Evaluation of cinnamon and garlic as antibiotic growth promoter substitutions on performance, immune responses, serum biochemical and haematological parameters in broiler chicks

This study was performed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with cinnamon and garlic powder as growth promoter agents on performance, carcase traits, immune responses, serum biochemistry, haematological parameters and thigh meat sensory evaluation in broilers. A total of 288, day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to six treatments with four replicates. The dietary treatments consisted of the basal diet as control, antibiotic group receiving 3 mg/kg flavophospholipol, 2 and 4 g/kg cinnamon or garlic powder added to the basal diet. Body weights of broilers were measured at 1, 14,28 and 42 days, feed intake was measured at the same periods and feed conversion was calculated, accordingly. At day 42 two birds per replicate were slaughtered for determination of carcase and organ weights and also meat sensory evaluation. Supplementing 2 g/kg cinnamon increased body weight of broilers at 28 and 42 days of age (P<0.05). FCR was calculated to be significantly lower in all treatments compared to the control birds at 28 day period. Feed intake, feed efficiency, internal organ weights and carcase characteristics were not significantly influenced by the dietary treatments at 42 day. None of the immune related parameters was statistically different among treatments. Broilers fed 4 g/kg garlic powder, had a significantly lower concentration of serum LDL cholesterol and elevated HDL cholesterol at day 42 (P<0.05). Serum SGPT enzyme was reduced markedly (P<0.05) in 4 g/kg cinnamon group but serum protein, albumin, triglyceride and SGOT were not affected by dietary treatments. Garlic powder significantly increased red blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit percentage compared to the control group (P<0.05). Sensory evaluation of thigh meat displayed no abnormal odor or flavour in meat induced by feed additives. The results suggested that dietary inclusion of 2 g/kg cinnamon can be applied as alternatives to in-feed antibiotics for broiler diets. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.