INFLUENCE OF DIETARY SPEARMINT (<i>Mentha Spicata</i>) SUPPLEMENTATION ON BROILER CHICK PERFORMANCE

YAGOUB H.A.¹, ABDEL ATTI K.A.², ELAGIB H.A.A.³, MALIK H.E.E.⁴, DOUSA B.M.⁵, ELAMIN K.M.^6
1Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
²Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
³Department of Poultry Production, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
⁴Department of Poultry Production, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
⁵Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Gezira, Sudan.
⁶Department of Animal Breeding, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Gezira, Sudan.

Received : 12-11-2013     Accepted : 03-12-2013     Published : 27-12-2013
Volume : 1     Issue : 2       Pages : 24 - 26
World Res J Trop Agr 1.2 (2013):24-26

The use of antibiotics as growth promoter is prohibited all over the world. It is the time to seek for appropriate natural feed additives. In the present study a total of 128 unsexed day old broiler chicks (Hubbard) were used. Chicks were weighed and randomly divided into four treatments and housed as 8 in one pen. Four isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets were formulated. Diet A contained no spearmint (control), diet B, C and D contained added spearmint at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 %, respectively. Different levels of spearmint did not significantly (P<0.05) affect dressing percentages, but affect both slaughter and carcass weights. Different levels of spearmint exerted significant (P<0.05) differences on final body weight but did not significantly (P<0.05) affect total gain weight, total feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Spearmint can be used for broiler chicks as feed additive at level of 1.5% as natural agent.

[1] Scott M.L., Nesheim M.C. and Young R.G. (1982) Nutrition of Chicken, Scott and Associated, eds., W.F. Humphery Press, Inc., Ithacia, N.Y.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[2] Brenes A. and Roura E. (2010) Animal feed science and tech-nology, 158, 1-14.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[3] Sabra K.L. and Meth T.J. (1990) Indian Journal of Animal Pro-duction, 6, 115-118.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[4] Nanekarani S., Goodarzi M. and Heidari M. (2012) The effect of different level of spearmint (menthe Spicata) extract on immune system and blood parameter of broiler chickens, APCBEE Pro-cedia 4, 135-139.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[5] Abbas T.E.E. and Ahmed M.E. (2010) International Journal of agriculture Science, 2(2), 09-13.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[6] Lawless J. (1995) The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[7] Galib A.M. and Al-Kassie M. (2010) Agriculture and Biology Journal of North America, 1(5), 1009-1013.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[8] Board on Agriculture, National Research Council (1994) Nutri-ents Requirements of Poultry, 9th ed., National Academies Press, Washington DC.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[9] Lodhi G.N., Singh D, Ichponani V.S. (1976) J. of Agric. Sci. Camb., 86, 293-303.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[10] Amasaib E.O., Abd Elrahman B.H., Abdelhameed A.A., Atta Elmanan B.A. and Mahala A.G. (2013) Online Journal of Animal and Feed Research, 3(4), 193-196.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus  

[11] Al-Ankari A.S., Zaki M.M. and Al-Sultan S.I. (2004) International Journal of Poultry Science, 3(10), 629-634.  
» CrossRef  » Google Scholar  » PubMed  » DOAJ  » CAS  » Scopus