B , C and D were fed basal diet supplemented with different cardamom oil. (Essential oil) at levels of 50 ml / ton, 100 ml / ton , 150 ml / ton. The basal diet was formulated to meet the nutrients requirements of broiler chicks according to (NRC, 1994). Experimental diets were fed for 6 weeks.
The results obtained showed that the addition of cardamom oil to feed resulted in a significant increase (p <0.05) in feed consumption and body weight gain. The birds fed (150 ml) of cardamom oil showed the highest value for body weight gained, final body weight and better feed conversion ratio.
The result indicated that there were no significant differences among all treatment groups in the percentage of carcass dressing , giblets ( heart , gizzard and liver) commercial cuts (breast , drumstick and thigh ) and their percent of separable tissues . The addition of cardamom oil resulted in a significant decrease in blood serum cholesterol (p <0.05) .No mortality was recorded throughout the experimental period.
VIII
Economical appraised values was profitability ratio (2.80) of group D (150 ml / ton cardamom oil) was the highest in the tested groups.
