Effects of Dietary Ground Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) Root Additive on Broiler performance

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of ground ginger root (Zingiber officinale) addition to the diet of broiler chicks. One hundred and sixty one day old boiler unsexed chicks (cobb strain) were till 42 days of age. Four experimental diets containing 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75% ground ginger root were used. Results showed that dietary ginger incorporation had no significant (p < 0.05) effects on feed intake in the first four weeks. Feed consumption recorded the lowest estimate by broilers fed 0.50% ginger (841.0 g and 777.0g in the 5th and 6th weeks respectively) where as chicks fed 0.0, 0.25 and 0.755 ginger diets were not significantly(p < 0.05) different from each other. Weight gain was affect by ginger levels in three weeks. The trait estimated the highest result at level 0.00 in week two, at level 0.75, 0.25 and 0.00 in week four and at level 0.25% in week six. Significantly high results for feed conversion ratio were recorded at level 0.25 0.50, 0.75% in the second week and at level 0.00, 0.50, and 0.75% in the last week. Carcass weight and liver weight were affected by addition of ginger. The traits recorded best results at 0.00, 0.25, and 0.75% ginger level. Broiler chick can tolerate up to 0.75% ground ginger root in the diet without adverse effect