RESPONSE OF BROILER CHICKS TO DIETS CONTAINING BLACK CUMIN AS NATURAL FEED ADDITIVE.

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to study the response of broiler chicks to diets supplemented with black cumin as a natural feed additive and it’s effects on the productive performance, dressing percentage and economical efficiency. Total number of 90, one day-old, unsexed, Hubbard hybrid strain broiler chicks, of approximately similar initial body weight were randomly divided into five experimental groups. Each group with three replicates. The birds were fed on basal diet, control (A), or basal diet supplemented with antibiotic as growth promoter, control (B), or Basal diet supplemented with 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% levels of black cumin for groups C, D and E respectively. The basal diet was formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of the broiler chicks according to National Research Council NRC (1994). Health of the stock and performance parameters were recorded. Dressing percentage and financial evaluation were calculated. The results indicated that the weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency, mortality rate and dressing percentages of the broiler chicks were not 9 affected significantly by the addition of black cumin. The groups of the chicks fed on black cumin at levels of 0.6% and 0.4% showed better results in weight gain, feed efficiency, dressing percentage and net profit values compared to level 0.2% black cumin and control groups.