UTILIZATION OF GARLIC (ALLIUM SATIVUM L) AS ASUPPLEMENTARY PHYTOGENIC FEED ADDITIVE FOR BROILERS FED COMMERCIAL FEEDS

The study examines the effects of garlic (Allium sativum L) as a supplementary phytogenic feed additive for broilers using one hundred and twenty (120) Lohman broilers that were randomly divided into four (4) experimental groups of two replicates each. Dietary treatments were as follows: T (control), T1, T2 and T3 representing 0, 10, 15 and 20% daily supplementation of garlic per Kilogram of feed at both starter and finisher diets. There were no significant (P>0.05) differences in all performance parameters of experimental birds at both starter and finisher phases except in average body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) at starter phase which showed significant (P<0.05) differences. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in all serum indices measured as Hb %, PCV, Hb g/dl and the garlic supplementation were all negatively correlated (P<0.05) with cholesterol, while PCV, Hb g/dl and garlic supplementation were significantly (P> 0.01) positively correlated with cholesterol, indicating that with increasing in garlic supplementation there was a corresponding increase in other serum metabolites except for cholesterol which was decreased with increase in garlic supplementation. Supplementation with 15% of garlic per kilogram of feed will reduce cholesterol deposition and support performance of broilers.