Effect of dietary supplementation of different levels of garlic powder on performance and immune response of Japanese quail

ABSTRACT

This work was conducted to study the effect of dietary supplementation of different levels of garlic powder [0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 g/kg diet] for 7 respective groups [45 birds/ group] on body weight development, body gain, relative growth rate, feed conversion ratio, immune response, some blood parameters and carcass traits of Japanese quail chicks. At the end of experiment it was observed that there were no significant differences in body weight development, total body gain or total FCR in quail chicks of all groups supplemented with garlic powder at different levels when compared wit the control group. The total RGR was highest in quail chicks of group 2 when compared with the control unsupplemented group or other supplemented garlic powder groups. The total feed intake was increased in groups supplemented with garlic powder at different levels but slightly decreased in quail chicks of group 6. There was a significant increase in HI titer to ND in groups 5, 6 and 7 at 14[th] and 42[nd] day of age; also, there was a numerical increase in lymphocyte and monocytes count, SGOT and SGPT in all groups receiving garlic powder supplementation when compared with the control group. There was no significant difference between quail chicks supplemented with garlic powder at different levels in serum alkaline phosphatase levels, WBCs, RBCs, dressing%, gizzard weight%, heart weight% and immune organs weight when compared with those of the control one. Serum cholesterol levels and serum triglycerides levels were significantly decreased in quail chicks fed diet supplemented with all levels of garlic powder when compared with those of the control group. There was numerical of the control group. There was a numerical decrease in body fat% with addition of garlic in all supplemented groups when compared with the control group